Newbie Questions about Zebra Legacy. Why two synths?

[Zorro]

Just learning this (these) synths. Total Newbie. Some familiarity with Omnisphere.

It's been puzzling me. Why does this package have two synths with three names?

After install I have two synth VSTs in Cubase 12.

Zebra 2 & Zebra HZ.

Is Zebra HZ the "Dark Zebra"?

Why two Zebras?

what does HZ stand for?

I think that "dark Zebra" patches don't show up in Zebra 2? IF true, is it advisable to just use Zebra HZ then? What is the best workflow?

A lot of patches have HS prefix, what does this stand for please?

Thank you Z

[Viktor [TUC]]

Hi Zorro,
you'll find a quick intro here on the old Dark Zebra product page:

https://u-he.com/products/soundsets/zeb ... #darkzebra

(I'll let others explain more if needed, need some sleep...)

Viktor

[PALU]

The HS prefix stands for Howard Scarr - the creator of the presets.

[purplepat69]

HZ stands for Hans Zimmer....

Zebra HZ is a custom version of Zebra 2 made by u-he to Hans Zimmer's desired modifications. I'd suspect any "Dark Zebra" patches are playable only on the HZ version of Zebra 2.

[Ploki]

iirc ZebraHZ has more FX slots, resonator/combfilter as FX, and some of the Diva's filters.

so it's like Zebra2 but has some more stuff.

[v1o]

Since ZebraHZ can open all standard Zebra 2 patches, am I right in thinking there is no point having both installed?

[PALU]

EDIT

[carrieres]

Since ZebraHZ can open all standard Zebra 2 patches, am I right in thinking there is no point having both installed?

I think that Zebra2 is closer to my vision of a great synth than ZebraHZ. I think ZebraHZ requires extra effort & skills - it is purposed for very demanding tasks beyond Zebra's original scope. Whenever Zebra2 gets the job done, I'd choose Zebra2 over ZebraHZ.

[Zorro]

Since ZebraHZ can open all standard Zebra 2 patches, am I right in thinking there is no point having both installed?

I think that Zebra2 is closer to my vision of a great synth than ZebraHZ. I think ZebraHZ requires extra effort & skills - it is purposed for very demanding tasks beyond Zebra's original scope. Whenever Zebra2 gets the job done, I'd choose Zebra2 over ZebraHZ.

But it is still true then that HZ can do everything that Z2 can do? This is what I would like confirmed

[Ploki]

yes, HZ just has bunch of extra shit

manual says:

ZebraHZ is Hans Zimmer’s custom version of Zebra2. Many of the following extensions are required by The Dark Zebra:
• 8 extra filters (4 x highpass and 4 x lowpass) based on Diva models
• 4 comb filter modules instead of 2
• 8 MSEGs instead of 4
• 24 modulation matrix slots instead of 12
• X/Y pads also appear as regular modulation sources
• 4 polyphonic compressors, one for each lane of the main grid
• 3 PolymoogTM-style resonators with additional full-range band
Note: For even more powerful physical modelling capabilities, version 2.9 has twice as many comb filters as version 2.8, and three Resonators instead of just one.

[carrieres]

yes, nothing has been deleted from Z2, only modules have been added :
ZebraHZ is Hans Zimmer’s custom version of Zebra2. Many of the following extensions
are required by The Dark Zebra:
• 8 extra filters (4 x highpass and 4 x lowpass) based on Diva models
• 4 comb filter modules instead of 2
• 8 MSEGs instead of 4
• 24 modulation matrix slots instead of 12
• X/Y pads also appear as regular modulation sources
• 4 polyphonic compressors, one for each lane of the main grid
• 3 Polymoog™-style resonators with additional full-range band

from the manual page 5 :
https://uhe-dl.b-cdn.net/manuals/sounds ... -guide.pdf

[darkinners]

Since ZebraHZ can open all standard Zebra 2 patches, am I right in thinking there is no point having both installed?

You need to install both, Zebra HZ requires Zebra 2 to work. It's technically an extension of Zebra 2

[whyterabbyt]

You need to install both, Zebra HZ requires Zebra 2 to work.

No you dont and no it doesnt.

It's technically an extension of Zebra 2

No, its technically an alternate version. You'll need a Zebra 2 serial number to authorise it, but you dont need anything else.

[petedako]

I started naming all of my patches with a PD prefix because of this early on and also of course, because Howard is a Sound Design genius. I have also (finally?) recently become aware there's also a (semi-standard?) lot of presets with prefixs floating around indicating types of sound so PD might be a PAD(?) DR a drum etc. which has been confusing as to whether I made the thing or not. Although I tend to start with INIT these days, earlier on I often just started tinkering with other people's patches.

The HS prefix stands for Howard Scarr

[pierb]

But it is still true then that HZ can do everything that Z2 can do? This is what I would like confirmed

Yes, ZebraHZ is a superset of Zebra 2. All Zebra 2 presets work in ZebraHZ.

But Zebra 2 offers a better experience IMHO. ZebraHZ is a bit of a Frankenstein (sorry Urs).