Tone 2 - Saurus 2 is available

[Ingonator]

I have done around 260+ patches for for Saurus over some years (got it since it was released i guess...) from which around the half was included as part of official Tone2 soundsets.

My patches include all kind of stuff including both typical analog suff and aso some more typical digital sounds (e.g. Bell like stuff). I am sure i am still not done doing patches with Saurus. Recently i started trying to apply some of the new features like e.g. saturation which for some patches could be great. As the new low cut and hi cut could be helpful to eliminate some unwanted frequencies in some cases.

While at the moment i am mostly involved with the Waldorf plugins (including the Nave plugin and also back using my hardware Blofeld + Pulse 2) Saurus is still one of my "go to" synths (while i have several others...) and will hopefully do some new patches for it ASAP.

[Apostate]

I have done around 260+ patches for for Saurus over some years (got it since it was released i guess...) from which around the half was included as part of official Tone2 soundsets.

My patches include all kind of stuff including both typical analog suff and aso some more typical digital sounds (e.g. Bell like stuff). I am sure i am still not done doing patches with Saurus. Recently i started trying to apply some of the new features like e.g. saturation which for some patches could be great. As the new low cut and hi cut could be helpful to eliminate some unwanted frequencies in some cases.

While at the moment i am mostly involved with the Waldorf plugins (including the Nave plugin and also back using my hardware Blofeld + Pulse 2) Saurus is still one of my "go to" synths (while i have several others...) and will hopefully do some new patches for it ASAP.

That is seriously amazing, Ingonator. Nave is definitely a powerful up and comer (vst version), and obviously I'm a fan of Saurus. Super cool

[Ingonator]

I have done around 260+ patches for for Saurus over some years (got it since it was released i guess...) from which around the half was included as part of official Tone2 soundsets.

My patches include all kind of stuff including both typical analog suff and aso some more typical digital sounds (e.g. Bell like stuff). I am sure i am still not done doing patches with Saurus. Recently i started trying to apply some of the new features like e.g. saturation which for some patches could be great. As the new low cut and hi cut could be helpful to eliminate some unwanted frequencies in some cases.

While at the moment i am mostly involved with the Waldorf plugins (including the Nave plugin and also back using my hardware Blofeld + Pulse 2) Saurus is still one of my "go to" synths (while i have several others...) and will hopefully do some new patches for it ASAP.

That is seriously amazing, Ingonator. Nave is definitely a powerful up and comer (vst version), and obviously I'm a fan of Saurus. Super cool

In the past i was heavily involved with Tone2, including e.g. testing + factory presets for Raybalaster and Nemesis and contributions to several Saurus soundsets. Recently i also did some testing for e.g. UltraSpace and Saurus 2 but less than i did in the past.

Anyway recently i was heavily involved with Waldorf (more than in the past where i already did sound design + testing including for the hardware Pulse 2) and for several months also was an official co-worker (e.g. as the Beta Forum Manager). Still involved with them at the moment but a bit less than in the last months. This could change easily again if new bug reports have to be tested and/or new products are on the way.

For the Nave plugin also testing for a future 1.1 update (currently v1.0.1) has started. This should mostly include some feature requests that were not implemented yet (and of course additional bug fixes where necessary). The Nave developer is posting at KVR himself since a while now.

While i find time for it i will try to focus a bit more in sound design again which in the past usually was my main priority and recently had changed to mostly doing testing.

[Apostate]

I have done around 260+ patches for for Saurus over some years (got it since it was released i guess...) from which around the half was included as part of official Tone2 soundsets.

My patches include all kind of stuff including both typical analog suff and aso some more typical digital sounds (e.g. Bell like stuff). I am sure i am still not done doing patches with Saurus. Recently i started trying to apply some of the new features like e.g. saturation which for some patches could be great. As the new low cut and hi cut could be helpful to eliminate some unwanted frequencies in some cases.

While at the moment i am mostly involved with the Waldorf plugins (including the Nave plugin and also back using my hardware Blofeld + Pulse 2) Saurus is still one of my "go to" synths (while i have several others...) and will hopefully do some new patches for it ASAP.

