KVR Audio

cacahuate · Post by **cacahuate** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:55 am

I apologize for this posting, especially for it being my first, as I'm normally a voyeurist on KVR who does not want to contribute to any mayhem.

Two great deals. Two great different products.

I am content with my workstation/setup right now and I should not purchase any more licenses. However, I would not mind having either of these products in my arsenal this coming year. Both, as you know, are their own pieces.

So... which one and why?

I'm already swayed on one for my own reasons, but curious if others were in this same dilemma, what would they choose and why?

I'm assuming responses will be dependant on the type of audio production.

Just need some feedback before I dive into another plug this year.

Thanks.

ATS · Post by **ATS** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:58 am

they are completely different.

dburns · Post by **dburns** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:39 am

They are both wonderful synths. Alchemy is deeper and offers more features, but Sylenth sounds great and is a steal under the current GB, which ends Dec. 31.

Buy Zebra2.

ozmoz2008 · Post by **ozmoz2008** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:48 am

cacahuate wrote:I apologize for this posting, especially for it being my first, as I'm normally a voyeurist on KVR who does not want to contribute to any mayhem.

Two great deals. Two great different products.

I am content with my workstation/setup right now and I should not purchase any more licenses. However, I would not mind having either of these products in my arsenal this coming year. Both, as you know, are their own pieces.

So... which one and why?

Thanks.

I usually don't aswers these question in a very decisive manner...but this one is obvious to me...

Alchemy by a 1000miles (or km

)

With Alchemy you can do a lot more than you can with Sylenth...(IMO)

Sylenth has that sound you can recreate in a similar way on Alchemy but also on many other synth out there...and after demo it I've came to the fact that it was not worthed having it(and I own a lot of commercial VSTs)

Also with Alchemy you can do your own patch with your own twisted samples...the morphing possibilities are great....you can't on Sylenth...

So for once my answers is very clear on one of these blabla VVS blabla threads

Maybe after a couple of years, if I feel tired of all my VSTs and want some fresh inspiration...I might retry again Sylenth, but for now it is very far from my priority...

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:01 am

If you could only have two soft synths, I would say get these two. But each for completely different and opposite reasons to the other. They are in many ways complete opposites. Does that help?

It depends too much on your individual tastes and also your current arsenal of software. For example someone with lots of good VA's may want to look harder at alchemy. Someone with a bunch of additive and granular synths and modulation monsters may want something stripped down and instantly amazing sounding like sylenth1.

gyprock · Post by **gyprock** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:11 am

I recently purchased Alchemy and thought of getting Sylenth because of the group buy. I convinced myself not to because it is too similar to z3ta+ that came bundled with Sonar 7. In fact I think I prefer z3ta+.

The other conclusion I came to is that the more sounds I purchase, the less time I spend on composing and creativity. Every minute spent previewing another preset takes away from creative time. Imagine if Beethoven had to go through 10,000 presets to choose a sound in his head - he wouldn't have written anything!

ozmoz2008 · Post by **ozmoz2008** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:26 am

gyprock wrote:I recently purchased Alchemy and thought of getting Sylenth because of the group buy. I convinced myself not to because it is too similar to z3ta+ that came bundled with Sonar 7. In fact I think I prefer z3ta+.

The other conclusion I came to is that the more sounds I purchase, the less time I spend on composing and creativity. Every minute spent previewing another preset takes away from creative time. Imagine if Beethoven had to go through 10,000 presets to choose a sound in his head - he wouldn't have written anything!

It is partly right for me because I partly use the fact that I feel strange or uncomfortable with a new synth to create...to take some risks...More sounds to discover, more chances to question my creation and try something new...which is really important for me in my day to day work...

For Beethoven....he probably had other unstable ways of creating...just think about the fact you have to fight against your own deft...that is quite scary...and also positively motivating at the same time...your main reason to exist...to be understood...even if you are not 100% of what you did in the real world...

For everyone its own path...and for every path a new soundtrack!

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:34 am

Buy them both, because they're completely and utterly different synths aimed at different markets and with different sounds targeted. Personally I think it's a weird either/or question - I can't imagine 2 more disparate synths.

