FXpansion D-CAM: Synth Squad for sale now!

[aMUSEd]

It is an analog FM synth

Yes, it is, I'm not arguing with that, but I'm saying that it was bad to explicitly call it so, because then people think it's the same as DX7.

I think that's why it is explicitly called that - not to confuse but to emphasise the difference - it's a return to what analog FM was and could be.

[Klemperer]

Like mellotronaut rightly said, Fusor ate my PC .
Thing with these synths is, you can perfectly well use them to make music with for example my laptop AMD Turion 2core 2.20GHZ, 3GB Ram. Just lovely, outstanding, wonderful sounds and possibilities.
But if you're getting nervous in case you couldn't load all possible selfmade presets with highest possible oversampling and stuff, well, then indeed it is a fact that these synths were made for extremely new desktop processors.
I can't see anything wrong here, unless it would set a trend and each and every company from now on would only release cpu-hogs. But this will not happen, as quite a lot of companies wouldn't want to exclude users with not spick'n span new machines...

So as I thought I ended up with not even trying to install the superb synths on an AMD AthlonXP3000+, that one is simply too old for FXpansion synths (The new synthmaster2 will run on it, which makes me happy).
My laptop is not really fast, and I can really play the amber, cypher and strobe well with it. And a bit of fusor :hihi, quite like expected.

I don't regret the purchase for a second, quite to the contrary...
But of course only a new machine in the future will get me the full potential of these synths.

[ATS]

Like mellotronaut rightly said, Fusor ate my PC .
Thing with these synths is, you can perfectly well use them to make music with for example my laptop AMD Turion 2core 2.20GHZ, 3GB Ram. Just lovely, outstanding, wonderful sounds and possibilities.
But if you're getting nervous in case you couldn't load all possible selfmade presets with highest possible oversampling and stuff, well, then indeed it is a fact that these synths were made for extremely new desktop processors.
I can't see anything wrong here, unless it would set a trend and each and every company from now on would only release cpu-hogs. But this will not happen, as quite a lot of companies wouldn't want to exclude users with not spick'n span new machines...

So as I thought I ended up with not even trying to install the superb synths on an AMD AthlonXP3000+, that one is simply too old for FXpansion synths (The new synthmaster2 will run on it, which makes me happy).
My laptop is not really fast, and I can really play the amber, cypher and strobe well with it. And a bit of fusor :hihi, quite like expected.

I don't regret the purchase for a second, quite to the contrary...
But of course only a new machine in the future will get me the full potential of these synths.

I thought this might be a problem with I saw the requirements were for a 2.4 intel dual core or amd equivalent. That is some serious power needed.

[cwig]

So far no major issues with the CPU, but I decided to stick with 1x oversampling with 8x render. Although 2x/3x sounds much better the CPU usage is just too much, and the synths still sound awesome at x1 anyway.

I haven't tried the synths in a mix situation yet. Fusor uses almost 40% of my CPU with 2x Strobe and 1x Amber loaded and playing together.

What CPU do you have?

[Megakazbek]

I think that's why it is explicitly called that - not to confuse but to emphasise the difference - it's a return to what analog FM was and could be.

They could have emphasized that without using words "FM".
Right now it's confusing (not for me or you, but for 90% of people who don't really know much about synth technology and for whom every phrase which contains words "FM" means DX7). For example, in this very thread there were already several unsubstantiated complaints from people who did not understand what Cypher really is.

[Ingonator]

Like mellotronaut rightly said, Fusor ate my PC .
Thing with these synths is, you can perfectly well use them to make music with for example my laptop AMD Turion 2core 2.20GHZ, 3GB Ram. Just lovely, outstanding, wonderful sounds and possibilities.
But if you're getting nervous in case you couldn't load all possible selfmade presets with highest possible oversampling and stuff, well, then indeed it is a fact that these synths were made for extremely new desktop processors.
I can't see anything wrong here, unless it would set a trend and each and every company from now on would only release cpu-hogs. But this will not happen, as quite a lot of companies wouldn't want to exclude users with not spick'n span new machines...

So as I thought I ended up with not even trying to install the superb synths on an AMD AthlonXP3000+, that one is simply too old for FXpansion synths (The new synthmaster2 will run on it, which makes me happy).
My laptop is not really fast, and I can really play the amber, cypher and strobe well with it. And a bit of fusor :hihi, quite like expected.

I don't regret the purchase for a second, quite to the contrary...
But of course only a new machine in the future will get me the full potential of these synths.

I thought this might be a problem with I saw the requirements were for a 2.4 intel dual core or amd equivalent. That is some serious power needed.

So does Fxpansion have a contract with Intel?

[aMUSEd]

I think that's why it is explicitly called that - not to confuse but to emphasise the difference - it's a return to what analog FM was and could be.

