All hail Cypher 2!

[gentleclockdivider]

I was a huge fan of Synthsquad 1 ( Andrew Simper -now cytomic did the dsp part as a contracter )
He has nothing to do with strobe 2 -cypher 2 and imho it shows .

[zvenx]

I wouldn't say nothing.. a lot of his dsp is in the 2's...just not new development from him in the 2's if that makes sense.
That is part of the 2's include his legacy code from synthsquad 1 afaik.

I am not aware of any new updates for these since Angus left.

rsp

[Echoes in the Attic]

I'd love to see these updated to VST3 and resizable UIs. But yeah they seem to be pretty dead. Roli is updating Equator, but I don't get the impression anyone is working on these fxpansion synths.

[zerocrossing]

I guess I don’t understand the “if it’s not continuously developed, it’s dead to me” mentality. As someone who uses hardware instruments as well, you’re lucky to get a few firmware updates, but most often, they’re just bug fixes. Sometimes (I’m looking at you Waldorf) those fixes never come, and you have to accept the synth for what it is.

Diva hasn’t been updated in 2 years. I guess it’s dead, or soon to be dead? I can’t even remember the last time impOSCar 2 was updated, yet I still enjoy it. It’s a totally different thing if it were super buggy or non working on modern operating systems, but for me on Windows 10, it’s great. If you bought a Mac… well that’s your own fault.

[Aiynzahev]

Yeah the issue for me is simply that I use Mac so no updates does eventually = death

[dlandis]

I guess I don’t understand the “if it’s not continuously developed, it’s dead to me” mentality.

I think the word "dead" when applied to software has a range of meanings from "not presently in development, but still operational" to "barely being able to function in the current mileau" to "not being usable in an ever increasing number of contemporarily plausible scenarios," to (finally) "not being usable at all on current equipment." Some of the uses of the term are also contextual based on past developmental behavior and whether there have been factors that have slowed or (apparently, at least) stopped further attention to the software from the owner/developer. Almost paradoxically, the use of the word can have a "dynamic" (as opposed to "static") quality.

Angus' leaving was obviously something that fits into several of these possible schemata. He was the lead, I believe, on Cypher 2 and was often working to find snags on that VST (I believe he was working on the issue I mentioned regarding voice allocation around the time he left. He seemed to indicate that my i9 was not the preferred processor in view when Strobe 2 and Cypher 2 were developed.) If there were updates after his leaving (and it was clearly demonstrated that ROLI still considered Strobe 2 and Cypher 2 valid pieces of software in their own right and not the unloved sisters from a previous marriage before the darling child of Equator 2 came along from the new union,) it would have gone a long way to assuaging that vague feeling of dread. And while your comment about impOSCar 2 is particularly apt, it should be noted that 1) impOSCar 2 is relatively bugless in my experience (at least, I've never had an issue with it,) and 2) there are assurances that impOSCar 3 is on the way, probably soon.

ROLI itself has had a number of issues, both structurally and financially (as these two often intertwine.) The effect on the company as a whole has been largely negative and produced a much needed evaluation of the previous business model. While it is heartening to observe that ROLI has not deleted Strobe 2 and Cypher 2 from their catalog, per se, it should be acknowledged that it is far easier to allow software "to sit on a shelf, gathering dust" (virtually, if you will,) than it is to maintain viable pathways for manufacturing and distributing hardware. Hence, Strobe 2 and Cypher 2 remain, while the Seaboard Block keyboard is relegated to the scrapheap. My use of metaphor may be a bit hyperbolic, but you get my gist.

While I can't speak for anyone else, I know that I try to use the term "dead" regarding software while allowing for the range of meaning. I feel that I, in good conscience, have to allow for this range because of my own ignorance insofar as a company's intentions are concerned: I acknowledge that I have no understanding of the inner workings of a given manufacturer. In full judgement of current facts, however, I can't ignore the lack of movement regarding the software, either.

FWIW.

BTW, sir, did you get a chance to check the version number of your copy of Strobe 2 and/or Cypher 2? If you would, could you be so kind as to check your version of Equator 2 as well?

Again, thanks for the help!

