Softube Model 80 Five Voice Synth

[DrGonzo]

I don't really get what people have against iLok. It's one of the least cumbersome copy protections out there. I don't even think about it at any time. just unlock a plugin on your machine and it works.

Ilok has a history of messing with the stability of your computer, but that was maybe ten years ago. I'm not a fan of dongles, but I never had a single problem with iLok ever. Big time off topic here, but the only thing I have problem with is that all developers more or less have their own ways of activating software. A couple of months back I installed a new Mac from zero and the only thing that wasn't a pain was actually iLok.

[steffensen]

As we are sharing opinions here, I'll join!
For me, the RePro is fine.
I personally find all the U-he stuff have a shared core of sound somehow though? A "U-he filter" so to speak. Feels like i can make all their stuff sounding exactly the same after some tweaking.

For me, RePro sounds like a very good software simulation while Model 80 sounds like the real thing. Again, my opinion, but i went over to hw for years just because of this. I wanted the "real thing", which i personally only found by using hw.
Now I'm back in to sw again, much thanks to Softube!

The heavy cpu is a issue though, but then again, i can run 7 instances, using about 27% cpu on each of my 7 cores. Leaving enough room for my other stuff.
(I'm no computer tech, but this is what it looks like, please correct me if I'm wrong)

As a Softube Modular user, i have made a Pro-One model with the M80 modules. Using 1 voice makes my cpu down from 27% per instance to 16%.
I'm mainly using it as a mono-synth anyway, so i might go this way.

Anyway,
Owning most of the Softube synths, i gotta say they all contribute to each other amazingly. Each one doing it's own thing, with its own sound. That's more i can say about many other developers. (not gonna point any fingers)

IMO.

[AdvancedFollower]

I don't really get what people have against iLok. It's one of the least cumbersome copy protections out there. I don't even think about it at any time. just unlock a plugin on your machine and it works.

Ilok has a history of messing with the stability of your computer, but that was maybe ten years ago. I'm not a fan of dongles, but I never had a single problem with iLok ever. Big time off topic here, but the only thing I have problem with is that all developers more or less have their own ways of activating software. A couple of months back I installed a new Mac from zero and the only thing that wasn't a pain was actually iLok.

Fairly recently Sonivox plugins would automatically install an outdated version of iLok, which bricked people's Windows installations. Of course that wasn't iLok's fault, but it shows the potential harm that can be done when dealing with software that buries itself deep within the kernel of the OS. It's also a potential attack vector into your system, if any vulnerability is ever discovered in their driver, because it already runs with the highest privileges. Most other authorization methods run with regular application privileges, which makes them less likely to cause harm.

Another potential issue is that the USB key does have a finite life span. When it does fail, iLok will hold your licenses hostage until you pay up. If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

[revvy]

If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

Happened to me. Wrote to iLok. They told me to write to the devs. I did. Problem sorted. Wasn’t too painful (3 devs to contact in my case).

[sQeetz]

Another potential issue is that the USB key does have a finite life span. When it does fail, iLok will hold your licenses hostage until you pay up. If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

I have two machines and all my licenses are bound to them. The computer itself is the dongle... no need for an USB dongle.

I once forgot to disable iLok on a PC before disassembling and selling its parts and it was no problem to do that from another computer. You send the request and a couple of minutes later all your licenses are free to unlock on the new machine.

It worked surprisingly well

[_leras]

Anyway,
Owning most of the Softube synths, i gotta say they all contribute to each other amazingly. Each one doing it's own thing, with its own sound. That's more i can say about many other developers. (not gonna point any fingers)

IMO.

I think their synths do sound really good. Doesn't mean they are always the best for a given task. When I got the Softube 101, I had a part with the TAL 101 and I thought I'd just swap it out and upgrade the sound...

Except the TAL version was much better for that particular part and the Softube just didn't work.

For all the perceived sameness across plug ins, even of the same thing, there is a surprising amount of tonal difference to be found.

[DrGonzo]

If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

Including everything else that is on the computer one might add, files, music projects, etc and so on.

Aren't people making backups of their systems any longer? I don't know how it works on Windows these days but Timemachine on my Mac is continuously making hourly backups of everything I do. Hard drives costs barely anything and solves so many potential problems. Including lost licenses on a computer.

Any way this is all quite beside the subject of the thread. I'm really happy Softube is doing their high-end models of synths.

/Carl

[hebex]

As we are sharing opinions here, I'll join!
For me, the RePro is fine.
I personally find all the U-he stuff have a shared core of sound somehow though? A "U-he filter" so to speak. Feels like i can make all their stuff sounding exactly the same after some tweaking.

