Audiority Space Age 555 v1.0.3 - Vintage Tape Echo / Chorus / Reverb (AAX, AU, CLAP, VST3)

[Ploki]

Yes, it's all about the sound. However, as an RE-501 owner (there, that should give me some cred points!), the GUI isn't quite there yet. It feels a bit grey and flat. Could be blacker. Also, for the space available, the knobs could be bigger, especially the Mode knob. That's my minor gripes.

Now if Luca can just model a Roland DC-50 and RE-3, I can start selling some bits of kit

Blacker doesn't translate well to 2D screens IMO. We don't have true 3D perspective and natural lighting so when you've got a dark black background and dark knobs that's a recipe for a low contrast GUI. If anything, I think it's already a touch too dark, and right up against the line of going almost going too far. For me, it's ok as is but darker background and knob elements would be a mistake IMO.

issues with that GUI as it is:
- no shadows on knobs on a pseudo-3D, this will always look off
- shadows on buttons are cropped for some reason
- light indicators have no "spill"
- unrealistic texture
- most of persperctive is flat, but knobs look like looking from an angle (and no shadow) and super 3D
- switch is super realistic, but again, no shadows
- there's some alignment issues
- contrast doesn't make sense (some things are really flat, knobs are super lighted)
- consistency (input XLR has shadow, output doesn't)
- knobs are wrong for the design

TLDR: there's no coherent concept to the GUI, it's trying to be super-3D and flat at the same time.
it looks like it's a mix of photos for some elements, with some designed elements, and they don't mesh well together.

some shading and attention to detail would make this interface feel less off
new texture would also help but i couldn't be arsed to make it, nor did i fix the knob shape sorry



now personally what i'd do:
- in/out XLRs are a total waste of space
- having 3 different controls for an on/off switch is just confusing, you can make a HW inspired GUI without the clunkiness of 80s part selection by cost effectiveness and necessity
- compact the whole thing

[sinkmusic]

I wish we could use the XLR part of the GUI to open or hide additional features (like for instance an input drive knob and a tilt EQ to shape the input further, or a phaser).
Softube tape delay features this, and I enjoy such a design decision.

[Audiority]

TLDR: there's no coherent concept to the GUI, it's trying to be super-3D and flat at the same time.
it looks like it's a mix of photos for some elements, with some designed elements, and they don't mesh well together.

No... it's all made with Blender. Most of the texture are procedural, with the faceplate labels made with Affinity Photo.

IMG_1817.jpeg

Do you want the projects, so you can verify your assumptions?

Jesus...

[Ploki]

TLDR: there's no coherent concept to the GUI, it's trying to be super-3D and flat at the same time.
it looks like it's a mix of photos for some elements, with some designed elements, and they don't mesh well together.

No... it's all made with Blender. Most of the texture are procedural, with the faceplate labels made with Affinity Photo.
IMG_1817.jpeg

Do you want the projects, so you can verify your assumptions?

Jesus...

I mean, there’s shadows on knobs in blender and there’s no shadows on knobs in GUI.

There’s no shadows clipping in 3D either.

3D looks good. What’s 2D, doesn’t look nearly as good.
So it looks like there’s not much issue with your 3D skills but something is off when you go back to 2D.

I don’t mean this as an insult, i believe you, but i also see what i see, and sorry to say that your 2D result lacks some polish.
I mean clearly you can see that end GUI doesn’t have ANY shadows on knobs, and they’re clearly present in the 3D?
Also original 3D model has great contrast, end GUI not so much.

Screenshot 2024-11-08 at 11.37.34.png

Screenshot 2024-11-08 at 11.37.26.png

also clipped shadows:

Screenshot 2024-11-08 at 11.40.52.png

Screenshot 2024-11-08 at 11.40.43.png

edit: now that i look at it, what i added in my quick mockup is basically everything already there in your 3D model. So idk what to say, i'm sorry if i came across as harsh?

edit2: also Knobs have clearly different perspective on the 2D compared to every other protruding element, compared to the 3D render you posted.

[Audiority]

found a way to keep the shadows in the bg render. v1.0.1 will have the updated UI.

I appreciate the feedback, but what I don't like is the assumptions that the UI was made with a mix of totally unrelated stuff. I don't work this way.. never did and i'll never do.

As stated in a reply, few pages ago, v1.0.1 will have shadows.

Cheers,
Luca

[Ploki]

found a way to keep the shadows in the bg render. v1.0.1 will have the updated UI.

I appreciate the feedback, but what I don't like is the assumptions that the UI was made with a mix of totally unrelated stuff. I don't work this way.. never did and i'll never do.

As stated in a reply, few pages ago, v1.0.1 will have shadows.

Cheers,
Luca

Sorry, i could just comment what I saw, i didn't mean to offend.
Your 3D render looks wonderful and well done, but the translation doesn't do it justice

[Audiority]

The lights need a LOT of improvement, that's for sure.

[Audiority]

Space Age 555 updated to v1.0.1

Changes
- FIX: Missing shadows on UI components
- FIX: Typo in User Manual URL
- FIX: Saturator placed after main output
- FIX: SonS head volume too low

To update download the installers from the updates page or from your User Area account.

Cheers,
Luca

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I must say Luca, your 3 Roland Chorus effects are just absolutely gorgeous. It's nice to be able to finally get "that sound" in the box, in stereo, without the noise, without having to worry about the buffers coloring the signal when it's not in use. Such good stuff.

[sinkmusic]

Thank you!

[Lotuz2019]

Could someone verify this please?

When Sync is Off, the sound quality is high with Repeat Rate at 100 % and the sound quality is low with Repeat Rate at 0 %.

When Sync is On, the sound quality is low at all settings of the Repeat Rate.

[Mr Arkadin]

What do you mean by 'sound quality'?

[Lotuz2019]

What do you mean by 'sound quality'?

Let me rephrase. I'm talking about the tape sound. The slower the tape runs, the more the sound degrades.

The repeats sound hifi when Sync is Off and with Repeats Rate at 100 %.

The repeats sound lofi when Sync is Off and with Repeats Rate at 0 %.

The repeats sound lofi when Sync is On and with Repeats Rate at any setting.

[Lotuz2019]

One way to clearly hear this, is to use Space Age 555 as a tape plugin instead of delay (see image). If you run audio through Space Age 555 and switch Sync on, off, on etc., then you can hear the sound changing (especially the low frequencies). At 100 % the Sync On and Sync Off delay times are almost the same, so you'd expect them to sound almost the same.

[Mr Arkadin]

I'm not at my music computer so can't try, but I see the Age knob is on max. Is that setting newest or oldest? Also Motor is at max. I don't have the manual to hand so not sure what that setting is doing.