PG-8X (2.0) released

[Babz]

PG-8X is the most perfect software emulation I’ve ever tried — in some ways better than the original hardware, because of the ability to manage and load large libraries of patches. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a synth that I so instantly vibed with.

Within the first few minutes of trying it out, it had inspired this track (all sounds from the PG-8X):

https://soundcloud.com/lady-app-titude/pg-13

Perhaps this will spark some inspiration to somehow bring it back to life.

[Babz]

I would love to see Arturia or Cherry Audio or somebody pick it up, but I don't see that happening. It could only serve to highlight how their own efforts fall short of such perfect emulation. They make great products, but they don't give you access to the original presets or allow you to load legacy sysex. However, something like that seems the only way it will ever become a viable product. Waiting for some lone genius to find the spare time to maintain a single product for the good of humanity doesn't seem like a reliable or sustainable model.

[hurricaneaudiolab]

I would love to see Arturia or Cherry Audio or somebody pick it up, but I don't see that happening....They make great products, but they don't give you access to the original presets or allow you to load legacy sysex.

Arturia actually does on a few of their synths (DX7, CZ, SQ). Cherry does not.

[Babz]

I would love to see Arturia or Cherry Audio or somebody pick it up, but I don't see that happening....They make great products, but they don't give you access to the original presets or allow you to load legacy sysex.

Arturia actually does on a few of their synths (DX7, CZ, SQ). Cherry does not.

Yes, but it is highly flawed. The results of the import process sound way different from the original hardware in many cases, unlike the PG-8X, which actually reads the sysex correctly.

[Babz]

Well, I'm happy to report that the old, ancient, discontinued AU version of JX-8P works in the latest version of Digital Performer (DP 11.22), as long as you only load .syx banks. Trying to load the ".PG8Xbank" format crashed DP instantly. But if you first load a bank as .syx, then save it as a .PG8Xbank, it will load the newly saved bank without crashing. I believe this same workaround has been reported as working with Logic. You just can't load banks that were saved from the VST version.

Any other limitations about this older AU version that are different from the last VST release??

[Babz]

Any other limitations about this older AU version that are different from the last VST release??

Replying to my own question..

The AU version has been working for me with one highly annoying limitation. Patch memory is not remembered. Despite loading PG-8X with banks of patches and saving the project, when you reopen it, everything is reset to "INIT". You have to load your patch banks back in every time you open the project.

It's been a long time since I used it, but as I remember it the VST version did not have this issue. Can anyone confirm?

Is there anything I'm missing, any way to solve this issue? I even tried earlier versions of the AU, including the first 2014 version. I didn't try them all but the few earlier versions of the AU that I tried all had the same issue.

Best,
Babz

[hurricaneaudiolab]

The AU version has been working for me with one highly annoying limitation. Patch memory is not remembered. Despite loading PG-8X with banks of patches and saving the project, when you reopen it, everything is reset to "INIT". You have to load your patch banks back in every time you open the project.

For Logic users, the best way to deal with this is to save your presets as Logic internal aupresets, and use these exclusively. Logic will auto-name the mixer channel with the preset name, and yes, upon opening the project you'll notice each PG-8X instance has turned into an INIT patch, however, it's only the patch name on PG-8X's GUI. You are still able to see the original patch name in Logic's patch name area. But most importantly, PG-8X does NOT reset itself to INIT synth settings so your sound is still preserved and you don't have to re-load your patches.

Do that or use the VST version in a wrapper.

I use PG-8X in Logic A LOT.

[Babz]

The AU version has been working for me with one highly annoying limitation. Patch memory is not remembered. Despite loading PG-8X with banks of patches and saving the project, when you reopen it, everything is reset to "INIT". You have to load your patch banks back in every time you open the project.

For Logic users, the best way to deal with this is to save your presets as Logic internal aupresets, and use these exclusively. Logic will auto-name the mixer channel with the preset name, and yes, upon opening the project you'll notice each PG-8X instance has turned into an INIT patch, however, it's only the patch name on PG-8X's GUI. You are still able to see the original patch name in Logic's patch name area. But most importantly, PG-8X does NOT reset itself to INIT synth settings so your sound is still preserved and you don't have to re-load your patches.

Do that or use the VST version in a wrapper.

I use PG-8X in Logic A LOT.

Thanks!
Yes, you can do the same thing in DP. However, I was hoping to be able to have an instance of PG-8X loaded with 128 of my favorite patches, like I used to be able to do with the VST version. This method still means loading one patch at a time. The VST version works in DP as long as you don't try to load banks and work with only single presets. The whole reason for trying the AU version was to try to get Banks back.

The AU version does give me one other thing that I couldn't do in DP with the VST version, i.e., load a bank as syx and then save it as .PG8Xbank, and then load this AU-saved bank back into the plugin.

What I haven't tried is testing to see if a .PG8Xbank saved from the AU version, will load into the VST version without crashing or freezing. This might be a long-roundabout-workaround way I could get Banks back in the VST version. Probably won't work, but worth a try.

And thanks for confirming that this "INIT" problem is exclusive to the AU version.

[Phazma]

I really enjoy this super faithful emulation, but now that I will upgrade to Apple Silicon Mac I will have to part ways...

I guess it's unlikely this will ever get native AS support? Has the dev ever said something about it, has anyone reached out to him? Still no comparable alternatives for a JX-8P emulation with native AS support?

[theviirus]

I really enjoy this super faithful emulation, but now that I will upgrade to Apple Silicon Mac I will have to part ways...

I guess it's unlikely this will ever get native AS support? Has the dev ever said something about it, has anyone reached out to him? Still no comparable alternatives for a JX-8P emulation with native AS support?

go here please
viewtopic.php?t=588416&start=90

[Phazma]

Thanks for pointing that out. But it's not native. As there are very few plugins I use which are not natively supported yet, I have taken the decision to not use any such plugins at all so I can be sure to maintain maximum system performance. I really like using PG-8X but it is more of an extra flavor for me rather than one of my main workhorse plugins, so if it isn't natively supported I will keep my decision and not install it (even if I know I will sometimes miss it).

[finny]

Will there be a Version 3 of this amazing Synth?

[mrz80]

Will there be a Version 3 of this amazing Synth?

Martin's working on a new version. He posted back up the thread a ways about it.

[egbert101]

No shade on Martin, but come on Arturia/Cherry Audio, this is a wonderful synth! Please consider it as part of your collection!

[Weasel-Boy]

I got the AU version of PG8X to run on a Macbook Pro M1 under Ventura (13.4.1) on Cubase 12 under Rosetta using Plogue's Bidule VSTi. With Plogue's Bidule, you're not necessarily saddled to using AU's in Studio One or Logic on the Mac. Here's a pic for proof.

PG8X on Bidule in Cubase 12 Mac.jpg