That is seriously amazing, Ingonator. Nave is definitely a powerful up and comer (vst version), and obviously I'm a fan of Saurus. Super cool

In the past i was heavily involved with Tone2, including e.g. testing + factory presets for Raybalaster and Nemesis and contributions to several Saurus soundsets. Recently i also did some testing for e.g. UltraSpace and Saurus 2 but less than i did in the past.

Anyway recently i was heavily involved with Waldorf (more than in the past where i already did sound design + testing including for the hardware Pulse 2) and for several months also was an official co-worker (e.g. as the Beta Forum Manager). Still involved with them at the moment but a bit less than in the last months. This could change easily again if new bug reports have to be tested and/or new products are on the way.

For the Nave plugin also testing for a future 1.1 update (currently v1.0.1) has started. This should mostly include some feature requests that were not implemented yet (and of course additional bug fixes where necessary). The Nave developer is posting at KVR himself since a while now.

While i find time for it i will try to focus a bit more in sound design again which in the past usually was my main priority and recently had changed to mostly doing testing.

Once again, super cool. Huge fan of Nemesis too. Off topic, but I recommended a couple of things for Nave (a synth I've already fallen in love with), including being able to apply adjustable step/sequencer modulation to Oscs and LFOs. It would really kick ass if they're implemented.

[dwozzle]

@Ingo, since you seem quite familiar with these instruments, do you think Electra 2 contains everything in Saurus? Clearly it has capabilities that Saurus doesn't, and the UI is at least somewhat different, but is there much that Saurus does, or can sound like, that Electra 2 doesn't?

[wagtunes]

@Ingo, since you seem quite familiar with these instruments, do you think Electra 2 contains everything in Saurus? Clearly it has capabilities that Saurus doesn't, and the UI is at least somewhat different, but is there much that Saurus does, or can sound like, that Electra 2 doesn't?

Allow me to throw my 2 cents in on Tone 2 synths in general as an owner of Electra 2 and Rayblaster and having listened to all the others to death.

Best way to describe Tone 2 synths is like this.

Imagine a great big box of parts. And you can reach into that box and take out any number of those parts and put them together and make something good, no matter how you mix and match them.

There is a sameness and yet uniqueness to all Tone 2 synths. They all have that "plastic" clean sound, which I love so please don't think I'm ragging on them, but at the same time all bring something unique to the table. For example, Rayblaster has a couple of sound generation engines not found in Electra 2 that give it a somewhat different sound while at the same time sounding unmistakably Tone 2.

My point is this. You can probably get just one Tone 2 synth and not have to get another. Nemesis MIGHT be the exception. But in the case of Electra 2 and Saurus, if you have Electra 2 you don't really miss too much not getting Saurus. You'll get more out of Rayblaster in addition to Electra 2 than you will out of Saurus. Of course Rayblaster also costs a lot more.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll never have to get another Tone 2 synth until they make one that actually sounds drastically different from what they've already put out. So far, I don't hear it.

My 2 cents for whatever they're worth.

[Apostate]

@Ingo, since you seem quite familiar with these instruments, do you think Electra 2 contains everything in Saurus? Clearly it has capabilities that Saurus doesn't, and the UI is at least somewhat different, but is there much that Saurus does, or can sound like, that Electra 2 doesn't?

Allow me to throw my 2 cents in on Tone 2 synths in general as an owner of Electra 2 and Rayblaster and having listened to all the others to death.

Best way to describe Tone 2 synths is like this.

Imagine a great big box of parts. And you can reach into that box and take out any number of those parts and put them together and make something good, no matter how you mix and match them.

There is a sameness and yet uniqueness to all Tone 2 synths. They all have that "plastic" clean sound, which I love so please don't think I'm ragging on them, but at the same time all bring something unique to the table. For example, Rayblaster has a couple of sound generation engines not found in Electra 2 that give it a somewhat different sound while at the same time sounding unmistakably Tone 2.

My point is this. You can probably get just one Tone 2 synth and not have to get another. Nemesis MIGHT be the exception. But in the case of Electra 2 and Saurus, if you have Electra 2 you don't really miss too much not getting Saurus. You'll get more out of Rayblaster in addition to Electra 2 than you will out of Saurus. Of course Rayblaster also costs a lot more.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll never have to get another Tone 2 synth until they make one that actually sounds drastically different from what they've already put out. So far, I don't hear it.