Even if for monetary reasons, you can only buy one, when you actually want both, it all depends on what type of music you mostly make. To my mind Sylenth is squarely aimed at mainstream dance stuff with all the usual stock supersaw boring sounds, whereas Alchemy is aimed at almost anyone that wants some power in a synth/sampler. You can make dance music with Alchemy, but you can also do a whole lot more besides. It's a bit like saying, do you want a jackhammer (that would be Sylenth) or a whole toolbox of artisan tools (that would be Alchemy)? Do you want an SUV or a container load of Ferrari parts that you can asssemble yourself into any shape car you want?

As you can see...I'm erring on the side of Alchemy, but then I like making my own patches, I like samplers and I like complex synths that let my own imagination do the work. Whereas I haven't much liked hands-in-the-air dance stereotypes for many years (although I used to many moons ago, so I'm not just slating it out of hand). But if you do like waving your hands about in the air and hugging complete strangers that can't string a sentence together because their eyes are spinning around in their head too fast...buy Sylenth?

Luftrum · Post by **Luftrum** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:17 am

kritikon wrote: Do you want an SUV or a container load of Ferrari parts that you can asssemble yourself into any shape car you want?

+1

Get Alchemy.

C-note · Post by **C-note** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:52 am

Ok, I own (like many others here) all the synths talked about so far in this post. Sylenth is a must buy. Sylenth has "the" sound no others have and is also way more capable than those that have only demoed it think. Alchemy is a beast and absolutely a must buy. If I could only buy one now and I didn't own Cameleon 5000 (thereby getting the 125.00 usd price) I would buy Sylenth on the group buy and purchase Alchemy later. If you own Cameleon 5000 and can only purchase one then you have a much tougher decision.

C

cacahuate · Post by **cacahuate** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:33 am

Thank you for the responses.

I am completely aware of the differences of the plugs, but just curious on how others would respond. As C-note spoke of, I have licenses to Camel Audio's products and would possibly like to take advantage of the discount offered. Sylenth has been another product of interest of recent, even more since the group buy was introduced. On a side note, unfortunately, I've not even had the time to scratch the surface of Omnisphere since it's debut (if that says anything), so I'd like to keep my setup as straight forward as possible, with little distraction. (as others have said)

I should probably purchase both, but I'd lose out on 20 value meals if I only chose one.

Thanks again for your time.

P.S. And I do own a license of Zebra and it's one of my main workhorses.

Klemperer · Post by **Klemperer** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:46 am

With all the information you gave, and stuff you already have, I'd personally say buy none. I tend to disagree too to the opinion Kritikon has about Sylenth. Clearly you can do more with Alchemy, but whatever music you make, Sylenth is not just a dance-synthie. These things depend on you, the musician.

I resisted to buy both synths, as I already own Reaktor/Cameleon5000/Rhino2/KarmaFX/Xphraze and more. I once suffered from KVR-disease too (buy everything spontaneously, and don't miss any group buy. For sure Alchemy is a superb machine, but I personally make less good music if I buy too much. Of course for anyone who doesn't own Rhino2, that's another thing

. Nobody besides mac-people should be without one

. I bought it for 100 Euro, which was cheap for the outstanding quality, and now it is just 70E...this one with Daniel Maurer's presetbanks and you changing them and learning to build your own....well...great...

olepro · Post by **olepro** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:57 am

ATS wrote:they are completely different.

If you take away all the sample manipulation from Alchemy they are pretty similar i would say.
Massive multi saw, great arpeggiator and four osc sources and multi FX.
But even then Alchemy offers much more than Sylenth.

koalaboy · Post by **koalaboy** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:10 am

Sylenth, in the group buy.

olepro · Post by **olepro** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:15 am

kritikon wrote:Buy them both, because they're completely and utterly different synths aimed at different markets and with different sounds targeted. Personally I think it's a weird either/or question - I can't imagine 2 more disparate synths.

Again wrong.
The VA part of Alchemy can do all that Sylenth can do and then more.
The VA synth structure in the two syths is very similar.

The main difference is that Alchemy has all the sample manipulation besides the VA part.

Alchemy or Sylenth??? Forgive me.