Non-emulation VA synth recommendations.

[Teksonik]

wavetable,

As we both know a Wavetable doesn't have to be swept to be useful. We can load a single waveform and that opens up a ton of possibilities right there.

For example the Mu3eum waves that have been around for years that are single cycles from Arp, Jupiter, Moogs, Oberheims etc are very useful when doing VA style patches.

[pdxindy]

As we both know a Wavetable doesn't have to be swept to be useful. We can load a single waveform and that opens up a ton of possibilities right there.

It's also useful to do just a tiny bit of wavetable movement... or a slight change of wavetable position across the keyboard or across velocity.

[Teksonik]

As we both know a Wavetable doesn't have to be swept to be useful. We can load a single waveform and that opens up a ton of possibilities right there.

It's also useful to do just a tiny bit of wavetable movement... or a slight change of wavetable position across the keyboard or across velocity.

Yes and another thing I like to do is load up a table and then set Random 100% to Osc WT Position.

[gentleclockdivider]

"When sync is enabled, DUNE 3 automatically generates
a virtual master oscillator needed to perform the synchronisation. The frequency of this oscillator is adjusted by the frequency knob (FREQ), relative to the given pitch. The sync frequency can be modulated using the modulation matrix".

No , because the (virtual) MASTER SYNC oscillator can NOT be chosen as a modsource to modulate the frequency of the sync slave osc .
First version of dune was able to do it , dune 2 and 3 are not .

[digitalboytn]

There's so many possibilities with WT synths and VA emulations are just scratching the surface...

But because they don't have the fake wooden side panels and the retro knobs,many peeps don't get it

[chk071]

Well, wavatable synths seem to be the way to go for a while now. Most of the bigger "flagship" type synths are in their heart mainly wavetable synths. So, I would definitely say that people get it.

In regard of the OP, it depends what you're after, I guess. And if you really need wavetables.

I would agree with the people who say that the OP is good with what he has. Unless, of course, he's after expanding his sonic spectrum, which I don't know.

[digitalboytn]

I meant that many peeps look at those VA synths with the fake GUIs and somehow feel that they are superior vintage sounding machines because they look the part and then their eyes are convincing them of the fact...

Shut the eyes and open up the ears me thinks

[chk071]

Ah...

TBH, I never was a fan of fake wood. Always thought that it looks kinda cheap. Also in the late 90's Mercedes wagon a friend once had. Although that might even have been real wood...

[SHall1000]

I think my original post was the result of demoing Cherry’s ELKA Synthex emulation and thinking what is this doing/adding that all the other 70/80s analogue emulations (complete with wooden end cheeks) aren’t already providing given they all have the same basic architecture. Sure I can hear differences in sonic character when I compare them directly but I am not sure I miss the others when I am using any one of them.
Surely one of the non emulations following the same architecture could cover the same sort of ground and perhaps be more versatile with a wider sonic spectrum, but maybe they just bring their own limitations a unique sonic footprint.
Reading the responses here has made me realise that maybe the old standard subtractive architecture might not be necessary to get an old school analogue sound and I should explore other synthesis options and understand sound design better.

Anyway the inevitable consequence of asking the question is that after watching some Dune 3 tutorials I have GAS and will probably end up buying yet another synth.

[BONES]

You can't go wrong with DUNE.

Are there synths let you run external audio as "oscillators", side-by-side with the internal oscillators? I think Logic ES1 does it. That would be better than having a sample oscillator.

I imagine any instrument that can also be run as an effect can do that, can't it? I've never looked into it but I have always assumed that's what they do.

There's so many possibilities with WT synths and VA emulations are just scratching the surface...
But because they don't have the fake wooden side panels and the retro knobs,many peeps don't get it

For me it's more than I never hear anything useful from a wavetable synth that I can't do some other way. I've got plenty of synths with wavetable oscillators, yet somehow I always end up choosing a simple saw or pulse wave. Pigments, for example, let's you mangle wavetables in all sorts of amazing ways but I've never ended up with a usable result from playing around with all those features. Mind you, I never got too many sounds out of Pigments that I was happy with anyway.

[digitalboytn]

I know that it might be a little sacreligeous to say this around here,but I prefer ANA 2 to DUNE 3...

I find ANA 2 much easier to program and the sounds always sit great in the mix...

The basic architecture of the synth is similar to DUNE 3,but the programming is much deeper in ANA 2...

The arpeggiator in D3 is seriously crippled and a real PITA to work with compared to A2 and there are many other areas where A2 just leaves D3 in the dust...

I used the original DUNE for many years and still love it,but times have changed and I enjoy working with ANA 2 so much that DUNE 3 has gone to a new home and I don't miss it for a moment ...

It's a cruel,cruel world

[BONES]

I am with you on this. I think ANA 2 sounds as good as anything else out there, DUNE included, and I much prefer working with it. The GUI is streets ahead of any of the other ubersynths I've tried. It's got a great preset browser, good effects and it feels thoroughly polished as a product - no rough edges at all. It feels like it combines all the good things about Hive and DUNE without making you put up with all the annoying stuff, like the stupid central window.

[Korg Supporter]

Rob Papen's Predator and BIT, anyone?

[pdxindy]

I find ANA 2 much easier to program and the sounds always sit great in the mix...

I like the sound of Dune 3... it can do some cool stuff.

It's the GUI that I find tedious to work with. The Mod Matrix is poorly thought out. It lives in a tiny section of the GUI and can only show 7 slots at once and doesn't scroll easily. Each mod slot is rudimentary too. Compare to the Matrix in Vital!

[digitalboytn]

I am with you on this. I think ANA 2 sounds as good as anything else out there, DUNE included, and I much prefer working with it. The GUI is streets ahead of any of the other ubersynths I've tried. It's got a great preset browser, good effects and it feels thoroughly polished as a product - no rough edges at all. It feels like it combines all the good things about Hive and DUNE without making you put up with all the annoying stuff, like the stupid central window.

The guys who coded ANA 2 have serious credentials, so it's no surprise that they came up with a real winner...

What I like,is that you can tweak things so easily at so many points of the chain and everything is laid out logically and it's all easily assessable...

The routing and modulation options are extensive and it all adds up to be a very versatile and enjoyable synth that is a pleasure to work with ..

They should have called it "Chameleon" because it's a serious workhorse that covers a whole heap of ground and after having used it for quite some time now,it's the one I would take to the proverbial desert island