Fxpansion Strobe 2 is available

[tehlord]

I must confess I've not even tried Strobe 2 yet but I bought D-Cam when it first came out and it killed my CPU so I had to sell it. My one issue with Strobe was the GUI was a bit messy (to me at least) so I'm glad to see that's been cleaned up.

I do recall that it was the sound that impressed me most, believable analogue modelling at last!

I do like the look of the new step seq as well (I don't think Strobe had that, I don't remember )

Just been trying out the factory presets quickly to check cpu geoff. Most go between 6-14% Iv'e only found a few that hit 30% (arps - pads) not many though on an i7 mac. The step sequencer is indeed very cool when you start to modulate filters and pitch etc. The GUI is very impressive I like it a lot. The FX on this are pretty nifty too. Great synth for bass and leads as I said but does lush pads just nicely. I'm looking forward to more from FX but I'd love to know if there's gonna be a Geist 2 cause Geist is my fav all time software drum sampler.

To be honest I think the last CPU I had when I tried Strobe was a Core2 Duo, and now I have i7's in the PC and Macbook. I can't see it being a problem any more!

I agree about Geist too. I have the first one and it's like having Live as a plugin inside your DAW. There's a learning curve to it, but it's worth it.

[4damind]

To be honest I think the last CPU I had when I tried Strobe was a Core2 Duo, and now I have i7's in the PC and Macbook. I can't see it being a problem any more!

With a Core 2 Duo, yes. There was also Diva a big problem. But not with an i7 and using 2x oversampling for realtime (I use always 2x for realtime and 8x for offline).
Anyway, Strobe 2 was also improved in this department. Angus wrote something about this.

[Amberience]

FLStudio issues fixed in the next version.

[Robmobius]

Yeah But if people thinking about Synthmaster or similar synth, Strobe is of course very limited But this limitations are often very helpful for creativity. If you need a degree in sound design to find out how to control the filter with an envelope, the fun to make a new track is quickly gone (if you are a musician and not a sound designer).

I certainly would call Strobe 2 'very limited'.

Its sound quality alone blows away most of the competition, that and the filter quality. Along with and lots of different filter shapes to boot. Nice GUI too unlike something like synthmaster.

[BBZ]

Cant remember whether i already posted on this thread, but if i did, i might of moaned, bought at upgrade price and along with alot of others thought it was a little over priced. TBH now im happy, so quick to get a big sound out of, changes arnt so drastic its gonna take up anytime learning if you was on the last version, The gui and feedback window are proper smart looking and the window can be resized to how you like, which is good these days now ppl are using all different size and definition screen. Quick, looks good, sounds great. Not bargain of the century, but im happy, i reckon ill go to it quite regular.

[rob_lee]

I must confess I've not even tried Strobe 2 yet but I bought D-Cam when it first came out and it killed my CPU so I had to sell it. My one issue with Strobe was the GUI was a bit messy (to me at least) so I'm glad to see that's been cleaned up.

I do recall that it was the sound that impressed me most, believable analogue modelling at last!

I do like the look of the new step seq as well (I don't think Strobe had that, I don't remember )

Just been trying out the factory presets quickly to check cpu geoff. Most go between 6-14% Iv'e only found a few that hit 30% (arps - pads) not many though on an i7 mac. The step sequencer is indeed very cool when you start to modulate filters and pitch etc. The GUI is very impressive I like it a lot. The FX on this are pretty nifty too. Great synth for bass and leads as I said but does lush pads just nicely. I'm looking forward to more from FX but I'd love to know if there's gonna be a Geist 2 cause Geist is my fav all time software drum sampler.

To be honest I think the last CPU I had when I tried Strobe was a Core2 Duo, and now I have i7's in the PC and Macbook. I can't see it being a problem any more!

I agree about Geist too. I have the first one and it's like having Live as a plugin inside your DAW. There's a learning curve to it, but it's worth it.

Another synth I just tested hooked up and layered with Strobe 2 is one I just got the other day called reDominator (Alpha Juno) these 2 with Synthmaster/Sylenth and Geist are a perfect setup Geoff. Strobe 2 is definitely a bass and lead machine for me. I messed around with Strobe 2 the other night and got a nice pad sound out of it, see my YouTube channel. Also CPU here with Strobe 2 on bass is about 3%

[Wopelka]

FLStudio issues fixed in the next version.

Please let us know when it's fixed.

[wagtunes]

I decided to listen to the demos again to give this a fair shot.

My TLDR impression. Great filters. Probably some of the best of all the synths out there. Sounds great.

Here's my problem, and blame Urs for this.

I look at the price of this synth ($179) and then I look at the price of Zebra 2 ($199).

For $20 more, I get semi modular, tons of filters and mod routings, plenty of FX, a crap ton of presets available for download free, and a synth that sounds as good as anything out there.

For $20 more.

This is, for me, another Sylenth1 problem. Sylenth1 is a fine synth, but it's not, IMO, a $158 synth. Not when I look at what I can get in the same price range.

