So, anyone still using Novation V-Station?
- KVRian
- 508 posts since 30 Dec, 2011 from Europe
I have the V-station vst, an old hardware Novation XioSynth which has exactly the same audio engine of an X-station,
but with less knobs and more menu fiddling.
Now it's some weeks I'm not on it (though it's always plugged here on my right side in my home studio) but time ago I tried to make some *non scientific* comparison and I can say they can be quite similar, surely depending on try to use the same options available on a same patch done on both, but the hardware tend to be a bit more fat and warm, effects a bit more breathing/alive and surely that touchpad and all the knobs make things more fun and interactive than the V-station (if not assigned to a masterkeyboard with knobs..) and this even though it's a digital synth and not an analogue one.
Enough similar, but not exactly the same (just my experience). I prefer the hardware, but the vst is 80% similar. Greets
but with less knobs and more menu fiddling.
Now it's some weeks I'm not on it (though it's always plugged here on my right side in my home studio) but time ago I tried to make some *non scientific* comparison and I can say they can be quite similar, surely depending on try to use the same options available on a same patch done on both, but the hardware tend to be a bit more fat and warm, effects a bit more breathing/alive and surely that touchpad and all the knobs make things more fun and interactive than the V-station (if not assigned to a masterkeyboard with knobs..) and this even though it's a digital synth and not an analogue one.
Enough similar, but not exactly the same (just my experience). I prefer the hardware, but the vst is 80% similar. Greets
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- KVRist
- 114 posts since 8 Oct, 2016
It captures the essence of the distinctive novation sound - glassy and liquid. But, as with early VA and early soft synths, the filter is its weak point and there is some aliasing.planetearth wrote:How close is this to any of Novation's hardware? I know it wasn't really meant to be an exact replica, but just out of curiosity, I was wondering how close it is. I'm not that familiar with Novation's hardware sounds.
Steve
Last edited by XpanderDude on Sat Oct 29, 2016 2:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRian
- 673 posts since 6 Dec, 2015
Let's set this straight. None of the Novation soft synths are worth buying as they don't sound better than free synths. If you can't get them for free, don't bother.nIGhT-SoN wrote:Sorry for the offtopic but how did you get it for free? Is it still possible cause I would love to have it!Ingonator wrote:Got both the Bass Station and V-Station plugins here (got V-Station as freeware last year).
- KVRAF
- 2187 posts since 10 Jul, 2006 from Tampa
Diego_C wrote:I have the V-station vst, an old hardware Novation XioSynth which has exactly the same audio engine of an X-station,
but with less knobs and more menu fiddling.
Now it's some weeks I'm not on it (though it's always plugged here on my right side in my home studio) but time ago I tried to make some *non scientific* comparison and I can say they can be quite similar, surely depending on try to use the same options available on a same patch done on both, but the hardware tend to be a bit more fat and warm, effects a bit more breathing/alive and surely that touchpad and all the knobs make things more fun and interactive than the V-station (if not assigned to a masterkeyboard with knobs..) and this even though it's a digital synth and not an analogue one.
Enough similar, but not exactly the same (just my experience). I prefer the hardware, but the vst is 80% similar. Greets
Thanks, guys! That's what I wanted to know.XpanderDude wrote:It captures the essence of the distinctive novation sound - glassy and liquid. But, as with early VA and early soft synths, the filter is its weak point and there is some aliasing.planetearth wrote:How close is this to any of Novation's hardware? I know it wasn't really meant to be an exact replica, but just out of curiosity, I was wondering how close it is. I'm not that familiar with Novation's hardware sounds.
Steve
Steve
Here's some of my stuff: https://soundcloud.com/shadowsoflife. If you hear something you like, I'm looking for collaborators.
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- KVRian
- 1074 posts since 1 Jan, 2004
Still use it and still love it. Sure, it's limitating, it has that "specific" sound but I love programming it
Soundbanks: Sylenth, V-Station, Z3TA+, Toxic Biohazard - good EDM Soundbanks
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VST Cafe - music production blog
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- KVRian
- 1355 posts since 27 Oct, 2009
Someone here mentioned Komplexer. V-Station sounds quite similar. Maybe those two share the same tech? Personally, I don't find the sounds very inspiring, especially compared to more recent synths.
- KVRAF
- 2339 posts since 28 Feb, 2015
I don't know if I agree fully. Coming to the sound quality itself, sure, but V-Station, to me, has a pretty unique sound you can't get elsewhere. Same with the A/K/X-Stations as well as the Nova/Supernovas. I can't really put my finger on in, but they all have a special character into the sound, that no other synth has.lolilol1975 wrote:Let's set this straight. None of the Novation soft synths are worth buying as they don't sound better than free synths. If you can't get them for free, don't bother.
i9-10900K | 128GB DDR4 | RTX 3090 | Arturia AudioFuse/KeyLab mkII/SparkLE | PreSonus ATOM/ATOM SQ | Studio One | Reason | Bitwig Studio | Reaper | Renoise | FL Studio | ~900 VSTs | 300+ REs
- KVRian
- 700 posts since 19 Jan, 2008
lolilol1975 wrote:Let's set this straight. None of the Novation soft synths are worth buying as they don't sound better than free synths. If you can't get them for free, don't bother.
