FXpansion releases Cypher2

[Stefken]

Hey,

The skin is still under development but you are welcome to try it in it's current state.
(I still have to read my first word of the manual, so I might have missed a few things;).

You find the skin in the attached zipfile. After 'installation' you'll find an extra theme "StefkenDark" in the dropdown.

You'll find 4 files in the zip. You have to copy these to the resources dir (@pdxindy: this is where the skin resources files are located).
For PC that is : C:\Program Files (x86)\FXpansion\Cypher2\Resources.
For Mac: /Library/Application Support/FXpansion/Cypher2

The 4 files are:
DefaultStyles_StefkenDark.skin
DefaultStyles_StefkenDark.skin_defs
These will change the colors. If you only want to change the colors, only copy these files over.

SynthEngine.skin
VoiceSettingsH.skin
These will introduce some structural changes. Copy and overwrite them in the resources dir. (Original files were protected/read only so your probably have to change that before you can overwrite. )
Note: currently these files will also change some knobs to a less flattering style in the existing skins.
That's because these new files use styles that are unknown to the existing skins, and then these existing skins revert to another knob style.

The subdir "Restore" holds the original "SynthEngine.skin" and "VoiceSettingsH.skin" files so you can restore them if you want to.

StefkenDark.zip

[fisherKing]

Hey,

The skin is still under development but you are welcome to try it in it's current state.
(I still have to read my first word of the manual, so I might have missed a few things;).

You find the skin in the attached zipfile. After 'installation' you'll find an extra theme "StefkenDark" in the dropdown.

You'll find 4 files in the zip. You have to copy these to the resources dir (@pdxindy: this is where the skin resources files are located).
For PC that is : C:\Program Files (x86)\FXpansion\Cypher2\Resources. I don't have a Mac but you should look for something similar in the location of your applications.

The 4 files are:
DefaultStyles_StefkenDark.skin
DefaultStyles_StefkenDark.skin_defs
These will change the colors. If you only want to change the colors, only copy these files over.

SynthEngine.skin
VoiceSettingsH.skin
These will introduce some structural changes. Copy and overwrite them in the resources dir. (Original files were protected/read only so your probably have to change that before you can overwrite. )
Note: currently these files will also change some knobs to a less flattering style in the existing skins.
That's because these new files use styles that are unknown to the existing skins, and then these existing skins revert to another knob style.

The subdir "Restore" holds the original "SynthEngine.skin" and "VoiceSettingsH.skin" files so you can restore them if you want to.

StefkenDark.zip

thanx for this! will prob wait a bit, am working all weekend (and not prepared for any surprises). am on a mac, so, once i get to it, will report back...

[HunterKiller]

That thing is hideous. Skeuomorphism is terrible. I'm glad FXpansion doesn't take aesthetic advice from KVR, sheesh.

But that's only your point of view, what you prefer is incredibly hideous to me. I am glad I don't have to get C2, because soundwise it offers nothing I have not been able to do for close to 2 decades, and gui-wise it is pretty absonant.

There is no denying that Lush 101 looks far more beautiful and immediately relateable in comparison to Cypher 2, or say.... Rob Papen's Predator 2 - both of which have fallen prey to the the cult of lazy graphic design, called minimalistic flatness. C2, even being a vector gui synth, far more artistry could have been guiding it, especially through such a long design period, but it simply isn't it there. Especially since the company wanted to show off non-standard synth sounds, closer to traditional acoustic.

Skeuomorphism has nothing to do with worshipping the superiority of hardware, or trying to make software something that it isn't, as Angus stated, that's a wrong interpretation. Some people just like a look that looks like it was made by competent adults who have years of graphic design behind them, NOT a gui that was knocked up by 7 year old kids in one afternoon. That's what minimalism is - it is incomplete and uncultured.

This is only commentating on the gui, the sound/features are top notch - in case anyone cannot control their emotions.

[lastmessiah]

There is no denying that Lush 101 looks far more beautiful and immediately relateable in comparison to Cypher 2, or say.... Rob Papen's Predator 2

Sure there is. In fact I will deny it right now and continue to do so.

[fisherKing]

these things are so subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions, so, it's hard to understand when people insist their point-of-view is the only one.

we like the GUIs we like; some of us prefer a simpler, modern look. so, we have choices; in what a synth sounds like, functions like, looks like; costs.

cypher2 is my new fave synth plugin, because the sound matters most; i like it's look too tho.

[plexuss]

these things are so subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions, so, it's hard to understand when people insist their point-of-view is the only one.

And then there are people like me who dont really care what the GUI is like and is more concerned with the audio quality and general architecture of the synth/effect - features and functions that make sense and enhance workflow.

