Hi,
I've been looking at and listening to the available samples, and I really like the concept this little wonder is built around. It seems to be a soundscapers machine, it somehow reminds me of Crystal - and reasonably priced.
If there are any owners of an Evolver lurking here, it would be great to read your experiences.
My only nag is the absence of headphone out, as I'm primarily looking for a small, portable "stand-alone"-kind of synth... but I guess small headphone amps can't be too pricey.
Dave Smith Instruments Evolver - owner comments?
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- KVRAF
- 5851 posts since 9 Jul, 2002 from Helsinki
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- KVRAF
- 7886 posts since 24 Feb, 2003 from Earth, USA
...waits for EndMusik to appear...
Devon
Devon
Simple music philosophy - Those who can, make music. Those who can't, make excuses.
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
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- KVRian
- 711 posts since 16 Mar, 2002 from Mostly in planes and hotels. Terra Firma: Seattle, WA
Have only played one .. and its a very very powerful beast. The sound quality is amazing, and the monophony is not really a limitation. Its affordable too 
.
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Stupid American Pig Stupid American Pig https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4753 - KVRAF
- 7065 posts since 25 Nov, 2002 from not sure
the examples I have heard are cool, I think that the poly evolver will be something worth having.
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- KVRAF
- 2874 posts since 22 Oct, 2002 from "somewhere between digital and analog"
The poly is it... But it ain't cheap!
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- KVRian
- 920 posts since 13 Sep, 2002 from New Jersey
DevonB wrote:...waits for EndMusik to appear...
Devon
Buy one. Now.
it's really something else - I wish there was a good way for me to describe it, but suffice it to say the sequencer is phenomenal, the sound is huge and gritty (and soft if you want it to be) and once you get your head around the interface it's a blast to program.
I primarily use it for leads and random noise drones - I very rarely use effects on it as the delay lines it offers are phenomenal, and the sound is so pure and cutting.
The poly-evolver is on my to buy list (most likely next year) but it's simply 4 evolvers in one rack unit. You can get the same effect with one by overdubbing.
Seriously - get it if you like what you hear, and go to Dr. T's website for more great stuff - he's a phenomenal programmer, and his demo tunes with the evolver and the poly are a great listen on their own!
http://www.trippler.net/music/DSI-Evolv ... olver.html
Michael
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- KVRian
- 752 posts since 22 Aug, 2002 from on the inside looking out
I love mine. There is a clarity to the analogue side that one generally associates with digital, while there is a warmth and presence on the digital side that usually goes with analogue. I don't use the sequencers much for playing notes, rather just for burbling, rhythmic modulations - you can set each one to be a different length so it's easy to work up complex patterns. You can even get wavesequence-y stuff by switching between the digital waves. Then you have a bunch of envelopes and lfos, 2 LPF slopes, some insane distortion possibilities, tuneable feedback, and delays. Plus, almost everything can be synced to the internal clock or MIDI clocks. There are two inputs and mine seems to find service as an effects unit at least as often as a synth. And that little box is actually pretty easy to use once you get your head around it. Dave Smith is a very clever guy.pakana wrote:If there are any owners of an Evolver lurking here, it would be great to read your experiences.
I made myself a Y-cable so that I could program it on my lap: 2 mono plugs into the evolver's stereo outs connected to a stereo jack into which I plugged my headphones. It isn't terribly loud but it does the job.pakana wrote:My only nag is the absence of headphone out
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- KVRist
- 56 posts since 22 Mar, 2002
I own an Evolver. It's wonderful, my favorite synth, hard or soft.
Main reason: the sound of the analog oscs and the filter--substantial, thick, rubbery, liquid. Keep the adjectives coming. It's all true. Turning a knob on Evolver is almost always a reqarding, surprising experience.
Secondary reasons: For a mono synth, it has a lot of programming depth, a lot more mod possibilities than you'd think. Slectable destinations for all 4 lfos and the one assignable env (filter and amp have their own envs), a 4-slot mod matrix, and dedicated slots for velocity, aftertouch, mod wheel, and more that I'm forgetting. The destinations are many and varied AND a whole bunch were added in OS2, including the individual envelope stages, which is very important for achieving dynamic gate effects with the sequencer. The sequencer is extrememly cool--makes you play by its own somewhat limited rules, but that's okay.
