KVR Audio

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:21 am

Well peeps, I decided on the used Prophet '08. Call me crazy, but I find no fault with the sound of the MoPho or any of the demo tracks I've heard on line. I dig that punchy bright sound... who knows, maybe my high frequency hearing isn't what it should be.

Now I'd like to derail my own thread. I've enjoyed this one quite a bit as it especially never melted down into flame wars as these threads tend to. I'm curious to hear what the anti and pro DSI people are using for software VAs and why.

Shy · Post by **Shy** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:06 am

I use Korg's Mono/Poly, Polysix and MS-20 VSTi's sometimes. Not often, though. Why do I? Those synths are really fun (especially Mono/Poly) and powerful (complex stuff possible, flexible structures) and while the oscillators have no character whatsoever, the filters are very nice.

syzygywell · Post by **syzygywell** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:20 am

I haven't been a fan of DSI although I haven't heard the mopho or tetra in person. I have played the others the polyevolver holds a bit of interest but for the price there are other things I'd rather have like an acidlab miami, perfourmer or mpc3000. But again its about what appeals to you and what sounds you are after.. so no flames. I do wish Dave would actually do a faithful reproduction of his prophet 5, people would pay the prices they do for the voyager for that and probably more. The 8 sounded thin to me and disappointing but then I was hoping it would be the reproduction it could have been.

To answer your question though about software I basically look at it now as filling the void that my hardware can't. I use absynth (which I would pay good money to have in a hardware version) all spectrasonics stuff although I actually hardly use RMX's library at all anymore nor the extra libraries. I use other rexd samples almost exclusively, sylenth, synplant and that is pretty much it. I have really moved away from software recently although it has improved since I started using it. I still have to go to plugs for my mastering and for some effects like tape delays etc which I hope to change in the future as well. For now though I rely on logic for those things and a few plugs from izotope or sonalksis.

so I'd say I use software to go where hardware can't and to fill in the blanks that I haven't yet purchased hardware for yet. That definitely takes time and money if I thought synths were expensive cripes audio gear is worse.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:21 am

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:14 am

Dogboy73 wrote:
deastman wrote:
eXode wrote:You know, there are people arguing over the differences between the new SEM and the old SEM as well. Crazy stuff.

I just wished that he would have included MIDI in the CV/GATE version.
I got one of the new SEMs, and my Kenton Pro 2000 mkII works just fine with it. No point in running the cost up even higher with a built-in MIDI interface.
No. Much better to run up the cost with the need to buy a seperate one!

Fair point.

But if you're buying the CV/Gate version, you probably already have a MIDI/CV converter. I know I have a few...

stonestreet · Post by **stonestreet** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:52 am

zerocrossing wrote:Well peeps, I decided on the used Prophet '08. Call me crazy, but I find no fault with the sound of the MoPho or any of the demo tracks I've heard on line. I dig that punchy bright sound... who knows, maybe my high frequency hearing isn't what it should be.

Now I'd like to derail my own thread. I've enjoyed this one quite a bit as it especially never melted down into flame wars as these threads tend to. I'm curious to hear what the anti and pro DSI people are using for software VAs and why.

zerocrossing

Good for you. Enjoy your new instrument, no doubt you will. I too have enjoyed this thread as it has been very informative without any dishing out the dirt and little frustration from all. Thankyou for posting your track I really enjoyed it. And thanks to all for all the video links etc.

Currently my fix is to run Doepfer Dark Energy into Moogerfooger FreqBox into DSI Mopho. I am new this year to hardware that is not a VA, my keyboard is a Novation KS4. What I have found most interesting is that these new pieces of kit sound great without effects. Sometimes I insert distortion or a little reverb and thats about all. The strange thing is that I have not recorded a single tune with this new kit

Anyways, have fun

Mark

Dogboy73 · Post by **Dogboy73** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 10:59 am

ghettosynth wrote:
zerocrossing wrote:Well peeps, I decided on the used Prophet '08. Call me crazy, but I find no fault with the sound of the MoPho or any of the demo tracks I've heard on line. I dig that punchy bright sound... who knows, maybe my high frequency hearing isn't what it should be.

Now I'd like to derail my own thread. I've enjoyed this one quite a bit as it especially never melted down into flame wars as these threads tend to. I'm curious to hear what the anti and pro DSI people are using for software VAs and why.
Bah! I lost my message. It was quite long, I'm not going to retype it. Sorry.

Please, retype! You've had plenty of very interesting & informative input thus far. Keep it coming.

And yes this has been a hugely interesting thread throughout & great it that it hasn't descended into flame despite lots of varied views. Three cheers for us

waveriderarts · Post by **waveriderarts** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:04 pm

zerocrossing wrote:Well peeps, I decided on the used Prophet '08.

Good for you, I like mine very much...

I can see what Ghettosynth means by more static DCOs versus VCOs but to me it is still an immense improvement over substactive synth plugins...

I enjoy great pads and suberb unison basses... I am sure you will like it too!!!!!

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:51 pm

waveriderarts wrote:
zerocrossing wrote:Well peeps, I decided on the used Prophet '08.

