Native Instruments Massive X Synth - Sequel to Massive (Out Now!)

[chk071]

Well, initial impressions after playing with the demo for a bit are that I don't like the UI much but it sounds very good indeed. The UI gives me the same feeling of visual confusion I get with Harmor, lots of little controls everywhere without a quick intuitive at-a-glance feel for where everything is. No doubt that would diminish with time. Aesthetically it kind of reminds me of a control panel for medical technology that you'd find in a lab.

Sound wise I can't fault it at all, really nice sound quality. The filters and various fx are great, as is the routing. Love the harmonization tool. CPU is reasonable. The whole thing oozes quality. Could see myself getting lost in this for some time.

[ghettosynth]

I can understand the "character" thing. Massive X sounds modern, and doesn't have loads of character. The sound is great nonetheless. it just doesn't have a immediate distinction.

One of the things that can sometimes annoy me about a synth, is when they have a distinct, inescapable character that is common to all the patches you create on that synth. The more chameleon-like a synth can be, the better I'll usually like it. "Character" can be cool sometimes, but not having a distinct, inescapable character in all the patches can also be a very good thing, especially if you want a lot of versatility from a synth.


Note: I might be using "character" in a slightly different way than you are.

One thing that I've observed is that the three or so filters with FM all have distinctly different characters. I think that I must use more filter FM and resonance modulation in my patches than some of you guys do; I think that this MX might be the most characterful synth since Monark.

[Spirit2017]

Full of inspiration that is a synthesizer .

[chk071]

Sounds like a typical synth of its time... harsh high frequency cut at 16 kHz or something. I think that's also why those synths have such a "airy" sound, which many seem to like. Just like Waldorf's older synths.

Use a EQ on any modern synth, and, you get a similar sound.

Anyway, as i said, i do get the character thing.

[EvilDragon]

Are unipolar lfo's possible?

Yes.

[Touch The Universe]

Are unipolar lfo's possible?

Yes.

Thanks, needed to look a bit harder

[Touch The Universe]

What is Uni Z?

[Spirit2017]

Still there is no plugin that sounds like the K5000.But there are many that sounds like massive x

[matteogk]

Been diving all day with it. This is an amazing modulating environment that produces fantastic sounds.
I can sculpt detailed movements, just looking at the super clear interface (this is subjective, I know...).

All wavetables synth may sound similar when using raw initial preset, but then you start modulating stuff and... they all react different (that's why we all use more than one plugin, isn't it?).
I love how balanced the output sounds, no matter how crazy I go with it.
It has very well shaped filter and effects. No words for modulation features, it's a lot of stuff!!

I'm just waiting to be amazed by all those great sound designer out there that love this kind of programming, I mean those that gave us so many gems with its predecessor.

Just my two cents.

[JerGoertz]

So, what's the consensus?

[EvilDragon]

But there are many that sounds like massive x

Not at all.

Besides, K5000 is not a wavetable synth, so you're mixing apples and oranges. And more than half the patches in the K5000 video you linked to are sample-based, not additive synthesis. I know, because I own a K5000R


(Also, you can get quite close to K5000 sort of thing with Alchemy.)

[McLilith]

I'm totally new to both Massive X and original Massive. (I got them both today.) I also took a quick look at Pigments once in the past, courtesy of their free trial period, but didn't use it a lot. I've also taken a quick look at the control layouts of some other modern wavetable synths, though I've not actually played most of them. The point is, I only have a slight exposure to all these wavetable synths.

My initial reaction is this: They ALL look complex and confusing at first.

Guess which one I intend to put the effort into learning and using though? Massive X, because I like the sound of it best.

I suspect many of the folks complaining about the interface will actually like the synth a lot more, if they put some time into learning the layout and architecture of it. They might also be surprised at how quickly they adapt to it.

[Touch The Universe]

Sounds amazing so far, but after 30 seconds I still can't figure out how to load a wavetable.... I'd like the most basic stuff to be intuitive

[pdxindy]

"Did you ever automate 30 parameters at once from a single plugin in the same track? Like, honestly."


I wouldn't with a mere synthesizer. Massive I was doing 6 or 8.
I do over 30 with BFD3 and VSL Synchron. These have mixers. I automate 0 of the former that isn't fr. a mixer, except for CC for variable hihat(s).

Yep, it does make sense with plugins that have their own mixers, like drum samplers.


Thanks for confirming my point

It's not the total quantity, it's the inconvenience of not being able to simply automate a parameter directly.

[neverbeeninariot]

Meh, I'll wait until Massive XI...



</jk> I think it rocks, quite hard