Upcoming product upgrade with less features

[anzoid]

-Presets for the Amplitude, Phase and Wave in the Oscillators and a knob for precise control of each partial in the same Amplitude and Phase section (so I don't need to spend a lifetime staring at 1 millimetre-wide partials and clicking and dragging about just trying to get the intended waveform)

-A larger interface, or different skins and sizes (So I won't have to bear looking at the tiny 1 millimetre-wide partials in the Oscillator section described above)

-More unheard-of and mind blowing presets.

I love your enthusiasm Not so sure that I would want to see Octopus get all the features you suggested though. The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind. As it stands Octopus is, IMO, the best FM synth on the market closely followed by BLUE and also TubeOhm's T-FM. Personally I'd prefer it to stay almost exclusively FM rather than throwing in a bunch of other synthesis types, plus the kitchen sink.

The thing I love about Octopus is the clarity and logic of the design. For me it fits beautifully my understanding of FM synthesis and is an absolute joy to work with for creating presets because everything is there right in front of you. Context hopping is minimal whilst working on a sound.

Where I do agree with you is that some kind of preset system and better editing for the additive portions of the synth would be good. Those areas could do with some refinement. However, and somebody will probably shoot me for this, I'd be happy if all the additive stuff was removed and all that was available was a sine wave per operator.

Why? you ask. If you flick through the presets many of them don't even begin to touch the additive partials, simply, I believe, because it is so remarkably easy to create harmonically rich waveforms from simple sine waves if you know what you're doing. The ability to adjust freq. ratios and phases is pretty much all you really need (IMO!!!). The DX7 did alright like that after all

Anyway, would still love to see an Octopus 2 or maybe Octopus Squared with 64 Ops...

[bailees7irish]

I get your point, and you have a point there. But .... it depends! First of all, the upcomming rework, which includes among some new features also some stripped features IS born from our deep dedication to our products, our customers and what is the link: the useability.

Alright, now I know that you guys will add new features besides stripping them down. I am perfectly fine with that. I thought you guys are just gonna strip features without having new ones coming in, and by Octopus 5 we will have either nothing but a $129 synth which is far less flexible than a freeware one, or an abandonment of a superb product.

I have high hopes for Octopus 2, especially on the usability/features balancing. Just make sure that Octopus is still the FM equivalent of Albino, not Alpha! Will be eagerly waiting for this! Just make sure that you don't repeat the same mistake like what happened to RMV. Quite some disappointing presets, bundled stuff and interface quirks.

I have some suggestion for Octopus 2:
-64-bit and VST 3.5 (for Cubase 6's Note Expression 2)

-Some deeper FM and additive synthesis features, with some cool, original ideas implemented, deeper and more effects and a semi-modular environment. Think modulating another operator/oscillator with a waveform that have been subjected to some effects like chorus or reverb. Cool...
We can even use the final result from our synthesis' waveform to modulate oscillators or be modulated by them. Think modulating a preset with another, up to 8!
Or even load our own waveforms (not too sure if the sampler does that) from audio files (like a kick/snare drum, bass, SFX etc. waveform) into an oscillator to modulate/be modulated by oscillators.
Get it?

-Presets for the Amplitude, Phase and Wave in the Oscillators and a knob for precise control of each partial in the same Amplitude and Phase section (so I don't need to spend a lifetime staring at 1 millimetre-wide partials and clicking and dragging about just trying to get the intended waveform)

-A larger interface, or different skins and sizes (So I won't have to bear looking at the tiny 1 millimetre-wide partials in the Oscillator section described above)

-More unheard-of and mind blowing presets. Tim Conrardy's "Glorious Sun" preset in the Ambient preset section is the main reason I was hooked on this. Maybe he can make some variations of that preset? Whatever features you strip, make sure that "Glorious Sun" preset is not compromised, or else...

I think I gave quite nice ideas, especially the synthesis part. You get that idea from me, free of charge! You make big bucks and get good reviews/recommendations, while I enjoy the features without asking for a penny for copyright or licensing. Awesome win-win situation here! Just implement them before other people who sees this copies it first. I really like my idea, and I hope this gets implemented while still retaining usability

Thanks for reading my truly long and detailed post.

critical little fella, ain't he?

[paradiddle]

big cronox update coming this way. (in the new newsletter). I'm eargerly waiting for this!

[Aloysius]

I hope it is for CronoX. I've had it for years but never used it on anything.

Well, thats an interesting statement, Aloysius, why that ? Its exactly what we look for, feedback on useability, please lt us know. This however applies to all products of course, and as our products share certain features its also interesting for our current makeover.
Thanks

I think it needs a serious makeover. It really doesn't inspire me with it's looks or sounds. On the other hand, MorphoX is a little beauty. I use that a lot.

Not a very technical reply I guess. Not everything is about zeros and ones.

> From: newsletter@linplug.com
> Subject: LinPlug March 2012 Newsletter
> Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:58:53 +0100
>
>
> Dear Friends, Customers and Partners,
>
> we this month have 3 more updates for our Mac customers: Alpha, Albino
> and CronoX updates fix a couple of issues some of you experienced.
> We also have a first preview on CronoX 4.
>
>
> CronoX Update
> - Fixed detune problem when loading on PowerPC systems
> - Stability improvements
> - Ended support for PowerPC G3 processors
>
>
> CronoX 4 Preview
>
> The CronoX 4 is expected to be released around June of this year. This is a big update
> because the CronoX 4 features a new GUI, not just a cosmetic change or new design elements
> but a new design from ground up.
> This addresses the feedback we got from many customers who actually prefered CronoX 2 for
> its simplistic design.
> We worked hard to get that 6 edit oage design onto a single edit page. Yes, its on ONE
> page now, and the best is that the most important aspects of editing a sound are now
> much better than before. We also added a number of new information displays and help
> functions so making your own sounds and changing factory presets its much improved.