KVR Audio

RamblinWreck · Post by **RamblinWreck** » Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:58 pm

Absolutely Spire, if Sylenth1 isn't to your liking. Fantastic sound, modulation, and effects.

fluffy_little_something · Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:43 pm

What I don't like about Spire is that it seems like a work in progress. They are always changing things. With Sylenth1 I know it will stay the way it is, which I like because I don't like changes.
But yes, if Spire were a finished product like Sylenth1, I would consider it a great alternative to and upgrade from Sylenth1.
The user interface is also pretty nice.

Igro · Post by **Igro** » Mon Sep 11, 2017 10:08 pm

Synthmaster One. This is what I wanted to see in Hive, but it didn't go that far, unfortunately.

The sound is amazing.

toby · Post by **toby** » Mon Sep 11, 2017 10:48 pm

I'm going to suggest keeping an eye open for the soon to be release of ANA2 by Sonic Academy. Sounds like it mostly meets your criteria, I've only heard a few sound demos of it from videos - but sounds pretty cool from what I have heard.

Bodhisan · Post by **Bodhisan** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:34 am

greedy.mf wrote:Is there another "Hive" but not from u-he?
Beside Sylenth1 and Synthmaster One. I have a gripe with either one.

Op plainly has an ax to grind (probably with u-he). This thread is rhetorical. Anyone who can't make Hive, SM1 or S1 sound good either doesn't have the ability or...is full of do-do.

Elektronisch · Post by **Elektronisch** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:02 am

Ok you want alot of presets but you also want a subtractive synth at the same time and you want it to be looking like hive but at the same time with inspiring sound.

Are you just trolling KVR members?

martinjuenke · Post by **martinjuenke** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:18 am

Elektronisch wrote:Ok you want alot of presets but you also want a subtractive synth at the same time and you want it to be looking like hive but at the same time with inspiring sound.

Are you just trolling KVR members?

Obviously!

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:25 am

Bodhisan wrote:
greedy.mf wrote:Is there another "Hive" but not from u-he?
Beside Sylenth1 and Synthmaster One. I have a gripe with either one.
Op plainly has an ax to grind (probably with u-he). This thread is rhetorical. Anyone who can't make Hive, SM1 or S1 sound good either doesn't have the ability or...is full of do-do.

You are wrong and your statement borderline rude.

I've got nothing but respect for u-he and its products. Among three alternatives Hive feels like a product the most.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:33 am

Elektronisch wrote:Ok you want alot of presets but you also want a subtractive synth at the same time and you want it to be looking like hive but at the same time with inspiring sound.

What's the problem?
I see no contradiction.

"Hive not from u-he" wasn't literal, obviously.
Saurus 2 looks and sounds interesting.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:55 am

chk071 wrote:
greedy.mf wrote: Is there another "Hive" but not from u-he?
Beside Sylenth1 and Synthmaster One. I have a gripe with either one.
Would be good to know why you have a grip with those.

Sound wise both are good, each in it's own flavor.

My gripes are relatively minor, mostly UI and workwlow:

- S1
Two-page is a big turn off.
Preset management is prehistoric.
Fixed FX routing.
Limited Mod targets.

- SMO
I actually own one.
When it first came out, I was so excited as I thought I found an answer to perennial "Hive vs Sylenth" question.
It sounds very good. However the overall feel of it as a product as it is some kind of underdeveloped.
Preset management is odd, styles and attributes are not order alphabetically or some other way.
You cant turn all FX at once, arpeggiator may be powerful but clunky.
It would also benefit from internal limiter, like z3ta. Because some of presets way louder than others.
Envelops have strange feel, and despite adjustable curve it's not easy to find sweet spot. Call it my poor skills, I don care. However Hive or Sylenth don't give me that issue.
Why Amp Env 2 and Mod Env 2 are mirrored? Doesn't make sense.
Why there is no link between paramaters? Good chunk of patches use parallel filtering and you need a external macro control to operate both cutoffs.
Why Mod wheel is called CC01 in mod matrix?
I can go on.
It really hurts me as I wanted to love it and it sound very good, but there is always nagging feeling about it.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:02 am

emotica wrote:Excluding Hive's heaviest influence is a tough one, so I will throw in ANA. Probably best to wait for version 2.

https://www.sonicacademy.com/products/ana

Another one would be Saurus by Tone2, which is based on emulating vintage gear, but otherwise fits all your requests imo.

Thanks for the tip, ANA 2 looks interesting. Any info on release date?

Saurus is good advice too. I like the sound, layout and preset management. GUI could be bigger though. Or even adjustable.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:08 am

UltimateOutsider wrote:
xalama qo wrote:Let's not forget another 1-page goodie...Dune 1. Still available for sale, still light on CPU, still sounds really good.
Dune 1 was my go-to before Hive's release. It's a great sounding, eminently usable synth- and there are several patch banks available for it if preset availability is a concern.

Dune is good. I have Dune CM and I like it. Use it from time to time but never as a go-to. UI us too small. Every preset is set on strangely high velocity sensitivity.

As I know the differences with full Dune is 24 slots instead of 12 and effects - too little to justify spending $119.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:16 am

fluffy_little_something wrote:Waves' Element has everything on one page and sounds very nice.

Yes and yes.

However I don't see it as my main synth:

CPU usage it too high for poly use. With 4x unison it is killing my four core i7.
Effects are a joke. One knob reverb and chorus?
LFOs are weak too. No retrigger options, no phase adjustment.
Strange selection of mod targets. Why cant modulate env sustain with mod wheel?
Unison detune and width is uncontrollable and therefore it is useless for me.

Still I like it, but it is more of a one trick pony. Just bass, good one though.

greedy.mf · Post by **greedy.mf** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:26 am

Yorrrrrr wrote:Bazille with the GearPorn skin has everything in one screen and it's a fantastic synth. It's actually pretty easy to use, once you get a grasp on it.

Good advice.
Strangely enough I considered Bazille for a while and still do now.
Granted, it is not your average supersaw machine but boy, does it sound awesome.
GearPorn skin is nice too.
Maybe it us the way to go. Gotta dig out my BazilleCM and see if I can handle reverse engineering of several patches.
Full version has 1700+ presets plus several 3rd party soundsets.

Almost bought Diva on 5th anniversary sale and regret it from time to time, even if the flavor isn't mine quality of sound and plugin itself is phenomenal. I'd like to use one of u-he plugs, I just feel Hive doesn't live up to family sound wise.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:31 am

greedy.mf wrote:Envelops have strange feel, and despite adjustable curve it's not easy to find sweet spot. Call it my poor skills, I don care. However Hive or Sylenth don't give me that issue.

That's what i'm saying here, since years. Some synths simply have very strange envelopes. The counter-claim is usually that "you can shape, and make them sound the way you want with MSEG", or, as you said, adjustable curves. Well, nope, not really. Some just will always sound soft, won't give you any punchiness, or "bang". Or what i'd call a organic, "round" sound.

Was one of the first thing i noticed with the full Synthmaster. The filters and envelopes just won't give me the kind of punch that Spire, or Sylenth1 produce, e.g. It always sounds soft, and weak. Like a (typical) soft synth.

Alternative to Hive