"OB-X" on Receptor

[Hybernation]

This synth deserves it's own thread!

http://www.sonicprojects.ch/obx/vstversion.html

$99 bucks. Works flawlessly on Receptor. Comes with 2 FXB's, 64 patches each.



I've only played with it for 10 minutes, but I am quite impressed.

It shows up on Receptor as "Container"...just edit info-cache.xml to give it whatever name you like after installing.

[looneytunes]

Hi Hybernation,

How is 'the hit' on CPU? Is it comparable to something lite (eg.imposcar) or something heavier (eg minimonsta, arturia synths)? Have you tried layering multiple instances? What would be the CPU hit for that?

Thanks in advance, and thanks for the pointer - been waiting for a good OB emulation,

Kevin L.

[Hybernation]

After playing with it a little while longer, these are my findings:
1) it's made with Synthedit I believe (running it the first time creates a dir with SEM files in it). Not saying that is a bad thing, but it was news to me
2) there is a bug that manifests itself only on Receptor. After changing patches, there is an occasional high pitch whine...sounds just like a filter which is self-oscillating, which is weird since these filters, like those on the original OB-X, don't self-oscillate. It only happens ONCE after a patch change and not every time, but it would be a REAL DRAG in a live setting.
3) multiple instance do NOT work well....they seem to steal voices from each other and notes get stuck. Tried this on receptor as same MIDI channel and as two different ones. Same thing. Even tried it on Receptor under energyXT (two OB's under one ext). Same thing. Here's the shocker, it does this when 2 instance are loaded on Sonar or Tracktion2! You can tell it's happening by looking at the 6 "LED's" for the 6 oscillators.
4) it's pretty easy on CPU, but then it's only 6 voices
5) I compared it to impOSCar on Receptor and it is a bit heavier on CPU. I played the intro to "Subdivisions" bu Rush, which uses 5-6 voices continually, and OP-X had a slightly higher "average" (25% vs 20%), but the OP-X created little "spikes" that went up around 50-55% whereas the impOSCar has no spikes. 2 instance used about double the CPU but started sounding like crap with the voice stealing...it became 3 note polyphonic! YIKES!!

I'm not as excited as I used to be about this synth. It does sound fat, though

I will point the developer to this thread, maybe he can work out the bugs I mentioned (it is a very new synth)

[looneytunes]

Hi Hybernation,

Thanks for your results. I appreciate you hi-liting some early 'WARTS'.

Regards,
Kevin L.

[Reubs]

I will point the developer to this thread, maybe he can work out the bugs I mentioned (it is a very new synth)

So new in fact its not even in the database yet , Peter works hard on the synth, sent the bug/s report via email and they will be quickly fixed !!!

Reuben

[Peter999]

have a look at the limited time offer - buy the vst and get the reaktor ens for free until sunday night - the ones who have already bought the vst-version have the free personal reaktor version in their mailboxes already

[Hybernation]

have a look at the limited time offer - buy the vst and get the reaktor ens for free until sunday night - the ones who have already bought the vst-version have the free personal reaktor version in their mailboxes already

This is GREAT Peter. THANK YOU!!

[SoftJunkie]

Peter, what are thoughts on the bug/performance reports by Hybernation? Will there be a maintenance release in the near future?

[PhilMuller]

I'm not as excited as I used to be about this synth. It does sound fat, though

Which sounds better OP-X or Imposcar? "Better" means phattttter and more playable. I will probably buy which ever one you say is better!

[looneytunes]

Hi Peter,

I have downloaded your demo, and do enjoy the quality of sounds/patches. I have some comments though:

1.) On my PC, I find that all notes are doubled (eg 2 voices are used to play each note (except mono-mode where all voices are used), limiting me to a polyphony of 3. This is using a Yamaha S90 controller, and a P4 PC with an RME card for audio/MIDI. There is no loopback of MIDI notes (ie MIDI in is disconnected), and I do not have doubled voices on other vstis with the same setup.

2.) While 6 voices is on the original implementation, I find that number artificially set, and limiting. 12 would be more useful. I would sacrifice CPU performance for more voices. This is a place where keeping true to the original is 'too limiting'.

3.) The Demo mode is very harsh - Noise bursts are very long, 3 minute shutdown is too short - Noise bursts continue, even after audio is shutdown. I can barely audition 4 sounds before hitting the limits.

4.) The visual legend is very small (eg ~ 9pt) and hard to read. I know that there is a high emphasis on recreating the look of the original, but you are sacrificing readability/usability.

I think this VSTi might have alot of potential. The voicing bugs and voice limits are a real concern for me. I hope you can fix these, because I think you might be first-to-market on an emulation that has been long awaited.

Regards,
Kevin L.

[Hybernation]

I'm not as excited as I used to be about this synth. It does sound fat, though

Which sounds better OP-X or Imposcar? "Better" means phattttter and more playable. I will probably buy which ever one you say is better!

