Super 8 - New polysynth by Native Instruments

[Sinisterbr]

I have to take back a little what I said earlier. While I don't like all this Reaktor middleware, Super 8 loads considerably fast, sounds great and have a very straightfoward GUI.
Frankly, so much more worth than bx_oberhausen, as it costs a third of the price.

[Teksonik]

I think the point being missed here is that no synth lives in a vacuum. Any product is naturally going to be compared to what else is available.

When you compare Super 8 which requires Native Access and at least the Reaktor Player and costs $69 to something like Tryell N6 for example which is free, requires no extra fluff, and sounds awesome....well I'll let the reader take it from there.

It's not the Reaktor requirement so much as the requirement for this particular synth. I was wondering out loud earlier if Super 8 were free would I bother installing the Reaktor player on my studio computer just to run it ? I'm afraid the answer is no. I'd install the player in a heartbeat for something that excites me but I've just got too many other synths to bother with any extra kludge for a synth like this.

But I'm sure N.I. will sell a bunch because "analog" so god bless 'em.....

[EnGee]

A Question about the synth functionalities (how dare me interrupting the chit chat?! )

Is there any shortcut to know what is the MOD ROUTING for the various modulated parameters rather than clicking the Destination field then clicking the parameters?

I wish they add a simple one like the middle mouse button click on a parameter to show that routing if there isn't any!

[ghettosynth]

I've heard that this is hard to use because of Reaktor? What do you guys think?

[realtrance]

No.

Besides which, if you have the full Reaktor, you can edit this to explore its architecture.

It looks like it hits the sweet spot in sound and interface design, no mean feat these days.

When you can do anything, what you choose to do becomes far more significant. - Lee Chi, famous philosopher of fruit.

[V0RT3X]

I like how it sounds, I'll probably pick this up. Seems like it's capable of some great sounds and I like how it's not modelled after anyone one polysynth.

For people who don't like having to use Reaktor, i think you're missing out. It might not be as instantaneous as a dedicated plugin, but it's not hard to use.

[jancivil]

No.

He's trolling the issue

[jancivil]

In Reaktor, you have to use a browser, find the instrument and drag-drop it onto the main panel. Then you can go to EDIT and see what it's made of. Surely every other instrument plugin where you use its browser to load a preset means, because it isn't Reaktor, it's a superior browsing of presets kinda experience.

[pdxindy]

Nothing is ever perfect. You can make a lot of the same complaints about others VSTs.

I bet you’ve never had to wire up a patch bay and switch the mains power on for a mixer. Then try to figure out ground loop issues? Things like this never stopped people from making music.

If Reaktor were all that was available, I would for sure use it... but since I have a bunch of synths that are easier to use, and often use less CPU for the same task, there is no reason for me to take the harder more cpu intensive way.

[generaldiomedes]

In Reaktor, you have to use a browser, find the instrument and drag-drop it onto the main panel. Then you can go to EDIT and see what it's made of. Surely every other instrument plugin where you use its browser to load a preset means, because it isn't Reaktor, it's a superior browsing of presets kinda experience.

Not only that, the initial window defaults to ridiculously small so I have about an inch of space in which to browse for instruments.

[pdxindy]

For people who don't like having to use Reaktor, i think you're missing out.

Missing out on what?? Another subtractive softsynth of which I have a dozen already that can do the same basic sounds?

I have so much amazing synthesis at hand, that at this point any new synth is going to have to be something exceptional or even above exceptional for me to consider it or even bother to install a demo. For me, this does not approach exceptional.

[Elektronisch]

People complaining about how hard and slow to use Reaktor and all that nonsense seems like have been using version 5 or older

1. When opening reaktor by default you have a browser opened and you can see all the reaktor instruments meaning no need to surf and search
2. With the latest version reaktor opens automaticly last play instrument. When i open reaktor it automaticly opens Super 8
3. In basicly every daw you can make a snapshot of instrument preset. I have made that with reaktor instruments and if i want Form or Monark or anything else i just select from favorite window in FL studio.
4. Browsing presets and managing them is actually easier then in Dune 3

[AnX]

you dont need synthedit to run a synth made in synthedit, or a flaky service hub



if i wanted to jump thru hoops, I'd join the circus

(Mouse clicks)= (jump thru circus hoops)

Were you born idle?

installing software i dont want to run 1 synth = bloat

which bit of that dont you understand? were you born stupid?

[DrGonzo]

You can save and export snapshots /banks , store them on your hard disk , thumb drive etc...send it your friends , grannie etc...so they can load it (assummin they have the same ensemble )
No need to save your ensemble everytime , just load the snapshotbank et voila ...only requirement is that you at least RTFM

RTFM? Nah, I think you missed my point. I didn't say it doesn't work, I'm saying that it is more cumbersome than the normal plugin out there.

About Snapshots.

To save a snapshot in R5 you first have to have Edit Mode activated, which isn't activated as a default. Now you can save a snapshot. What if you want to delete a snapshot? You have to go to a dropdown menu and "Select Delete Selected Snapshots". While the snapshot disappears, the snapshot location is still there. Let's say you deleted Snapshot 15. It's not like the snapshots after that move up and take its place. It just says "015 Empty". You want to move around your snapshots and make a proper order of all your Snapshots? Maybe collect all drums/percussion sounds in the beginning, collect all bass sounds after that, leads etc and so on? Yeah. You can do that, moving one snapshot at a time. Can be done. Takes a lot of unnecessary effort. Not fun.

Yeah... for sharing stuff to your friends, it's better to use presets, because they aren't embedded into the ensemble, there's no import into ensemble required as with snapshot banks (.ssf). You just double-click the preset from Explorer/Finder, it opens Reaktor (or you drag the preset into Reaktor) with the correct ensemble and off you go...

About Patches.

Sure. But then you have to load each Patch manually bu going to a dropdown menu. There is no say you can step though your saved Patches, in the same way as with Snapshots.

Look guys. I'm not saying that it doesn't work. I'm saying that the solution was good 15/20 years ago. Reaktor is cool and sounds great, but the methods of handing presets/snapshots is a pain in the butt compared with many other synths out there. You love the way Reaktor handles your presets/snapshots? More power to you. I really don't and is the only reason why I don't even bother with checking out Super 8. If it would have been a normal standalone plugin without middleware Reaktor I would be all over it.

The good thing is that Komplete Kontrol fixes this problem. You Save a preset like any normal plugin and you recall it easily. You can rename and do basic housekeeping tasks. And with Komplete Start you get Komplete Kontrol for free (a clever move from NI!) so that's also a positive thing.

/C

[kmonkey]

The way u-he does it (just as an example) is fantastic. Each preset is a separate file in a separate folder. If you want to backup your sounds, you just move the folder to your backup disk - done.

Clearly - you can do that in Reaktor as well