KVR Audio

Ned Bouhalassa · Post by **Ned Bouhalassa** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:22 pm

I downloaded the demo and took the Matrix for a spin. The sound is quite flat compared to the original (had one for 18 months recently), but there are some aspects that bring back the character of the beast. The original was not, IMO, about that bass, but more about great pads, rich comping keys, bubbling/evolving textures. You can hear these in the VI, but there's not enough life in the individual voices/oscillators when you play a chord. That said, I heard plenty of cool material/patches for my soundtrack work, but a few things make me hesitate: a) the presets are too busy/pre-composed, the library could be much deeper. I would love more usable patches, less examples of cool programming, team-player-patches instead of look-at-me-I'm-cool-patches; b) the audio glitch when switching patches is a real creative downer.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:23 pm

T-CM11 wrote:Anyway, I just installed the demo, and there is no mention of an 'activation code'. Don't know why that page mentions it.

As i alraedy mentioned the demos no longer seem to need a code, maybe that text at the website is old. Anyway if i remember correctly with the old eLicenser system you needed a code for the demos and those were not time limited like the current demos (you have to restart after 20 minutes).

The codes for the full version of the V-Collection 4 upgrade i got both in my account and via email.

ke2041 · Post by **ke2041** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:40 pm

T-CM11 wrote:
Ingonator wrote: AFAIK the new demos even run without activation. The Matrix-12V demo download is also available here:
http://www.arturia.com/myarturia?view=demo&id=103

Get Matrix 12 V demo version for free
Please fill in the following fields to obtain an activation code. This activation code will be emailed to you. It will allow you to run the demo version with your eLicenser control center.
Do they send those activation codes manually? Because I still haven't received one.

To try the demo, just download and install the Matrix-12 V from here.
Then you'll be able to try it in demo mode.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:40 pm

I'm at work, using in-ear headphones, but so far it sounds good (first impression).

cowby · Post by **cowby** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:49 pm

just re-played the demo again - 32bit VST

Anyone found the same thing ....?

Fired it up and it will load the "template single" patch. However, the CPU meter always stays at 28 even I didn't press any key

However, if I load the "template multi", it stays around 11 - 12...

Mine is i7 running win7 64bit.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:55 pm

lnikj wrote:
T-CM11 wrote:Anyway, I just installed the demo, and there is no mention of an 'activation code'. Don't know why that page mentions it.
They've abandoned the e-licenser. But, not bothered to update all the relevant pages on their website.

They could all be humans at Arturia, and just not have had the time to update all their pages yet

MillerSam · Post by **MillerSam** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:57 pm

BTW: Don't buy a V-Collection 3 and hoping on a free upgrade. I talk to Arturia and their is no grace period

lnikj · Post by **lnikj** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:10 pm

Numanoid wrote:
lnikj wrote:
T-CM11 wrote:Anyway, I just installed the demo, and there is no mention of an 'activation code'. Don't know why that page mentions it.
They've abandoned the e-licenser. But, not bothered to update all the relevant pages on their website.
They could all be humans at Arturia, and just not have had the time to update all their pages yet

Aye, they could, but don't get me started on Arturia's website since they changed it ...

Gribs · Post by **Gribs** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:53 pm

I own licenses for Modular V, SEM V, and Spark2/SparkLE. I think that SparkLE + Spark 2 is a fun drum machine, especially with the modular aspect. I think it is just supposed to be that: a drum machine and not a big semi-daw-groove-making-monstrousity. I think that SEM V sounds pretty good for a software synth. Moog Modular V, though, is a pain to use due to the GUI and I no longer touch it at all. I learned some basic synthesis techniques using it and Vaz when I just started out, but transitioned away quickly from Modular V.

So now Arturia has offered an upgrade to V4 for $169 (not Pounds or Euros, but dollars) and that seems like it would be a good price if the new instruments are decent. I am not sure though; I am loaded with instruments already and Hugo Portillo's Reaktor emulation of a Solina (in the user lib) is pretty impressive plus I have Xils V+ as well. There are definitely string machine folks out there including me

The ensemble sound plus a good phase shifter are required to get the vintage sound that I like.

As for oscillator sounds in the Matrix 12 emulator, there are a couple tutorials on Arturia's YT page that show how to dig in and add slop and detuning to make them come alive. That sort of thing has to be done to get something close, in my opinion at least. Some of the pad sounds that I was hearing in the videos sounded pretty good to my old ears - e.g. a sound like the central pad on "Mission" by Rush on their "Hold Your Fire" album. My little brother owned (owns still) a Matrix 6 but I have never heard a 12 up close and personal - far away during the Hold Your Fire and other Rush tours, yes, but up close, no.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:59 pm

Hmm... the Matrix 12 sounds ok but nothing I need in my plug-in folder.
The delay in sync mode has no note values only ms, is this a bug?

MillerSam · Post by **MillerSam** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:16 pm

The Soundtestroom tested it

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:42 pm

Ingonator wrote:In Matrix-12V i observed voice steling while playing some patches, even when only using 4-5 notes.

I found that there seems to be a built-in feature for this. Go to the "Voices" page. At the "Zones" section, at the right of the displayed mode (e.g. "Rotate") there is a "V. Steal" button. If this is highlighted (light green) voice stealing seems to be activated, if itÄs dark green (like the background) it seems to be off.

Yes, it's a feature, not a bug.

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:46 pm

CPU is insane on this, cant get it below 90%

i can run plenty of other apparently high cpu synths no problem

dont like the way the knobs fade when moving them, dont like the lag between presets, hate the 'original' sounds (what a pile of shite, does the real unit sound that bad?

)

some of the new factory sounds are ok, but lets face it, i have all these sounds covered

no idea if it sounds like an M12 or not, and dont care. If i wanted a perfect M12 sound, i'd buy an M12...i demoed it to see if it was a good synth.

so, it might be ok for someone who hasnt tried a decent VA in the last 5 years and has some cash they dont want. Not for me.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:51 pm

Kriminal wrote:CPU is insane on this, cant get it below 90%

i can run plenty of other apparently high cpu synths no problem

I only found such problems wit hpatches taht use Reverb. I sent a message to arturia support about this and also mentioned at the Arturia KVR forum.
The same problem seems to be found with the Reverb at Slina V and Vox V.

CPU use also depends on how many of the 12 voices are activated in the Voices page. For normal use not all 12 voices are necessary.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:56 pm

Kriminal wrote:CPU is insane on this, cant get it below 90%

i can run plenty of other apparently high cpu synths no problem

Wow? It's pretty consistently at around 25% on my machine. I was running the demo at 96k to get halfway decent sound out of it. The CPU usage does seem to vary wildly and even get stuck at points.

Arturia's new plugins : Solina V and Matrix 12V