[dlandis]

Yeah the issue for me is simply that I use Mac so no updates does eventually = death

I'm not a Mac person, so I really haven't thought about this much (and I do sympathize, seriously, about the Mac OS upgrade issue; that can't be fun,) but I have a serious question: do you think that it's possible that behind the continual updating/upgrading of OS's, there is a somewhat contributing strategy behind it all to force developers to maintain their software so that the user (despite the cost involved) has a uniformly positive user experience? In other words, in Apple's view at least, planned obsolescence has the benefit of forcing software manufacturers to continually be at the top of their game, offering-wise?

[hey212]

The latest Cypher2 version available through ROLI Connect is v2.6.1. The last available info about an update was two years ago. https://support.roli.com/support/discus ... 6000212225

If v2.6.1 works great on your system, it's a killer synth. If you need Apple Silicon, VST3, or don't like using abandonware on principal, go fish.

[dlandis]

The latest Cypher2 version available through ROLI Connect is v2.6.1. The last available info about an update was two years ago. https://support.roli.com/support/discus ... 6000212225

If v2.6.1 works great on your system, it's a killer synth. If you need Apple Silicon, VST3, or don't like using abandonware on principal, go fish.

Interestingly, I have 2.6.1.7 (released Feb. 25, 2021) which is not listed as a beta anymore. If you have the revision before, this is the version which is still available currently on the FXPansion site as the last version offered. There does not seem to be another version available on the ROLI site or via ROLI Connect.

Thanks for checking.

[hey212]

Interestingly, I have 2.6.1.7 (released Feb. 25, 2021) which is not listed as a beta anymore. If you have the revision before, this is the version which is still available currently on the FXPansion site as the last version offered. There does not seem to be another version available on the ROLI site or via ROLI Connect.

Thanks for checking.

Oh ya, I'm assuming the label on the ROLI Connect download is just shortened to 2.6.1 but will actually download 2.6.1.7, because on https://my.roli.com the direct download links for both Cypher2 and Strobe2 give you a file name with 2.6.1.7, and actually you can see the date there too of March 2021. I can't test the theory though because ROLI Connect is frequently broken and when I click the download link in the widget nothing happens.

[bradkvr]

If you need Apple Silicon

The Cypher and Strobe AU plugins are Apple Silicon native. No sure about the VSTs because I'm only installing VST3s.

[dlandis]

Interestingly, I have 2.6.1.7 (released Feb. 25, 2021) which is not listed as a beta anymore. If you have the revision before, this is the version which is still available currently on the FXPansion site as the last version offered. There does not seem to be another version available on the ROLI site or via ROLI Connect.

Thanks for checking.

Oh ya, I'm assuming the label on the ROLI Connect download is just shortened to 2.6.1 but will actually download 2.6.1.7, because on https://my.roli.com the direct download links for both Cypher2 and Strobe2 give you a file name with 2.6.1.7, and actually you can see the date there too of March 2021. I can't test the theory though because ROLI Connect is frequently broken and when I click the download link in the widget nothing happens.

What you wrote both very helpfully seems to answer one question and raise another.

I'm guessing (since we are assuming that the original beta had a date of Feb. 25, 2021,) the March date would possibly seem to be the date that the beta became the final revision(?).

But the question I've got for you is this: did Cypher 2 or Strobe 2 ever show up in your ROLI Connect? I ask this because they never showed up in my ROLI Connect at all; they were always only in my FX License Manager. Currently, both my ROLI Connect and FX License Manager seem to be working.

[pdxindy]

Diva hasn’t been updated in 2 years.

8 months ago the CLAP beta of Diva was made public. This includes the VST versions with bug fixes.

[hey212]

If you need Apple Silicon

The Cypher and Strobe AU plugins are Apple Silicon native. No sure about the VSTs because I'm only installing VST3s.

Oh good to know! I assumed from the release date they weren't, but I forgot how long Apple Silicon has been a thing, for devs that were on the ball anyway.

[hey212]

But the question I've got for you is this: did Cypher 2 or Strobe 2 ever show up in your ROLI Connect? I ask this because they never showed up in my ROLI Connect at all; they were always only in my FX License Manager. Currently, both my ROLI Connect and FX License Manager seem to be working.

My memory is a little hazy, but I'm pretty sure it worked differently for each synth. They both showed up in the Connect widget, but I think if I clicked one of them it would actually download directly, and if I clicked the other one it would open up the browser and take me to the FXpansion website or something. It was definitely a little janky. I got them bundled with the RISE 25 so I wouldn't be surprised if that changed something about their ROLI Connect behavior, even though it shouldn't have.