Anybody got a Plugiator yet ?

[hifiboom]

TiUser, as a scope user I have the vocodizer also.

I would describe it as following:

it gives
- very classic vocoding sounds
- somewhat old school
- sounds very analog and rough
- reminds very much to the old kraftwerk vocoder samples.

totally different to something like the roland v-synth vocoder/harmonizer, which

- does sound very modern
- has a good clarity to undertstand the speaken voice.
- sounds less robotic


just to get you a rough idea about the cw vocoder...

[TiUser]

Hi HiFiboom.

Thanks for your info.

From your description I think vocodizer is exactly what I am looking for. Kraftwerk-like, classic, old-school, analogue, that are keywords that fit into my expectations.

I already have a harmonizer in my workstation keyboard. There you can modify vocals on a more natural basis, add harmonies or shift pitch to mickey mouse... but that's not what I need or expect from a classic vocoder.

The only thing why I'm hesitating is that many "classic" vocoders simply don't sound right to my ears... just like a tin can...

It also seems to be that UsaAudio support don't quite understand themselves what vocodizer is able to do... while I was told vocodizer on plugiator has a very stripped down carrier based on lightwave - and different from scope version - I discovered a very full set of carrier parameters accessible via midi... via polyphonic AT... a strange method but often used if CC's run out

I think I am close to giving it a try...

Thanks so far for all opinions and support concerning vocodizer questions!

[hifiboom]

keep in mind that all cw stuff generally sounds very classic

if you like jean michelle jarre, kraftwerk, analog sounds, synth stuff,

you will be 100% happy with your purchase.

If you looking for something that does modern sounds, aggressive harsh stuff, the cw/sc/use audio stuff may be the wrong tools.


I love it personally!

basically the plugiator is an extremly stripped down scope environment without routing, effects, multitimrality, ....

but quite cheap for the quality of plug-ins ...

[TiUser]

Hi!

As far as I can see I agree to you - creamware did many oldschool oriented development and plugiator is a very samll platform for some of their stuff...

Guess why my nickname is TiUser... I already have the alternative stuff I like

Concerning plugiator I realized that it is the only box in the 350-400 bucks range that can vocode at all, because of the input!

The other two HW options in this price range have no audio input and are totally different things... named Blofeld (nowhere available right now) and V-Box (just coming end of the year)...

...and just to finsh with, the plugiator is really not the sexiest box around... LOL

[hifiboom]

yeah I hate the plastic look too. lol

you can't have everything, especially for the price.

[TiUser]

OK, agreed.

Whished my home was in britain... the mailorder price is 349€ there... 20 bucks less than here, same shop... asked myself why is this so... tax difference is far less and shipment cost even higher

Got some more info from UseAudio. The guys do really their best, also my questions are sometimes challenging Considering the price point of the box it's really remarkable.

Hope service will keep on going that way.

[muswellhillbilly]

So it it also possible to have an "Plugiator"-Keboards version:

Combine this:

http://www.use-audio.com/asx.htm

with this:

http://www.cme-pro.com/products-list/pr ... 07080.html


Maybe an option...



Harry

[TiUser]

Indeed, this is another option!
Go for it and report how you like it

...help not another keyboard for me... ...got enough keys already...

The box is not sexy , but it's ok for me if it does sound well

[TiUser]

Hi Folks...
just ordered the box this minute...
let's see what happens next...
Thanks for all the helpful info provided here.

[buscemi]

For anybody looking into these, note that there are two Pro12 samples here that are not linked from the audio demos page: http://www.use-audio.com/downloads/

[TiUser]

Hi Folks.

Here it is, sitting in front of me, the plugiator... well, to start with I have mixed feelings... IMHO this box isn't finished yet.

While the driver runs ok on my notebook, it doesn't on my PC, no clue why.

A stand alone box for the live performer? LOL - No way!

Ok, switching plugins takes some seconds, but that's not the real problem. What I really dislike are glitches when changing sounds - instead of muting for instance. That's definitely thumb down for life use.

If one switches to B4000 you get a nice bunch of rumble... but who cares, the B4000 sounds like a cheesy home organ. Maybe it models tonewheels and some noise of the original, but it can't do roaring rock monsters... it's always on the "polite", soft side. The overdrive is not worth the name and the lag of cabinet modelling and the other stuff that really shapes the sound of a Hammond is simply missing. More? There is zipper noise with the volume control knob! (both in the PC Gui and on the box itself)... B4000 is definitely the first candidate to delete from it's slot!

Ok, let's get Minimax a try. Beside the fact that I ask myself why this unflexible Moog thing is so demanded by many people, I have to admit that the filters are really special and do not disappoint. Anyway, live tweaks? Ok, try to change the delay time on the box while playing some notes... worst zipper noise I've ever heard...

What about Lightwave... a bit better technically I think, couldn't find serious flaws in a couple of minutes. The sound is interesting, the filters again perfom nice. The sound is "digital" so far - not what I am lurging for with such a box - but that's of course a matter of taste.

So, do I register to get Vocodizer, the thing I initially wanted?

I am not sure... First, at the moment I can't register, because the driver doesn't work on my internet PC... second, if I register, I can't return the box to the dealer for refund... but the latter seems to be a serious option, because I feel like a beta tester at the moment! I bet I will find bugs in vocodizer in 5 minutes as well... never had any audio device where it was so easy and obvious to find bug for bug...

