KVR Audio

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:07 am

I think threads comparing one synth with another are extremely destructive. What I don't like about them is that they appear sometimes to be used as marketing ploys by certain devs to rubbish the competion and sell their product. I just think that's underhand behaviour.

Secondly, these threads are very often comprised of personal opinion disguised as science. For example wav files are compared and then, once again, personal opinion is used to justify one over another. There is lots of talk about scopes, rendering and the like but a thorough scientific comparison never see's the light of day.

The outcome of all this is that a pronouncement is then made about these synths based on all this pseudoscience. If you own the 'loser' synth then forever more that synth is disparaged and considered inferior. If you challenge this you're referred to the thread with all the pseudoscience and psychobabble as proof!

I ask what is the point of rubbishing synths in this way? If someone has a personal preference for a synth then that's cool but don't disguise it as pseudoscience in order to rubbish the competition.

What do others think?

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:11 am

Aw hell, I thought you were talking about business school...

[edit] sorry, common college joke...

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:19 am

You;ll find that most of the members in those threads never post music either

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:21 am

But seriously, I don't know if I'd label it underhanded. I mean GMedia and Arturia had to have known what they were getting into, trying to emulate the most popular monosynth of all time...

FWIW, I think Red Force should've stayed out of the conversation, and let us nutters form our own opinions. And I still think its way too early for wholly formed opinions about M:M... But that's just my own feeling.

The way I see it, if you can make good music with it, then who am I to tell you you shouldn't be using it? I made some decent stuff on a Yamaha SY22, for God's sake. (not much, but that's another story...)

But then again, this is a plug-in-instrument-discussion-forum...

CypherOne · Post by **CypherOne** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:21 am

it's just wankery. I prefer making music to comparing filters...

sosayweall · Post by **sosayweall** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:23 am

You have to understand that Arturia has a really poor reputation here. Actually, their presence has been the lowest form of behavior that could be done IMHO. IIRC, even Ben had remarked some harsh words when closing that thread at that time.

OTOH, the ohmie guys have always been likable for a long time. Most ppl love them. So do I.

That plays a huge part in the warm reception of their new work I guess. And rightfully so.

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:24 am

CypherOne wrote:it's just wankery. I prefer making music to comparing filters...

Well I kinda like comparing filters and making music.

So I'm a part time wanker then?

CypherOne · Post by **CypherOne** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:25 am

mjones4th wrote:So I'm a part time wanker then?

aren't we all? I could keep it up full time (pun intended)...

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:25 am

sosayweall wrote:You have to understand that Arturia has a really poor reputation here. Actually, their presence has been the lowest form of behavior that could be done IMHO. IIRC, even Ben had remarked some harsh words when closing that thread at that time.

Damn, what did I miss?

OTOH, the ohmie guys have always been likable for a long time. Most ppl love them. So do I.

That plays a huge part in the warm reception of their new work I guess. And rightfully so.

Don't forget Gmedia. Everybody loves The Oscar and Odyssey emu's

unic · Post by **unic** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:26 am

For a coffe machine?

mjones4th wrote:ell I kinda like comparing filters and making music.

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:30 am

unic wrote:For a coffe machine?

Nope. Jaguars. Eighties models...

car: Vrooomm purrrr ............... sqweeeeeeekkkkkk sqwaaaaaawwwww

me: Err honey, that wasn't a cup....

her: so you didn't get my latte then?

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:44 am

sosayweall wrote:You have to understand that Arturia has a really poor reputation here. Actually, their presence has been the lowest form of behavior that could be done IMHO. IIRC, even Ben had remarked some harsh words when closing that thread at that time.

OTOH, the ohmie guys have always been likable for a long time. Most ppl love them. So do I.

That plays a huge part in the warm reception of their new work I guess. And rightfully so.

Yes, I remeber the stupid behaviour of one of Arturias employees but this is about the synths themselves.

I accept that moog emulations will be compared but what I object to is the pseudoscience posing as science that goes along with this. And the way the outcome is promoted as eternal truth. Is there any verification of the test conditions going on? Any validation of the actual tests themselves? And how objective is the analysis of the so-called 'results'?

This type of comparison has occcured with other synths that aren't emulations. So I'm not just referring to the MM vs MMV debate. I think it's unfair to damn a synth scientifically (as opposed to personally - everyone has there own opinion) when there remains a question mark over the validity of the research.

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 10:28 am

munchkin wrote:... verification ... validation ... objective ... scientifically ...

Damn, did I click the new Egland Journal of Medicine again?

Pseudo-science Posing As Science