Acustica Audio debuts THING - Iconic '80s Synth Reimagined for a New Era

[fren--]

This thing sounds incredible to me personally! Never actually liked the hardware Jup 8 sound but this has its own thing going on. Love all the enhancements especially the stereo stuff. Reminds me of the UDO stuff. Really great!

[Jermusic]

Fantastic synth, if only it was EUR50 instead of EUR100...

[Jermusic]

THING is a synthesizer suite, offering polysynth power and analog-inspired sound modeling. Inspired by and faithfully recreates the essence of one of the most iconic synthesizers of the 1980s, it delivers legendary classic tones with modern features and flexible sound design, from massive pads to huge basses and searing leads. Available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats, ensuring integration with all major DAWs.


Crafting lush pads, powerful basses or searing leads

Advanced features like sub-frequency control, Superstereo and cross-modulation empower you to create anything from lush synthwave textures to bold experimental soundscapes. From earth-shaking basses to celestial pads, THING is here to redefine your sound.


Powerful Sound-Shaping Effects

The THING Suite offers a comprehensive and professional effects section inspired by Acustica Audio's acclaimed plugins. With tools like saturation, EQ, chorus, delay, and reverb, it delivers unmatched flexibility for shaping and enhancing your sound. Perfectly integrated, these effects ensure creative versatility and pristine audio quality for any music production.





Dual power, one suite

THING suite introduces two exceptional instruments designed to meet the diverse needs of music producers and sound designers: THING 8 (TH8) and THING 5 (TH5).


• THING 8 (TH8): Monumental sound, built for pros.
With eight voices and state-of-the-art functionality, TH8 delivers rich textures, incredible depth, and versatility.





TH8 GUI


• THING 5 (TH5): Streamlined simplicity.
TH5 offers the same iconic sound with a simplified interface, ideal for quick workflows without sacrificing quality.





TH5 GUI




Key Features

• Sub-frequency control: Perfectly crafted low-end precision (a feature absent in the original hardware).
• Superstereo functionality: Expands stereo fields for immersive spatial effects. Use it carefully, as high values can produce an extreme spatial effect that may overpower the mix.
• Cross-modulation: Creates futuristic sweeps and dynamic textures.
• Age control: Adds vintage warmth with analog-inspired imperfections.
• Advanced effects section: Featuring premium tools from Acustica’s renowned plugins.
• Over 500 presets: Designed by industry professionals for inspiration and creative exploration.
• CPU-friendly: It delivers high-quality sounds with low CPU usage for demanding projects.
• First in the Marea series: giving birth to Acustica Audio's new line of virtual instruments, setting a new standard in sound design.
• Revolutionary MUST technology: Modular Unified Synthesis Technology ensures ultra-low latency and exceptional sound quality.

About the technology

THING is powered by Acustica’s Modular Unified Synthesis Technology (MUST), which merges analog circuit behavior modeling with Acustica’s signature convolution-based approach. MUST provides unmatched realism, combining vintage authenticity with modern performance demands.
This innovative combination delivers exceptional sound quality and unmatched realism, providing cutting-edge functionality and dynamic responsiveness. With its state-of-the-art design, MUST establishes a new standard in virtual instrument synthesis, seamlessly blending the authenticity of vintage sound with the versatility and performance demands of modern music production.


Marea: Acustica's virtual instrument series

The Marea/B] line by Acustica Audio heralds a transformative era in virtual instruments, embodying the fluidity and dynamism of the ocean's currents. Just as the tide—"marea" in Italian—moves with natural elegance and power, this series is designed to seamlessly connect creativity and innovation in music production.
This innovative combination delivers exceptional sound quality and unmatched realism, providing cutting-edge functionality and dynamic responsiveness. With its state-of-the-art design, MUST establishes a new standard in virtual instrument synthesis, seamlessly blending the authenticity of vintage sound with the versatility and performance demands of modern music production.



Thing | Demo




Technical information:

• Supported formats: VST3, AAX, and AU.
• Compatible with Windows 10 and 11.
• Compatible with macOS 10.15 (Catalina) to macOS Sonoma (version 14.x).
• Intel, AMD, and ARM compatible.
• Native Apple Silicon support (Rosetta not supported).


Price and availability

Thing introductory price: €179 | 22% OFF until December 27, 2024 at 11:59 pm CET (reg. price €229)
Get it here!

Special offer: Enjoy an additional 44% off with code THSPECIAL at checkout!*
*This special coupon is not combinable with loyalty discounts and is perfect for users without a loyalty coupon or with a lower discount. Valid until December 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM (CET).


The product is at an introductory period for the first four weeks after release or until the first official version is released; this implies that the product may receive improvements, changes, or fixes available through Aquarius Desktop updates.

Try our FREE 30-Day Trial
Please remember that trials expire 30 days after authorization, and we strongly recommend not using trial products in commercial sessions or any important project.

