KVR Audio

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 3:47 pm

I'm looking this time for some additional synth falling in the category "virtual analog".

I found Gladiator2 from Tone2. But there are also some comments about embedded watermarks in the sound, some sort of copy protection where I never heard that some serious developers use it. Anyway, does it have some impact to the sound?

There is also the newer ElectraX which looks a bit like a trimmed-down version of Gladitor2. It there a big difference in the sound or are there "important" things missing compared to Gladitor2?

Eventually somebody has both and can say something about Gladiator2 or/and ElectraX.

Nielzie · Post by **Nielzie** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:08 pm

No strange copy protection behaviour that I know of. Your personal download links to the full versions are "watermarked" with your customer number but there is no problem with that. Besides that it's a pretty basic keyfile protection (copy keyfile to install directory and you're done).

A similar discussion (Gladiator 2 vs ElectraX) was recently held here:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=311942

Personally I would go for ElectraX but that's all in my opinion and personal taste. You can't go wrong with either of these though as both are very high quality synths.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:08 pm

Not tried Gladiator yet. But I believe ElectraX can do stuff that Gladiator can't, and vice versa.

ElectraX is quite a beast:

jazztard · Post by **jazztard** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:10 pm

So why do you think that these two fall in the category "virtual analog"? Have you read about the synthesis method they use?

Watermark - does it matter, even if there's such a thing, you cannot see, hear or smell it. What's more important is that the sound is quite "pimped". If this suits you - fine!

Is there a big difference - try the demos! Just dig as deep as you can. No advice you receive here will be worth more than that.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:27 pm

ElectraX does VA very comprehensively, plus lots of other stuff.

If you want a purely VA synth maybe look at Twin2:

xybre · Post by **xybre** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:36 pm

4damind wrote:I'm looking this time for some additional synth falling in the category "virtual analog".

You mean in the way a Virus or a JP8000 or a Nord Lead is VA (with that modern clean sound)? ElektraX is technically closer to that definition, since really Gladiator is a spectrum synth (similar to a good wavetable synth such as a Waldorf XT or Blofeld). However, Gladiator is a good synth that is very flexible as well.

If you want an "analogue simulation" or something closer to a vintage synth, then I'd suggest something different entirely.

4damind wrote:Eventually somebody has both and can say something about Gladiator2 or/and ElectraX.

I own Firebird+, Gladiator2, and I beta tested ElectraX. Gladiator and ElectraX are completely different synths, they use completely different methods for generating sound, and their internal structure is totally different as well.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:49 pm

xybre wrote:You mean in the way a Virus or a JP8000 or a Nord Lead is VA (with that modern clean sound)? ElektraX is technically closer to that definition, since really Gladiator is a spectrum synth (similar to a good wavetable synth such as a Waldorf XT or Blofeld). However, Gladiator is a good synth that is very flexible as well.

Yes, more in the way of the Virus. I hate wavetable synth and don't like Waldorf. Tried Largo and stuff and no.. It's not my cup of tea.
I should take a closer look to ElectraX. Hopefully the demo is not too crippled.

I own Firebird+, Gladiator2, and I beta tested ElectraX. Gladiator and ElectraX are completely different synths, they use completely different methods for generating sound, and their internal structure is totally different as well.

Ok, then its wrong to expect a successor of Gladiator2. But it's not wrong to say, that Gladiator2 has more features then ElectraX?

Xenos · Post by **Xenos** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:42 pm

IMHO, despite the flashy GUI appearance, ElectraX is the more "serious" of the two synths if that makes any sense. Gladiator focuses on HCM synthesis and has some exotic features not found on any other synth I've seen. I'd recommend that to people who want like to experiment and are at the "what does this knob do" stage in making their own sounds.
ElectraX is more old-school. Familiar features. Aimed at people who roll their sounds the "traditional way" where a little more work is involved, but the efforts are extremely rewarding.

Gladiator = "Futuristic, easy to use, rewards exploration"
ElectraX = "Familiar, more of a learning curve, but more refined than any previous Tone2 synth"

Hope that helps

megadeth · Post by **megadeth** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm

I think ElectraX and Gladiator are very good synths doing very modern sounds

But if you want VA the Virus way, go Sylenth1 or Dune

There are Superwave synths too, in the JP8000 flavor.

Superwave P8 is even free

VA in Gladiator,ElectraX,Alchemy...is a "plus", not their best feature

bobbybland · Post by **bobbybland** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:57 pm

ElectraX fav synth atm..

GeorgeZ · Post by **GeorgeZ** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:58 pm

Xenos wrote:IMHO, despite the flashy GUI appearance, ElectraX is the more "serious" of the two synths if that makes any sense. Gladiator focuses on HCM synthesis and has some exotic features not found on any other synth I've seen. I'd recommend that to people who want like to experiment and are at the "what does this knob do" stage in making their own sounds.
ElectraX is more old-school. Familiar features. Aimed at people who roll their sounds the "traditional way" where a little more work is involved, but the efforts are extremely rewarding.

Gladiator = "Futuristic, easy to use, rewards exploration"
ElectraX = "Familiar, more of a learning curve, but more refined than any previous Tone2 synth"

Hope that helps

Meh, pretty much what I wanted to say... good job

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:07 pm

Installed the demo of ElectraX...
Holy sh*t, what a crippled demo version

Some options like loading of samples are disabled, cannot save, works only some minutes and then it opens the web browser with the tone2 page

Not the best demo to get new customers.

Brittlestem · Post by **Brittlestem** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:28 pm

4damind wrote:I'm looking this time for some additional synth falling in the category "virtual analog".

I found Gladiator2 from Tone2. But there are also some comments about embedded watermarks in the sound, some sort of copy protection where I never heard that some serious developers use it. Anyway, does it have some impact to the sound?

There is also the newer ElectraX which looks a bit like a trimmed-down version of Gladitor2. It there a big difference in the sound or are there "important" things missing compared to Gladitor2?

Eventually somebody has both and can say something about Gladiator2 or/and ElectraX.

Tone2 products phone home, ie connect unasked to the interwebs, when instantiated - but my copy of Nexus also tries to connect, as did Soundtoys when I owned it, so it's not just Tone2.

I've never noticed any problem with Tone2 products, CPU or sound-wise.

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:59 pm

Lately I moved my gladiator dll without moving the content. When I tried to load it into my daw I got a few messages then window shut down without giving me a chance to save anything.
I'm pretty sure this was generated by gladiator.

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:01 pm

I like them both. They have a similar sound to the filters (which are great) but pretty different architectures. ElectraX has a more standard approach with the oscillators (but quite versatile) and has 2 filters instead of 1. It also does a couple things that gladiator doesn't do like mono legato and has swing in the arp. i think of it like an overall killer digital synth. ElectraX is more versatile with the routing/architecture but Gladiator is more versatile at the oscillator level. Cool especially for experimental soundscapes and stuff and weird harmonic morphing. Both certainly have that special digital sound yet warm smooth filters.

4damind, I think I'm actually going to sell gladiator and keep electraX (I have many others like alchemy, zebra, absynth etc. so I decided to just keep one of my tone2 synths). If you decide to go with gladiator, you can pm if you want to consider buying it second hand. I've pondered back and forth whether I want to sell it but I have too many synths and I think these two are similar enough to me that I don't need both.

Tone2 Gladiator2 - Sound with a watermark?