IK MUltimedia UNO Synth

[Scotty]

The videos are really helpful. It is fantastic to have this kind of product information out there well in advance of the product shipping. Great job!

[fabi]

Surey you don’t have to plug a keyboard in and assign midi cc just to put an lfo or adsr on the oscillator?

They might just have killed all my gas for this synth. They do say 'must send cc' in the video!

Might still be a semi nice synth, but I think it's a ridiculous hurdle to truly programming the synth...

[BONES]

Surey you don’t have to plug a keyboard in and assign midi cc just to put an lfo or adsr on the oscillator?

Yes, it is obvious from just looking at the front panel that there are a lot of things you can't do on the synth itself. e.g. Look at the envelopes - you only get Attack and Decay for the Filter Envelope and Attack and Release for the Amp Envelope. If you want full control over the ADSR stages, you have to do that remotely. With the LFO, you can set it up on the front panel but you can't assign it to anything.

I don't understand why you wouldn't have seen this from the very beginning. I only watched the videos to try and work out how they were going to allow you to use it properly, and to get a rough idea how it sounded. I got all my initial info from looking at pictures of the unit, which made these things obvious from the start. It all seems like a reasonable compromise to me because all those parameters will be saved with a preset.

[fabi]

It was all seems like a reasonable compromise to me because all those parameters will be saved with a preset.

The only way I could live with this compromise would be to only tweak presets or to make templates and switch between them. Don't think I could be arsed to hook up one of my bcr 2000s to this, the ones that don't function as zaquencers are currently tucked away because of space limitations...

[BONES]

Why would you have to hook up a controller? It comes with editor/librarian software so you should be able to program it just fine with a mouse (which is how I like to program all my hardware).

[fabi]

Why would you have to hook up a controller? It comes with editor/librarian software so you should be able to program it just fine with a mouse (which is how I like to program all my hardware).

oh, right. hope the editor comes as a vst, too...
i have to admit there are still many positive things about this synth. glad about the midi clock support, for one.

edit: ot - do you program your rocket using the monstrum editor? i got a rocket, as well, but couldn't quite get the demo set up correctly. i don't mind tweaking on the hardware, though.

[OneOfManyPauls]

Erik was up-front about only being able to access full ADSR via midi - but waveform modulation was being touted as a headline feature, as was this synth being for the "kid on the train".

I expected to allocate LFO via the unit via something like an ALT operation or by pressing and holding LFO to toggle into a modulation depth mode.

Setting a preset is fine for a fixed mod level, but that's a pretty unsatisfactory limitation for synthesis - and using a mouse to tweak it is also a workflow wet blanket to me.

[fabi]

Erik was up-front about only being able to access full ADSR via midi - but waveform modulation was being touted as a headline feature, as was this synth being for the "kid on the train".

I expected to allocate LFO via the unit via something like an ALT operation or by pressing and holding LFO to toggle into a modulation depth mode.

something along those lines would have made more sense to me, too...

[SLiC]

Surey you don’t have to plug a keyboard in and assign midi cc just to put an lfo or adsr on the oscillator?

Yes, it is obvious from just looking at the front panel that there are a lot of things you can't do on the synth itself. e.g. Look at the envelopes - you only get Attack and Decay for the Filter Envelope and Attack and Release for the Amp Envelope. If you want full control over the ADSR stages, you have to do that remotely. With the LFO, you can set it up on the front panel but you can't assign it to anything.

I don't understand why you wouldn't have seen this from the very beginning. I only watched the videos to try and work out how they were going to allow you to use it properly, and to get a rough idea how it sounded. I got all my initial info from looking at pictures of the unit, which made these things obvious from the start. It all seems like a reasonable compromise to me because all those parameters will be saved with a preset.

