Tone2 will release Icarus - 3D WaveTable Synthesizer

[recursive one]

supposing that the first sound is Virus, the second is Spire and the third Dune 2

Correct

I believe in the future, it would be great if you can add Icarus to the comparison group.

I don't have any plans to buy new synths at least in this year. But if the demo comes with reasonable restrictions, I'll probably add Icarus into this comparison test. We can never have enough of these comparisons

But one thing I'm convinced of and that is, these synths are covering wide range of sounds that it make them really difficult to compare.

Indeed, the archeticture of all three is quite different, only the basic sounds may be directly compared.

[chk071]

Judging from the sound demo, Icarus sounds like... a Tone2 synth. There's especially something in the filter resonance which is quite distinguishable. Tbh, i wasn't too fond of the low pass filters in Electra2 on high resonance settings, it always feels like the cutoff point isn't accentuated, but there's something a bit artificial going on, as if the resonance is parted from the rest of the signal. I don't know how to describe it really, it simply feels a bit lame, when the point is reached where the filter "self oscillates". It also falls apart a bit then. It's not like that on the ladder filter though, only on the normal low pass filters. Dunno if it's like that in Icarus too, or if they "improved" that (though, if noone realized that, or felt that was negative, there's no point in improving that).

[fisherKing]

Judging from the sound demo, Icarus sounds like... a Tone2 synth. There's especially something in the filter resonance which is quite distinguishable. Tbh, i wasn't too fond of the low pass filters in Electra2 on high resonance settings, it always feels like the cutoff point isn't accentuated, but there's something a bit artificial going on, as if the resonance is parted from the rest of the signal. I don't know how to describe it really, it simply feels a bit lame, when the point is reached where the filter "self oscillates". It also falls apart a bit then. It's not like that on the ladder filter though, only on the normal low pass filters. Dunno if it's like that in Icarus too, or if they "improved" that (though, if noone realized that, or felt that was negative, there's no point in improving that).

icarus, for me, is brighter, cleaner...fuller than electra2 (which i still like). i have always eq'd E2 to get it where i want it, but have been using icarus (mostly) flat...a good sign.

it will be here soon, and peeps can decide for themselves if it's hot or not. personally, am digging it...

[Doc Brown]

i love saurus but i dont care at all if it sounds "analog" or not, just like it.

I get what your saying but I chose to believe the marketing about analog this or analog that and I tried to decide from the demos. A copy came up in the market for a good price so I bought it.

In conclusion it's probably the least sounding analog synth I own of the vintage subtractive emulations. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it is sour grapes when the marketing is obviously classic analog and the synth sounds absolutely
digital for the most part.

It's now just another color I can paint with but just not when I want the warm analog sound.

[chk071]

Judging from the sound demo, Icarus sounds like... a Tone2 synth. There's especially something in the filter resonance which is quite distinguishable. Tbh, i wasn't too fond of the low pass filters in Electra2 on high resonance settings, it always feels like the cutoff point isn't accentuated, but there's something a bit artificial going on, as if the resonance is parted from the rest of the signal. I don't know how to describe it really, it simply feels a bit lame, when the point is reached where the filter "self oscillates". It also falls apart a bit then. It's not like that on the ladder filter though, only on the normal low pass filters. Dunno if it's like that in Icarus too, or if they "improved" that (though, if noone realized that, or felt that was negative, there's no point in improving that).

icarus, for me, is brighter, cleaner...fuller than electra2 (which i still like). i have always eq'd E2 to get it where i want it, but have been using icarus (mostly) flat...a good sign.

it will be here soon, and peeps can decide for themselves if it's hot or not. personally, am digging it...

I surely will demo it when it's coming out. The asking price is a bit over my budget though, so i'd only buy it if it's, like, super awesome. Or if they have a sale at some time.

[db3]

Markus does seem to have a soft spot for the Virus. He's made plenty of virus-like presets in Saurus/Electra, added hypersaws to Electra...and not fogetting he was behind reFX Vanguard.

I have a suspicion that Icarus will do a very good Virus impression.

[recursive one]

Guys who have the beta, please show us TEH SUPERSAWZ!!!



As much as overused and hated by everyone may be the supersaw, it's a good representation of many features of a synth - unison, filter, envelope behaviour (e.g., in examples like plucks with gradually opened filter)

[chk071]

Yes!

[zerocrossing]

here is the demo (hope Mac wouldn't mind )

https://soundcloud.com/macnight/icarus-teaser-01

Ingonator said that Icarus will have unison algorithm similar to Virus Hypersaw and probably modelled after it. Also the names of some wavetable morphing modes to be available in Icarus sound like it they are inspired by the Virus formant and graintable oscillators, but I don't know if they indeed act similarly and can make similar sounds

Interesting. Very bright digital sounding. I know that can be a pejorative but I don't mean it that way. I think it sounds good. It does make me start to sort of question the philosophy behind an instrument like this. Since Codex and Serum, we're been able to import our own wave files to make wavetables in quick and intuitive ways. Additive and resynthesis based synths also facilitate the ability to move between waveforms with ease. It's long been established that we can go between any waveforms really easily. So... Why Icarus? Of course, I've not touched it yet, but in that demo I did not hear anything that sounded particularly better or different than any one of many highly capable wavetable synths. Maybe the method of getting to the final product was different... But does that even matter? It's like when Waze shows me two different routes that are a minute different. Do I want to stop at a bunch of lights on city streets or go slowly in highway traffic? The destination will be the same. I know Tone2 loves the hyperbole marketing, but what really differentiates Icarus from the rest?

What I really ask myself is why no one has done the obvious thing in terms of wavetable synthesis: Emulate the Ensoniq Fizmo/ASR. Should be pretty easy in 2016... A software version would eliminate all the "issues" with the confusing interface and hidden functions. I'm personally more interested in a good emulation like this or even the Prophet VS (hear me Artruria!) than another infinitely transmutable digital monster that seems to lack any sort of character. I've got those already. Waze should ask me, "Do you want to go to a somewhat grittier destination in a 1963 Corvette?" Yes please.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

in that demo I did not hear anything that sounded particularly better or different than any one of many highly capable wavetable synths

Again, please let me point out that that's not a demo for the instrument, but a teaser for my album, that means that what you hear there is just the kinds of sounds I wanted to get out of it. It's a synthesizer, you can get the sounds you want out of it, that's the whole purpose behind this kind of instrument. Do not judge it based on my "demo," unless you are interested in that kind of sound or music, but wait till you can try the instrument yourselves or hear sounds by other people that could be closer to what you need/want

Maybe the method of getting to the final product was different... But does that even matter?

it always does: it's called workflow, ease of use, not being a hindrance to creativity...

[Frantz]

Again, please let me point out that that's not a demo for the instrument, but a teaser for my album, that means that what you hear there is just the kinds of sounds I wanted to get out of it.

In that case, why do you keep inserting commercials for your album in this Icarus thread?

[Mac of BIOnighT]

Again, please let me point out that that's not a demo for the instrument, but a teaser for my album, that means that what you hear there is just the kinds of sounds I wanted to get out of it.

In that case, why do you keep inserting commercials for your album in this Icarus thread?

Business, what else? ;-P And because the albums will be given as a free bonus with my soundset anyway

(and, of course, because right now they're all there is to hear from this instrument, so hopefully it's better than nothing at least for those who are going to use for recording music similar to mine in genre)

[Frantz]

Business, what else? ;-P And because the albums will be given as a free bonus with my soundset anyway

I thought you cared about us but you're just another preset pusher after all.

[goldenanalog]

3 months/760 posts later:

[ATS]

lmao are we really into "does it sound like a virus" now?