Vanguard2 by Refx out 25th of November!

[Caine123]

Click bate. He's selling them.

Well... maybe to clear this up a bit.
1) "Clickbait"
So why put all the skins & preview pictures into one blog post? For a better overview? User-wise? I personally think it`s more comfortable as stepping through 2-5 forum pages and searching? ...

And clickbait? Ah yes, because there is no purchase link/button? ... srsly...

2) "He`s selling"
There is a reason, why the skins are not out yet: Vanguard 2 came out end of November. For me, a nice & charming flashback into old times from the very first beginnings of sound design is one reason I started to look into creating skins. The other reason was, in mid-November I got the info from my vet, I have to put my dog to sleep (tumor again, this time in an inoperable place, blocking drinking and eating pretty much). And for me, my dog was basically 15 years, long, everyday companion, from starting sound design till now. So well this ripped out a lot of soul. And by that, working with no reason or motive on skins was for me a good distraction, from the soul-eating fact - maybe tomorrow, maybe next week - I have to do a last walk to the vet. No that easy. I think many people can relate to that.

Mid-December, well it was the point of ... it`s time. By that time, I was already in contact with Refx, but I delayed a short talk about it on my behalf, because as mentioned, something like this, eats a big chunk of soul - also for others in the family. So you take your time - because some VST skins are not a priority - or an essential part of your income as a sound designer. Simple.

...as of now - i think very much that the skins will come via refx to the users. It's just not an absolute priority next to the usual work, everyone has to do. And if - just as example, let`s say refx only takes 7 out of 10 skins - because 3 of them don`t match their taste - well, then maybe these 3 "left-overs" will come as "few bucks" item.

And you know what David? Even if so - it`s fine because the skins were created by... = work time - and not the free time or passionate hobby work. And everyone can tag a price - what he thinks fits his morals, opinion, worktime value etc whatever - when he is the creator of something. Just an example, Vital - most skins are only XML color-based (idk if graphics are even possible to include), well some "sell"... their flat red, flat green skins for 20 bucks. And it`s fine - it`s their choice because it was their work. No one forces anyone to eventually buy stuff. And if you like something and maybe want to buy it - it`s your free choice if you will do it or not. Depending on the ratio between personal need/cost price. Simple.

So just in case, some skins maybe being "leftover", don`t worry I won`t tag 1 skin with a 10 bucks price tag. It would be even more like 3 skins 5 bucks or so - idk. It's work/worktime, but it`s not such way more extreme work as some other platforms allow/require with basically completely re-organizing every element of a UI via script or adding features into a synth, which wasn`t there etc. And maybe, I will sometime later put maybe some extra skins for a "few bucks" on the website - just to be able to see the response, demand etc on UI skins in general - and not because "uuuuuh cash"

So just wait ... and/or be happy, people doing stuff (which apparently got your interest) and comes most likely free to every Vanguard 2 user... soon.
OR.... be happy the skins are not already out/selling for 20 bucks whatever each... (Would you prefer that? ....)

did anyone check the backwards compatibility yet?

Do you mean Vanguard 2 content towards Vanguard 1?
Skins surely not, and presets could be broken, since some new parameters got into the presets (distortion - filter types - some new waveforms). Presets using any new parameter, which wasn`t in Vanguard 1 will be somehow broken.

But Vanguard 1 presets work fine in Vanguard 2 of course.

thx so much, sorry yeah i forgot to mention i got many Vanguard1 projects and am concerned they will sound different in Vanguard2.

[JonSolo]

I have not found presets sounding different. However, I have only used a few older presets recently. I have the original Vanguard jBridged, so I did compare and found no difference.

[Caine123]

I have not found presets sounding different. However, I have only used a few older presets recently. I have the original Vanguard jBridged, so I did compare and found no difference.

thx so much! sounds good. how did you manage to load Vanguard1 besides Vanguard2? did you rename the old dll?

[Bla28]

Is this plugin M1 native?

[JonSolo]

I have not found presets sounding different. However, I have only used a few older presets recently. I have the original Vanguard jBridged, so I did compare and found no difference.

thx so much! sounds good. how did you manage to load Vanguard1 besides Vanguard2? did you rename the old dll?

It was renamed by jBridge (the wrapper takes on an additional .64 so the new dll is Vanguard.64.dll) so it runs side by side.

[Atlatnesiti]

Is this plugin M1 native?

Sure is

[JamminFool]

new version 2.0.7 available.

[ATS]

new version 2.0.7 available.

ty

[FigBug]

new version 2.0.7 available.

This is to mainly solve a crash that could happen if you created several instances of the plugin and then removed the first instance.

[JamminFool]

hi FigBug, i also notice you disabled Width in the Trancegate when Stereo is off, as promised.

