Absynth 6

[Urs]

Meanwhile, a 20 year old u-He synth still sells for $189

99€/$109

[Sound Author]

I really hope we can look forward to some more dialed in updates in the future. Okay, this was a resurrection of a legendary synth and I think we're all happy it's back. But there are a few things that date really badly. Drag & drop for samples or at least some kind of sample browser/audition would be greatly appreciated. I haven't had to fish around through my system's file browser to load a sample for DECADES. Stuff like that is really showing its age here. Not meant to be a negative post, just...please just a few more QOL updates moving forward.

[machinesworking]

Against my better judgement........ and with confidence in NI's 15 day return policy, I bought the upgrade deal and I am trying this out as we speak. I am one of NI's biggest critics over the last few years, and this.... release was the biggest shock I could imagine, considering Brian C was involved.

Hearing some 'pops' in a couple presets in the absynth6 banks. Ive tried A6 standalone, in BWS 5, in BWS 6 beta 7, and cubase 15. Preset #2 makes pops. Preset #8 makes pops - no CPU or ASIO internal spikes. DSP processing looks stable and low (under 7% CPU usage), but pops still happen. Preset 8 is beautiful (additive piano) and I *really*, really want to play it right now, but I cant get rid of the pops. Audio interface settings have no effect. Nothing else in my entire studio does this.

Anyone else?

Was able to replicate, it's just mistakes in the presets. The Additive Piano patch has monophonic settings on the Waveshaper and Ring Mod. (the arrow next to the Mix setting on the Waveshaper and Ring Mod) This is creating issues when you play polyphonically. Sounds fantastic when you fix it.
With one of the others it was the Master out on the effect, basically gain staging etc.

[Calagan]

Meanwhile, a 20 year old u-He synth still sells for $189, and no one bats an eye.

Yes, it's only 99€, and the 20 old year synth was updated one year ago and runs perfectly fine on modern computers.
I don't think you can blame U-He on how they manage/maintain their catalogue : they are exemplar in many ways and can't be compared to NI.
(the only thing I missing from them is a proper preset browser, with at least a way to rename favorite colored tags, or even better a way to find similar sounds, like in this new Absynth version or in the Arturia's synths. Urs, if you're reading that, you don't need to answer so we don't derail the thread, but pleaaaaaaaase !)

[machinesworking]

Meanwhile, a 20 year old u-He synth still sells for $189

99€/$109

When is Zebra 3 beta dropping?
Brian beat you fair and square.

[machinesworking]

Meanwhile, a 20 year old u-He synth still sells for $189, and no one bats an eye.

Yes, it's only 99€, and the 20 old year synth was updated one year ago and runs perfectly fine on modern computers.
I don't think you can blame U-He on how they manage/maintain their catalogue : they are exemplar in many ways and can't be compared to NI.

I mean really, this is KVR.
I've never had much to complain about with either company in terms of pricing, two versions of easy to figure out. Now if we're talking IK, iZotope, or even to a degree Arturia we have a conversation.

[Urs]

Brian beat you fair and square.

Yep. Good to see that the fresh concepts from back then started are still relevant today.

[Xbucket]

So damn good! I remember that Absynth was my first synth i bought in 2002 or so and i had no idea what its doing or how i could build a sound but it looked cool and didnt sound like an old fart synth (what i thought the classics sounded like back then). Its great to have a modern version and that i managed to understand synths inbetween. The soundshaping options are great and whats even greater, its different to so many other synths.

[dune_rave]

Final thoughts:
I have to admit that it was a nice step to resurrect this plugin. But its just the first step. And IMHO, if you load Absynth and Pigments (or other big name) side by side, the difference is screaming. Or just load Vital... the text to wavetable feature is something, that could Absynth have....
On the other hand , drag and drop modulation can be used?
Speaking about "AI" tools in plugins, i still consider Sonic Charge Synthplant preset generation and patternarium for microtonic as the best examples of usage(+ beatspace!), and I dont find such in Absynth that could be equivalent. So this makes the whole absynth comeback not really important to me.
But thats just me, a bit pessimistic.
sure NI will introduce fantastic free updates to Absynth in the future. Sure ?

