Tone2 Saurus Teaser - Competition - KVR Giveaway

[breakmixer]

So you tell me which is which, since you favour one?

I already did, in my first reply - Diva is the second in both your clip and mine.

I prefered the first part of Himalaya's clip tbh...I also think it's Diva the first part, we'll see...The CPU hit totally put me off Diva though.

This seems like an OK synth though(Saurus), but I'm not reaching for my wallet.

[hakey]

seeing as we're now playing spot the synth - which of these is a user-made Diva patch and which a preset from the Saurus factory bank?

Daz

Ozo

[himalaya]

So you tell me which is which, since you favour one?

I already did, in my first reply - Diva is the second in both your clip and mine.

Ahh yes, I missed that (just came back from the park lol).

You were correct, the first clip is Saurus.

The issue is, my clip was level matched (more or less) to have both at the same level. Diva output is extremely hot and it clips in my host. Saurus has strong peaks, which make it impossible to rise the average volume level to better match that of Diva (without using compression or a limiter). Now, you can muse about how this all makes a difference, but in a mix situation it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. What is important here, after you have thrown the gauntlet of comparing the two synths, is that the timbre in Suarus isn't as bad as people already claim it to be. In fact, the timbre is very good.

Some have noticed the bass in the Saurus clip to be less solid. That is to do with more detune in the Saurus patch. Reduce that, and you get a more solid low end. Other differences are simply to do with different calibration of the envelopes, filter envelope amount, key range, and obviously the filter sound and envelope ADSR settings.

[zvenx]

what mode did you use Diva in?
rsp

[4damind]

I mean - everyone can have it's opinion. My opinion is that if any plugin changes my small studio powered by 4 cores into one channel studio then ... something is not right.

IMO some plug-ins are more for "early adopters". Users interested to use the newest or a different technology/ideas and except the same time also some side effects. This is true for plug-ins like Diva.
I think there is nothing wrong and the developers are fair enough and say "You will need a fast computer".

[himalaya]

what mode did you use Diva in?
rsp

'Great' mode.
I have tested this Diva bass patch in the Divine mode now and I can not hear any discernible difference in this patch. Honestly. Tested this on my Adam A7's - which are supposed to be very revealing, and they are, and tested this on my headphones which reveal the bass very well - no difference. Not in this patch.

There is a difference if I go from Divine or Great to Draft, and the Draft mode is more bright.

[hakey]

Saurus has strong peaks, which make it impossible to rise the average volume level to better match that of Diva (without using compression or a limiter). Now, you can muse about how this all makes a difference, but in a mix situation it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever

I beg to differ - in the mix having to allow more headroom, or use compression to achieve the same perceived loudness is a real difference.

What is important here, after you have thrown the gauntlet of comparing the two synths, is that the timbre in Suarus isn't as bad as people already claim it to be. In fact, the timbre is very good.

Timbre includes dynamics and perceived loudness and in this respect the two synths are quite different - Saurus coming off the worse, imo.

"isn't as bad as people already claim it to be" - damning with faint praise?

(And, imo, the gauntlet was thrown down much earlier in the thread by comments made by Tone2 themselves )

[Nielzie]

Do I get a cake or something?

You know pretty damn well that the cake is a lie!

[bailees7irish]

I mean - everyone can have it's opinion. My opinion is that if any plugin changes my small studio powered by 4 cores into one channel studio then ... something is not right.

IMO some plug-ins are more for "early adopters". Users interested to use the newest or a different technology/ideas and except the same time also some side effects. This is true for plug-ins like Diva.
I think there is nothing wrong and the developers are fair enough and say "You will need a fast computer".

true

[xx JPRacer xx]

I never had any hardware synths before so I can't make comparisons but judging Sauraus alone I think it's a great synth. Did some quick tests and I really like it so far. I can come up with usable sounds pretty quickly, the unison is great and the effects are really good too. If I hadn't won it I would have put it on my "to buy" list.

[braj]

All the talk of Diva vs. Saurus for me is understandable but not what I'm concerned so much about the really technical differences, I want a decent demo that doesn't assume those trying out the demo are criminals or something. 10 minutes is not very generous, Diva has an unlimited demo with some static that will keep you from using it professionally, but other than that you can fully use the plugin and figure if it works for you before buying. I refuse to use the Saurus demo any longer as it seems an insult to me to prospective users, like we would be ripping them off to get to play with it properly I'm sure the crackers will crack it and those that want to steal it will steal it easily enough, all they do by making the demo so limited is to piss off real prospective buyers. I was excited about this synth at one point, I would love something to compliment Diva that used low CPU, but on principle I feel like starting a boycot! And I don't really appreciate the way they talk about their competition either, that really sours my regard for them as a company.

[pdxindy]

From such perspective, I'm happy that there is finally some possibly good VA, which sounds good (probably not as good as Diva)

There have been good sounding VA's which use much less cpu than Diva for a long time...

[braj]

On the other hand U-he for example is very generous, with high-quality free synths and good demos, that endears me to the company and makes me want to buy their products even if my hardware is not up to snuff. I think Tone2 may make great synths but they need to work on their marketing and customer relations.

[zerocrossing]

Saurus has strong peaks, which make it impossible to rise the average volume level to better match that of Diva (without using compression or a limiter). Now, you can muse about how this all makes a difference, but in a mix situation it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever

I beg to differ - in the mix having to allow more headroom, or use compression to achieve the same perceived loudness is a real difference.

What is important here, after you have thrown the gauntlet of comparing the two synths, is that the timbre in Suarus isn't as bad as people already claim it to be. In fact, the timbre is very good.

Timbre includes dynamics and perceived loudness and in this respect the two synths are quite different - Saurus coming off the worse, imo.

"isn't as bad as people already claim it to be" - damning with faint praise?

(And, imo, the gauntlet was thrown down much earlier in the thread by comments made by Tone2 themselves )

I agree. Tone2's new synth just doesn't live up to their hype. I played with it for a little while, thanks to their annoying demo restrictions, and I was able to get some good tones out of it... And then went to Gladiator and replicated them there. Tone2 can't seem to escape their "sound" which I like, but one synth from them is enough for me.

Also for an "analog" emulation I find it pretty poor compared to dcam. Diva, Vaz, poly-Ana and Sawer.

[himalaya]

Saurus has strong peaks, which make it impossible to rise the average volume level to better match that of Diva (without using compression or a limiter). Now, you can muse about how this all makes a difference, but in a mix situation it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever

I beg to differ - in the mix having to allow more headroom, or use compression to achieve the same perceived loudness is a real difference.

If all you do is reduce peaks, then there is nothing to worry about. Seriously. Especially with bass sounds which will be very likely compressed anyway!

Timbre includes dynamics and perceived loudness and in this respect the two synths are quite different - Saurus coming off the worse, imo.

There is a difference in the 'intensity' of the volume level. If that's what you are going to put under the microscope and use as the argument of one being better then the other, then something is wrong with your approach.

Diva has an absolutely beautiful sound. It's immediately 'lush' thanks to many factors, including the Trimmers page, which as I've said on other occasions, is a stroke of genius. To get a similar 'fluidity' that the Trimmers page affords in other synths, a lot of modulation needs to be done in the mod matrix, and still the sound may not be the same as that provided by Diva trimmers.

However, as I listen to Saurus and now compare it to Diva (no less thanks to this thread and people asking for such comparisons) I can safely say that Saurus' sound is just as satisfying - yes it is different in many ways - but not worse.

I have that brass sound Ingo posted, recrerated in Saurus, and my example is much closer. But I can't post it just now as both of my kids jumped on my lap and demanded YT cartoons. gotta take care of them first.