Its not a deal breaker but I would have thought that with the matrix type input it should be possible (in the units firmware) to have an 'alt' function where this can be done without hooking up an editor. Maybe in an update...That said, I appreciate that all of the parameters are available for midi editing (PS, I took a look at the rocket as you spoke so highly of it, out of interest, how do you get on with the Rocket with no volume control knob or midi cc for volume? No attack control seems a strange omission as this is a control I use a lot live, but other than that it sounds great for the money)

[fabi]

Surey you don’t have to plug a keyboard in and assign midi cc just to put an lfo or adsr on the oscillator?

Yes, it is obvious from just looking at the front panel that there are a lot of things you can't do on the synth itself. e.g. Look at the envelopes - you only get Attack and Decay for the Filter Envelope and Attack and Release for the Amp Envelope. If you want full control over the ADSR stages, you have to do that remotely. With the LFO, you can set it up on the front panel but you can't assign it to anything.

I don't understand why you wouldn't have seen this from the very beginning. I only watched the videos to try and work out how they were going to allow you to use it properly, and to get a rough idea how it sounded. I got all my initial info from looking at pictures of the unit, which made these things obvious from the start. It all seems like a reasonable compromise to me because all those parameters will be saved with a preset.

Its not a deal breaker but I would have thought that with the matrix type input it should be possible (in the units firmware) to have an 'alt' function where this can be done without hooking up an editor. Maybe in an update...That said, I appreciate that all of the parameters are available for midi editing (PS, I took a look at the rocket as you spoke so highly of it, out of interest, how do you get on with the Rocket with no volume control knob or midi cc for volume? No attack control seems a strange omission as this is a control I use a lot live, but other than that it sounds great for the money)

can't speak for bones, but i use the headphone out on the rocket as that has a dedicated knob on the device...

[Scotty]

Some alt-key press programmable option for the ADSR and LFO functions would be nice for sure as would a sync in and out jack.

I do think with these budget small format synths (thinking Korg Volca) that if you buy into the design ethos you expect some compromise to get functionality at a specific price point. Korg's approach was to give a a limited sequencer, few preset slots, no midi out functionality and no editor/vst. With those limitations the Volca's still give a compelling sound, portability, some useful live performance options (active step) and a surprising number of features giving the price point. I really enjoy them.

Ik is giving fewer knobs with a workaround via controllers for some functions but are giving us a robust preset system, midi out, and a powerful sequencer in exchange AND to my ears a very enticing sound. I can live with that and will exploit those features in my setup. I really enjoy the Volcas and find them to be great addition to my studio and I expect the same will be true with the UNO. I am really pleased that IK have arrived at a compelling feature set (at least to me) at a great price point.

The two latest product videos are excellent and any charges of lack of transparency in my opinion can be easily dismissed given the information that they are providing well in advance of shipping.

[OneOfManyPauls]

In advance of shipping, but not in advance of opening up the pre-orders - pre-orders influenced by the information in those presentations at Superbooth.

not just Erik though - the info on the IKM's site itself is still giving a different impression from reality, where they make it clear about external equipment for ADSR but skip over that bit for wave shape modulation:

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/unosynth/

LFO with Sine, Triangle, Square, Up Saw, Down Saw, Random and Sample-and-Hold to modulate Pitch, Filter, Amp and continuous oscillator wave shapes including PWM
<snip>
AD (Filter) + AR (Amp) envelopes (full ADSR control available via MIDI CC or software editor)

[Scotty]

If you feel cheated and you do seem very upset with the digital delay and the external controls you should contact IK and ask for a cancellation. If you haven't preordered I am not sure who you are defending or why you feel so aggrieved. I don't share your expectations (analog delay?) or your angst with the company or its representatives. You seem to be setting yourself up for disappointment. I feel that that the Superbooth showing undersold the synth given just how fully featured the sequencer is and the range of sounds it can produce.

I don't expect product introductions to be fully comprehensive and indeed most of the product videos I saw from Superbooth were very short and cursory which is what I expect from a trade fair. I preordered based on what I heard and what I saw, even though there were some things unknown to me. IK has earned my trust over the years and I didn't feel any pressure whatsoever to preorder other than an incentive to save money on free shipping and apply my Jam points to reduce the cost even further. I don't have any hardware from any company in my studio that offered free shipping to my country (Canada) let alone allow me to apply credits to offset the purchase price.

