All hail Cypher 2!

[zerocrossing]

Lately I’ve been doing a thorough assessment of all my plugin instruments, starting with analog emulations, and I tend to use Cypher 2 for MPE modulation festivals. Today I started out from an init and just spent time making traditional analog type sounds, and it struck me that it is clearly one of the nicest sounding analog style plugins that I own, yet it rarely seems to get any mentions here. Considering all it does and the high quality of how everything sounds, I can’t really figure out why it’s not mentioned in the top plugins.

[rod_zero]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

[BONES]

It never did much for me. I got it for free with my first Seaboard but I stopped installing it a few laptops ago.

[dlandis]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

There have not been updates on either Cypher 2 or Strobe 2 for literally years. I think there's a possibility that they're both more or less abandonware at this point. Someone said that there was a preset pack for Cypher a while ago, but that's about it. If memory serves, I think that I'm actually running the last beta on both of these. On my i9 10 core PC machine, I've had to reduce voice numbers on some patches in order to keep them stable when I do use them (I had to do this even before installing the betas.)

On the plus side, they both sound very nice, and the Trans-mod system is very cool to use. As long as one is cognizant of the voice usage/allocation, one should be fine.

[DrGonzo]

Lately I’ve been doing a thorough assessment of all my plugin instruments, starting with analog emulations, and I tend to use Cypher 2 for MPE modulation festivals. Today I started out from an init and just spent time making traditional analog type sounds, and it struck me that it is clearly one of the nicest sounding analog style plugins that I own, yet it rarely seems to get any mentions here. Considering all it does and the high quality of how everything sounds, I can’t really figure out why it’s not mentioned in the top plugins.

I think you just missed the DCAM Synth Squad Train back then. It was hailed as the coolest thing ever and Fxpansion were at their peak. Cool concept, especially with Fusor.

I miss Fxpansion. They were cool.

[rod_zero]

Lately I’ve been doing a thorough assessment of all my plugin instruments, starting with analog emulations, and I tend to use Cypher 2 for MPE modulation festivals. Today I started out from an init and just spent time making traditional analog type sounds, and it struck me that it is clearly one of the nicest sounding analog style plugins that I own, yet it rarely seems to get any mentions here. Considering all it does and the high quality of how everything sounds, I can’t really figure out why it’s not mentioned in the top plugins.

I think you just missed the DCAM Synth Squad Train back then. It was hailed as the coolest thing ever and Fxpansion were at their peak. Cool concept, especially with Fusor.

I miss Fxpansion. They were cool.

I got to know them because a lot of tutorials in an Attack magazine book used them. Wonder if they have updated the book without them now that the previous versions are discontinued

[zerocrossing]

Lately I’ve been doing a thorough assessment of all my plugin instruments, starting with analog emulations, and I tend to use Cypher 2 for MPE modulation festivals. Today I started out from an init and just spent time making traditional analog type sounds, and it struck me that it is clearly one of the nicest sounding analog style plugins that I own, yet it rarely seems to get any mentions here. Considering all it does and the high quality of how everything sounds, I can’t really figure out why it’s not mentioned in the top plugins.

I think you just missed the DCAM Synth Squad Train back then. It was hailed as the coolest thing ever and Fxpansion were at their peak. Cool concept, especially with Fusor.

I miss Fxpansion. They were cool.

Actually, I did not. They gave me a license to DCAM for helping them out with UI work.

[zerocrossing]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

[DrGonzo]

Lately I’ve been doing a thorough assessment of all my plugin instruments, starting with analog emulations, and I tend to use Cypher 2 for MPE modulation festivals. Today I started out from an init and just spent time making traditional analog type sounds, and it struck me that it is clearly one of the nicest sounding analog style plugins that I own, yet it rarely seems to get any mentions here. Considering all it does and the high quality of how everything sounds, I can’t really figure out why it’s not mentioned in the top plugins.

I think you just missed the DCAM Synth Squad Train back then. It was hailed as the coolest thing ever and Fxpansion were at their peak. Cool concept, especially with Fusor.

I miss Fxpansion. They were cool.

Actually, I did not. They gave me a license to DCAM for helping them out with UI work.

Oh cool! What did you do?

[idoru97214]

Yes! Strobe 2 and Cypher 2 were both great. I was so sad to see Angus leave as there is no replacement for me in the performance department of those two. The transmod implementation was just really cool and has not yet been matched by anything IMO.

[dlandis]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

Excuse me, the last updates I saw were over two years ago (February, 25, 2021 is the date listed on the FXPansion site for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2.) The number was 2.6.1.7 for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2. I just checked the site and, since I DL'ed them, their statuses have been changed from beta to full version, so it's entirely possible (probable, really) that 2.6.1.7 was actually released earlier as a beta before February 25, 2021 with the release date listed simply reflecting the change to full version from beta. There has been no update release in any form, however, since that date over two years ago for either synth.

Sorry if this sounds confrontational, but do you really think that an update released over two years ago constitutes a "regular" update?

[zerocrossing]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

Excuse me, the last updates I saw were over two years ago (February, 25, 2021 is the date listed on the FXPansion site for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2.) The number was 2.6.1.7 for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2. I just checked the site and, since I DL'ed them, their statuses have been changed from beta to full version, so it's entirely possible (probable, really) that 2.6.1.7 was actually released earlier as a beta before February 25, 2021 with the release date listed simply reflecting the change to full version from beta. There has been no update release in any form, however, since that date over two years ago for either synth.

