Upcoming Synapse OB-Xa: Obsession

[Yorrrrrr]

The Synapse Audio emu sounds and behaves like a real analog poly synth should. It's in the same level as current top analog emus (Legend, RePro, etc.).

[Ingonator]

FWIW for comparison i am using the demo version of Arturia OB-Xa V which is available with Arturia Software Center.

Besides the basic sounds that as mentioned in my last post IMHO is much better in the Synapse Audio emulation also some of the advanced features included in the Synapse Audio emu are not included with the Arturia one. Some of those advanced features were essential for me when doing my own patches and not having those in the Arturia plugin would be another reason why this could not be a full replacement for me.

FWIW both emulations do include multiple advanced features compared to the real OB-Xa. In this thread it had been mentioned multiple times that the Synapse Audio Ob-Xa will not just be a simple 1:1 copy of the hardware like it was already the case with The Legend compared to a real Minimoog Model D.

[mholloway]

FWIW for comparison i am using the demo version of Arturia OB-Xa V which is available with Arturia Software Center.

Besides the basic sounds that as mentioned in my last post IMHO is much better in the Synapse Audio emulation also some of the advanced features included in the Synapse Audio emu are not included with the Arturia one. Some of those advanced features were essential for me when doing my own patches and not having those in the Arturia plugin would be another reason why this could not be a full replacement for me.

FWIW both emulations do include multiple advanced features compared to the real OB-Xa. In this thread it had been mentioned multiple times that the Synapse Audio Ob-Xa will not just be a simple 1:1 copy of the hardware like it was already the case with The Legend compared to a real Minimoog Model D.

Interesting. When using the Arturia, did you notice the 'hidden' panels for per-voice panning and advanced stereo offset options? They are invisible at first (weird choice) and you have to 1. click the 'stereo' or 'pan' buttons, which makes a sort of faded-out control panel visible immediately above the keyboard, and then 2. click on that faded out panel, to make it 'active' and visible. There are two of these total, one for the 'stereo' controls and one for the 'pan' controls.

I ask simply because these seem very easy to miss, especially in a quick demo-use scenario, and if you did miss them, that might change your assessment about what features the Synapse has over the Arturia.

thanks.

[e-crooner]

When I saw the little hidden pots they reminded me of the old Oberheim emulation, forgot the name of it, something with Pro at the end.

[Vortifex]

Interesting. When using the Arturia, did you notice the 'hidden' panels for per-voice panning and advanced stereo offset options? They are invisible at first (weird choice) and you have to 1. click the 'stereo' or 'pan' buttons, which makes a sort of faded-out control panel visible immediately above the keyboard, and then 2. click on that faded out panel, to make it 'active' and visible. There are two of these total, one for the 'stereo' controls and one for the 'pan' controls.

I ask simply because these seem very easy to miss, especially in a quick demo-use scenario, and if you did miss them, that might change your assessment about what features the Synapse has over the Arturia.

thanks.

I didn't even realise those existed until I watched the video.

[Ingonator]

nvm, some misunderstanding was invólved

[mholloway]

Of course i am aware of the advanced panel. This is not the first Arturia softysnth i am using (i got the V-Collection 6 here and also some single plugins before that) and most of those got such advanced features panel.

But I'm not talking about the 'advanced panel', where Arturia typically puts these things. And yes, this synth has one of course, but that's not where the panning controls are! I wasn't attacking you, i was verifying that you saw a 'hidden' feature, different from ALL their other synths, which seems important to clarify since you are making an X vs Y feature comparison.

[Ingonator]

nvm, some misunderstanding was invólved

[mholloway]

Dude, they are VERY easy to miss (and not implemented at all like the 'extra features' in the other Arturia synths), I wasn't attacking you, just making sure you saw them, since you were doing a X vs Y feature comparison.

When you are used to the Arturia plugins it is quite obvious to look for such panel as it is included in most of their plugins, even with the organs.

I have the V7 collection and I have never seen this sort of 'hidden' panel that only appears when you hover over an area, and in a 'barely visible' state at that point, until you click it. It's a strange implementation, different than their other stuff, there is absolutely nothing 'quite obvious' about it, even for V7 owners.

[Ingonator]

nvm, some misunderstanding was invólved

[simmo75]

Dude, they are VERY easy to miss (and not implemented at all like the 'extra features' in the other Arturia synths), I wasn't attacking you, just making sure you saw them, since you were doing a X vs Y feature comparison.

When you are used to the Arturia plugins it is quite obvious to look for such panel as it is included in most of their plugins, even with the organs.

I have the V7 collection and I have never seen this sort of 'hidden' panel that only appears when you hover over an area, and in a 'barely visible' state at that point, until you click it. It's a strange implementation, different than their other stuff, there is absolutely nothing 'quite obvious' about it, even for V7 owners.

The "double arrow" GUI symbol for opening the advanced panel is the same as in most other Arturia plugins. In the B-3 plugin it is labeled "MOD".
The only differnce is see is that the panel also opens when clicking on the upper part of the GUI where also the "OB-Xa" name is found.

That’s the hidden panel, not the one mholloway is talking about.

[Ingonator]

Dude, they are VERY easy to miss (and not implemented at all like the 'extra features' in the other Arturia synths), I wasn't attacking you, just making sure you saw them, since you were doing a X vs Y feature comparison.

When you are used to the Arturia plugins it is quite obvious to look for such panel as it is included in most of their plugins, even with the organs.

I have the V7 collection and I have never seen this sort of 'hidden' panel that only appears when you hover over an area, and in a 'barely visible' state at that point, until you click it. It's a strange implementation, different than their other stuff, there is absolutely nothing 'quite obvious' about it, even for V7 owners.