To IKs credit we have asked for more information and sound examples and both have been delivered. I am looking forward to reading the product manuals and seeing the editor whenever those becomes available.

IK operates well above board in my experience. No company is perfect but IK has worked hard to get my attention and has routinely followed up with good products and excellent value. I expect no less with my UNO purchase.

In advance of shipping, but not in advance of opening up the pre-orders - pre-orders influenced by the information in those presentations at Superbooth.

[OneOfManyPauls]

I don't see this as being a 2 camp/binary thing of haters and fanboys.

I have a pre-order for the Uno, and I like the sound demos I've heard - but that's besides the point: what's wrong with wanting IKM to be upfront and clear about the spec?

If you feel that they've been open and transparent then good for you, but I don't - and we both have the right to express our opinion.

[BONES]

Good, because my opinion is that you are wrong. Name one company that lists all the bad things about it's products when it is trying to sell them to you. Nobody does it so why would you expect IKM to be any different. You can't even trust the sound demos you've heard because you have no idea how much post-production has gone into any of it or how long and hard they worked just to get a handful of nice sounds to demo.

You have to remember that trade shows are run by marketing departments and you can't trust marketing departments. Ever. And if a company isn't big enough to have it's own marketing dept, they'll hire one for a trade show. You should consider any discomfort you feel as a life lesson. You'll know better next time.

edit: ot - do you program your rocket using the monstrum editor? i got a rocket, as well, but couldn't quite get the demo set up correctly. i don't mind tweaking on the hardware, though.

I've tried a couple of different editors but I don't like them. I prefer being hands-on with it, it's so simple. Even on stage it is quick and easy to change the sound. Honestly, it's just about my favourite synth of all time, to the point that I have considered getting a second one, as a backup in case something happens to it, on several occasions.

Its not a deal breaker but I would have thought that with the matrix type input it should be possible (in the units firmware) to have an 'alt' function where this can be done without hooking up an editor.

They've done that on the top row of the matrix, with the mixer, but for whatever reasons the other three rows are all single function. You'd think if it was doable they would have done it. It could be a limitation of the architecture or the components they have used to hit their price point or any of a number of reasons.

(PS, I took a look at the rocket as you spoke so highly of it, out of interest, how do you get on with the Rocket with no volume control knob or midi cc for volume? No attack control seems a strange omission as this is a control I use a lot live, but other than that it sounds great for the money)

I control volume through the mixer. It's what I always do. I leave the volume of every hardware synth at maximum, to reduce the noise floor, and gain stage it somewhere else in the signal path. No envelope attack is probably its biggest limitation but I don't really miss it for the kinds of things I do with it (big, dirty leads).

In advance of shipping, but not in advance of opening up the pre-orders - pre-orders influenced by the information in those presentations at Superbooth.

Those are professional product demos at a trade show, of course they are going to emphasise the good and minimise the bad. I used to spend hundreds of hours preparing trade show demos to make sure we only ever showed the good stuff and that nothing embarrassing, like a crash or a freeze (software demos), ever happened. You can't ever trust a trade show demo, which is why I am not making a decision one way or another on this synth until I have played with it and heard it for myself.

not just Erik though - the info on the IKM's site itself is still giving a different impression from reality, where they make it clear about external equipment for ADSR but skip over that bit for wave shape modulation: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/unosynth/

LFO with Sine, Triangle, Square, Up Saw, Down Saw, Random and Sample-and-Hold to modulate Pitch, Filter, Amp and continuous oscillator wave shapes including PWM
<snip>
AD (Filter) + AR (Amp) envelopes (full ADSR control available via MIDI CC or software editor)

Look at the image on that page - it is very clear that there is no way of assigning the LFO from the front panel. It's not IKM's fault if you don't do your due diligence. You can hardly expect them to give you a list of all it's limitations.