Acustica Audio debuts THING - Iconic '80s Synth Reimagined for a New Era

[briefcasemanx]

This question doesn't even make sense. It specifically says in your quoted text that it's convolution-based. The question itself makes it seem as if you don't know what convolution is.

The question made perfect sense if you actually think about it for a second. The FX could have been convolution based as are the other Acustica FX plugins but the synth itself not. Capice?

I asked a question and the company representative finally answered that the synth itself is sample based at least to some degree and people have a right to know that information. Especially on a forum where sample based synth emulations don't get much love.

I personally love sample based synthesis but tried the demo of this synth and did not like the sound at all. I found it unpleasant so I have deleted the demo and would like to move on if you'll stop quoting me.

There is no reason for me to return to this thread since I have no interest in the plugin.

If you don't want to return to the thread, stop typing in the thread. This is weird and neurotic--trying to get other people to comply when it's you that has the issue, and the solution is completely controllable by you. This is very weird, very controlling behavior. NON ONE is forcing you to type replies

It still sounds like you don't actually know what convolution is. People generally consider convolution to be a type of sampling, and even Acustica themselves call their Volterra Kernel version of convolution "sampling" for their fx. Acustica customers call this sampling as well. The rep here telling you the synth uses "samples" might not mean what you think it means.

[miloszz]

re: TAL J-8 comparisons it actually seems easier to me (despite the structural differences) to push Tal-Pha into similar territory to Thing.

[miloszz]

I'm torn on this - it's only worth it for the Black Friday price, and it does sound good but I wound up running into crippling CPU overloads on M1 Max and M1 Ultra Macs. It works fine in general (CPU usage etc.) but there are regular and unavoidable pops that would be impossible to work around and I don't know whether to expect any improvement on that front.

[UltimiGiorniRecords]

Give it a spin due to all this positive feedback here and on GS. Really nothing to be excited about it. Can’t get my head around all this hype. Good for You all. Personally after the demo I went on cherry Audio and complete my collection with the P-10 and I felt better. It seems to me like an Apple product thing. Personally I felt it so unpolished.

[DrGonzo]

with Acustica Audio’s signature convolution-based approach.

The demo is a 760 megs so is some of the synth sample based or "convolution" based ?

The size is due to several factors actually; on the one hand, in mega Mode, THiNG implements Dynamic Volterra kernels (from our Nebula architecture); when you’re using the equalizer, it is a real sampled EQ, Ch3rry, like the other FX as I mentioned earlier, and also the graphics on the synth take its fair share (which are reduced on TH5 for simplicity).

What does this mean? I'm sorry and I am in no way trolling you, but I've been working with synths for over 40 years and the above statement just makes me more confused. The EQ is sampled/convolution that much I understand as well as other effects. But let's leave that on the side for the moment. How does this megamode-thing-dynamic-terra-kernel create / influence the sound?

After reading the above I feel like I know less.

/C

[mambo888]

I'm torn on this - it's only worth it for the Black Friday price, and it does sound good but I wound up running into crippling CPU overloads on M1 Max and M1 Ultra Macs. It works fine in general (CPU usage etc.) but there are regular and unavoidable pops that would be impossible to work around and I don't know whether to expect any improvement on that front.

Reaper, M2 Macbook Pro here. 5% CPU usage, no clicks or pops.

[mambo888]

Give it a spin due to all this positive feedback here and on GS. Really nothing to be excited about it. Can’t get my head around all this hype. Good for You all. Personally after the demo I went on cherry Audio and complete my collection with the P-10 and I felt better. It seems to me like an Apple product thing. Personally I felt it so unpolished.

I agree, not the worse plugin, quite good, for 33-50 USD it would be a no brainer. Any preset I liked, I could immediately replicate either in Diva or OP-X Pro 3. I can't justify the 100 USD, but maybe it's just me.

[musicproducerdee]

Acustica Audio pricing needs to be studies by scientists, this simply makes no sense. It's not even an original idea or product; it's an emulation based on someone else's work.

Arturia V Collection, the whole suite is going for $149 with some loyalty offers, and $299 if you're a new customer.

Roland Cloud offers excellent emulations for a slightly more affordable price and the emulations sound good and are authentic from Roland themselves. You can also choose the "Play 4 Life" subscription where you get to play with all the synths for a year and then choose 1 or 2 lifetime licenses (not sure) without paying anything.

refx Nexus 5 (a full blown synth now) is available for $199 at the moment with loads of presets.

Arturia Pigments 5 is $99.

VPS Avenger is $125.

- Just giving you'll an idea as to the atrocious pricing here.