Thing user's manual


Thing webpage: https://www.acustica-audio.com/shop/products/THING

THING 8 is one of the very best software synths I've ever heard but the price is very high. There seems to be 2 schools of thoughts right now in the plugin world.

In recent years, we have seen the rise of very affordable HIGH-QUALITY synths and FX (either at regular prices or very deep price discounts) from companies like Cherry Audio, UVI (some of their libraries), Native Instruments (the PLAY series of instruments and some other products), Universal Audio UAD (they were very expensive for a long time then their instruments and FX which are truly elite and world class level began to be sold at VERY LOW prices during their sales, becoming very democratic in the process), IK Multimedia (DEEP discounts on many of their flagship products), UJAM, AIR Music Technology (DEEP price cuts on their products) and Roland Cloud which introduced EARTH Piano at a $50 intro sale, Korg (some of their plugins like ARP Odyssey, M1, MS-20, PolySix etc...), Tracktion etc... These companies seem to aim at mass market prices for their synths and FX, selling them at similar prices (or cheaper) than many video games on Steam. They probably think - rightfully so - that by selling at low prices they can make up in volume and mass market synths the way PC games are mass sold.

Now I know that video games and software instruments and FX are very different types of software programs but the idea is that if you can sell cheaper plugins to a very large audience and sell lots of units you might be better off than to sell much fewer units at much higher prices.

You guys have to decide which camp you want to be into. You have every right to sell your products at high prices. Maybe you feel that lower prices lower the value of plugins and I respect that choice, after all there are premium hardware synths like UDO, Groove Synthesis etc..

I demoed THING 8 and it is absolutely fantastic but UAD PolyMAX is also fantastic and sold at a much lower price point when on sale to put things in perspective.

It's your call and you have made in THING 8 a masterpiece of a synth!

[Uncle E]

Might be nice if the versions were split into separate, lower priced products. This would also give Acustica valuable information about whether it's worth developing simplified versions in the future.

[prene]

THING 8 is one of the very best software synths I've ever heard but the price is very high. There seems to be 2 schools of thoughts right now in the plugin world.

In recent years, we have seen the rise of very affordable HIGH-QUALITY synths and FX (either at regular prices or very deep price discounts) from companies like Cherry Audio, UVI (some of their libraries), Native Instruments (the PLAY series of instruments and some other products), Universal Audio UAD (they were very expensive for a long time then their instruments and FX which are truly elite and world class level began to be sold at VERY LOW prices during their sales, becoming very democratic in the process), IK Multimedia (DEEP discounts on many of their flagship products), UJAM, AIR Music Technology (DEEP price cuts on their products) and Roland Cloud which introduced EARTH Piano at a $50 intro sale, Korg (some of their plugins like ARP Odyssey, M1, MS-20, PolySix etc...), Tracktion etc... These companies seem to aim at mass market prices for their synths and FX, selling them at similar prices (or cheaper) than many video games on Steam. They probably think - rightfully so - that by selling at low prices they can make up in volume and mass market synths the way PC games are mass sold.

Now I know that video games and software instruments and FX are very different types of software programs but the idea is that if you can sell cheaper plugins to a very large audience and sell lots of units you might be better off than to sell much fewer units at much higher prices.

You guys have to decide which camp you want to be into. You have every right to sell your products at high prices. Maybe you feel that lower prices lower the value of plugins and I respect that choice, after all there are premium hardware synths like UDO, Groove Synthesis etc..

I demoed THING 8 and it is absolutely fantastic but UAD PolyMAX is also fantastic and sold at a much lower price point when on sale to put things in perspective.

It's your call and you have made in THING 8 a masterpiece of a synth!

Well said. I support the ones who work hard. I rather have 1 working tool that does the job very well then hoard myself with crap.

Usually what happens is, it’ll take one person of upper echelon to show off what made a record successful during the production work and then all the neighsayers tone change.

[jamcat]

I've been pretty skeptical of Acustica Audio since, well forever. But this Thing sounds legit.

[Teksonik]

This question doesn't even make sense. It specifically says in your quoted text that it's convolution-based. The question itself makes it seem as if you don't know what convolution is.

The question made perfect sense if you actually think about it for a second. The FX could have been convolution based as are the other Acustica FX plugins but the synth itself not. Capice?

I asked a question and the company representative finally answered that the synth itself is sample based at least to some degree and people have a right to know that information. Especially on a forum where sample based synth emulations don't get much love.

I personally love sample based synthesis but tried the demo of this synth and did not like the sound at all. I found it unpleasant so I have deleted the demo and would like to move on if you'll stop quoting me.

There is no reason for me to return to this thread since I have no interest in the plugin.

[mcbpete]

The question made perfect sense if you actually think about it for a second. The FX could have been convolution based as are the other Acustica FX plugins but the synth itself not. Capice?

