Waldorf Pulse 2: officially released (OS updated to v1.18)

[Ingonator]

Just updated the OP with the new demos (those based on Pulse 1 patches).


Ingo

[faun2500]

Does the pulse 2 have the '2D' flat digital sound?

Nope. Like I say, it sounds pretty good to me. But so does software.

I'm ready to be persuaded otherwise - point me to a demo that sounds amazing to you.

I have heard the same demos as you. I consider the sound amazing; you don't. I am not going to try to convince you.

[faun2500]

I am slowly getting the impression that some people are not really interested what the Pulse 2 has to offer and just want a Pulse 1 instead.


Ingo

I am quickly getting the impression that some people already have a pulse 1!

[Uncle E]

I guess the easiest way would be using the free Rob Papen Pulse 1 bank that is available at the Waldorf website:
http://www.waldorf-music.info/en/archiv ... papen.html

If Uncle E would provide other Sysex files it would be OK too.

Let's just use the Rob Papen bank, that sounds like a great idea to me.

The Pulse 2 was directly connected to the line inpput of my Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP audio interface for those (and also the other demos).

I'll record my Pulse 1 through a Scarlett 2i2, they should be pretty similar sounding.

[hakey]

Does the pulse 2 have the '2D' flat digital sound?

Do all software emulations have this '2D flat digital sound'?

Would I be right in thinking that the following clips are examples of the kind of amazing sound you're referring to - the kind of 3D sounds that couldn't possibly be replicated with software?

https://soundcloud.com/gryke/waldorf-pulse-2-extra-bits

https://soundcloud.com/gryke/waldorf-pulse-2

(those are your comments?)

What would you say if I were to claim that I could pretty much nail any of those sound using a decent software synth? (I think I can. )

[Uncle E]

Does the pulse 2 have the '2D' flat digital sound?

Do all software emulations have this '2D flat digital sound'?

Would I be right in thinking that the following clips are examples of the kind of amazing sound you're referring to - the kind of 3D sounds that couldn't possibly be replicated with software?

(those are your comments?)

I'm confident I can nail any of those sounds using a decent software analogue synth emulation. And I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is. How about you?

It is ironic that this recent analog boom is happening right when software has gotten awesome. To me, it almost seems that people realized how much better DIVA is than their other softsynths and became interested in real analogs because of it. What we really need is a u-he DSP card.

[hakey]

It is ironic that this recent analog boom is happening right when software has gotten awesome. To me, it almost seems that people realized how much better DIVA is than their other softsynths and became interested in real analogs because of it.

Agree.

This is the thing - to my ears the Pulse 2 actually sounds pretty damn good. But so does Diva. In fact, putting the additional features to one side, I reckon it's possible to get *very* close to the basic tone of the Pulse 2 with Diva (though, I'm not so sure this would be the case with the Pulse 1).

I also suspect that a big part of the analogue magic is something like psychological suggestion. When someone knows that they're listening to a real analogue synth they hear the lovely analogue goodness - conversely, when they know it's a soft synth they hear the thin, 2D, flat, dead, digital sound (I know I'm as susceptible to this as the next man).

[faun2500]

Does the pulse 2 have the '2D' flat digital sound?

Do all software emulations have this '2D flat digital sound'?

Would I be right in thinking that the following clips are examples of the kind of amazing sound you're referring to - the kind of 3D sounds that couldn't possibly be replicated with software?

https://soundcloud.com/gryke/waldorf-pulse-2-extra-bits

https://soundcloud.com/gryke/waldorf-pulse-2

(those are your comments?)

What would you say if I were to claim that I could pretty much nail any of those sound using a decent software synth? (I think I can. )

I would say " go and talk to someone else because I am not interested".


I have been using softsynths for 10-15 years.


Thanks anyway.

[hakey]

I would say " go and talk to someone else because I am not interested".

Ah well, never mind.

[Acid Mitch]

What would you say if I were to claim that I could pretty much nail any of those sound using a decent software synth? (I think I can. )

One mans "pretty much nailed" is another mans pretty much failed.
Not that I'm knocking your programming skills , but you know how these things go ,lol.

I also suspect that a big part of the analogue magic is something like psychological suggestion.

I'm not sure about that. Maybe for some people , but there are analogue synths that some people don't like the sound of. Most people I know who are into analogue synths have ones they like and ones they don't. They don't just think everything analogue sounds amazing.

[chk071]

What does "2D flat digital sound" even mean? Sounds very esoteric... i suspect it means a more narrow frequency spectrum, but that's just a guess. As long as it isn't clear what is meant exactly, it's just hollow words, sorry. I have yet to come by the explanation why analogue synths should be superior to VA/softsynths which makes sense to me, because people tend to use very meaningless terms to describe the differences. Which makes me think that the percipience is quite irrational, when people are short of senseful words to describe it.

[faun2500]

I also suspect that a big part of the analogue magic is something like psychological suggestion.

If you think that I don't know what I know then I will tell you now you are wrong. I know the sound of good analogue synths. The have their own space in a mix, depth and livliness that I never got from softsynths. I can hear analogue synths in other producers music too and often can hear when only digital synths have been used.

Like I said, I have a lot ( I mean a lot) of experience using softsynths and I am not going to enter into the "analog vs digital" debate with you (or anyone).

Just so you don't think I am an analogue snob or something I use Alchemy, Massive, Iris and kontakt in nearly all my tracks. The pulse couldn't do anything that these amazing synths do but I have decided a while ago that analogue sounds sound better from analogue synths (not VA). I have mixed so many tracks over the years that I have found analogue synths to be easier to mix than software because software sounds flat/2d all from the same place. Analogue doesn't sound like that when you layered your bass, leads, pads, keys etc..

This is just my opinion. I don't really want to comment any more about it and I certainly wont enter in to any sill little "I can prove you wrong" contests.

[faun2500]

I would say " go and talk to someone else because I am not interested".

Ah well, never mind.

Sorry, just not interested. I could also create any patch here with my eyes closed. But that is missing the point.

[faun2500]

What does "2D flat digital sound" even mean? Sounds very esoteric... i suspect it means a more narrow frequency spectrum, but that's just a guess. As long as it isn't clear what is meant exactly, it's just hollow words, sorry. I have yet to come by the explanation why analogue synths should be superior to VA/softsynths which makes sense to me, because people tend to use very meaningless terms to describe the differences. Which makes me think that the percipience is quite irrational, when people are short of senseful words to describe it.

You right...



















It is esoteric!

[hakey]

Okay, let's not derail the thread any further.

faun2500 is sure that he can tell the difference between real analogue and a softsynth. I think he's as easily fooled as the rest of us. But that's for another day.

Back to the Pulse 2.