At $500, The Evo costs only a little more than the high end softsynths and samplers and is a perfect complement. I can't recommend it highly enough.
No I don't work for DSI...
Main reason: the sound of the analog oscs and the filter--substantial, thick, rubbery, liquid. Keep the adjectives coming. It's all true. Turning a knob on Evolver is almost always a reqarding, surprising experience.
Secondary reasons: For a mono synth, it has a lot of programming depth, a lot more mod possibilities than you'd think. Slectable destinations for all 4 lfos and the one assignable env (filter and amp have their own envs), a 4-slot mod matrix, and dedicated slots for velocity, aftertouch, mod wheel, and more that I'm forgetting. The destinations are many and varied AND a whole bunch were added in OS2, including the individual envelope stages, which is very important for achieving dynamic gate effects with the sequencer. The sequencer is extrememly cool--makes you play by its own somewhat limited rules, but that's okay.
At $500, The Evo costs only a little more than the high end softsynths and samplers and is a perfect complement. I can't recommend it highly enough.
No I don't work for DSI...
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- KVRAF
- 7672 posts since 9 Nov, 2003 from Netherlands
I know Sonicseven is expecting one any moment now
I have quite a lot of that at home, can you do that before I get home?pakana wrote:I vote for more laundry
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- KVRAF
- 4682 posts since 6 Jan, 2003
the evolver is a fantastic synth. the sound quality is tremendous...as suthnear said, the analog is clear and the digital is warm. its a perfect hybrid. you can create a very wide range of sounds on it. thanks to its highly flexibly programming options, it is excellent for odd, experimental, harsh, atmostphere-setting stuff...but it can also do standard basses and leads with equal quality.
and with its audio in's, the evolver is also useful as a filter/distortion box for your other gear. lately, i've been using it as an envelope filter for my bass.
-ugo
and with its audio in's, the evolver is also useful as a filter/distortion box for your other gear. lately, i've been using it as an envelope filter for my bass.
-ugo
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- KVRist
- 56 posts since 22 Mar, 2002
One cool Evolver trick I made use of recently:
You can use the external audio in not just as a signal to be processed but as a trigger for the internal oscillators, so I programmed a patch where I clapped or snapped into a microphone to trigger a chord with rhythmic delays. And one of the mod sources is external in amplitude, so you can modulate filter or distortion or even pitch by how hard you clap or snap. I used it live. Great novelty act...
You can use the external audio in not just as a signal to be processed but as a trigger for the internal oscillators, so I programmed a patch where I clapped or snapped into a microphone to trigger a chord with rhythmic delays. And one of the mod sources is external in amplitude, so you can modulate filter or distortion or even pitch by how hard you clap or snap. I used it live. Great novelty act...
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- KVRAF
- 1981 posts since 26 Oct, 2003 from Toronto
If you go to www.ex5tech.com and look in Disscussions/Other Synths - one of the patch developers named Ski has a dedicated forum there for Dave Smith Evolvers/Poly Evolvers. I'm supposed to get one myself - but haven't won the lottery yet. 
But this forum is like 'guru central' for Evolvers, and Ski's the BEST dude you could ever meet.
Totally cool only describes him halfway.
But this forum is like 'guru central' for Evolvers, and Ski's the BEST dude you could ever meet.
Totally cool only describes him halfway.
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- KVRian
- 1460 posts since 26 Nov, 2002
Mystahr wrote
And I can hardly wait. 4-5 days from now I should be in Sonic Heaven. I have been reading all sorts of glowing reviews and visiting the Evolver forums. Hardly any negative comments anywhere. The biggee for me, being a guitar player, is that Dave had us guitar freaks in mind when he first thought of this. Oh the posibilities.I know Sonicseven is expecting one any moment now
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- KVRAF
- 20713 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
One of the coolest parts about the Evolver is how much you can do to drive the various stages into distortion. That analog distortion is one of the reasons why I personally feel synths like the Minimoog & MS-20 sounded so great &, when you consider just how poor a job software usually does of emulating that kind of smooth analog distortion, it makes it very clear just how complementary this synth is to the way most of us work.
btw, the Evolver is around $430 from JRR Shop after you enter the 'forum' coupon code. I hope nobody's offended by my plugging that here.
btw, the Evolver is around $430 from JRR Shop after you enter the 'forum' coupon code. I hope nobody's offended by my plugging that here.
