HALion 7

[twal]

Does anybody here also own Pigments and can give me a comparison between the two?? I've been waiting for this to drop for awhile now, skipped the Absolute sale a few months ago because there was no indication Absolute was going to be updated at the same time, but now Im wondering if I need to rush and grab it..

Hmmm.. To be honest it's hard to compare the two as HALion is far more of a slog when it comes to sound design vs to the free flow of Pigments. It's nowhere near as enjoyable and instantaneous... Pigments just kills it for usability (imo).

I don't know if you're a Cubase user or not, but if you've been looking at Absolute collection it also comes with Padshop 2 - That is more immediate and more akin to Pigments in my mind. But it really depends what sounds you're into.

The spectral engine in HALion 7 seems to be very good from what i've played and heard from it, even if you slow it right down the sample still retains great sound quality. The FM section is great too. And of course HALion has the acoustic instruments that come with it - more bread and butter than outstanding though.

It's hard for me to make a decision to get Halion, when I am not interested in sound design currently but want a lot of useable presets, and I have Analog V already, which essentially allows me to load any Pigments presets. Any presets that can't be made in Pigments could be considerably overkill since I don't do EDM harsh, big sound stuff I am presuming... Nonetheless having a big workstation like Halion knocks out a lot and I do need bread and butter since picking up Analog V, but Avenger looks also awesome, I just wish there was sample based bread and butter expansions with them (don't know of any at least).

[SLiC]

I can't recommend it currently if you are on 4K, no scaling...

This isn't entirely true. It does have a high DPI mode in its settings which scales it up. However, it doesn't have continuous scaling or multiple scaling levels, so I understood the complaint. Having said that, I am running 4k at 125% desktop scaling and Halion 7 is just fine (comfortable even). I am running on a 43" screen, so I understand that someone running 4k on a smaller screen with 100% desktop scaling might have issues.

The high DPI mode does nothing for me on Windows, tried it on and off and couldn't see a difference. I also scaled the desktop to 125%. It's useable but it just that 'all the action' is i n that 6 inch window in the middle, seems like such a wasted opportunity...Cubase has scaling so they know how top do it!

[digitallysane]

For those asking "should I sell my MODX/Montage now", the answer is a definite no, I'd say.

I spent some time today with the HALion7 demo.

I took some sounds I made with my MODX and duplicated the exact values for the Levels, Envelopes etc and it sounds EXACTLY like my MODX. This is the good part.

The bad (and surprising) part is that the effects in HALion are nothing compared to the ones in the MODX. And, incidentaly, to the ones in Falcon. The MODX has a lot more, both in the bread and butter category (compressors, flangers etc) but especially in the creative area, which helps a lot with sound design. So MODX, as an FM synth in the hands of a sound designer, is much more powerful IMO, even if the core FM engine in HALion is more featured.

Some of those FXs can be seen here (hope the video starts at the right time):


Would be great to get those Yamaha effects inside HALion. In fact, not only great, but much needed IMO.

[SLiC]

Yes, I was surprised how basic many of the fx were in HALion 7, but we are definitely spoiled in Falcon!

[c_voltage]

Does Steinberg have an annual/regular sale on updates (e.g. sale that would apply to the update to Halion7)?

Not sure about how often, but yes they do (i did upgrade Groove Agent 4 to 5 for 50 in 2020, while regular upgrade is 99. GA5 released in 2018).
So, how soon it can be for H7, as it new stuff (year at least mb).

[digitallysane]

Yes, I was surprised how basic many of the fx were in HALion 7, but we are definitely spoiled in Falcon!

Speaking of spoiled, I think this version is pretty underwhelming considering it's been in develoment for 6 years?!?

The FM part is Yamaha code, so that didn't need as much development time from the Steinberg team. So in the end it's 6 years for the the Spectral thing, redesigned modulation (still way below Falcon), UI tweaks and integation of the Yamaha FM engine.

I remember that one of the reasons for me choosing Falcon some years ago was because I felt HALion wasn't getting much attention from Steinberg. In a strange way, this release seems to confirm that.

After playing with the demo today, it's clear for me that I won't buy it, even with the Falcon crossgrade discount. Falcon is more powerful and refined overall and I do have the MODX for the FM part so HALion falls into the "nice to have" crack. Funny to think that when I saw the announcement and the FM-X engine I thought it would be an insta-buy.
Since I do want Groove Agent, I'll guess I'll get Absolute 6 when it's on sale and that will be it.