My 2 cents for whatever they're worth.

I think you make great points here, except I own Gladiator, Nemesis, Elektra, and Saurus, and I damn sure ain't selling them anytime soon. I agree about the certain degree of similarity though, especially between the first three. But each has its charms...individual charms. At least to my ears.

No I don't work for Tone 2 lol! I think they put out terrific synths though...not quite Serum or even Blue II of course. But great all on their own. Just my opinion.

[wagtunes]

@Ingo, since you seem quite familiar with these instruments, do you think Electra 2 contains everything in Saurus? Clearly it has capabilities that Saurus doesn't, and the UI is at least somewhat different, but is there much that Saurus does, or can sound like, that Electra 2 doesn't?

Allow me to throw my 2 cents in on Tone 2 synths in general as an owner of Electra 2 and Rayblaster and having listened to all the others to death.

Best way to describe Tone 2 synths is like this.

Imagine a great big box of parts. And you can reach into that box and take out any number of those parts and put them together and make something good, no matter how you mix and match them.

There is a sameness and yet uniqueness to all Tone 2 synths. They all have that "plastic" clean sound, which I love so please don't think I'm ragging on them, but at the same time all bring something unique to the table. For example, Rayblaster has a couple of sound generation engines not found in Electra 2 that give it a somewhat different sound while at the same time sounding unmistakably Tone 2.

My point is this. You can probably get just one Tone 2 synth and not have to get another. Nemesis MIGHT be the exception. But in the case of Electra 2 and Saurus, if you have Electra 2 you don't really miss too much not getting Saurus. You'll get more out of Rayblaster in addition to Electra 2 than you will out of Saurus. Of course Rayblaster also costs a lot more.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll never have to get another Tone 2 synth until they make one that actually sounds drastically different from what they've already put out. So far, I don't hear it.

My 2 cents for whatever they're worth.

I think you make great points here, except I own Gladiator, Nemesis, Elektra, and Saurus, and I damn sure ain't selling them anytime soon. I agree about the certain degree of similarity though, especially between the first three. But each has its charms...individual charms. At least to my ears.

No I don't work for Tone 2 lol! I think they put out terrific synths though...not quite Serum or even Blue II of course. But great all on their own. Just my opinion.

I think they put out great synths too. They are one of only a handful of companies where I own more than one synth they make. (NI, U-he, Arturia, Korg, TAL and HG Fortune) being the others.

But Tone 2 has a basic signature sound, and at the prices they charge, I just can't see getting any other synths that they currently have available for what I consider minor differences between them. I mean we're not talking the difference between NI Massive and NI FM8 or even ABSynth. Those synths sound nothing like each other. Tone 2 simply does not stray off their generic sound all that much.

And the irony is, if Tone 2 DID come out with a synth that was drastically different from what they've already done, nobody who was a Tone 2 fan would buy it but they might attract those who didn't like their previous synths.

When you have a "sound" it's tough getting away from it and still appeal to your customers.

[Apostate]

@Ingo, since you seem quite familiar with these instruments, do you think Electra 2 contains everything in Saurus? Clearly it has capabilities that Saurus doesn't, and the UI is at least somewhat different, but is there much that Saurus does, or can sound like, that Electra 2 doesn't?

Allow me to throw my 2 cents in on Tone 2 synths in general as an owner of Electra 2 and Rayblaster and having listened to all the others to death.

Best way to describe Tone 2 synths is like this.

Imagine a great big box of parts. And you can reach into that box and take out any number of those parts and put them together and make something good, no matter how you mix and match them.

There is a sameness and yet uniqueness to all Tone 2 synths. They all have that "plastic" clean sound, which I love so please don't think I'm ragging on them, but at the same time all bring something unique to the table. For example, Rayblaster has a couple of sound generation engines not found in Electra 2 that give it a somewhat different sound while at the same time sounding unmistakably Tone 2.