[Gamma-UT]

That thing is hideous. Skeuomorphism is terrible. I'm glad FXpansion doesn't take aesthetic advice from KVR, sheesh.

But that's only your point of view, what you prefer is incredibly hideous to me.

That's pretty self-evident. That...thing you posted can't even make its mind up about the knob design. You've got '70s anodised aluminium in its glory at top and bottom with some cheap moulded plastic last seen on a Fostex mixer in the late '80s. The orb thing is kinda pretty if not all that functional though. So there's that.

[drewfx]

That would be very heavy on the CPU...

I don't see why it should be any worse than unison mode or, you know, actually playing the voices.

Each instance of Cypher would be using all assigned voices at all times... regardless of whether one were playing notes.

Yes, but why do I care?

It's perhaps a YMMV issue depending on how one works and how much CPU they have to spare, but if my CPU couldn't handle playing X voices and/or I didn't need X voices I could/would just reduce the voice parameter. From my perspective I don't care if a synth is using that CPU because I need that much CPU headroom available if I were to actually play the voices anyway. Again, YMMV.

[fisherKing]

these things are so subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions, so, it's hard to understand when people insist their point-of-view is the only one.

And then there are people like me who dont really care what the GUI is like and is more concerned with the audio quality and general architecture of the synth/effect - features and functions that make sense and enhance workflow.

i actually care about what the plugin looks like, because i'm spending hours staring at (and interacting with) it. but sound is of course the single most important thing, and i will take a great-sounding but ugly-looking plugin over the opposite any day.

[Angus_FX]

Very impressive work @Stefken! Kudos for figuring it all out so quickly.

How do others feel about the contrast balance between the fader heads / knobs and the background? It's a little low for my taste (not so easy to instantly eyeball values), but may be OK under low light?

Mac users who want to try Stefken's skin - the files to replace are in:

/Library/Application Support/FXpansion/Cypher2

Hope this helps,
Angus.

[cron]

That would be very heavy on the CPU...

I don't see why it should be any worse than unison mode or, you know, actually playing the voices.

Each instance of Cypher would be using all assigned voices at all times... regardless of whether one were playing notes.

Yes, but why do I care?

It's perhaps a YMMV issue depending on how one works and how much CPU they have to spare, but if my CPU couldn't handle playing X voices and/or I didn't need X voices I could/would just reduce the voice parameter. From my perspective I don't care if a synth is using that CPU because I need that much CPU headroom available if I were to actually play the voices anyway. Again, YMMV.

Madrona Labs' synths work like this, although in their case it's because the concept of note-on/note-off (as most of us understand it) doesn't really exist throughout their product line. It'd be nice to have this kind of behaviour offered as a switchable option, but I can see why FXpansion might be hesitant to implement such a mode because Madrona are relentlessly mocked on KVR for CPU consumption. First impressions count, and when people see a silent init patch chewing through CPU cycles, many won't stick around long enough to realise that it's also the highest they'll ever see the CPU meter go.

[pdxindy]

That would be very heavy on the CPU...

I don't see why it should be any worse than unison mode or, you know, actually playing the voices.

Each instance of Cypher would be using all assigned voices at all times... regardless of whether one were playing notes.

Yes, but why do I care?

It's perhaps a YMMV issue depending on how one works and how much CPU they have to spare, but if my CPU couldn't handle playing X voices and/or I didn't need X voices I could/would just reduce the voice parameter. From my perspective I don't care if a synth is using that CPU because I need that much CPU headroom available if I were to actually play the voices anyway. Again, YMMV.

Sure.. that may work for you... but lots of people would rather not have 6 instances of a synth overloading their cpu when there isn't even a note playing.

One of the reasons people can use a bunch of instances of a synth at once in a project is because they aren't playing all the notes of all instances at the same time.

I love the sound quality of Kaivo (works as you are describing)... but it is a pain to work with multiple instances.

I don't mind if Cypher had such an option that was per instance. And off by default.

[fisherKing]

stefken, skin looks really good here (mac, logic X); for me too, some adapting to new placements. but am gonna stick with it for a while, see how it goes. please keep us posted if you update/fix things! but it's a good look...

[rod_zero]

Another skeumorphism vs minimalism war? And the skeu's think they design as adults?

LOL

[Stefken]

stefken, skin looks really good here (mac, logic X); for me too, some adapting to new placements. but am gonna stick with it for a while, see how it goes. please keep us posted if you update/fix things! but it's a good look...

Thanks . Keep me posted on your observations.

Myself, i'm going to read the manual and use the synth and the skin.
And see how some design decisions work out. Because the proof is ...in the eating.