So. How are you getting on with Tone2 Saurus...

[Ingonator]

I wrote a review on Saurus here: http://www.aiynzahev-sounds.com/2/post/ ... aurus.html

Let me know what you guys think of it. I wanted to do it in more detail than you can here, but I will post a cut down version at some point.

Nice review indeed, i also like the waveforms comparisons.

About Dance/Trance. There will be an official expansion/bank for that soon...


Ingo

[4damind]

I wrote a review on Saurus here: http://www.aiynzahev-sounds.com/2/post/ ... aurus.html

Let me know what you guys think of it. I wanted to do it in more detail than you can here, but I will post a cut down version at some point.

Nice review, also some interesting points like this waveform comparisons

[Aiynzahev]

Thanks guys. I thought the waveform comparison was interesting, it shows the Tone2 did give us a completely new saw-tooth algorithm with Saurus and it's vary authentic. It also shows to me that analog emulations in general are not just marketing speech, at least in the examples I had.

Sylenth1 is a very precise saw-tooth and Largo and V-station looked much the same, though a tad sharper.

The analog emulations have all kinds of different shapes.

[PietW.]

When I make music I listen more to my ears like what I see with my eyes.

[core]

I also did a short review of Saurus at http://rekkerd.org/review-tone2-saurus- ... r-plug-in/
Enjoyed this synth quite a bit!

[Ingonator]

I just added several audio demos at this thread:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=358986

As soon as i do some more audio demos (and i made enough presets for doing several more...) i'll maybe start my own thread about it.

----------------------------------
UPDATE:
Here is a copy of the audio demos:


Hi,

some time ago i had created small audio demos for all of my presets which are included in the official "Analog" expansion/soundset for Tone2 Saurus.

Those demos use a single preset and no external FXs were used.

Here are the audio demos (all of them WAV files) of 28 of my own favorite presets from my Saurus presets in the "Analog" bank:

Saurus Preset Demo_Rez Arp

Saurus Preset Demo_Tremolo Arp

Saurus Preset Demo_Acidic Saurus 2

Saurus Preset Demo_Catherine Bass

Saurus Preset Demo_Chainsaw Bass

Saurus Preset Demo_Horny Saurus

Saurus Preset Demo_JP8 Low Brass

Saurus Preset Demo_Oxygene 4 Brass

Saurus Preset Demo_Cosy PWM Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Dreamy Saw Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Epic Strings

Saurus Preset Demo_Influx Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Reso Sweep Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Saulina

Saurus Preset Demo_Swell Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Vox Humania

Saurus Preset Demo_Bell Morph Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Bellish Vox Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Fat Rez Lead

Saurus Preset Demo_Full Feedback

Saurus Preset Demo_High Sky

Saurus Preset Demo_Abacab Fifths

Saurus Preset Demo_Rockford

Saurus Preset Demo_Singing Triangles

Saurus Preset Demo_Sizzle

Saurus Preset Demo_Chorused Wurly

Saurus Preset Demo_Electric Grand 2

Saurus Preset Demo_Tremolo Wurly

In some of those realtime modulation like e.g. Aftertouch or manual change of the Cutoff was used (e.g. first demo)

All of those presets are included here:
http://www.tone2.com/html/analog.html



It's no secret that Saurus is one of my favorite synths. So far i have created around 150+ presets with it. Maybe i'll do a few more audio demos soon.


Here is one demo of a preset inspired by a Jupiter 8 pad/strings sound:
Saurus JP-8 Mellow Strings


I have found that the low end of Saurus could be improved by using an external EQ like e.g. Stillwell Audio VibeQ.

Here are 2 demos of a full track (using only my own Saurus presets including the drums) first without and then with an EQ:
Oxygene 4 Saurus Remix (no FX)

Oxygene 4 Saurus Remix (with EQ)

Not all of those presets are included in the soundbank mentioned above but maybe in future soundbanks.
BTW that track was not supposed to sound exactly like the original song!


UPDATE:
some more examples:

Abacab Saurus Remix (no FX)

Abacab Saurus Remix (with EQ)

All sounds from Saurus except the drums which are from NI Battery 3.
Again that track was not supposed to sound exactly like the original song!

ElecTronic Saurus

3 instance of Saurus, drums are from the "Drums" expansion/soundset for Tone2 ElectraX.



Most of the links above contain WAV files for better quality. In several browser like e.g. Safari for Windows (which i use) the tracks could be played directly. If you want to download the WAV files you could use "Save as..." from the right click menu.



Ingo

[V0RT3X]

*edit* nvm

[V0RT3X]

I bought this on the KVR Market place just recently and Im finding it quite different from my other VA synthesizers.

I already own DCAM Synthsquad, DIVA, ACE, Twin2, Tyrell and I really find that Saurus adds a new sound to what I already have.

It also does great Brass sounds! Reminds me of the Oberheim stuff.

[osiris]

Just trancealiciously.....

[Ingonator]

As Saurus seems to be still quite underrated and some people don't really seem to get what's so special about it i want to do a list of some features based on both the specs sheet and my own experiences:

- Oscillators:

Besides all the usual waveforms each waveform could be morphed/crossfaded to a second one using the PW knob (could be also modulated with e.g. LFo and/or envelope).
Besides the "usual" PWM using a Square/Pulse you could also get some really new kind of sounds. E.g. with the Saw wave you morph to a double saw.

