Oh boy, another VA synth. This time from Waves!

[Impulslogik]

Looking at the GUI I can see buttons labeled 'DCO' and this indicates that Element may have an alternative sound when these are enabled. Try them ( I don't have the demo) and see how the oscillators behave in the DCO mode. They should imitate real DCOs and stay in tune, hence the phasing effect (due to naturally occurring Voltage Controlled Oscillator detuning in the non-DCO mode) will be minimised.

Yeah, no phasing effect with DCO enabled on both. Pretty nice feature to have that assignable to each oscillator. I guess that's one thing that maybe separates Element from other similar synths.

You can simulate VCO and DCO in synths like z3ta+...you can also make the osc freerun or in sync...so you can do z3ta sounding ultra warm and fat or ultra cold and stable. Nothing new...

Didn't mean to imply it was something new, just different from comparable synths like Retrologue and Dune, which is what I've been comparing it to as they seem very similar. Basic low cpu VA's with single window interfaces.

you can set osc phase in Dune in the matrix, for each osc.

So in Dune if I assign one LFO to OSC1 phase and a second LFO to OSC2 phase, I should get the same effect as two VCOs like in Element?

Not the same but a similar effect. Try to put a lfo (random or so not sinus) with smal amount to the pitch of osc1 and/or osc2...that gives you more instability like a real vco...

[c_voltage]

but if you have an ilok and s spare $99 intro price, I think it's money well spent.

On Waves ilok is not necessarily now (if I'm not mistaken)

[MFXxx]

but if you have an ilok and s spare $99 intro price, I think it's money well spent.

On Waves ilok is not necessarily now (if I'm not mistaken)

OOps always forget that...even when i bought it I couldn't work out how to get it on my ilok lmfao.

Waves+iLok is embedded in my overgrown brain....Wavescloud or usb stick dongle

[evo2slo]

Worth a thousand words... right?

http://soundcloud.com/evo2slo/element-oscillator-demo

The free running oscillator phase effect seems much more pronounced than other synths I've compared it to.

[himalaya]

You are showing 'detuning'. How this detuning is achieved, whether by the simple act of mixing two oscillators together or mixing them and only then applying a tune offset (detune) is immaterial. It is still 'detuning'. There are VA synths with very elaborate and very effective detuning.


As an example, one VA synth I like a lot, has a phase knob for each oscillator. Change the phase = change the sound. Then modulate the phase by, say, a slow running LFO with a S&H wave to create a dynamic phase offset. Then set the fine tune parameter for each osc to plus and minus respectively and bob's your creamy analog sound. This may seem elaborate but it gives plenty of options on how one wishes to 'sculpt' the sound.

[evo2slo]

You are showing 'detuning'. How this detuning is achieved, whether by the simple act of mixing two oscillators together or mixing them and only then applying a tune offset (detune) is immaterial. It is still 'detuning'. There are VA synths with very elaborate and very effective detuning.

Thanks for the clarification. What would be an example of a mac compatible synth that has detuning behavior similar to this?

[Bronto Scorpio]

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding regarding DCOs here.

DCOs are analog oscillators which are divided down from a master clock.
All oscillators of all voices will always share the same phase relationship. This can NOT be simulated by a simple retrigger function (unless you press two notes at exatcy the same time).

I don't know if that's how they have implemented it in this synth but that's how it basically works.

It's not such an important feature imo but it can be quite usefull for some sounds (String machine emulations for example).

Cheers
Dennis

[pdxindy]

The only reason this synth stands a chance is because it is produced by Waves.

[c_voltage]

Among other things, there is a very useful button Punch with Shape setting.

[himalaya]

You are showing 'detuning'. How this detuning is achieved, whether by the simple act of mixing two oscillators together or mixing them and only then applying a tune offset (detune) is immaterial. It is still 'detuning'. There are VA synths with very elaborate and very effective detuning.

Thanks for the clarification. What would be an example of a mac compatible synth that has detuning behavior similar to this?

Look at any analog modeling VA synth released in the last few years (or going even further back in time). They can all give you a sound of two oscillators slowly drifting in and out of phase, or give you lots of scope for creating detuning. It's just they do it in different ways.

Anyway, Element's UI looks very inviting. Easy on the eye and very clear. The only thing that looks like it could do with an update is the modulation matrix, Six modulation slots is really not a lot.

Otherwise, it looks like it has all the synthesis options I usually look for in a VA: hard sync, ring mod, multi-mode filter and filter FM. Nice FX section. The VCO/DCO oscillator mode is also very nice to have and will give different sounds right in the osc section. Then it's all about the sound.

I wonder if the osc waves can be selected simultaneously, like on the SCI Pro One. Any one can confirm this? They look so click-able, all at the same time.

[c_voltage]

In general, would be extra 90 bucks would buy . About the above comparisons emm.. to Retrologue actually did something similar in sound, but Dune more different character imo (more table refined, digital, how-to)

[Kriminal]

PM me if you have demo installer. Ta.

[audiosabre]

I think waves should win an award for this. There is literally nothing else like this in the plugin world. And that waves sound, man it makes me cream my pants.

[/sarcasm mode off]

I hope you go under guys

[Johnny!]

I think waves should win an award for this. There is literally nothing else like this in the plugin world. And that waves sound, man it makes me cream my pants.

[/sarcasm mode off]

I hope you go under guys

This.

The only reason this synth stands a chance is because it is produced by Waves.

And that.




Call me hater, but if it wasnt develeoped by Waves, the topic would hardly reach 3 pages. Because thats what it's worth.

[xoxos]

http://www.kvraudio.com/product/element-by-xoxos