My point is this. You can probably get just one Tone 2 synth and not have to get another. Nemesis MIGHT be the exception. But in the case of Electra 2 and Saurus, if you have Electra 2 you don't really miss too much not getting Saurus. You'll get more out of Rayblaster in addition to Electra 2 than you will out of Saurus. Of course Rayblaster also costs a lot more.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll never have to get another Tone 2 synth until they make one that actually sounds drastically different from what they've already put out. So far, I don't hear it.

My 2 cents for whatever they're worth.

I think you make great points here, except I own Gladiator, Nemesis, Elektra, and Saurus, and I damn sure ain't selling them anytime soon. I agree about the certain degree of similarity though, especially between the first three. But each has its charms...individual charms. At least to my ears.

No I don't work for Tone 2 lol! I think they put out terrific synths though...not quite Serum or even Blue II of course. But great all on their own. Just my opinion.

I think they put out great synths too. They are one of only a handful of companies where I own more than one synth they make. (NI, U-he, Arturia, Korg, TAL and HG Fortune) being the others.

But Tone 2 has a basic signature sound, and at the prices they charge, I just can't see getting any other synths that they currently have available for what I consider minor differences between them. I mean we're not talking the difference between NI Massive and NI FM8 or even ABSynth. Those synths sound nothing like each other. Tone 2 simply does not stray off their generic sound all that much.

And the irony is, if Tone 2 DID come out with a synth that was drastically different from what they've already done, nobody who was a Tone 2 fan would buy it but they might attract those who didn't like their previous synths.

When you have a "sound" it's tough getting away from it and still appeal to your customers.

I think so, too. It's a bit like those established Rock and Metal bands whom for whatever reason decide they want to experiment with their next album. People want a certain degree of sameness.

I know whenever I reach for my Nemesis, Elektra, and/or Gladiator it's at least partly because I know they all have that certain sound...and I like that sound a lot.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

I always put the musician first and technology and specs last, so my point of view is that of the musician, meaning the person who creates music by turning what's inside his soul into audible emotions. My point of view is that each of their instruments takes you to very different musical results. There is a totally obvious degree of similarities (true for every other developer, if they were musicians it would be called "style" or "sound"), but the music resulting from them is always different.
Now, if you're a musician, that's the only difference that counts. If you love to measure lengths and collect numbers, to be frank I wonder why you make (or don't make, as is often the case) music at all...
I think every instrument (not just Tone2's) has something to bring to the table, if the developer has some personality. Does it make much sense to ask "can I do with this what I can do with that? Will what I do sound different if I use this instead of that? Will I sound analog or digital?" The answer is: it depends on your degree of musicianship.
Try the demo, if your heart reacts to what you hear and what you're doing and you have the cash, get it and forget about all the sterile talk about specs.

[wagtunes]

I always put the musician first and technology and specs last, so my point of view is that of the musician, meaning the person who creates music by turning what's inside his soul into audible emotions. My point of view is that each of their instruments takes you to very different musical results. There is a totally obvious degree of similarities (true for every other developer, if they were musicians it would be called "style" or "sound"), but the music resulting from them is always different.
Now, if you're a musician, that's the only difference that counts. If you love to measure lengths and collect numbers, to be frank I wonder why you make (or don't make, as is often the case) music at all...
I think every instrument (not just Tone2's) has something to bring to the table, if the developer has some personality. Does it make much sense to ask "can I do with this what I can do with that? Will what I do sound different if I use this instead of that? Will I sound analog or digital?" The answer is: it depends on your degree of musicianship.
Try the demo, if your heart reacts to what you hear and what you're doing and you have the cash, get it and forget about all the sterile talk about specs.

I agree. And if we're going to be really honest about this conversation, very few synths have a character that is so unique that no other synth can give you the sounds that the synth in question can.

In fact, I just recorded a simple track with about 6 or 7 different synths. I can guarantee you that nobody will be able to pick out maybe more than 1 or 2 at most and identify them precisely. Why? Because they're simply not all that unique.

In fact, if you'd like to listen to the track, here it is.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim/a-sunday-stroll

I think this proves my point.

Having said that, if a synth sounds good to me and I think it offers me at least a little something that my other synths don't offer me and it sounds good and the price is right, I'll buy it.

And yes, it's all about the music.