Each Oscillator got a Sub-Osc with a mixer knob for adjusting the Osc/Sub-Osc amount. Those Sub-Osc's got different waveforms and different octaves. Some even add two additional oscillators with different octaves.
This way with using all oscillators plus Sub-Osc's and e.g. a double Saw from the Saw PW amount you could produce a sound with up to 8 detuned saws.

A waveform morph (with PW modulation):
Saurus Preset Demo_Bell Morph Pad


- Noise:

There are two Noise sources both from the oscillator section ("F/A Noise") and the mod matrix. In the mod matrix you could assign a "Const" value to the "noise Vol" parameter to add a "normal" Noise to the sound.

The Hi-Hat sound in this song was done using the Noise source in the mod matrix:
Oxygene 4 Saurus Remix (with EQ)


- Osc Drift:

With this feature you could add some "instabilities to the sound which is most useful when using two oscillators.


- "Tone" knob (Osc section):

This knob/value has a big impact on the basic sound of the oscillator. If you go from 0 to -100 the sound will become "darker" and/or "smoother" and between 0 and +100 it will become brighter or more "harsh". this way you could also emulate an additional HP filter...

You could do some really warm sounds with Saurus:
Saurus Preset Demo_Cosy PWM Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Dreamy Saw Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Influx Pad

Saurus Preset Demo_Horny Saurus

Saurus Preset Demo_Oxygene 4 Brass


- Filters:

There are several different modes including different LP filters, HPF, BPF, Notch and a Formant/Peak filter. The sound of the last one is quite unique and could not be reproduced with the other filter modes.
Both Lowpass filters could sound quite different, especially when Resonance is applied to them.
With the "Soft" Resonance switch you get a totally different resonance behavior for a less !squelchy" (or ear piercing) sound.

With the "Feedback" amount you could create some really "crazy" sounds. Here is a demo of a preset using the full feedback amount:

Saurus Preset Demo_Full Feedback

A Rez sweep pad:
Saurus Preset Demo_Reso Sweep Pad


- Osc Sync:

This could be used for doing "typical" Sync sounds or some crazy stuff when using different waveforms and/or waveform PWM. The third envelope in Saurus is very useful for pitch modulation in Sync sounds and/or for morphing a waveform.


- Ring modulation:

I have used this only rarely so far but you could get some interesting sounds with this.


- "Boost" button:

This adds an EQ with "Psychoacoustic" modeling. Depending on the sound it could boost the low and/or high frequencies. In some cases the result is not as wanted (e.g. too much high frequencies but too few low frequencies) which is why for some cases using an external EQ is a better choice at the moment.
In a future update this could be maybe solved by either adding a simple EQ or a "Bass boost" feature.


- Unison:

With using the 2 voice Unison and the Stereo spread (the "Pan" knob in this case) you could get some really fat and/or "broad" sounds. Works also nicely in combination with the Chorus FX.
BTW as Saurus is quite CPU efficient even with 4 voices unison you should not max out your CPU, depending on how many voices you use (e.g. 8 or 16).
The number of voices which is set in the GUI is independent of the Unison which means with 8 voices and 4 voice Unison you use up to 4 x 8 = 32 "real" voices.

example:
Saurus Preset Demo_Epic Strings


- LFOs:

Besides the "basic features" both LFOs got a freqency range of 0.06 Hz up to 440.12 Hz which means you could do "audio rate modulation" with those!


- FXs:
Both the Chorus and the Reverb sound quite nice and "musical" IMO.
I have only a small experience with the Delay so far but it could sound quite nice too.


- Arpeggiator:

I have used this only rarely with my own presets but it could be really powerful based on the sounds i have seen by others. You could also assign the Arp pattern to any modulation destination.



That's it for the moment. I will maybe add more info soon.



Additional Saurus soundsets:

For additional Saurus soundsets you could check here:

http://www.tone2.com/html/sounds.html

http://www.electric-himalaya.com/tone2_ ... _bank.html

More soundsets are currently in progress.

Additional audio demos:
At the websites above or in one of my last posts at this page.



Ingo

[Ingonator]

Hi,

the new "Top Of The Clubs" soundset/expansion for Tone2 Saurus is out:

http://tone2.com/html/top_of_the_clubs.html


I have sent my contribution quite late but a few of my sounds made it into the final selection (those marked with "IW"). I made a lot more which will either released with other official expansions or as part of a "signature bank" which i plan for the future.


Ingo

[fisherKing]

my demo is in there (06:09)..nice! it's a great soundset, for a great plugin.

[zvenx]

For me, it still isn't grabbing me in a way and purpose I think it was designed for, I use it occasionally for stuff that I would sometimes use Electra-X for....but dont' quite find the right sound.. yes I know someone will show me the tech info that they are completely different, but it still doesn't grab me for analog vintage stuff, so I use it for more modern sounds like I use Electra-X
rsp

[satYatunes]

oh.. did I miss the announcement somewhere? most of my presets made it. It really is a great soundset and shows the power of this plugin.

[Ingonator]

oh.. did I miss the announcement somewhere? most of my presets made it. It really is a great soundset and shows the power of this plugin.

here it is:
http://www.tone2.org/forum/index.php?topic=1201.0


Ingo