[c_voltage]

Yes, I was surprised how basic many of the fx were in HALion 7, but we are definitely spoiled in Falcon!

idk I always liked reverb built in H5-H6, pretty successfully made, nice strong tails with no cpu usage. (I guess the same module in 7 yet).

Upd Sparkverb like too

[Examigan]

Yes, I was surprised how basic many of the fx were in HALion 7, but we are definitely spoiled in Falcon!

idk I always liked reverb built in H5-H6, pretty successfully made, nice strong tails with no cpu usage. (I guess the same module in 7 yet).

Upd Sparkverb like too

I like the HALion reverb also, and some of the other effects are pretty good. Besides what's in HALion 7, I probably have way too many effect plugins already.

I have many D16 effects, Brainworx' bx-RooMS and other effects in my PA account. Also have IK's MixBox, plus their T-RackS stuff (Sunset Sound reverb, etc), UVI's Plate, and some Eventide plugins. So I'm ok with not having a large amount of effects in HALion.

[sessionthree]

The high DPI mode does nothing for me on Windows, tried it on and off and couldn't see a difference. I also scaled the desktop to 125%. It's useable but it just that 'all the action' is i n that 6 inch window in the middle, seems like such a wasted opportunity...Cubase has scaling so they know how top do it!

I can definitely see that as a problem if it doesn't work for you. On two different Win 11 systems of mine, it works and is an obvious differences. Hi-DPI mode scales to the amount equal to the desktop scaling factor. On my 43" monitor with 125% scaling, a ~12.75" width Halion 7 window in non-HiDPI mode (FM lab in single instrument with MediaBay panel open) is ~16" wide with hi-dpi mode enabled. Quite usable!

[hurricaneaudiolab]

I just had to do one of these out of my own curiosity. It's FM Lab vs a real DX7, the classic ROM 1A patches.

Most of these are spot on - but there were 2 patches that had some differences. The SYN LEAD 1 patch has glide on Halion, but my DX7 does not. Might be a DX7 thing I might have set incorrectly.

The other more noticeable difference is the classic BASS 1 patch, where it is much bassier and beefier in FM Lab then on my DX7. I'm not sure what is causing this, thought it might be my DX7, but I tried my TX7 and it sounds exactly like the DX7. Anyway, I prefer Halion's as it is definitely thicker.

Other than those, I'd say it sounds exactly like a DX7.

Forgot to mention that I played these examples live, so it was somewhat difficult to match velocities, resulting in some sonic differences.

[Sampleconstruct]

Here is a HALion 7 tutorial on how to edit multiple spectral zones at once in Tree View, using a patch from my library Aureus Ventus.

[aMUSEd]

I'm torn because I have Halion 6 so it seems like a waste not to upgrade, particularly since 6 doesn't work well on Apple Silicon at all. However there is only really the spectral engine that is remotely interesting and I already have most of that in Padshop. The fact that after so many years they still have not addressed the need for HiDPI on Mac (and inconstantly on Windows) is very disappointing.

[twal]

How's the brass stack up in HALion compared to others, what would you rate it, and if brass is a major need would you recommend it?

[skijumptoes]

I'm torn because I have Halion 6 so it seems like a waste not to upgrade, particularly since 6 doesn't work well on Apple Silicon at all. However there is only really the spectral engine that is remotely interesting and I already have most of that in Padshop.

It does feel better in general, i'm more inclined to use H7 more than I ever did H6 - But then i'm someone who got it via the Absolute collection so mainly used for it's sound library with grand ideas that i'd learn H6 "one day"...

Opening H6 vs Sonic just seemed like confusion to me previously, but with the new library view, reduced interface and helper screen at the start it's made it a far nicer user experience.

I'd always reach for Sonic in a project previously, now i'm reaching for H7.... Which is great as I can expand the interface if needed and dive deeper into a sound, which couldn't do in Sonic. But when you close it up, it feels as light as sonic did, too.

[Weasel-Boy]

I like the HALion reverb also, and some of the other effects are pretty good. Besides what's in HALion 7, I probably have way too many effect plugins already.

HALion's Legacy Chorus is a hidden treasure. Also, I think they did a pretty good job improving their Finder in H7.