Upcoming Synapse OB-Xa: Obsession

[PAK]

The real test is no more than hearing the sound and thinking "that sounds like Jump"

Many (most?) users of synths are preset tweakers, so they will form impressions based on what's given to them. So whatcha gonna do?

It depends how much Synapse want to push the "emulative" angle over "unique, but inspired by". Even if it's the later, it's probably in their sales interests to do a couple of "known" OBXA sounds well. Since only a small number have the hardware it's otherwise the only reference point people have - a way to satisfy themselves "Yes, this is recognizable as the instrument used", without involving others opinions / comparisons. Plus the familiar is something Youtube video demos etc will gravitate towards.

In terms of matching a mastered recording, you're not saying anything I'd really disagree with either. But the original tweaked preset sounds more than "close enough" to satisfy it's the instrument used, without having to mangle it to simulate tape with an EQ. Arturia have already proved that IMO. I just figured it was just a simple case of saying "here's the settings", someone punches them in, adjusts the reverb, makes sure detunes are in range, and churns out something from Obsession that's at least on par

surely there is enough to get an idea from the samples Anx has provided?

Enough to say the synth sounds good? Certainly. In terms of figuring out certain specifics? Well...

Note the object is to extract detail, not sweep.

Good work Nice organic sweep

Hmmm

It's about trying to work out things like can the resonance produce the same high frequency sheen, or in what ways can you get the resonance to ring and produce additional harmonics, and do that with quicker attacks, but otherwise LONNNGGGG release times so you can hear the ways in which such ringing evolves etc. And, yeah, "sheen" is a subjective term, but if someone can't "grok" it from the video example used then there's not much hope

Likewise, similar long release settings could be used to demonstrate the voice tuning (assuming it allows individual filter / resonance control) to hear how that all blends together. OP-X Pro can actually sound great in this department, even though its filter can't go as bright as some newer methods allow.

[PAK]

Think I'll give it a go and try to recreate some of the sound in that vid when Obsession is out. Seems like a worthwhile thing, because I really like those sounds.

Well, at least you can see much of the settings used. Actually.. (Checks BD-6 memory location used, Factory preset Tremelo Rezz, to see if it was a start point - not really ) But he just slaps the env controls on full anyway

Minus the FX, I reckon Arturia covers most of the character btw. The obvious thing is its filter res leans more towards mid-range, especially at more closed positions, so you can't get the same resonance "sheen", though I haven't (yet) heard that from any of the Synapse examples either. Even as is, OBXA V's resonance is still more useful than most digital filters out there, to be fair.

They definitely missed out by giving you no control (except pan) over the individual voices, since you could easily make things more interesting just by using a different filter/res setting for each voice. The Stereo spread thing isn't a substitute

What an incredibly annoying sound......

Whaaaat?! Not able to appreciate the finer points of resonance wail? Hmmph.

It's more useful than it might seem, as you've actually got control over where that ringing occurs based on osc detune, as well as filter mod and freq

[Echoes in the Attic]

I guess the point with these emulations is that you can just push a button, and have "that" sound immediately. I'm sure you can get reasonable close with other or general purpose synths, but... I always notice that something is missing, or that it's more difficult to get where I want to.

Yeah I would say more precisely the point is to stay within the sweet spot range that the original did. It's actually harder to make crappy sounds. That's why personally enjoy these accurate emulations. It's not the fact purely that they are limited, or they can yield a specific sound, it's the limitations keep it within the sweet spot of things that sound good ("good" meaning a certain pleasing character identified with the original). And when you just want to play music and not be a scientist in a lab, that's pretty useful.

I came to synths the opposite direction from many. I didn't use analog synths back in the day. I got familiar (barely) with complex ones first. As a guitar player I didn't get into synths until I had a few grooveboxes around 99-2000. Barely scratched the surface of synthesis at the time. Then Reason 1.0 came out and learned a wee bit more. Then shortly after that got into Logic, Native instruments etc. So within a few short years I was trying to use complex synths like the ES-2 and Absynth. It wasn't until a bunch of years later that I really started to love using the simpler analog emulations like the Arturia and GForce synths and understanding why synths designed on hardware were quite a joy to use. For me it's also partially about trying not to use the mouse and use my hardware controllers as much as possible. Sipmler hardware type synths can usually have everything mapped on controllers so I can use my Novation SL controllers without having to go to my screen.

[AnX]

:

surely there is enough to get an idea from the samples Anx has provided?

Enough to say the synth sounds good? Certainly. In terms of figuring out certain specifics? Well...

Note the object is to extract detail, not sweep.