If somebody gave me $1,000 and said, "Buy as many VSTs as you can get for that amount and those are the only ones you can have" and I was just starting out and Strobe 2 was one of my options, it would be among the synths I would get because its filters are definitely in the top 5 of all the synths I have currently.

But since I already have those synths and Strobe 2 doesn't really give me something I don't already have, I can't justify the $179 price tag. Again, not comparing it to Zebra 2.

Most of my synths fall in the $100 to $149 range. And the ones that cost more, I bought on sale. I rarely have spent over $150 for a synth.

In fact, here is the list of synths that I spent over $150 for out of my 131 synths.

Zebra 2 - $199
Omnisphere - $500
Rayblaster - $189
Electra 2 - $199
Diva - $179

Now, the qualifications for the above.

Omnisphere I didn't spend a dime on because I sold a bunch of hardware to Sam Ash to get it. I'd never spend $500 on a soft synth even if it gave me great sex every night.

Rayblaster and Electra 2 I deeply regret spending that much money on. I'd never do it again.

Diva I only bought in order to make a sound library for to sell because it's so popular.

So the only synth I ever spent over $150 on that I am really glad I bought was Zebra 2. Everything else I got was either cheaper or on sale.

Strobe 2 is one of those synths I might get if it sold for like $149 tops.

To me, for what it gives me, it's not a $179 synth.

[billcarroll]

I think this pad created by rob lee is pretty damn cool. A "limited" synth like Strobe 2 is as limited as your imagination.

[rob_lee]

I think this pad created by rob lee is pretty damn cool. A "limited" synth like Strobe 2 is as limited as your imagination.

Hi Bill, thanks, if you spend a little time with Strobe 2 you get lovely drones and ambient stuff. The FX are a big part of Strobe 2 IMO and modulating them with the oscillator brings out some really great results. I'll post that pad preset up here later tonight. I'm still getting deep in to the synth right now and will test more. May post more videos in the week.

[zerocrossing]

I had some time to play with the demo last night. I do have to admit when I think if it as a $179 synth... it does seem pricey. Even though the modulation matrix (which is still an odd duck UI wise, IMO, but overall the UI is a lot better) is very good and extensive and the sound is quality is good. Strobe 2 feels like a $129 USD synth with a $49 upgrade price. I can't help but think of one of my recent purchases... Syn'X 2. I think it was about $122. Codex was $75.

[Amberience]

To me, for what it gives me, it's not a $179 synth.

That's absolutely fine. Everyone has to make their call for their own wallet. But the overall vibe from KvR (and KvR is pretty alone in this respect btw) is that the synth isn't WORTH the price.

Which is just incorrect.

[billcarroll]

I place Strobe 2 in the same class and price range as u-he Diva and d16 LuSH-101.

[yemski]

Nothing against the price, it is up to fxpansion. But I bought synth squad for $100 and every xpansion for this synth half priced, I would not have bought synthsquad for $200. Now I have more synths I need, and every synth is good or excelent. I have more sounds in trilian/omnisphere2 or Diva that I can't listen to all of them, i have analoge synths like synx 2, oddity 2, monark, lush-101 or timewarp2600 so i don't need more va synths. I think a lot of us have more than 50 synths and use only 10 of them. Strobe2 sounds great but my other synths also, so I can wait for a special offer, because I don't see any must have feature or any step forward in my production. In my opinion time has changed, there are so many synths on the market, that new doesn't mean bether.

Ultimately, what you're saying (and I agree) is that there is so much competition today and so many quality synths that a product would have to be amazingly special for it to be a must buy. I have 131 VSTs of which 53 are paid for with the others either coming with my DAW or available free. I have everything from the simplest VA (Latte Free) to the most complex synths and systems (Omni 2, Reaktor, MUX). For something to excite me enough to buy these days it has to be very special.

In fact, the only synth right now that I really can't wait to get my hands on is Flexion, which I am on the beta team for.

And it's only going to get worse. As technology advances and synths become more and more powerful (with PCs becoming more and more powerful) the sky will be the limit and spending your money is going to be reserved for those extremely special synths, whatever they may be.

Last year I spent over $3,000 on this stuff. This year, I've spent less than half of that and don't foresee myself buying more than maybe 1 or 2 more between now and December 31.

Yes, times have certainly changed.

I've spent a good deal deal of time with this synth and trust me it's up there. You'll be surprised by what you can do and how far you can go with it.

[Robmobius]

I place Strobe 2 in the same class and price range as u-he Diva.

I'd be the same.

FXpansion, Xils, X-fer, and U-he are all at the top, in terms of quality. So you get what you pay for imo.

But if other people don't want to pay the price, then that's fair enough - it's up to them.

I payed full whack for Geist when it came out. I thought it was a little expensive at the time. But in terms of 'value', it's been great. I've nearly used it in all my tunes.

I'd say Strobe 2 will be used an awful lot now too. So weighing up 'value vs money' it's all relative imo.