Sorry if this sounds confrontational, but do you really think that an update released over two years ago constitutes a "regular" update?

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember updating it with the Roli app not too long ago. Maybe they’re just no longer updating that blog.

[dlandis]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

Excuse me, the last updates I saw were over two years ago (February, 25, 2021 is the date listed on the FXPansion site for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2.) The number was 2.6.1.7 for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2. I just checked the site and, since I DL'ed them, their statuses have been changed from beta to full version, so it's entirely possible (probable, really) that 2.6.1.7 was actually released earlier as a beta before February 25, 2021 with the release date listed simply reflecting the change to full version from beta. There has been no update release in any form, however, since that date over two years ago for either synth.

Sorry if this sounds confrontational, but do you really think that an update released over two years ago constitutes a "regular" update?

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember updating it with the Roli app not too long ago. Maybe they’re just no longer updating that blog.

You may be thinking of Equator 2? That was updated not too utterly long ago and it is updated via ROLI Connect.

Though ROLI owns FXPansion, updating as far as I've seen is still done through the "FX License Manager" (where they are both listed on my machine as 2.6.1.7 as they are in my account on the site.) While nothing I've got listed in the FX License Manager has been updated for quite a while, I still do check this several times a week. Neither Strobe 2 or Cypher 2 have ever been listed in my ROLI Connect as far as I've seen.

I'd be interested to know what version number of Cypher 2 and/or Strobe 2 you're running. That would answer the question very nicely.

[zerocrossing]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

Excuse me, the last updates I saw were over two years ago (February, 25, 2021 is the date listed on the FXPansion site for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2.) The number was 2.6.1.7 for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2. I just checked the site and, since I DL'ed them, their statuses have been changed from beta to full version, so it's entirely possible (probable, really) that 2.6.1.7 was actually released earlier as a beta before February 25, 2021 with the release date listed simply reflecting the change to full version from beta. There has been no update release in any form, however, since that date over two years ago for either synth.

Sorry if this sounds confrontational, but do you really think that an update released over two years ago constitutes a "regular" update?

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember updating it with the Roli app not too long ago. Maybe they’re just no longer updating that blog.

You may be thinking of Equator 2? That was updated not too utterly long ago and it is updated via ROLI Connect.

Though ROLI owns FXPansion, updating as far as I've seen is still done through the "FX License Manager" (where they are both listed on my machine as 2.6.1.7 as they are in my account on the site.) While nothing I've got listed in the FX License Manager has been updated for quite a while, I still do check this several times a week. Neither Strobe 2 or Cypher 2 have ever been listed in my ROLI Connect as far as I've seen.

I'd be interested to know what version number of Cypher 2 and/or Strobe 2 you're running. That would answer the question very nicely.

I’ll look tomorrow. I could be wrong, but it was weird that today when I went for it, it wasn’t in my plugin folder but installed in the default installation location. Strobe 2 and Equator 2 weren’t. I thought maybe it got deinstalled and an update reinstalled in the default location.

Regardless, it’s a brilliant sounding instrument, works great with a regular keyboard or MPE, and seems to be as stable as can be. I’ve never run into an issue. What would they update? The modulation system is not my favorite UI style, but once you learn it, it’s fine. Super flexible.

[dlandis]

Thosse Fxpansion plugins were all the rage just before Diva was released, then Roli bought them, it has been ages since I try them. Wonder, do they still get updates? is there VST3 for cypher and strobe?

No VST 3 yet, but they still do get regular updates. They’ve totally reworked them for Roli’s controllers.

Excuse me, the last updates I saw were over two years ago (February, 25, 2021 is the date listed on the FXPansion site for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2.) The number was 2.6.1.7 for both Cypher 2 and Strobe 2. I just checked the site and, since I DL'ed them, their statuses have been changed from beta to full version, so it's entirely possible (probable, really) that 2.6.1.7 was actually released earlier as a beta before February 25, 2021 with the release date listed simply reflecting the change to full version from beta. There has been no update release in any form, however, since that date over two years ago for either synth.

Sorry if this sounds confrontational, but do you really think that an update released over two years ago constitutes a "regular" update?

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember updating it with the Roli app not too long ago. Maybe they’re just no longer updating that blog.

You may be thinking of Equator 2? That was updated not too utterly long ago and it is updated via ROLI Connect.

Though ROLI owns FXPansion, updating as far as I've seen is still done through the "FX License Manager" (where they are both listed on my machine as 2.6.1.7 as they are in my account on the site.) While nothing I've got listed in the FX License Manager has been updated for quite a while, I still do check this several times a week. Neither Strobe 2 or Cypher 2 have ever been listed in my ROLI Connect as far as I've seen.

I'd be interested to know what version number of Cypher 2 and/or Strobe 2 you're running. That would answer the question very nicely.

I’ll look tomorrow. I could be wrong, but it was weird that today when I went for it, it wasn’t in my plugin folder but installed in the default installation location. Strobe 2 and Equator 2 weren’t. I thought maybe it got deinstalled and an update reinstalled in the default location.

Thanks much! I'd love to be in error on this.

I hope you get your location issues straightened out.