I tend to disagree with you here. I've used it in studio and I really liked it, that's why I want to buy it for my own. Of course I wouldn't pay the full price, but for 10euros it's pretty good deal. Also someone said Bass Station is included too which is a decent synth too, plus some samples and loops.
With a little processing you can make it sound amazing, lots of people used it on EDM tracks and I'm sure there are some that still use it because it has pretty straight forward interface, quite logical and makes it easy to program.
I never judge a synth by it's presets. I like to make my own sounds, after all that's why I get a synth and not a rompler or sampler.
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- KVRian
- 1346 posts since 26 Sep, 2002 from Montreal, CANADA
Call me silly but I just bought V-Station after all these years with the promo!
Tried it a loooong time ago I always loved the Novation sound (now own the BSII) and decided it would totally fit my bill in terms of features, quality and simplicity..plus added an extra vintage digital feel and vibe.
Aliasing? Not that much really unless you put it under extreme conditions...anyways it's musical and adds flavor (try and get that on a Prophet or Juno hehe). It's like a 90's VA in your pocket. MS/MK and JP8xxx are still being used afaik..
I also got Hybrid 3 on promo although it's a bit more shiny.
There's no shame in digital (may I say again..vintage digital for the V) if you know what you are doing.
Cheers!!!
Tried it a loooong time ago I always loved the Novation sound (now own the BSII) and decided it would totally fit my bill in terms of features, quality and simplicity..plus added an extra vintage digital feel and vibe.
Aliasing? Not that much really unless you put it under extreme conditions...anyways it's musical and adds flavor (try and get that on a Prophet or Juno hehe). It's like a 90's VA in your pocket. MS/MK and JP8xxx are still being used afaik..
I also got Hybrid 3 on promo although it's a bit more shiny.
There's no shame in digital (may I say again..vintage digital for the V) if you know what you are doing.
Cheers!!!
Last edited by yul on Thu Mar 09, 2017 6:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 35569 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Komplexer sounds way better IMO. As has been mentioned, the filter of the V-Station is a bit on the weak side, and, what is a big issue for ,em there's something weird with the attack phase, when you dial in some filter envelope. In lack of a better description, it sort of "quacks like a duck". Like as if you always have dialed in some attack. Pretty weird.izonin wrote:Someone here mentioned Komplexer. V-Station sounds quite similar. Maybe those two share the same tech? Personally, I don't find the sounds very inspiring, especially compared to more recent synths.
Anyway, all in all, not a bad synth, but every time i try it again after some time, i realize that i have much better options now, which are not limited to 8 voices of polyphony too. Shame that Novation decided to drop soft synths, i'd like to see a VST version of the Ultranova. If they sold that for, like 99 to 129 €, i'm sure they'd sell pretty well.
- KVRian
- 1494 posts since 13 Sep, 2012
For the record: V-Station is the VST version of the K-Station, not X-Station. Presets are (almost) the same, but the vst version sounds thinner & lifeless compared to the hardware version.
And to answer the question: nope, I've ditched it a while ago (for the above mentioned reasons).
And to answer the question: nope, I've ditched it a while ago (for the above mentioned reasons).
TELURICA - "Made In ___ [INSERT LOCATION]" - EP.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 35569 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Mh... not sure if can agree with that. Check this out:idfpower wrote:For the record: V-Station is the VST version of the K-Station, not X-Station. Presets are (almost) the same, but the vst version sounds thinner & lifeless compared to the hardware version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqDNXiaYlRE&t=1s
As far as i know, the algorithms and all that is the same in the V-, K-, and A-Station. Should just be the D/A converters, if then.
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- KVRian
- 1346 posts since 26 Sep, 2002 from Montreal, CANADA
Another reason why I got it is for some reason I am less likely to dial in some ear piercing tones out of it. I have experimented waaay too much over the years and I really am trying to stick with anything that can be kept within safe hearing ranges. Not to say the V can't piece my ears but I got to go look for it a bit harder here.
- KVRian
- 1494 posts since 13 Sep, 2012
Do they sound the same to you?chk071 wrote: Mh... not sure if can agree with that.
Anyway, I've played both. And let me tell you something: the K-Station can shake the room with those basses. At the time it was paired with an Indigo 2 and the K's basses were clearly more powerful
TELURICA - "Made In ___ [INSERT LOCATION]" - EP.
Available now on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/telurica/sets/ma ... t-location
Available now on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/telurica/sets/ma ... t-location
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 35569 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
I can compare from the video, and other sound demos. AFAIC, the guy didn't match the levels very well, and, it also seems like the parameters are a bit off, or the mod wheel is set differently. Sometimes it also seems that the FX is applied differently. Anyway, if you say they sound different, fair enough. Just wonder why though, because Novation stated that they're exactly the same.