They could have emphasized that without using words "FM".
Right now it's confusing (not for me or you, but for 90% of people who don't really know much about synth technology and for whom every phrase which contains words "FM" means DX7). For example, in this very thread there were already several unsubstantiated complaints from people who did not understand what Cypher really is.

I don't see a problem with that - that's one way people learn.

[kv331]

Before i forget: Synthmaster 2 beta could also do it (besides AM + RM).

FM (Frequency modulation), PM (Phase modulation), AM (amplitude modulation), RM (ring modulation) with/without hard sync. Of course for best results you should turn on x2 / x3 oversampling on. And even if you do that it doesnt consume %40 of your 3.2 Ghz CPU

[klv]

Before i forget: Synthmaster 2 beta could also do it (besides AM + RM).

FM (Frequency modulation), PM (Phase modulation), AM (amplitude modulation), RM (ring modulation) with/without hard sync. Of course for best results you should turn on x2 / x3 oversampling on. And even if you do that it doesnt consume %40 of your 3.2 Ghz CPU

But does it have a mac AU version? (synth squad does)

[kv331]

But does it have a mac AU version?

It will, hopefuly this autumn!

BTW, it wont cost $250, only $59

[klv]

But does it have a mac AU version?

It will, hopefuly this autumn!

BTW, it wont cost $250, only $59

will check it out at that time

[SolarRainUK]

So far no major issues with the CPU, but I decided to stick with 1x oversampling with 8x render. Although 2x/3x sounds much better the CPU usage is just too much, and the synths still sound awesome at x1 anyway.

I haven't tried the synths in a mix situation yet. Fusor uses almost 40% of my CPU with 2x Strobe and 1x Amber loaded and playing together.

What CPU do you have?

Core2Quad Q6600.

[Vectorman]

I wasn't really shocked and horrified by D-CAM's CPU use, but I guess having already been using u-he Bazille (with which I can barely get 8 notes of polyphony per core on my quad), I'd already been "braced for impact," LOL.

I've seen several people over the last year or two post that they would welcome synths that ate CPU more greedily in exchange for a real advance in softsynth sound quality. Well, with new arrivals like Synth Squad and Bazille, we're finally starting to get it. I think it's worth the cost in CPU when I start tweaking Strobe or Bazille and hear how amazingly present and characterful they sound. I'm content to do more rendering to audio and work around it until CPU's have sped up to the point that multiple instances of D-CAM and Berlin Modular synths can be dropped into a session as casually as ImpOSCar or Sylenth currently can. Who cares if you can get 64 notes of polyphony out of Synth X or Synth Y if the core sound isn't as good?

[thelizard]

I wasn't really shocked and horrified by D-CAM's CPU use, but I guess having already been using u-he Bazille (with which I can barely get 8 notes of polyphony per core on my quad), I'd already been "braced for impact," LOL.

So, is the CPU usage of Synth Squad comparable to or easier than Bazille? I was having a fun old time with Bazille yesterday, but it pretty much annihilated my laptop once I upped the release times on the envelopes. I don't mind that, since it's free, great sounding, and alpha-tastic, but I'm still hesitating before dropping $200+ if Synth Squad pulls the same.

I'm really amped up for these, especially Fusor, as that's the sort of thing that's exactly up my alley, and I actually have going back-to-school money (plus I won big at a blackjack table in Vegas last week), but I'm thinking I should wait for the demo.

[grymmjack]

holy hanna! 40% for a 3op fm synth? seriously? 40% of 3.2ghz core is a lot!

Calling it "a 3op fm synth" is sort of missing the point, TBH. It's really an analog synth that allows for some crazy modulations, including FM, AM, et al.

well, i see what you mean, and i'm not trying to be a bitch about it. but fm7 has 6 operators, super complex modulation possibilities, effects, etc, and it's a tiny fraction of 40% of 3.2ghz - yes it doesn't sound as good probably for many things...

here is a question for owners of dcamss; does it sound /ok/ enough for mixing/tracking when oversampling is completely shut off? what are the CPU numbers then?

thanks

FM8 is A DIGITAL DX7 STYLE SYNTH USING CHEAP AS CHIPS DIGITAL OPERATORS PHASE MODULATING EACH OTHER. Cypher is A FULLY ANALOG MODELING SYNTH MORE SIMILAR TO POLY ANA WHICH ALLOWS MULTIPLE ANALOG MODELED OSCILLATORS TO MODULATE EACH OTHER AT ABOVE AUDIO RATE.

STOP YELLING AT ME I DONT OWN THIS YET AND I WAS GOING BY THE VIDEO TUTORIAL WHICH CLAIMED IT WAS AN FM SYNTH.

FM7 DOES NOT SOUND CHEAP AS CHIPS IT SOUNDS GOOD.

POLYANA IS A KNOWN CPU PIG AND YOU COMPARING DCAMSS WITH POLYANA DOES NOT HELP TELL ME ANYTHING. I ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION AND turn off your caps lock.