It does indeed seem quite small at under a gig for the whole instrument (effects and sounds), when Acustica's individual effect plugins are usually multiple gigs on their own

Though it samples Jupiter 4, 6 AND 8 the UVI version is 35Gig which is definitely more the size I was expecting this plugin to be. And even at that size I believe the effects and filter sections are algos rather than convolution

[Home Studio 87]

from Acustica :
THING is powered by a revolutionary technology known as Modular Unified Synthesis Technology (MUST).

MUST is a hybrid synthesis technology that integrates the precision of analog circuit behavior modeling with Acustica Audio’s signature convolution-based approach. It incorporates advanced features such as nonlinear convolution, dynamic Volterra series, and time-varying models to faithfully reproduce the complexities and nuances of analog hardware.

This innovative combination delivers exceptional sound quality and unmatched realism, providing cutting-edge functionality and dynamic responsiveness. With its state-of-the-art design, MUST establishes a new standard in virtual instrument synthesis, seamlessly blending the authenticity of vintage sound with the versatility and performance demands of modern music production.

[abducted]

The price of this "thing" is just as silly as its name.

[Uncle E]

It does indeed seem quite small at under a gig for the whole instrument (effects and sounds), when Acustica's individual effect plugins are usually multiple gigs on their own

Agreed. I have a feeling that the company representative misunderstood the question.

Furthermore, even if they are using samples, it's clearly not in the way that UVI does it where the entire patch is a sample. As you said, that would require a much larger sample library. It also contradicts their own product description.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

It does indeed seem quite small at under a gig for the whole instrument (effects and sounds), when Acustica's individual effect plugins are usually multiple gigs on their own

Agreed. I have a feeling that the company representative misunderstood the question.

Furthermore, even if they are using samples, it's clearly not in the way that UVI does it where the entire patch is a sample. As you said, that would require a much larger sample library. It also contradicts their own product description.

Perhaps they sampled the OSC waveforms, but then are doing tricks to modify them (free running, a drift/instability algorithm), along with their Volterra technology to capture the filter response, FX, etc.

My take on it is that this sounds like a processed synth at all times. Like it's not just the sound of the line outs and whatever on-board preamp, but it's also been run through a console desk, and a few other layers of saturation along the way - maybe even a touch of EQ to sweeten the highs. It's very unstable and lively (in a good way - my Prophet Rev 4 is beautifully detuned in a way that just doesn't sound as cool in other software - this is similar). But it's also got your typical Acustica weirdness/bugs (i.e. zippering on the master volume knob when MIDI controlled, numerous tuning issues reported and perhaps resolved, lots of crazy noises and behaviors when changing presets).

But fundamentally, that extra saturation/processing I'm hearing can't be turned off. It's impressive at first, but it's not subtle. I don't think a Jupiter-8 run into the line inputs of my audio interface is going to sound quite like this. Even with the Super Stereo off, Age at new, FX off, that "processed sound" is still there.

I can make Tal J-8 sound closer to Thing8 than I can the opposite. On the one hand, I think some people are hearing that and loving it. On the other, I think that makes it a little less versatile.

I do wish Patrick added fully free-running oscillators with drift to TAL J-8 as an option. But I still far prefer it to this. Tal J-8 sounds like a synth to me. Thing8 sounds like a synth on a laserdisc copy of an 80's movie soundtrack. My personal preferences lean towards J-8 but I wouldn't judge anyone for loving Thing8. I definitely hear the appeal.

[Uncle E]

Agreed on most points. Maybe it’s because I’m starting from the original Jupiter-8 patches, which don’t have SuperStereo or effects turned on. When I compare those to the same patches in J-8, they sound nearly the same.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Now, not to go entirely OT, but I gambled and took a shot recently on Aly James OB-Xtreme. That has a saturated, wide sound, with lots of detuned stuff happening like Thing8, but also just sounds like a FAT synth. It doesn't have that "your memory of 80's synths from TV and movies" (the Laserdisc Soundtrack) thing I was talking about with Thing8, but it does have that, "holy hell, this is a fat, wide, punchy synth" thing. I know there's no demo and that makes it a gamble, but I have 3 Aly James products (VSDSX, VPROM, and OB-XTreme) and they all sound excellent.

[kraster]

I think the thing is with a lot of Analog synths is that we remember them in the context of famous songs.

That's a very different animal to how the synths sounds "out of the box" so to speak.

I have a bunch of old analogue synths and they don't sound particularly impressive but when you have the right mix with the rights fx/processing they sing.

I have an Old Arp Odyssey for example and it sounds quite raspy on its own but when you want a synth to cut through a mix it delivers like nothing else

Personally the closest thing I've come across that brings you closest to the real thing are Softube's synths. They are as minimalist as the things they're attempting to emulate and barely make concessions to modernity but that's they're strength, imho. All the effort has gone into replicating the original, warts and all.