The "double arrow" GUI symbol for opening the advanced panel is the same as in most other Arturia plugins. In the B-3 plugin it is labeled "MOD".
The only differnce is see is that the panel also opens when clicking on the upper part of the GUI where also the "OB-Xa" name is found.

That’s the hidden panel, not the one mholloway is talking about.

Ah i guess you mean the pan trimmer knobs then that appear in the lower part of the GUI. Those are new indeed new and not found in other Arturia plugins.
Once you clicked at that trimmer section they stay visible until you click on the section again.

[mholloway]

Dude, they are VERY easy to miss (and not implemented at all like the 'extra features' in the other Arturia synths), I wasn't attacking you, just making sure you saw them, since you were doing a X vs Y feature comparison.

When you are used to the Arturia plugins it is quite obvious to look for such panel as it is included in most of their plugins, even with the organs.

I have the V7 collection and I have never seen this sort of 'hidden' panel that only appears when you hover over an area, and in a 'barely visible' state at that point, until you click it. It's a strange implementation, different than their other stuff, there is absolutely nothing 'quite obvious' about it, even for V7 owners.

The "double arrow" GUI symbol for opening the advanced panel is the same as in most other Arturia plugins. In the B-3 plugin it is labeled "MOD".
The only differnce is see is that the panel also opens when clicking on the upper part of the GUI where also the "OB-Xa" name is found.

That’s the hidden panel, not the one mholloway is talking about.

Ah i guess you mean the pan trimmer knobs then that appear in the lower part of the GUI. Those are new indeed new and not found in other Arturia plugins.
Once you clicked at that trimmer section they stay visible until you click on the section again.

Yes, indeed, that is what I was talking this WHOLE TIME, jeeez.

[Echoes in the Attic]

When you are used to the Arturia plugins it is quite obvious to look for such panel as it is included in most of their plugins, even with the organs.

I have the V7 collection and I have never seen this sort of 'hidden' panel that only appears when you hover over an area, and in a 'barely visible' state at that point, until you click it. It's a strange implementation, different than their other stuff, there is absolutely nothing 'quite obvious' about it, even for V7 owners.

The "double arrow" GUI symbol for opening the advanced panel is the same as in most other Arturia plugins. In the B-3 plugin it is labeled "MOD".
The only differnce is see is that the panel also opens when clicking on the upper part of the GUI where also the "OB-Xa" name is found.

That’s the hidden panel, not the one mholloway is talking about.

Ah i guess you mean the pan trimmer knobs then that appear in the lower part of the GUI. Those are new indeed new and not found in other Arturia plugins.
Once you clicked at that trimmer section they stay visible until you click on the section again.

Yes, indeed, that is what I was talking this WHOLE TIME, jeeez.

That was frustrating exchange to read.

[BONES]

My mom? And who is "we" in your sentence?

My band. I don't work on my own, I actually know other people. In the real world. I don't even write most of the songs, although we share arranging duties and I do most of the production and write most of the lyrics (because I'm the one who has to scream them at a microphone).

I make music that sounds good to me

I think you have to. You'd need to be a really, really good musician and song writer to be making music you didn't feel any connection to and do a decent job of it.

What sounded great 37 years ago as in the case of Thriller, still sounds good today.

Not to my ears. A good song from back then is still a good song, although I never thought Thriller was anything more than a good video clip, but the sounds they used in that song are absolutely cringeworthy by today's standards. Now, you will argue that it's a "classic" but the thing with classics is they get reinterpreted all the time. Go and see any modern production of Hamlet or Macbeth and you will see what I mean.

I'm sure going over old ground fees safe and cosy but isn't this a creative medium? Shouldn't we be pushing boundaries, extending ourselves? e.g. Last night when I got home from work I spent an hour watching YT videos on how to create neuro bass sounds, even though I have no interest in the styles of music in which those types of sounds are used. For me it was an opportunity to look at an unfamiliar way of doing things, in an effort to push my own personal boundaries. In a similar vein, I installed the Ujam BM Void demo a couple of weeks ago, even though I have no interest in the kinds of music it is designed for. Again, I thought taking myself out of my comfort zone might be inspiring.

Progress in terms of sound quality has become slower and slower over the years and decades. There were huge improvements from the 60's to the 80's, but less so from the 80's to 2020.

That's absolute rubbish. Do you have any idea how much it cost to produce an album like Thriller? Only the top 1 or 2% of working musicians back then could have hoped to get access to the equipment used on that album. Just listen to how bad early Metallica sounds so get what I mean. Or listen to the krap sounds I was using in the 80s. Today every bedroom musician has access too equipment that will allow them to sound every bit as good as Michael Jackson if they have the talent to do so and that revolution has mostly happened since the turn of the Century.

Personally, I clearly prefer the sound of the mid-80, and I am by far not the only one

That the world is full of idiots is not news to me. After all, Justin Bieber has sold more records than Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel or U2 and Rihanna has sold more than Pink Floyd. There is simply no accounting for taste.

My mom actually has a more modern, eclectic taste of music than me. She listens to Celine Dion and such crap, which I also consider torture

Honestly, I see little difference between Celine Dion and Michael Jackson, both churn out mindless, glossy pop music for mass consumption. Both leave me equally cold. Thriller was released the same year as Killing Joke released Revelations, one of my all-time favourite albums, which you have probably never heard in your life.

And therein lies the difference - I have heard all the music you like and for a long time I was happy enough with it. But then I got a chance to hear something else, something different that made a far deeper connection than any of the stuff you know about ever could. But over time many of those connections fade so I am always seeking new ones, which is why I still spend up to $100 a month buying music. In the last month or so, for example, I have bought music by 8 different artists I had never heard before.

Fresh connections are always the best but some fade more quickly than others. The classics are the ones that endure over decades but I'd hate to think there wasn't more new music out there for me to discover, maybe the next classic.