At this point, impOSCar is a hand-down winner. It has more capabilities (I believe, but I'm not a tech-head). It has LOADS of presets (13 banks of 32, vs. 2 banks of 64 for OP-X). And it's FULLY "Recetorized" (Buy it for your PC at a local store/web store for $99, and then the Receptor crossgrade will cost you 19.95 at Plugorama).

That said OP-X DOES have a very fat sound (especially considering that it has no onboard effects...many of the fat impOSCar sounds utilized it's excellent onboard chorus and delay effects).

I like them both but if I had to pick one at this point, it would definitely be impOSCar. (and since I'm plugging them anyway, Minimonsta is also to die for )

[PhilMuller]

.... (and since I'm plugging them anyway, Minimonsta is also to die for )

I have Minimonsta/Receptor and I love it. I also discovered Oatmeal. It took me about 2 weeks to discover a great set of patches using the random patch generator, but Oatmeal is really great. I have Waldorf's PPG running as a PC plugin under Nuendo and it sounds great. This would be a wonderful synth for the Receptor. Also I have Albino and I like it very much! What else do you recommend?

[Hybernation]

I have Minimonsta/Receptor and I love it. I also discovered Oatmeal. It took me about 2 weeks to discover a great set of patches using the random patch generator, but Oatmeal is really great. I have Waldorf's PPG running as a PC plugin under Nuendo and it sounds great. This would be a wonderful synth for the Receptor. Also I have Albino and I like it very much! What else do you recommend?

I haven't gotten into Oatmeal yet, but I'm not much of a patch programmer (I'm more of a "preset whore" ) Love Albino2.

Well, you've got a good collection. I have too many. "What next" I reckon depends on what you are after. If you are really into Vintage, it's hard to beat the NI B4 (or better yet B4II). I like the Pro-53 as well. Both run on Receptor. Sadly my favorite vintage of all, hands down, the CS80V by Arturia does not run on Receptor at all.

As far as "workhorses" I continually come back to "Atmosphere", and I'm a big fan of two other "Romplers" - Collosus (yes it's pricey, I got the receptor collosus "Deal" or I NEVER would have parted with that kind of dough) and also Nostalgia, which is a charming collection of Vintage Synth/Keyboard samples. I also like Rhino a lot, and the excellent expansions that are available for it. Wusikstation is worth looking into, especially the "TSW" expansion. V1 runs very well on Receptor (and cost $9.95!).

[Peter999]

hello - I'm tring to answer some of your questions:

Peter, what are thoughts on the bug/performance reports by Hybernation? Will there be a maintenance release in the near future?

Of course I'm working hard to fix it - I have never used the op-x in multiple instances - so I was not aware of this behaviour
the occasional high frequency putout in preset changes is better known to me - I don't know where it comes from exactly - the op-x is a very very complex beast - almoust as complex as the original - there are more than 3000 virtual connections internally - that's one of the reasons for the organic and lively sound of the op-x - I'm trying to find out what's the reason for it - but be aware that it's only occasionally - you can work perfectly with the op-x - I've donw whole songs with it already

On my PC, I find that all notes are doubled (eg 2 voices are used to play each note (except mono-mode where all voices are used), limiting me to a polyphony of 3.

You have probably the old demo (there was a wrong behaviour in fact) - it has been updated - just download the new one

While 6 voices is on the original implementation, I find that number artificially set, and limiting.

The OP-X was modeled after the real original standing here in the studio - and this one has six voices - we wanted to copy it's sound exactly - the sound of each voice separatly - so each voice was modeled separatly after the original - the amount of voices has an affect on the overall sound - especially in unisono patches because each voice has a bit a different sound - they are summing up here - and it would not have been a good thing to "invent" two additional voices - I hope you understand this concept - the op-x is a special synth - if you need many voices then take a different synth - if you are after extremely fat solo sounds and analog sounding organic pads, then take the op-x - there's probably no other synth which will do this better out there (have looked for a one a long time myself - then I began with the cracy op-x project)

That said OP-X DOES have a very fat sound (especially considering that it has no onboard effects...many of the fat impOSCar sounds utilized it's excellent onboard chorus and delay effects).

That's another very important point. what you hear on the website (clips) and what you hear from the demo is absolutely dry - no chorus, no reverb, no eq - nothing. it would have been a betrayal of analog sound if I would have added an effects section - I hate effect sections on synths - this is better done in the sequencer - many synths use the onboard effects to hide the thin sound (but noth the imposcar - this one is great) - the op-x has nothing to hide
but when you add a bit of reverb or delay in sequencer use with the op-x then you'll get blown away I promise you

by the way: you can't compare the imposcar to the op-x - it's a totally different synth with a different sound palette - I own it by myself and like it very much - it delivers all the sounds in the borderarea from analog to digital (as my korg dw8000 does too in another way)

So: if you really want bloody analog feeling and sound, then get the op-x - you'll forget that you play a softsynth I promose you!

[Peter999]

o = i of course...