Audio Damage Circa : Creative looping environment

[pekbro]

I like Enso, but I’ve never got it to do anything that was particularly usable. Circa is nice, but
I wish it had some features from Enso in it and
some other plugins too.

Circa is not offering much over my HW loopers,
that I’ve seen so far. Tho I haven’t messed with
it a ton. The cost is pretty high as well imo.

[zerocrossing]

I've been using audio loopers since Lexicon released the JamMan, and my issue with Circa is that the interface is really not intuitive. I feel like getting a basic 4 or 8 bar loop that's synced to clock should be so obvious that I'd not have to crack a manual, but it looks like I have to crack a manual. Does it offer something that MSuperlooper isn't providing? I guess I'll have to do some reading and get back. It's also up against Mobius, which I haven't used for a while, but I guess there is a 64 bit version for Mac and Windows now.

[Alchemedia]

I've been using audio loopers since Lexicon released the JamMan, and my issue with Circa is that the interface is really not intuitive. I feel like getting a basic 4 or 8 bar loop that's synced to clock should be so obvious that I'd not have to crack a manual, but it looks like I have to crack a manual. Does it offer something that MSuperlooper isn't providing? I guess I'll have to do some reading and get back. It's also up against Mobius, which I haven't used for a while, but I guess there is a 64 bit version for Mac and Windows now.

Yes there is.

[foosnark]

After playing with it some more: it really is unintuitive in several respects. I could come up with a wish list of things I wish it had, and a separate list of things that should have been a lot more obvious (like completely erasing a layer/resetting its time).

Also the logo kind of looks like it says "arco" rather than "circa"

It's a fun creative tool regardless, though. I've been a little let down in some way by pretty much every looper I have tried in the past (in Eurorack and software, I haven't used pedal-based loopers). This is the first time with a software looper where, despite the issues, I felt like I was starting to have actual fun with it and want to keep exploring.

[paradiddle]

To erase a layer or all layers, you have to click and hold the stop button on each layer or the main one on the top.

[Dirk Diggler]

Thanks for the heads up on Mobius 3!

[zerocrossing]

After playing with it some more: it really is unintuitive in several respects. I could come up with a wish list of things I wish it had, and a separate list of things that should have been a lot more obvious (like completely erasing a layer/resetting its time).

Also the logo kind of looks like it says "arco" rather than "circa"

It's a fun creative tool regardless, though. I've been a little let down in some way by pretty much every looper I have tried in the past (in Eurorack and software, I haven't used pedal-based loopers). This is the first time with a software looper where, despite the issues, I felt like I was starting to have actual fun with it and want to keep exploring.

I figured it out. It wasn't too hard, there's actually not much to it, it's just that things are a bit all over the place. Once I found where you can set the loop quantize settings, I was off and running. The only unique thing about it is its ability to run at different speeds, including backwards, in a sort of tape like way, like Enso, but with layers, like an RC-20. Augustus Loop kind of does it, but not in a time-line way where you can go backwards, though you can go backwards. I actually wiped out Augustus Loop to compare it and I got it to crash pretty quickly. Better submit a bug report. Great little looper, but that UI tho. Ooof.

I do like Circa, but I'm not sure I $90 like it. I got a pretty cool thing going on where I was playing the loop speed into the delay and reverb, but how often will I do that? I feel like it's a $50 plugin. Maybe I'll play with it some more tomorrow and see if my feelings change. I used to do audio looping all the time, almost exclusively. Then when I was doing game music, I kind of stopped for a few years, but maybe now that I'm unemployed, I'll get back into it.

[zerocrossing]

Thanks for the heads up on Mobius 3!

I finally got around to installing it after not having used it in years. They changed the menu system so much that I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Am I going to have to read manuals from now on?!

[audiojunkie]

I’m planning on buying it. It is available natively for Linux, and I like it. It’s so much cheaper than the Boss RC600 Loop Station I was planning on buying, and it integrates completely into my DAW.

[UltimiGiorniRecords]

Purchased. Well executed. Little basic functions but on the first round I can find a really useful for it in my workflow. No cpu hog anymore.

[bharris22]

I do like Circa, but I'm not sure I $90 like it. I got a pretty cool thing going on where I was playing the loop speed into the delay and reverb, but how often will I do that? I feel like it's a $50 plugin. Maybe I'll play with it some more tomorrow and see if my feelings change. I used to do audio looping all the time, almost exclusively. Then when I was doing game music, I kind of stopped for a few years, but maybe now that I'm unemployed, I'll get back into it.

I agree with this take. I spend lots of money on plugins, but trying the demo of this I just wish it was less expensive - maybe even a crossgrade discount for owners of Enso. I like what I have seen so far, but as it is, I feel like seeing how close I can get by loading six instances of Enso in Reaper, at which point my "need" for Circa would diminish significantly.

[Alchemedia]

I do like Circa, but I'm not sure I $90 like it. I got a pretty cool thing going on where I was playing the loop speed into the delay and reverb, but how often will I do that? I feel like it's a $50 plugin. Maybe I'll play with it some more tomorrow and see if my feelings change. I used to do audio looping all the time, almost exclusively. Then when I was doing game music, I kind of stopped for a few years, but maybe now that I'm unemployed, I'll get back into it.

I agree with this take. I spend lots of money on plugins, but trying the demo of this I just wish it was less expensive - maybe even a crossgrade discount for owners of Enso. I like what I have seen so far, but as it is, I feel like seeing how close I can get by loading six instances of Enso in Reaper, at which point my "need" for Circa would diminish significantly.

There is a $30 crossgrade disc for Enso owners.

[thecontrolcentre]

maybe even a crossgrade discount for owners of Enso.

I got an upgrade code via email as an owner of Enso ...

[pekbro]

Only discounted if you bought it direct apparently, they do not acknowledge vendor purchases.
You can't even buy it anywhere else seemingly...

[bharris22]

Ugh - hopes raised then dashed! I will email them just in case, but if they don’t acknowledge purchases from legitimate distributors, that really sucks.