UAD PolyMAX - This thing is Sick

[bmanic]

This synth sounds incredible!!

I'm always interested in trying to understand what people hear as "good" vs "bad". What do you find in that sound demo to sound incredible?

To my ears it is exceptionally bog standard and rather boring sounds and the overall sound is very static (it's very dynamically reigned in and controlled, the exact opposite to a characterful analogue synthesizer in my experience).

Granted, one just has to try this to really see how it truly feels under the fingers but at least that demo was one of the most underwhelming things I've heard in a long time.

Please convince me otherwise! I want to learn what others hear.

Horses for courses but:
- They properly modelled the VCA. The only other vstis that got this right are NI Blocks, Massive X, VCV Rack - from the ones I’ve tried. And it’s so important. Almost all the developers ignore this when component modelling and they usually put the most focus onto the oscillators, filters and envelopes
- The filter resonance is ace, nothing I’ve heard of before in software, I dare to say it’s better than NI.
- The overall character is alive, maintains low end (just like an analogue poly), and the highs sound creamy. There is this sheen to it which is not harsh, but pleasant, just like the real deal.
- The effects are from UAD Space Echo…

I would ignore the demo. Try it yourself. I mean how many shite demos there of real Prophets and Jupiters and Moogs that sound nothing special, but in the right hands..

This is what I thought. Did you find the audio demo in the youtube video to be amazing? This is what I'm trying to get at here. I thought Leras original comment and praise was about the sound demo in the youtube video which to me sounded exceptionally average at best.

I can very well imagine the synth itself being fantastic sounding as UA usually know what they are doing.

[Sinisterbr]

Frankly, one could make a list of synths at least as good as Polymax, and WAY cheaper.

Btw, XILS PolyKB III costs 60$ right now. Absolutely amazing deal.

Did you do A/B tests between PolyMAX and your 'list of synths' before coming to this conclusion and posting it here? No, of course you didn't. Have you even heard PolyMax outside online demo clips or a YT video? Probably not, I'm guessing. But all the same, you're 'sure' they sound 'at least just as good' anyway, because this is the internet / KVR, where people just conclude & assert anything, anytime, because it's what they decided to believe, actual experience be damned

Please, so I can understand your criticism towards me and your confidence about this synth: YOU did buy Polymax and made some A/B tests, right?

You asserted that an arbitrary 'list of synths' sound just as good as it. I pointed out your assertion was based in....well, nothing at all. That's it. What I have or haven't asserted (which, since you asked: I have a Spark subscription, I've been using it, and I said I like it better than Super-8, and think it sounds great. That's it...) is irrelevant. My point was why enter a public forum and tell everyone this new synth doesn't sound as good as "unnamed, x number of synths" when you haven't even bothered to try it out.

Well, I stand by what I said. Btw, I don't see Youtube videos as irrelevant for judgement as you state, and I think it's mainly a question of learning what to hear.
I didn't demo the new Arturia MS-20, but I thought it sounds amazing in the videos, really up there with the current best.
If you like Polymax, good for you. For me it's just one more good (expensive) VA synth in the crowd.
(I did like Opal, though).

[Modular Manfred]

This synth sounds incredible!!

I'm always interested in trying to understand what people hear as "good" vs "bad". What do you find in that sound demo to sound incredible?

To my ears it is exceptionally bog standard and rather boring sounds and the overall sound is very static (it's very dynamically reigned in and controlled, the exact opposite to a characterful analogue synthesizer in my experience).

Granted, one just has to try this to really see how it truly feels under the fingers but at least that demo was one of the most underwhelming things I've heard in a long time.

Please convince me otherwise! I want to learn what others hear.

Horses for courses but:
- They properly modelled the VCA. The only other vstis that got this right are NI Blocks, Massive X, VCV Rack - from the ones I’ve tried. And it’s so important. Almost all the developers ignore this when component modelling and they usually put the most focus onto the oscillators, filters and envelopes
- The filter resonance is ace, nothing I’ve heard of before in software, I dare to say it’s better than NI.
- The overall character is alive, maintains low end (just like an analogue poly), and the highs sound creamy. There is this sheen to it which is not harsh, but pleasant, just like the real deal.
- The effects are from UAD Space Echo…

I would ignore the demo. Try it yourself. I mean how many shite demos there of real Prophets and Jupiters and Moogs that sound nothing special, but in the right hands..

This is what I thought. Did you find the audio demo in the youtube video to be amazing? This is what I'm trying to get at here. I thought Leras original comment and praise was about the sound demo in the youtube video which to me sounded exceptionally average at best.

I can very well imagine the synth itself being fantastic sounding as UA usually know what they are doing.

If am honest I expected more from UAD for a demo of something like this, usually they are better at it. The first parch was a bit of a wow moment for a second but the rest was nothing special. But boy try it yourself..

