UADx Opal Morphing Synthesizer

[zerocrossing]

ahh, I don't think they all sound great, I think they all sound good at least, and maybe anthem and electra 88 sound great to me.
I have mini moog emulations that i prefer more than theirs (model 72, the legend hz (though this goes beyond a mini moog)), I have synths I prefer to opal and polymax. I prefer ik's B3 to theirs, I dont think Ravel was ever even in contention..

That is my two cents, can't speak for others.
rsp

UAD’s Minimoog is the only one that gets the feedback thing remotely right.

I think all the modern Model D emulators are good for various reasons. Some sacrifice accuracy for features, but still sound great to me. I think UAD’s is really the one that nails the sound of the Model D.

[zvenx]

It doesn't sit in the mix (to me) nearly as easy as the softube one and that to me is one of the fundamentals of what made the minimoog great for bass.
I no longer have easy access to a real minimoog, but from memory it is the softube one that best nails it from my memory, but yeah the feedback thing on the softube isn't righ at all.

I also think a developer we all love (well most of us love) has alluded that uad minimoog waves aren't correct (part of the impetus for a version 2 of their best selling synth one day)
my two cents.
rsp

[Uncle E]

You're both right, IMO. The UA is the most accurate AND the Softube sits better in the mix. You're making me regret not buying the Softube when it was $35.

[frosties]

yeah, that sample loading thing for me is annoying, especially when there is no visual cue that it is loading, I have to keep playing till i hear sound.
rsp

Since last update, there's a progress bar for the sample loading

[zvenx]

Wow, I haven't used it since the last update.. (I thought that was just NKS)..
Fantastic, let me go check it out now.
thanks
rsp

[zerocrossing]

It doesn't sit in the mix (to me) nearly as easy as the softube one and that to me is one of the fundamentals of what made the minimoog great for bass.
I no longer have easy access to a real minimoog, but from memory it is the softube one that best nails it from my memory, but yeah the feedback thing on the softube isn't righ at all.

I also think a developer we all love (well most of us love) has alluded that uad minimoog waves aren't correct (part of the impetus for a version 2 of their best selling synth one day)
my two cents.
rsp

I don’t have a Model D, but I do have a Studio Electronics ATC-X, which sports Model D cloned oscillators and ladder filter, and the UAD is dead on in my tests. Even the filter FM is right, in high registers.

[zvenx]

I of course have heard of the Studio Electronics ATC-X, dont' recall if I ever played one, but Charlie Clouser I remember also being very impressed with the uaudio one when it came out.
rsp

[zerocrossing]

I of course have heard of the Studio Electronics ATC-X, dont' recall if I ever played one, but Charlie Clouser I remember also being very impressed with the uaudio one when it came out.
rsp

Yeah, the oscillators are obscenely fat, and often does need some extra processing to fit in a mix. I always think it’s funny when people, especially the hardware only club, insist everything be fat. It’s excellent for a sparse mix, but often times it gets in the way. I’ve substituted my ATC for The Legend more than once because it just didn’t need any extra help to sit right.

[Morty-C-137]

For me, the UX in Opal is very poor and in PolyMax its ok. So that’s what I use. Any given plugin may have a superb sound, but if the UX sucks I’m just really not gonna use it.

[oobesan]

For me, the UX in Opal is very poor and in PolyMax its ok. So that’s what I use. Any given plugin may have a superb sound, but if the UX sucks I’m just really not gonna use it.

Agree with you on the Opal but disagree about the PolyMax. What is it you don't like about the PolyMax UI/UX? The only think that bothers me about the PolyMax is not all parameters are available for automation.

[Morty-C-137]

No I actually find the UX in PolyMax ok. So that’s why I do use it and don’t use Opal at all.

I think in PolyMax it’s because it’s a far simpler synth and all can me laid out on one small pane without the need for mod matrices and other panes.

I think UAD is just inexperienced in making a more complex, multi facet/layer thing like Opal flow and unobtrusive in UX. For decades they only made copycat plugins that 1:1 model their hardware counterparts. And the GUI and UX that go with that. For better or worse (in case of the lex 224 plugin definitely for the worse.. toggle switches to dial in dry/wet??).

So, they don’t have a lot of track record in this department yet (novel synth plugins).

With Topline Vocal Suite they actually struck a nice balance. So I think they need more work on products like Opal.

[Uncle E]

Yes, Opal was their first novel synth design and anthem was their latest. You can see the evolution there.

FWIW, the 224 has a solo button and I suspect that most people use that instead of the wet/dry buttons.