[Deisss]

The price of this "thing" is just as silly as its name.

You can always ask for everything to be cheaper, but the truth is that major synth (Diva, Serum and such) are actually more pricey... And other emulation, like softube ones, are not that far away...

But fundamentally, that extra saturation/processing I'm hearing can't be turned off. It's impressive at first, but it's not subtle. I don't think a Jupiter-8 run into the line inputs of my audio interface is going to sound quite like this. Even with the Super Stereo off, Age at new, FX off, that "processed sound" is still there.

Dont have a Jup8 anymore, but to what I recall it sounds basically like this out of the box. And the MKS-80 sounds even more of what you're describing, without effects.

I agree, not the worse plugin, quite good, for 33-50 USD it would be a no brainer. Any preset I liked, I could immediately replicate either in Diva or OP-X Pro 3. I can't justify the 100 USD, but maybe it's just me.

I would say Diva you need to really master the synth to get remotely close. OP-X should be relatively easy as it's a much closer out of the box.

[vertibration]

Yea, pricing is way overboard. Yum Audios new synth pricing is too much as well. I think its probably best to consider other offerings for Jupiter sounds imo. The main difference with this synth is the stereo spread. They implement it in a nice way. Other than that, meh

[Kretch]

There’s always those that are instantly taken over by the initial sound or experience and make a purchase without even thinking. The whales or the GASsers. They probably don’t even need it but somehow manage to convince themselves that they do. (As do I. Lolz) These prices are meant for them, I reckon. Big money real quick. Instant cash influx. It’s an amazing business plan. AA knows this. That’s why they always have something to sell. It’s like the Diablo 4 shop. It doesn’t even have to be good. Someone will always buy it. Of course, there’s really good stuff as well. It’s how you keep the whales enticed. And as always it’s catering to the loyalty discounts as well. I admit I was impressed initially as well. Is this one of the really good ones or just another ok synth? Idk. Time will tell. Everyone is still in the honeymoon phase. A lot of people love that silky smooth sound. Hifi magic. It’s not a bad sound. It’s actually rather nice if you’re into it. Time will indeed tell. After a year, if this is still a brilliant synth and continually getting optimizations, it’d probably be a great purchase. And probably be much cheaper too. Else the second hand market is always saturated with AA plugs.

[Teksonik]

If you don't want to return to the thread, stop typing in the thread. This is weird and neurotic--trying to get other people to comply when it's you that has the issue, and the solution is completely controllable by you. This is very weird, very controlling behavior. NON ONE is forcing you to type replies

No one is forcing you to constantly reply to my posts in order to insult my intelligence. I'm not going to just let you take shots at me without responding. So please stop quoting me, otherwise it is you who is "weird and neurotic" and quite frankly being a troll.

It still sounds like you don't actually know what convolution is.The rep here telling you the synth uses "samples" might not mean what you think it means.

It still sounds like you are missing the point. The question was does the synth engine use samples or is it 100% generative as are the vast majority of other analog emulations? It's really a very simple question and I can't make it any simpler for you to understand.

I'm not the only one who asked the question and as for the rep's response:

is this sampled or dsp

So does it use samples or not?

Yes it does.

Granted the rep is being obtuse by not clearly explaining how it uses samples which seems odd to be ashamed of their fancy Voltera system. Seems like they'd be proud to explain the details especially given their propensity for using buzzwords and acronyms to describe their products.

Now I'll ask you again politely to please stop quoting me. Please find someone else to argue with.

[v1md]

Granted the rep is being obtuse by not clearly explaining how it uses samples which seems odd to be ashamed of their fancy Voltera system. Seems like they'd be proud to explain the details especially given their propensity for using buzzwords and acronyms to describe their products.

I would be surprised if the basic oscillator waveforms weren't sampled, and the filters and EQ weren't convolution-based. They sound too good and close to the real thing for coming out of a digital algorithm. Which does not leave a whole lot left to model strictly speaking. Using Volterra kernels is a rather convoluted way of doing nonlinear systems IMO, particularly in this neural network-dominated era. But I guess AA has come a long way with this technology, and if it serves its purpose, more power to them. Bravo, AA, for coming up with this synth; I don't think most people realise the amount of work, time and money that went into making it.

[Examigan]

Yea, pricing is way overboard.

Yep, I bought Diva at 50% off recently and it’s really good.

[Uncle E]

I would be surprised if the basic oscillator waveforms weren't sampled, and the filters and EQ weren't convolution-based. They sound too good and close to the real thing for coming out of a digital algorithm.

PWM can't be done with samples. It has PWM.