Good for you, I like mine very much...

I can see what Ghettosynth means by more static DCOs versus VCOs but to me it is still an immense improvement over substactive synth plugins...

I enjoy great pads and suberb unison basses... I am sure you will like it too!!!!!

Yeah, I'm pretty excited though my mean wife is telling me that I'll have to wait until Christmas to play with it! Of course she's petitioned me nearly every year I've known her for her gift early and won. She's physic so she can read my mind for the gift [it's true, and spooky] and an avid cook so he argument is that she needs time with her new kitchen gadget to practice with it so she can use it on Christmas day to good effect. Hilarious. All to commemorate a guy who we both agree had some really nice ideas, but inspired a sprawling corrupt church that's probably number 1 in carrying out atrocities all over the world... and surely wasn't born anywhere near December 25th. BAH HUMBUG!

The way I've come to think of VCOs is that I'm sure they make a unique sound. I hear stuff like that all the time. For a while I was obsessed with a type of wooly phase shifting sound I can get from Ultra Analog. Another time I needed the dry very cold crunch sound I get in KLC MS-20. Before synths it was the shimmery chime of an EMG pickup feeding a Roland JC120.

Of course my pretty little word pictures are probably worthless to most and only serve as mental notes to me. I'm also a guy who thinks in terms of "warm" and "fat" but I bet I could get little consensus on what those words really mean. Anyway, it's been so long since I actually sad down with a VCO driven synth that I have no idea what it's {insert adjective here] is. I'm not even sure if I'd like it because of negative associations with early synth works. When I was 12 I took some paper route money and bought the Star Wars soundtrack on vinyl. It turned out to be done entirely with synths! I was so angry. I wanted the original movie score and I was duped. Of course now if I get my hands on that disc I'd probably poop myself with joy. Anyway, I also hated "Switched On Bach" and all the Vangellis stuff. :shrug" I know it's heresy to say that here, but that's how I felt. I had no use for synths and for me it was all about putting Rickenbacker guitars though Vox amps. It probably wasn't until songs like Sweet Dreams and She Blinded Me With Science that I became interested in how synths could be used as instruments and not technological novelties.

So it's probably all about what you grew up with. I swear that a cold turkey leftover sandwich make with turkey cold cuts, Helman's mayonnaise, Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce from a can [the corrugation makes it taste better!] on a poppyseed hard roll is the best thing in the world, but I'm sure it's just something I'm fond of because dear mother used to make it for us. [see also: Bisquick Taco Pie] I made one for my foodie wife and she looked at me in that way that only says, "Why are we eating this instead of real food?"

waveriderarts · Post by **waveriderarts** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:05 am

zerocrossing wrote:"Why are we eating this instead of real food?"

why are you playing this instead of real VCOs?

Dogboy73 · Post by **Dogboy73** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:26 pm

ghettosynth wrote:They (Roland RS-505) sound good, and distinctive, but I agree, I don't think that they're worth the insane prices people are asking these days.

So do you reckon this dood will manage to sell this RS-505?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Roland-Paraphonic ... 3eee973212

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:29 pm

Dogboy73 · Post by **Dogboy73** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:40 pm

ghettosynth wrote:
Dogboy73 wrote:
ghettosynth wrote:They (Roland RS-505) sound good, and distinctive, but I agree, I don't think that they're worth the insane prices people are asking these days.
So do you reckon this dood will manage to sell this RS-505?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Roland-Paraphonic ... 3eee973212
I saw that and either I've not been keeping up or that really is an insane price.

It's certainly an insane price but it is apparently in mint condition & full working order. Finding an example in such good condition I would expect would be rare but even so. If my lottery numbers came in last night I'd be clicking buy for sure. As it is I think I'll pass on this one.

theriver · Post by **theriver** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:07 pm

I have a desktop evolver and I've had it for a few years now, since I first started producing really.

I have to say I just don't get on with it at all, I'm not sure if its the sound, or the interface or what but it always feels meat-less for basses and the envelopes feel to slow to make the sort of quick-punchy kinda sounds I use in techno.

I want to love it, for techno a digital-analogue synth with so much routing sounds amazing, but I just cant gell with it.

By comparison I have a nord lead1 rack, and I can get all sorts of cool and inspiring bits out of that, even though its a very basic virtual analogue.

Christmas is coming up.. and I'm seriously tempted to sell the evolver and put the money toward getting something else for myself.

What do you guys think? Would I get on better with a different DSI-synth, the sub-oscs sound much more appealing for basses for instance.

Any suggestions?

(really helpful thread btw)

Jinsai · Post by **Jinsai** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:31 am

You should get the "Definitive Guide To Evolver" I wrote.

Before you sell it, realize you can emulate the sub-oscs by using 2 of Evo's 4 oscs tuned down.

Evolver sounds different from other synths, which is a good thing. it's got character. If you don't like that character, nothing wrong with that. Find a synth you do like. I have owned a fleet of synths and currently have a Poly Evolver Keyboard, an Alesis Ion, and a Nord Lead 2 (which is about to get sold). I also have and use most of the NI virtual synths.

Tetra... Prophet 08 rack or something else?