[aMUSEd]

And the other ones that sound as good as this?

Sure. NI Super 8 sounds every bit as good and throws in an extra LFO and way more flexible modulation system, for example. And isn't subscription!

I quite like super 8, I don't think it sounds as good as this.

This PolyMax seems a lot more present to me.

The advantage of the Reaktor version of Super 8 is you could run it at far higher sample rates and get a better sound

[Modular Manfred]

And the other ones that sound as good as this?

Sure. NI Super 8 sounds every bit as good and throws in an extra LFO and way more flexible modulation system, for example. And isn't subscription!

I quite like super 8, I don't think it sounds as good as this.

This PolyMax seems a lot more present to me.

The advantage of the Reaktor version of Super 8 is you could run it at far higher sample rates and get a better sound

Yes. You can upsample everything within Reaktor and all components of Massive X are 4x oversampled. Sounds like the plugin Super 8 got no internal oversampling at all?

[_leras]

This synth sounds incredible!!

I'm always interested in trying to understand what people hear as "good" vs "bad". What do you find in that sound demo to sound incredible?

To my ears it is exceptionally bog standard and rather boring sounds and the overall sound is very static (it's very dynamically reigned in and controlled, the exact opposite to a characterful analogue synthesizer in my experience).

To my ears the sounds are just very present. Bass seems deep, rich and solid sounding. And I really like the sounds from about 1:00, again just present and rich.

Yes, it's a vanilla 2 osc synth, but it just has a really nice tone. A perfect bread and butter synth.

It also just doesn't seem to have any soft synth flatness, or thinness.

Or course I could be biased and it's only one short video.

[_leras]

For instance, when it comes to guitar tones I am extremely picky and know exactly why one basic clean tone is better than another, even to a degree where most people would think it's the exact same audio recording! So perhaps there is something similar to this that I'm not hearing here or missing? I may be listening too much to the actual sound programming and not "the sound".

Anyhow, the question was 100% genuine.

Yeah, the playing and the notes etc are all pretty plain. It's also a simple synth so it's not going to be complex.

For me what stood out was the tone and presence of the sound, but also how it holds together in the low mids.

So yes, definitely the sound, not the playing or the demo itself.

Clearly the demo doesn't have that much in it, and there are huge swathes of sounds not covered in the demo, but the tone makes me excited to hear more.

[Greenstorm33]

I don't get these companies who lock their plugins behind either a donger or a subscription. Slate Digital does the same thing. I would totally buy their products but I don't want a subscription or some stupid hardware plugged into my computer.

[Modular Manfred]

I don't want a subscription or some stupid hardware plugged into my computer.

Then you should unplug your monitor and keyboard and mouse as well

[dubguy99]

Please convince me otherwise! I want to learn what others hear.

No one can convince you that a demo you already don't like is worth liking. Your reaction is all that counts, no? But a synth should be judged by playing it, as you yourself pointed out. So play it, and judge for yourself, or skip it.... but there's no point anybody trying to 'convince you otherwise' about a video that didn't click with you.

No I mean, try to describe the sound. What are you hearing that is good? What I described is how I hear it.

What I really like about this (and also Opal) is that there's a certain "dryness" to the sound. It doesn't have that wet, shimmery sheen that so many soft synths have in the upper harmonics and filter resonance. If you are looking for an earthy, un-hyped sound, it effortlessly gets you there. The other thing I like is the VCA distortion. It adds a nice texture and smokeyness. It's audible without getting cartoonish.

[Vortifex]

Edited

[Greenstorm33]

I don't want a subscription or some stupid hardware plugged into my computer.

Then you should unplug your monitor and keyboard and mouse as well

Laptop The mouse dongle is tiny and I have limited USB ports available.

[zerocrossing]

These are dongles, because there is no technical reason to run the code on those outdated DSPs. Every normal CPU and GPU could do the same, but faster and less disadvantages. Hence they switched to a pure software business model and stillare delivering the their usual quality.

Regarding this synth, the presets are well made for sure.

Your ignorance is blaring out into the world. There’s a major reason. Running DSP is ultra low latency, and when you’re tracking a band, that’s important. So you can run the entire mix though the Interface and choose “direct monitor” but still be able to have the UAD effects. Also, it doesn’t suck to have some hardware effects around that don’t tax your computer at all, even if you have a fast computer.

[rod_zero]

All this low effort emulation from big names as UAD and softube are really boring, they are like 10 years late to the game and emulate the same shit that has been done to death with even fewer features. At least arturia tries stuff that wasn't done before.

As for the sound, Roland plugouts sound way more fat, warm, punchy and all that gibberish people love to say.

UAD, by boomers for boomers

[perpetual3]

I would agree, especially about Massive X. I would also suggest Softube.

Nobody gets the vca so right as NI in Blocks and Massive X. So overlooked in analogue modelling.