KVR Audio

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sun May 06, 2012 7:25 am

PraxisCat wrote:I like it but I am not sure I find it usable because of the resource usage. I can pull off the same sounds in other software products without the CPU hit. Note I am running on an i7 sandy bridge, my system is no slouch. While Diva is an accurate emulation of classic systems, in fact frequently dead on, that is not always what I am looking for. The thing is the CPU usage makes it a bit unusable to me. I guess this is the only real critique one can offer. Its a great vst, that will only get better with time. But right now it is a little too ahead of its time and it eats into too much CPU. By the time I replace my computer though it will be perfect.

Hmm, so you play it on an i7 and think it's unusable? Strange, i am using a 4,5 years old Core 2 Quad Q6600 and while i still got problems using Diva in "Divine" mode (=highest quality) with polyphonic sounds (Divine works well for monophonic sounds) i have much less problems when using "Great" or "Fsst" quality/accuracy.
If we speak about multiple instances at the same time there could be a problem indeed.
On your system the performance should be better IMO, especially as the new "Multithread" mode seems to be optimized for the i5 and i7.

On the other hand i am currently also working with Saurus and while it may or may not have the sound quality of Diva the much lower CPU use (even with Unison used) is a big advantage at least if you have an older CPU like i have.

Like you already mentioned the CPU use (which was a bit improved now) of Diva is the only real bad thing i found about it. Anyway it would be nice if Urs could add an Arpeggiator and/or Step Sequencer in a future version. Of course i could use e.g. the Arp in Ableton Live and the WOK Clockwork Step Sequencer but an internal one would be really nice.
I just found that those are exactly the two points described in the "Cons" part of the Keyboard magazine review and in the Conclusion:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

Ingo

SadPuppyBlues · Post by **SadPuppyBlues** » Sun May 06, 2012 7:47 am

Wait, wait.

You got Diva to perform smoothly in Ableton Live? On a core 2 quad?!
That's impressive.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sun May 06, 2012 7:56 am

SadPuppyBlues wrote:Wait, wait.

You got Diva to perform smoothly in Ableton Live? On a core 2 quad?!
That's impressive.

I made my factory sounds for Diva (with v1.0) on the same CPU so yes it works but i was mostly using only "Fast" quality/accuracy for polyhonic sounds and "Great" quality" for monophonic sounds at that time.
With the new update i could use "Great" quality for most presets but "Divine" quality still produces some audio drop outs, at least for polyphonic sounds.

If we speak about layering 2 or more instances and/or using the voice stack feature it could happen that i have to go back to the "Fast" mode. Same for a full song with multiple instances of Diva.

It also depends on how many voices you assign to a single preset. Usually i only use 6 for a single preset. When i use 16 instead i get problems in "Great" quality too. Currently for a pad in "Great" accuracy/quality the limit seems to be 8 voices for a single instance to not get CPU overload and/or audio dropouts.
Using the "Multithread" option on my Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU could cause audio dropouts while the CPU is still quite low sometimes.
A second instance gets handled by another Core of the CPU so layers of 2 instances usually work.
The CPU use also depends on the preset. The pad sound "HS Angel Wings" could be only used with around 4-5 voices in "great" quality (for this preset only with (multithreaded" turned on) on my sytem or in "Fast" quality with more voices.

UPDATE:
I just found the Diva revision 674 (final v1.1) is out now. Currently i use revision 673. I'll check that version ASAP.
The final version of Diva v1.1 (revisiojn 674) is available here:
http://www.u-he.com/cms/diva

Ingo

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun May 06, 2012 8:35 am

justin3am wrote:
While DIVA has a lot of cool features that I appreciate (patchable modulation modifiers, the 'Trimmers' page) I generally don't get much joy from the style of subtractive synthesis that DIVA focuses on. When it comes to oscillators, I tend to prefer the Serge NTO, Buchla 259 and digital FM/wavetable oscillators to Moog, Roland or Korg VCOs.

The filters in DIVA do sound amazing, though. No denying that.

Anyway, DIVA may not be for everyone but thats not big deal. That doesn't mean it's not a great synth.

I'm really glad to also have Bazille! And I would love to have a small ACE like synth that can be wired any way I want that has 2 Zebra osc's!

jacqueslacouth · Post by **jacqueslacouth** » Sun May 06, 2012 9:22 am

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Sun May 06, 2012 10:34 am

jacqueslacouth wrote:Time to eat a slice of humble pie here. I have spent the weekend trying out a number of analogue and VA synths. I had in my mind that I absolutely had to get a virus, as my memory told me it was the best sounding synth I had ever had (Virus B several years ago). I played with a Juno 106, an Oberheim Matrix 6, a little phatty and a Prophet 08 as well as a Virus C and TI model....so why was I not as blown away as I was expecting??? In the end I no longer believe that these synths have a difference in sound that can possibly justify the price difference between any of the HW and Diva and in fact Dcam SS or even Dune in the VA camp....So, to DIVA...from me here is some at last.

She's a babe and she finds a way to your heart

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:20 pm

I tried the demo but cannot get the hype. Imo a softsynth like many others and soundwise I did not find it any better than my good old pentagon or Oatmeal (which is a great freeware VA). Maybe, something is wrong with my ears, but I guess if its true: why spend if you cannot hear the difference? (And I am sure I am not alone)

Even the goal of emulating the sound of old gear seems boring to me. I rather appreciate synth like Z3ta+, Absynth, Modelonia, Alchemy etc. which explore new territory.

ariston · Post by **ariston** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:23 pm

AKJ wrote:Maybe, something is wrong with my ears

That, or your monitors/headphones.

Hey, let's start a Diva vs. Oatmeal thread!

braj · Post by **braj** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:25 pm

If your gonna have oatmeal you need brown sugar

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:26 pm

ariston wrote:
AKJ wrote:Maybe, something is wrong with my ears
That, or your monitors/headphones.

Hey, let's start a Diva vs. Oatmeal thread!

my monotirs are ok, my headphones are outstanding, so it must be my ears or diva not being so special. Actually, a blind test would be interesting.

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:28 pm

braj wrote:If your gonna have oatmeal you need brown sugar

would be interesting to hear Oatmeal to fit in there

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:30 pm

AKJ wrote:I did not find it any better than my good old pentagon or Oatmeal

Have you tried simply holding down a low note? If you can't hear the difference you need to pay a visit to a doctor. I'm not being sarcastic, I really mean it.

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:30 pm

AKJ wrote:Actually, a blind test would be interesting.

Yes please, go ahead.

braj · Post by **braj** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:33 pm

Well...

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:39 pm

I obviously do not own Diva, just tried the demo. For a real shootout I would suggest to define 3 or 4 "classic" sounds (that can theoretically be reproduced by any VA) and try to create those with various VAs (Diva, Z3ta+, Pentagon, Sylenth1, Oatmeal, etc., etc.). For the test it is important that the people who vote do not know the synth with which the sound was created.

Does anyone NOT like Diva?