KVR Audio

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 6:27 pm

The hi-fidelity is something I like in the Tone 2 synths.
I will admit though that Electra (X or 2) has not been my favorite of theirs.
So while I like to play with it, it doesn't get used in the mix to be able to justify it otherwise.
Tone 2 synths suffer mostly from their patch programming IMO. While each one has been able to give me a small handful of patches I do like and can use, they're better for what I make in them myself. But again, Electra has not made it into any mix for me yet.
While not everyone's 'cup of tea' I would say that for me, Gladiator is the one synth of theirs that is the most useful.
What I liked best about them when I bought them was the sale price I got them at. I believe in trying to hold on to a synth long enough to make an informed decision before selling them though. Finding there are days when they seem to shine as well as days when they seem to suck. Bottom line always comes down to how much I've actually used them in the last 9-12 months and in what way.

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:32 pm

chk071 wrote:
stikygum wrote:Will soft synths ever become better sounding? After 15 years it seems the answer is no. Logic's ES2 can let you hear that.
Seriously? I don't know Logic ES2, but IMO, soft synths sound MUCH better now than 5 or 6 years ago even. At least if "better" means more detailled and versatile. There are still soft synths which will sound kinda similar for most sounds though.

Soft synths have improved, no doubt, but the ES2 was an exceptional sounding synth for the time and still is excellent sounding by today's' standards.

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:45 pm

To answer the OP, I agree that Electra has a sort of plasticy-sheen as others have described. Sometimes it works really well for certain sounds and other times sounds very cheesy. I think Tone2 have very cheesy presets that make me cringe. But you can get some truly great sounds out of them too.

I bought ElectraX when it was released but sold it due to some issues that bothered, which I think have been remedied. I've been debating buying it since V2 come out. The developer has really rubbed me the wrong way in the past and very pretty damn offensive for no good reason, which put me off Tone2 for a long time. I did used to have gladiator and ditched it but sometimes miss it, it was unique for sure.

Things I like about Electra2:
-The interface (most important controls of a synth one one pane with just some envleopes and lfo's on tabs)
-Great filters and lots of useful types.
-Variety of Oscillator types as well (some nice digital wavetables etc.). Also most of the oisc funtions I like to see like sync, FM from osc 1 to 2 and 2 to 3. Very fast osc mangling in many ways.
-Every parameters is automatable, even mod sources/targets, which is great for hardware control surfaces.
-Low cpu
-Good effects

Things i don't love:
-Sometimes the sound gets on my nerves even though other times I love it.
-Sample functions are fiddly (especially import, no audition, sample start/end should have automatable controls)
-Made by Tone2 who's marketing I can't stand and the developer has been offensive many a time to customers.

Sendy · Post by **Sendy** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:59 pm

I quite like it. There's something about the sound that means sometimes it doesn't fit into my projects - even if I like everything about it on paper (in particular, the many wavetables simulating synthesis functions like combed square/saw mashups, harmonics sweeps, S+H bit noise sweeps, etc). Overall I'm glad to have it, and it's fun to use, but it doesn't always work out for me sonically, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. It helps if I build a track around it, starting with Electra material first, as opposed to trying to bring Electra into the fold of an already grooving groove.

My favourite Tone 2 synth at the moment is probably Rayblaster. That always seems to fit right in with my sound palette, and it's great for doing sounds with static or unusual formants. It can also make crazy sync/pwm type sounds

lacandon · Post by **lacandon** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:31 pm

Echoes in the Attic wrote:
chk071 wrote:
stikygum wrote:Will soft synths ever become better sounding? After 15 years it seems the answer is no. Logic's ES2 can let you hear that.
Seriously? I don't know Logic ES2, but IMO, soft synths sound MUCH better now than 5 or 6 years ago even. At least if "better" means more detailled and versatile. There are still soft synths which will sound kinda similar for most sounds though.
Soft synths have improved, no doubt, but the ES2 was an exceptional sounding synth for the time and still is excellent sounding by today's' standards.

