UAD PolyMAX - This thing is Sick

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Diva$209.00Buy Repro$169.00Buy UADx PolyMAX Synthesizer

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sacer wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 12:35 pm I bought some nice presets from Audiotent and Zahev. They sound much better than the factory presets, but i haven't tweaked my own presets yet. I have to many synths. Thats why I want to compensate the UAD synths, but if Massive can replicate the opal synth, than i'll dive deeper into Massive X. Dune3 can also sound very analog.

Have you compared Massive X against U-He Repro-5 and Gforce OB-E ?

https://www.audiotent.com/presets/elusive/
I certainly have. I have a P5rev4 actually. I highly regard Repro but when I compare it to the actual hardware synth, I expect it (hoping for it) to sound the same, but always somewhat get disappointed. It’s so hard to explain. If you just compare the elements separately, like the OSC, filter, envelopes, it sounds so close sometimes identical. But it in the context of a mix it sits differently (no preamp, no DI, straight into DAW). I don’t understand.

That’s where Massive X comes in to the picture. It sits in the mix as my hardware synth. I can’t put my hands on it, don’t know what it is about. Still love Repro though. It’s always a debate between the 2 to be honest. Massive X has an edge in sound, but Repro is much quicker to tweak, especially of you are used to the hardware.

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Lbdunequest wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 12:53 pm I personaly find PolyMax very roland sounding, particulary Jupiter and Juno. It has that round/plasticy/clean sound (not sure how else to describe). From alternatives Super 8 by NI is somewhat similar.

Also you can do Jupiter/Juno very well with Massive X.
I so understand what you mean by the roland sound. That’s how I describe it as well.

I’ve got Juno 60 and 106 modelled into Massive X. It sounds really good, dare I say better then other 60/106 emulations minus the chorus, which I never use anyway. It’s just it hasn’t got that infamous IR3109 modelled..

Man I wish NI put more effort into expanding the options with Massive X and Blocks

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wangeroge wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 2:22 am The PolyMAX is so tiny and has no resize option, right? Should I play that with a magnifying glass? The plugin is only a month old! Or do I miss something?
It has resize now - they all do.

Also the CPU efficiency for the sound quality is fantastic. I am running it at a 64 buffer at 96hz and it isn't making a dent on my CPU meter and no crackles. It sounds really creamy.

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Last edited by Vortifex on Sat May 24, 2025 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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100-200% in 25% increments

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This synth is really, really good.

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Most sounds I could reproduce on Tal mod.
Only the presets with unison, phaser, flanger and pan voice spreading aren’t replicable, and some FM presets. But if you compare Polymax to TAL-MOD, 90 percentage of all polymax presets sounds identical, like they have used TaL-Mod as soundenengine, and have build in some advanced FM and Unisono.

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I've made a NKS version for this now with tagged presets, mapped controls and previews all ready for use in Komplete Kontrol

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cl6gcgqw7f0il ... S.zip?dl=0

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sacer wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:36 am Most sounds I could reproduce on Tal mod.
Only the presets with unison, phaser, flanger and pan voice spreading aren’t replicable, and some FM presets. But if you compare Polymax to TAL-MOD, 90 percentage of all polymax presets sounds identical, like they have used TaL-Mod as soundenengine, and have build in some advanced FM and Unisono.
I couldn't disagree more. I'm amazed how people hear things differently. UA is a hell of a lot more rich and organic sounding imo. Almost hardware like. To each their own.

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I hear it the opposite way: PolyMax sounds very, very clean. Even the FX. Like the VCA's and VCF's are not overdriving anywhere and are just clean as a whistle. Same for the FX.

I don't begrudge anyone for liking the sound of PolyMax. But I just didn't find it particularly interesting.

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I find it a decent synth but indeed for me not in the same league like the u-he Repro or Tal J-8 or the softube stuff etc.
rsp
sound sculptist

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mholloway wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:18 am
EvilDragon wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:00 am And isn't subscription!
PolyMax can be bought for 199 USD. It's not subscription only.
What a bargain, I'll have two. And so incredible compared to the likes of Zebra2, Spire, Hive, The Legend, etc.etc. (Sarcasm)

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Purchased this yesterday after demoing for 15 minutes.
It's an amazing synth. Love it.

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$100 / €108 currently
Brzzzzzzt.

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Raddler1 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 4:22 pm
sacer wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:36 am Most sounds I could reproduce on Tal mod.
Only the presets with unison, phaser, flanger and pan voice spreading aren’t replicable, and some FM presets. But if you compare Polymax to TAL-MOD, 90 percentage of all polymax presets sounds identical, like they have used TaL-Mod as soundenengine, and have build in some advanced FM and Unisono.
I couldn't disagree more. I'm amazed how people hear things differently. UA is a hell of a lot more rich and organic sounding imo. Almost hardware like. To each their own.
I mean with identical they sound the same, have you ever tried TAL Audio ?

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