Good work Nice organic sweep

Hmmm

there was no sweep, i manually moved the cut off about 10-15% to try and match the original sound, as he did in the video

of course, you only get a general idea from sound clips, and indeed, will need the demo version to check any details yourself

[PAK]

of course, you only get a general idea from sound clips, and indeed, will need the demo version to check any details yourself

Yes indeed. It was a nice sound anyway

[Teksonik]

What an incredibly annoying sound......

Whaaaat?! Not able to appreciate the finer points of resonance wail? Hmmph.
It's more useful than it might seem, as you've actually got control over where that ringing occurs based on osc detune, as well as filter mod and freq

I've already got ringing. It's called Tinnitus.

I don't need my synths screeching like a dog whistle......

[vitocorleone123]

Resonance is one of the easy ways to separate out the best from the rest, in terms of analog softsynths (esp emulations). Seems that analog resonance and noise is really hard to replicate. So far.

[Shiek927]

Don't know what brought it all about, but weird how so many companies are suddenly on the OB-Xa train! makes you wonder if they talk about what they're all working on at the same time

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Don't know what brought it all about, but weird how so many companies are suddenly on the OB-Xa train! makes you wonder if they talk about what they're all working on at the same time

Things just work out like that. Remember when there was a new Plate Reverb coming out every few weeks? Or when there were dozens of Mu compressor plugins coming out seemingly 5 minutes apart?

[Echoes in the Attic]

Don't know what brought it all about, but weird how so many companies are suddenly on the OB-Xa train! makes you wonder if they talk about what they're all working on at the same time

I was wondering if ik saw these obxa’s coming out and decided after that’s to give away theirs. Though I’m not sure what the logic would be there.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Don't know what brought it all about, but weird how so many companies are suddenly on the OB-Xa train! makes you wonder if they talk about what they're all working on at the same time

I was wondering if ik saw these obxa’s coming out and decided after that’s to give away theirs. Though I’m not sure what the logic would be there.

Seems like a simple matter of, "first one's free, then you gotta pay." They want people using their Syntronik OB, digging it, and buying the other Syntronik stuff.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Don't know what brought it all about, but weird how so many companies are suddenly on the OB-Xa train! makes you wonder if they talk about what they're all working on at the same time

I was wondering if ik saw these obxa’s coming out and decided after that’s to give away theirs. Though I’m not sure what the logic would be there.

Seems like a simple matter of, "first one's free, then you gotta pay." They want people using their Syntronik OB, digging it, and buying the other Syntronik stuff.

Sure but I mean specifically the logic of choosing the OB. Can't help but wonder if it has something to do with some other OBs coming out currently.

[EnGee]

The real test is no more than hearing the sound and thinking "that sounds like Jump"

Many (most?) users of synths are preset tweakers, so they will form impressions based on what's given to them. So whatcha gonna do?

It depends how much Synapse want to push the "emulative" angle over "unique, but inspired by". Even if it's the later, it's probably in their sales interests to do a couple of "known" OBXA sounds well. Since only a small number have the hardware it's otherwise the only reference point people have - a way to satisfy themselves "Yes, this is recognizable as the instrument used", without involving others opinions / comparisons. Plus the familiar is something Youtube video demos etc will gravitate towards.

In terms of matching a mastered recording, you're not saying anything I'd really disagree with either. But the original tweaked preset sounds more than "close enough" to satisfy it's the instrument used, without having to mangle it to simulate tape with an EQ. Arturia have already proved that IMO. I just figured it was just a simple case of saying "here's the settings", someone punches them in, adjusts the reverb, makes sure detunes are in range, and churns out something from Obsession that's at least on par

surely there is enough to get an idea from the samples Anx has provided?

Enough to say the synth sounds good? Certainly. In terms of figuring out certain specifics? Well...

Note the object is to extract detail, not sweep.

Good work Nice organic sweep

Hmmm

It's about trying to work out things like can the resonance produce the same high frequency sheen, or in what ways can you get the resonance to ring and produce additional harmonics, and do that with quicker attacks, but otherwise LONNNGGGG release times so you can hear the ways in which such ringing evolves etc. And, yeah, "sheen" is a subjective term, but if someone can't "grok" it from the video example used then there's not much hope

Likewise, similar long release settings could be used to demonstrate the voice tuning (assuming it allows individual filter / resonance control) to hear how that all blends together. OP-X Pro can actually sound great in this department, even though its filter can't go as bright as some newer methods allow.

Thank you uncle

[chk071]

Yes, very good post there.

[EnGee]

Yes very! I realised I was wrong! I don't like ANX's examples! I won't purchase Obsession because my ears deceived me! It doesn't sound good! Horrible!