[Synthman2000]

Just wanted to pop back and say I have been enjoying this synth a lot. For its fixed modulation paths it is surely capable of making a lot of different sounds. It is coming in very useful and I really like its sonic character, it can be really warm and mellow as well as punchy.

It sits pleasingly in the stereo image in many ways, from using the FAT/Vcs - Voices and included effects. (Which I am happily using more than I normally do on synths)

I was unsure it would get used much but it is putting in good service and I am pleased I purchased it especially at its intro price.

Can I just ask what the name of the new preset bank is that was recently included ? I might download the latest version soon.

I don't tend to use many presets but like to have a listen through to understand capabilities. Thanks for re-releasing this one.

[MrJubbly]

I've just run the ReFX Cloud installer for Vanguard 2, and it's tellling me that it wants to install the Vanguard content directly into the root directory of one of my drives.

How can I change it so that I can install it instead to a preferred subfolder of my own choice?

There's no way I want a "ReFX" folder so prominently located within any of my drives root folders.

Why doesn't the ReFX Cloud installer allow the user to choose not just which drive, but which folder to install the content to? From the demonstration video of the ReFX Cloud installer, it seems that option is available for Nexus, so why should Vanguard 2 owners not also have that option?

Am I missing something, or is the installer really set up that way (to install only in the root drive folder). And if so, what is the best contact at ReFX to use, to ask them to change that?

EDIT: So apparently, (reFX tech support have informed me), there was a "hidden" workaround, by holding down SHIFT while clicking the "Move" button, the installer then lets users choose a manual installation subfolder, rather than having to install Vanguard's content to the drive's root folder. Although, the installer will still not update to reflect the users' chosen folder, once selected (a bug, which I have asked reFX to fix in an update).

Also, there was a convoluted process, just to get things installed to the same locations as I would normally achieve within just a few clicks in most other third-party plugin installers. As detailed below...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Change default reFX installer VST2 path to:

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2"

^ (since, the installer apparently, does not recognise the Windows 'default VST folder' location setting stored within the Windows registry).


2. Hold Shift and Left-Click "Move Folder" (to overcome the default "Root folder" restriction, then manually navigate to and alter the following:

Change from default drive root folder location: (note, ensure the installer doesn't default back to the "Public" folder location for my preferred "Local" account, since, it apparently wants to):

i.e. Change from: C:\Users\Public\Documents\reFX\User Content\
Instead to: C:\Users\[MY USER NAME]\Documents\reFX\User Content\

3. After installation, manually navigate to and hack the following .json file:

C:\Users\Public\Documents\reFX\vanguard\settings.json

and change the following entry:

from: "user_folder": "C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\reFX\\User Content\\vanguard",

to: "user_folder": "C:\\Users\\[MY USER NAME]\\Documents\\reFX\\User Content\\vanguard",

^ To ensure content is instead installed into the "Local" Documents folder, like most of my other third-party plugins behave.

4. Next install all presets content from reFX Cloud app.

5. Once installer completes, navigate to this following folder and manually delete the NKS (187 MB) folder (since the installer never provided an option to not install NKS content, which I do not require).

C:\Users\me\Documents\reFX\Vanguard Library\NKS

Finally, the content will be stored within my local 'Documents' folder, where most other plugin installers allow users to install to, within just a couple of clicks!

Phew!

Note: The 'C:\Users\Public\Documents\reFX' folder and settings files will still need to remain in that location, or else the product registration and configurations will not be recalled correctly.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

So much for the fancy shmancy reFX Cloud installer. Works much better in your standard run-of-the-mill Windows installers.

[Cyforce]

A little update on the UI Skins for Vanguard, posted by me quite a while ago, these will not come into the Vanguard Library via Refx.

But, they have been reworked, some removed, and some new ones added. And bundled together with 75 presets (mostly fitting for house and techno), as one package, and is now available for I think, a very fair price. Also, with 40% intro discount till 2nd February!

-> https://www.cfa-sound.com/products/mimi ... -ui-skins/

[e-musician]

A little update on the UI Skins for Vanguard, posted by me quite a while ago, these will not come into the Vanguard Library via Refx.

But, they have been reworked, some removed, and some new ones added. And bundled together with 75 presets (mostly fitting for house and techno), as one package, and is now available for I think, a very fair price. Also, with 40% intro discount till 2nd February!

-> https://www.cfa-sound.com/products/mimi ... -ui-skins/

[synaesthesia]

A little update on the UI Skins for Vanguard, posted by me quite a while ago, these will not come into the Vanguard Library via Refx.

But, they have been reworked, some removed, and some new ones added. And bundled together with 75 presets (mostly fitting for house and techno), as one package, and is now available for I think, a very fair price. Also, with 40% intro discount till 2nd February!

-> https://www.cfa-sound.com/products/mimi ... -ui-skins/

Great to see they're out now, they look very nice in the demo video. Bought them today.