KVR Audio

RedCyan · Post by **RedCyan** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:13 pm

I've been playing around with the Serum demo, and it doesn't seem to really do much more than Synthmaster. Is there something I'm missing? Should I just save my $190 for something else?
Edit: Yeah, it's worth it.

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:37 pm

It's best to have both, Serum offers up a different sound.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:42 pm

Synthmaster and Serum are very different. In all domains. You should probably demo Serum/

kv331 · Post by **kv331** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:06 pm

Lotuzia wrote:Synthmaster and Serum are very different. In all domains. You should probably demo Serum/

In ALL domains

WOW. When was the last time you checked out SynthMaster Laurent? version 2.0?

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:30 pm

RedCyan wrote:I've been playing around with the Serum demo, and it doesn't seem to really do much more than Synthmaster. Is there something I'm missing? Should I just save my $190 for something else?

I've never used Synthmaster, but I'll just say that Serum is probably one of the best wavetable synths I've ever used. I really don't think you'd be disappointed if you bought it.

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:36 pm

Excellent synth, you might have troubles in Cubase. Once it's working it's fantastic.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:39 pm

To answer the OPs question before this thread gets derailed anymore than it already has, Serum and Synthmaster are two different synths with two different sounds. I have them both and love them both. It's not an either or for me. I use them for different things. When I want some nice mellow pads or analog like leads, I'll go to Synthmaster, When i want something a little more exotic and even harsh sounding, I'll go to Serum. I find Synthmaster warmer and Serum more "digital" and defined.

Is there some overlap between the two? Sure, just like there is between many synths. But if you told me I had to give up one of these synths, I'd fight to keep them both. They are two of the few synths I've designed sound libraries for and I own hundreds of VSTs.

My 2 cents for whatever they're worth.

Pyrotek45 · Post by **Pyrotek45** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:41 pm

Sampleconstruct wrote:What's the topic of this thread again? Dev vs. customer or Serum vs. Synthmaster or Popcorn vs. ?

I don't even know anymore. To add to the conversation, I am a fan of Synthmaster, but Serum is in its own league of soft synths. the way you can create your own wave-tables and mangle them is revolutionary to me. Its envelopes and modulation system is extremely more powerful. The GUI of Serum is brilliant as it gives great feedback to the user whether it's the modulation amounts on the knobs (like massive) or the very detailed view of the wave-tables. The very useful sub that has a direct out (very nice), or the awesome noise osc which is a very cool sample player that can be tuned in real-time. The extremely cool filters and some filters that are unique to Serum or the massively powerful distortion-shaper section in which you can create your own wave-shapes. Synthmaster does a lot of things right though, but it's just not on the same level (sorry kv331, just my personal opinion) but what Synthmaster does do right is how much it has to offer for the price. I have yet to find a synth as cheap as Syntmaster that does everything it can do at the level of quality it produces. So to answer OP I would keep both and if Serum is something you want then save up for it, check out the demo. ect. ect.

Elektronisch · Post by **Elektronisch** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:45 pm

RedCyan wrote:I've been playing around with the Serum demo, and it doesn't seem to really do much more than Synthmaster. Is there something I'm missing? Should I just save my $190 for something else?

You are missing the hype. Once it will come, you will going want serum.

I think its way overhyped. Sure the ui is easy and simple. Visual modulation is nice. But the sound...eh take it or leave it. Im not a fan, too bright for me. Plus it doesnt do anything much more then other synths.

One thing stuck in my mind that alot of people praises that you can make your own wavetables, but why? You couldve done that in zebra.

Long story short its just a hype. Be sober and put a value for yourself.

Oh and Apostate, sorry but you are a dick. You were wrong and developer was right, but you still acted like you are the right one.

Sampleconstruct · Post by **Sampleconstruct** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:03 pm

themachinelt wrote:
One thing stuck in my mind that alot of people praises that you can make your own wavetables, but why? You couldve done that in zebra.

Zebra has 16 waveforms per table, Serum has up to 256, Serum can res-ynthesize wav samples and make wavetable from them, Zebra can't. Serum's wavetable editor offers a plethora of options and features, I don't know any other WT synth which can do that.

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:08 pm

Demoing should conclude that both are good synths.
But I'm weary of one and wary of the other.

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:43 pm

Serum is a kid's toy (ask mouse face), but maybe you like that kind of thing.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:54 pm

I'd rather have Synthmaster than Serum.

Serum is quite high for cpu use and I do not love its sound. It has a good technical sound quality, but the sound is not lovely to me. Maybe if I spent more time with it...

The Serum GUI is good in some ways, but you can only see 1 envelope at a time and have to switch tabs to edit more than one. Same things annoys me with Massive.

I love using Zebra for wavetable stuff. Sure Serum can do more with wavetables, but Zebra does as much as I am likely to use anyway. And Zebra has so many other tools as well that I find it sonically more versatile and it uses less cpu. The only thing I would like with Zebra is a built-in wav to wavetable converter.

RedCyan · Post by **RedCyan** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:05 pm

What practical use does Serum's fancy wave table stuff have? Is it really worth $190 dollars if I can already do a lot of that stuff on Synthmaster?

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:05 pm

Dasheesh wrote:Serum is a kid's toy (ask mouse face), but maybe you like that kind of thing.

Serum a kid's toy?
I'll just respond with this.

Do you even synthesize?

Is it worth getting Serum if I already have Synthmaster?