Yep i totally agree Es 2 its a legend always sounds good i been programming lot of patches on it !

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:33 pm

Just listened to some demos of soundsets for ES2, and indeed, it sounds good. I also read a lot about it, must have some sort of cult status for Apple/Logic users.

lacandon · Post by **lacandon** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:34 pm

Sendy wrote:I quite like it. There's something about the sound that means sometimes it doesn't fit into my projects - even if I like everything about it on paper (in particular, the many wavetables simulating synthesis functions like combed square/saw mashups, harmonics sweeps, S+H bit noise sweeps, etc). Overall I'm glad to have it, and it's fun to use, but it doesn't always work out for me sonically, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. It helps if I build a track around it, starting with Electra material first, as opposed to trying to bring Electra into the fold of an already grooving groove.

My favourite Tone 2 synth at the moment is probably Rayblaster. That always seems to fit right in with my sound palette, and it's great for doing sounds with static or unusual formants. It can also make crazy sync/pwm type sounds

Yep its specific not everyone coups of tea i must admit that but the sound quallity its very nice for a digital synth(digital nice) if i compare it with Blofeld for example Electra sounds way better(Zebra Included).

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:58 pm

Es 2 is still decent sounding, but I've heard way better over the last 5 years imo. And the modulation interface section... Ugh!

Re ElectraX:
It's sound is 'modern' granted. It's a decent midrange synth. It's very easy to program, and you've lots of different syntheses options. Some very nice filters and FX (just don't over do them).

Agreed, the distortion can be very raspy, but it sounds good used sparingly. I don't use it for bass, and I'm surprised that they didn't add in a few extra FX slots for the update.

I think it's a solid synth. Not my favorite of theirs I'd prefer Nemeses or Gladiator.

Caine123 · Post by **Caine123** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:04 am

Robmobius wrote:Es 2 is still decent sounding, but I've heard way better over the last 5 years imo. And the modulation interface section... Ugh!

Re ElectraX:
It's sound is 'modern' granted. It's a decent midrange synth. It's very easy to program, and you've lots of different syntheses options. Some very nice filters and FX (just don't over do them).

Agreed, the distortion can be very raspy, but it sounds good used sparingly. I don't use it for bass, and I'm surprised that they didn't add in a few extra FX slots for the update.

I think it's a solid synth. Not my favorite of theirs I'd prefer Nemeses or Gladiator.

yep can admit that too, Nemesis sounds very full too, and gladiator as a nice adding!

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:44 pm

Just checking tone2's site. Am I to understand that license transfers become nfr? I can't tell of the new serial is considered the same license or not. Thanks.

-Sam

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 4:54 pm

masterhiggins wrote:Just checking tone2's site. Am I to understand that license transfers become nfr? I can't tell of the new serial is considered the same license or not. Thanks.
-Sam

AIU, They become NFR on a secondhand sale. Like Spectrasonic.
Original buyer can sell, but the second buyer owns it for life.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 4:57 pm

Don't they also charge for it though? Bit out of order to charge and still make it NFR - should be one or the other.

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:15 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Don't they also charge for it though? Bit out of order to charge and still make it NFR - should be one or the other.

Tell that to 2caudio! 50$ transfer fee and NFR! Absolutely absurd to make it NFR with such a high transfer fee.

As for Tone2, I thought it didn't become NFR. I've bought and sold licenses before. Perhaps it changed.

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:19 pm

Echoes in the Attic wrote: Tell that to 2caudio! 50$ transfer fee and NFR! Absolutely absurd to make it NFR with such a high transfer fee.

Not sure about Tone2.

But second 2caudio - Their transfer fee is obnoxious. I would have sold Aether verb a looong time ago if it was different.

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:22 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Don't they also charge for it though? Bit out of order to charge and still make it NFR - should be one or the other.

Agreed.
Well, actually it should be neither IMO.

what do you like and dislike about tone 2 electra2