[zerocrossing]

I have to say that my initial thoughts are... not great. I sort of feel like it sounds like the old Absynth, which was cool in its day, but now sounds sort of flat. I only really like it if I run it though something like Satin where I'm goosing the level a bit. Having only one effect also feels lame. The new filters... not impressive. The UI is better, though it seems glitchy. Lots of the presets have clicks that I can't seem to dial out using the envelops, like it's in the sample, or the sample isn't starting at a zerocrossing point.

It's so weird that I've been hoping for this for literally years, and now that it's here, I'm not really excited about it. I'm thinking I'll just wait until it's part of Komplete and upgrade then.

[machinesworking]

I have to say that my initial thoughts are... not great. I sort of feel like it sounds like the old Absynth,

Eh? it is Absynth. We're on opposite ends of the spectrum here. I wouldn't want some sort of Massive X rewrite, I just don't think upgrades are always a great thing. Sometimes it's some dickhead marking the code like a dog to tell the next chump that hires him he "made a difference". I'm perfectly happy with QOL upgrades like MPE, GUI, Sample editing, etc.

the clicks and pops I found were/are due to gain staging issues, and as mentioned above some patches like Additive Piano pop because they mistakenly (or on purpose) used the mono settings on the Ring Mod and Effects. Likely the designer was playing single notes slowly etc.

[Sound Author]

Let's also not forget that developers need your support. Without it, R&D can't move forward. I agree with the criticism, but the improvements we're asking for won't magically happen without funding. I purchased Absynth 6 in good faith that these changes will eventually happen. The ball rolls faster the harder we push it.

[Milkman]

Against my better judgement........ and with confidence in NI's 15 day return policy, I bought the upgrade deal and I am trying this out as we speak. I am one of NI's biggest critics over the last few years, and this.... release was the biggest shock I could imagine, considering Brian C was involved.

Hearing some 'pops' in a couple presets in the absynth6 banks. Ive tried A6 standalone, in BWS 5, in BWS 6 beta 7, and cubase 15. Preset #2 makes pops. Preset #8 makes pops - no CPU or ASIO internal spikes. DSP processing looks stable and low (under 7% CPU usage), but pops still happen. Preset 8 is beautiful (additive piano) and I *really*, really want to play it right now, but I cant get rid of the pops. Audio interface settings have no effect. Nothing else in my entire studio does this.

Anyone else?

Was able to replicate, it's just mistakes in the presets. The Additive Piano patch has monophonic settings on the Waveshaper and Ring Mod. (the arrow next to the Mix setting on the Waveshaper and Ring Mod) This is creating issues when you play polyphonically. Sounds fantastic when you fix it.
With one of the others it was the Master out on the effect, basically gain staging etc.

You are a fantastic human being. I was messing with stuff in M1 and M2, thinking that the 'POP' sound its making sounds like something that is misconfigured(the pop is processed by A6's internal effects), but I just changed the filter type and a few other things (it was set to "broken speaker" lmao), and it didnt go away. What you just said (mono/poly) caused me to toggle those under "mix" for each, and its fixed!!!

I had to switch M1 to poly and M2 to mono, now zero pops. If those 2 are set any other way, it pops. I have my additive piano now!!! : ) Thanks for your help.

[Milkman]

Let's also not forget that developers need your support. Without it, R&D can't move forward. I agree with the criticism, but the improvements we're asking for won't magically happen without funding. I purchased Absynth 6 in good faith that these changes will eventually happen. The ball rolls faster the harder we push it.

Sure thing, Sound Author. Just keep spending. Right. R&D can move forward because R&D wont get paid if R&D doesnt move forward, as its always been, so someone should explain that to R&D.

[Rivertropic]

So how does it compares to Plasmonic? Which one would you choose if you could have just one?