Kilohearts - kHs One?

[Examigan]

I think it is an easy to use synth with a great sound. It could use an update, as it looks like the last one was in 2013?

It had a good review in Music Radar back in 2011, Sound on Sound gave it some nice words, and there's a review in (shameless plug) SoundBytes magazine too.

[Examigan]

dp

[fluffy_little_something]

I know it's not a popular synth, but I would never have associated it with Charlatan, it goes so far beyond.

I don't really know why it is not more popular, maybe because it never gets mentioned (a vicious circle), and the regular price might be a bit high compared with other synths.

Is it still being improved or basically an abandoned product?

Are they really forcing people to use a credit card or am I missing something?

[omac]

I think the problem used to be copy protection. I believe they used pace/ilok before, though I see no mention of it now. Perhaps I'm mistaken?

I used to be in the if it uses ilok protection I won't use it camp (like so many others). I wouldn't even download free software that used it (uvi, soundtoys (?), etc.) However, during the charity auction I won some sonivox orchestral instruments at a great price. I didn't check before to see what kind of protection they used and found that it was pace. I installed it. love the software and I even purchased the Tony Coleman drums to go with it, but I'm sure somewhere down the road I'm going to have an install problem that won't be resolved by ilok and rather than get upset when it happens, I'm planning for it. I'm going to look into other orchestral instrument software at this quality level that doesn't use it, and I will begin to save up for purchase. As long as I get some professional (I hope) use from the software before the 'I can't access it anymore event happens' I'll be able to bear it. However, I'm not making any more purchases requiring ilok. As long as I'm at this low an amount I can deal with it.

Sorry, I went off-topic. The khs one was never really marketed. I think they could have run a preset contest, or a make a song contest or released a sample pack from it or something (I don't know). All I ever saw were two youtube videos and a magazine ad or two. There was never anything really spotlighting the sound. I'm going to buy it at $19 though.

[Orbit-50]

Bought KHS One...made a few patches...got bored with it...

That's exactly what happened to me when I demoed it about a year ago. I tried to get into it but I just could not. I think I also recall a gargantuan CPU hit from this plugin which I found completely baffling as to why it would use so much. I also could not stand looking at that crummy brown and blue interface for more than 5 seconds without feeling sick. Not even a sale price of $19 would change my mind. I feel really bad because I never like to put a product down but...

[Examigan]

I think the problem used to be copy protection. I believe they used pace/ilok before, though I see no mention of it now. Perhaps I'm mistaken?

Not sure, but it has used a serial number for copy protection for at least a few years now.
One other thing I forgot to mention before (in case anyone didn't know already) is that it's also available as a Rack Extension.

[nicksohn]

Downloaded a demo. It has nice sound. Thick, dense sound. But feature-set is obviously weak point.
I got too many synths, but GAS comes to me. Gosh...
If it will get a major update for features like built-in arp, and more presets, more wave forms..etc, this synth could be a moster synth.

[Per Salbark]

Hi guys.

We never did pace/ilok, and admittedly the marketing was/is kind of weak. It's not what we do best, we like to code
But keep an eye out for something big from Kilohearts in this general area of interest early next year.

Thanks for all your support! / Per @ Kilohearts

[omac]

I'm sorry about mistaking the pace/ilok. I'm not sure where I got that from. It's not the first time I've been mistaken though.

I'm leaving my personal pace/ilok feelings/anecdote in place in the hopes that sonivox or the pace/ilok company might see it and take it into consideration as another feedback/viewpoint.

[fluffy_little_something]

Hi guys.

We never did pace/ilok, and admittedly the marketing was/is kind of weak. It's not what we do best, we like to code
But keep an eye out for something big from Kilohearts in this general area of interest early next year.

Thanks for all your support! / Per @ Kilohearts

Since coding is a lot of work, why do it when people don't buy the product later on? When I am bored I just go and sit in the sun

So, there will be a new synth next year

[plexuss]

Playing with the demo: it sounds like a baby Spire to me. $19 seems like a really good deal if you like the sound and features.

[fluffy_little_something]

But despite its modern look, it is a rather old-skool synth in my view. No supersaw and such modern EDM stuff, right?

I wish they kept improving it, it could be a pretty complete "analog" synth. kHz One 2
And the GUI, well, somehow it does not fit the synth's character, too cold and modern-looking in my view.

[ghettosynth]

But despite its modern look, it is a rather old-skool synth in my view. No supersaw and such modern EDM stuff, right?

I wish they kept improving it, it could be a pretty complete "analog" synth. kHz One 2
And the GUI, well, somehow it does not fit the synth's character, too cold and modern-looking in my view.

While I don't care about that stuff, per se, you do need an edge if you are going to try to market a two osc VA synth. I listened to one video, meh, if I demod every straightforward VA synth that came down the pike I'd never get anything done. As a rule of thumb, I ignore synths that tout low CPU as a feature. I have plenty of synths that use low CPU and sound "ok." I want synths that get my CPU to start crying for its mother while my monitors tell it to stfu cause it's their time now.

Even synths that I don't pay much for, e.g. Vacuum 2, have to have something that really stands out. I like it's variable slope filters, distortion/overdrive within the synth, and randomizing features.

Here's the video that I watched. So what am I missing? What is the cool feature here?

[plexuss]

[snip...]Here's the video that I watched. So what am I missing? What is the cool feature here?

Feature is... It's $19 or less if you have plugin boutique rewards. for you (and me) it's not a feature. but there are many people who don't have the money for more expensive synths. this one may give them something if they dont have other options. we all have different needs and uses.

[ghettosynth]

[snip...]Here's the video that I watched. So what am I missing? What is the cool feature here?

Feature is... It's $19 or less if you have plugin boutique rewards. for you (and me) it's not a feature. but there are many people who don't have the money for more expensive synths. this one may give them something if they dont have other options. we all have different needs and uses.

Well, yeah, $19 isn't much for a synth. I think though, that unless you're using Reaper pretty much every DAW comes with some kind of VA synth. Just based on that video, I don't see how this is that interesting or different. What's unique about the filter or the oscillators that can take you someplace that free synths can't?

There are a LOT of free basic two vco VA synths. Also, this is only $19 right now, it's normally priced at $99. I just can't see that TBH.

Really, I was asking the devs to sell their synth a bit. What's special about this? Why is it worth even $19, let alone $99 when you can get BeatZilla for free?

As far as sale synths go, you can get Hybrid 3 for about the same price with just one reward token from plugin boutique.

Compare the above video to this video for Helm, which is open source and completely free.