For me, RePro sounds like a very good software simulation while Model 80 sounds like the real thing. Again, my opinion, but i went over to hw for years just because of this.

I agree, the U-he Repro has some nice sounds alright, but it´s not really there. Hard to explain exactly what, but if you´ve heard the hardware there is something missing soundwise. It´s a bit like drinking non alcohol beer.

Now I'm back in to sw again, much thanks to Softube!
...
Anyway,
Owning most of the Softube synths, i gotta say they all contribute to each other amazingly. Each one doing it's own thing, with its own sound. That's more i can say about many other developers. (not gonna point any fingers)

IMO.

Haven´t had time to deep dive enough into the Softube Model80 yet, but if it turns out to be the same experience for me, that would be great. So far Softube is IMO the most promising for that of the companies around.

[SHall1000]

I guess the next one will be the Model 1983 - DX7. Except that it was digital so not sure it features in the Softube Synth Universe.

[vitocorleone123]

As we are sharing opinions here, I'll join!
For me, the RePro is fine.
I personally find all the U-he stuff have a shared core of sound somehow though? A "U-he filter" so to speak. Feels like i can make all their stuff sounding exactly the same after some tweaking.

For me, RePro sounds like a very good software simulation while Model 80 sounds like the real thing. Again, my opinion, but i went over to hw for years just because of this.

I agree, the U-he Repro has some nice sounds alright, but it´s not really there. Hard to explain exactly what, but if you´ve heard the hardware there is something missing soundwise. It´s a bit like drinking non alcohol beer.

Now I'm back in to sw again, much thanks to Softube!
...
Anyway,
Owning most of the Softube synths, i gotta say they all contribute to each other amazingly. Each one doing it's own thing, with its own sound. That's more i can say about many other developers. (not gonna point any fingers)

IMO.

Haven´t had time to deep dive enough into the Softube Model80 yet, but if it turns out to be the same experience for me, that would be great. So far Softube is IMO the most promising for that of the companies around.

I've heard the hardware and, once you move past the Repro defaults, it sounds so much like it that I'd never consider buying a Prophet. Same for the Softube.

[Ploki]

If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

Including everything else that is on the computer one might add, files, music projects, etc and so on.

Aren't people making backups of their systems any longer? I don't know how it works on Windows these days but Timemachine on my Mac is continuously making hourly backups of everything I do. Hard drives costs barely anything and solves so many potential problems. Including lost licenses on a computer.

Any way this is all quite beside the subject of the thread. I'm really happy Softube is doing their high-end models of synths.

/Carl

Backup doesn’t help here, because it’s tied to the hardware not a particular installation.
I.e if you dual boot, machine activation works on both boots.
it’s like tied to the harddrive, or motherboard. Not sure.

[zvenx]

....
Fairly recently Sonivox plugins would automatically install an outdated version of iLok, which bricked people's Windows installations. Of course that wasn't iLok's fault, but it shows the potential harm that can be done when dealing with software that buries itself deep within the kernel of the OS. It's also a potential attack vector into your system, if any vulnerability is ever discovered in their driver, because it already runs with the highest privileges. Most other authorization methods run with regular application privileges, which makes them less likely to cause harm.

Another potential issue is that the USB key does have a finite life span. When it does fail, iLok will hold your licenses hostage until you pay up. If your computer breaks down before you manage to de-activate your soft-iLok licenses, those will also be consumed and cannot be recovered.

Hmmm.. on my pc, whenever a program tries to install an older version of pace/ilok my system stops it and warns me if I want to proceed.

I personally never would use software ilok, I see too many potential issues.
I don't think I have ever had an ilok key fail on me, and I have had one of them since the 90s..
Granted except for one, most of them dont usually move often.
rsp

[electro]

I guess the next one will be the Model 1983 - DX7. Except that it was digital so not sure it features in the Softube Synth Universe.

Plogue OPS7 is bit identical to DX7 so there is no room for improvement.

[DrGonzo]

I guess the next one will be the Model 1983 - DX7. Except that it was digital so not sure it features in the Softube Synth Universe.

Plogue OPS7 is bit identical to DX7 so there is no room for improvement.

With the first generation converters?

[hebex]

I guess the next one will be the Model 1983 - DX7. Except that it was digital so not sure it features in the Softube Synth Universe.

Plogue OPS7 is bit identical to DX7 so there is no room for improvement.

Too bad it´s impossible to install it and demo it, at least for me. Tried several times, no luck.