At the moment my thumb goes deeply down for this box, sorry...
...and I am really willing to take compromises, but this simply looks to bad...

[buscemi]

Thanks for the honest first impressions. Might be Receptor w/ Komplete for me. Obviously a bit more expensive and different (more robust, though) but seems more mature.

[TiUser]

Thanks for the honest first impressions. Might be Receptor w/ Komplete for me. Obviously a bit more expensive and different (more robust, though) but seems more mature.

Receptor is not only "a bit" more expensive... LOL... it' a totally different thing. You also have to consider the price for the plugins or get "komplete" as you point out...

Additionally I am not sure if there are great analogue plugs for receptor... the whole bunch of Arturia stuff doesn't run with it for instance...

If you are not in a hurry, wait for the SMProAutio V-Box... This thing is another chance for running VSTi's on a small portable platform. The promise is you don't need transformed plugin code... VSTi's for PC should run on it as tehy are.

Concerning Plugiator I have not finally decided yet but it's honest to say that if you can't work around some restrictions for yourself it is a vague investment... I would not recommend it to anyone who looks for a main, a master instrument... but it can fill possibly some gap... I am still hot for the vocoder... and because I intend to plug it to the mic/aux inputs of my workstation that provides additional effects like distortion, reverb and chorus the B4000 might be usable for instance... There are for sure some more things I will check out... but that will take more time. The mic input seems to be a bit noisy - no problem for vocoding - and my keyboard has a noisegate for the mic input too... but it's another thing to consider...

It's with plugiator as with all gear... noone can do wonders and you get what you pay for... it's often that simple... I don't regret any dime spent on my virus TI... most tell it expensive but you get an excellent piece of gear with a lot of functionallity an processing power - means more polyphony either. TO get the same with other components you might need at least two plugiators, an audio interface an midi interface and some more stuff that would be hardly less expensive all together - except with much less comfort to tie all that stuff together... so price sometimes also becomes a very relative thing...

Anyway, Plugiator is a risk because noone can say at the moment how service and bugfixes will work out in future...

But I have not only criticism for plugiator, I have to say that the sounds of Minimax and Lightwave itself are very good and appealing. I guess Pro12 and Prodyssey are of similar quality.

Switching sounds live while playing without glitches is an old problem... most gear does it ok with the sound itself, but often there remain glitches with the effects... to be honest, it is an issue with most modules and keyboards... It's one of the things I check early with new gear... The only synth I can confirm very perfect changes is the Virus TI in singe patch mode. Not sure about the multi mode either... Some manufacturers start now addressing this, like Rolands new G Workstations series... it works, but well, if you look behind the scenes how Roland achieves it, it is less thrilling... It's not more than changing internal midi channels to another set of sounds in a multi soundset - so it's kind of no change at all - at least it is no realtime change...

[buscemi]

Receptor is not only "a bit" more expensive... LOL... it' a totally different thing. You also have to consider the price for the plugins or get "komplete" as you point out...

Additionally I am not sure if there are great analogue plugs for receptor... the whole bunch of Arturia stuff doesn't run with it for instance...

If you are not in a hurry, wait for the SMProAutio V-Box... This thing is another chance for running VSTi's on a small portable platform. The promise is you don't need transformed plugin code... VSTi's for PC should run on it as tehy are.

I appreciate that and know but it I don't buy gear based on price - if it is worth what they are asking and does the job then my wallet opens. I don't mind the price of the Receptor and pointed out myself that it is different but I'd rather just get much more and pay for something more mature.

Also, I'm not really going to wait for the 1.0 V-box, not because it is 1.0 (obviously so is Plugiator) but because they seem to (and as referenced in other threads extensively) seem to be making promises about compatibility that they're unlikely to be able to keep. I'd rather have my expectations set in a realistic way by a company and have them overshoot them - not promise universal compatibility and they'll likely fall flat on their faces with that. The Receptor isn't perfect either, but I'll probably buy it before Plugiator (and can see Plugiator in my future) but not likely to by the V-box or whatever for a lonnnnng while after seeing what it really can do instead of what they say it can do.

[TiUser]

Hi,
I usually also don't care much what the mainstream opinion is...

As I said in an earlier reply, any dime on a piece of gear that does not do what you want it to do is lost, regardless if it is rated cheap, expensive, en vogue or whatever...

I only can add some more thoughts on my personal decision process.

I already have the basic gear I want. What I am up to is only filling some gaps and that does not really need much hurry.

My problem with plugiator is, I can't check out vocodizer... to do so I have to decide to finally keep it. But what I actually can see and hear is not finally convincing... So I ask myself: shall I take that risk? On the other hand I don't want to spent a lot for a vocoder either.

The B4000 is simply disappointing and no reason to buy a plugiator.

The platform itself gets you what you've paid... There are some backdraws for life use and tweaking. One can't rely on bugfixes... Without computer the thing is basically a single part preset module - no split, layer, mutlimode at all - maybe the most vintage aspect about this box... Ok, you can modify everything via midi cc's if you own and map a huge controller... and it needs no tuning

Minimax and Lightwave sound ok and so I guess do Pro12 and Prodyssey. But if one is more into that, just one instance selected out of these is for sure disappointing too... and buying more than one plugiator (including new licences of the missing plugins) is for me beond any serious conscience...

I have to sleep that over and do some more checks, but I think its obvious that a plugiator is no makes you happy allover solution...