[dwozzle]

Of course you're all right that there's a lot of overlap between one synth and another (especially ones by the same developer), that you choose synths (and other instruments, band members, friends, etc...) as much for where they tend to lead you as for their capabilities, and that it's really about the song and the performance anyway, not the synths.

I was asking because I was offered Saurus and Electra2 at quite good prices, and got both, have played pretty much with Saurus and really like it, but haven't had time to check out Electra yet, wondered if having both was a waste of my limited resources. I'm not hearing such a resounding Yes that I'll skip what I'd naturally do anyway, which is to explore both more when I can, and make up my own mind. I suspect I'll keep both, really just feeling guilty about the GAS I've succumbed to in the first part of this year.

[Apostate]

Of course you're all right that there's a lot of overlap between one synth and another (especially ones by the same developer), that you choose synths (and other instruments, band members, friends, etc...) as much for where they tend to lead you as for their capabilities, and that it's really about the song and the performance anyway, not the synths.

I was asking because I was offered Saurus and Electra2 at quite good prices, and got both, have played pretty much with Saurus and really like it, but haven't had time to check out Electra yet, wondered if having both was a waste of my limited resources. I'm not hearing such a resounding Yes that I'll skip what I'd naturally do anyway, which is to explore both more when I can, and make up my own mind. I suspect I'll keep both, really just feeling guilty about the GAS I've succumbed to in the first part of this year.

I'm guessing that once you have the time to get into Elektra you're going to be very glad you bought both. Don't listen to the more dismissive here, they're both great instruments, and there are definitely complementary attributes. Many of the naysayers have valid points of course, but I've never once regretted or even thought about selling my Tone 2 stuff.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

In fact, if you'd like to listen to the track, here it is.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim/a-sunday-stroll

I didn't see the title, I just listened, and when I did look at the title, I was so pleasantly surprised, since that is exactly what I pictured in my mind while listening That's a lovely track, it's got charm in its simplicity.
Anyway, yes, synthesizers are about synthesizing sounds, any synth can produce a huge range of sounds - that's what they were made for So yes, unless you use them exactly for what they do in the most unique way, all of them can sound similar. As dwozzle said, they're like friends, you feel comfortable with one instead of another and often you couldn't even say why. And as you said, it's all about the music anyway...

[wagtunes]

Of course you're all right that there's a lot of overlap between one synth and another (especially ones by the same developer), that you choose synths (and other instruments, band members, friends, etc...) as much for where they tend to lead you as for their capabilities, and that it's really about the song and the performance anyway, not the synths.

I was asking because I was offered Saurus and Electra2 at quite good prices, and got both, have played pretty much with Saurus and really like it, but haven't had time to check out Electra yet, wondered if having both was a waste of my limited resources. I'm not hearing such a resounding Yes that I'll skip what I'd naturally do anyway, which is to explore both more when I can, and make up my own mind. I suspect I'll keep both, really just feeling guilty about the GAS I've succumbed to in the first part of this year.

I'm guessing that once you have the time to get into Elektra you're going to be very glad you bought both. Don't listen to the more dismissive here, they're both great instruments, and there are definitely complementary attributes. Many of the naysayers have valid points of course, but I've never once regretted or even thought about selling my Tone 2 stuff.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a naysayer. I do own two Tone 2 synths. I would say that I am being realistic and quite fair and accurate of my appraisal on Tone 2 synths and synths in general.

Truth is, you could probably buy no more than a half dozen synths and have every single possible bass covered in song creation as far as texture, mood, feel or whatever you want to call it.

In fact, if I were to make my list of 6 synths that I am sure would cover everything imaginable, it would be these. I will list them and what area they'd cover.

Omnisphere - Textures, Soundscapes
Dune 2 - EDM
Kontakt - Bread and Butter rock, pop, traditional sounds
Serum - Evolving sounds
FM 8 - FM sounds
ImpOSCar 2 - Old Analog

That's it. With just those 6 synths I don't think there is anything I couldn't be able to do. And I haven't even included Zebra 2, which is one of my favorite synths.

You just don't need a lot of synths to cover most areas of sound. So why would I need more than one or two Tone 2 synths when 80% of each engine is pretty much the same character of sound?

Not a naysayer. Just a realist.