Product Reviews by KVR Members
All reviews by UniCon
Review Something or Find Reviews
This VSTi is hard to review without at least making a cursory and rather favourable comparison to the only other dedicated flute VSTi that I have tried (dmiFlute).
I dont know much about the programming in either but Ixox flute sounds so much smoother and realistic, it is my guess that the bank of samples that it relies upon is so much wider. In fact when you read the release notes you can see how much sampling went into this (3 sound types, up to 3 velocity layers and no interpolation over 1 semitone!!)
I'm sure there are sound modules, SampleTank flute patches etc but I doubt they offer what this little package does either.
The first thing I thought was that a flute VSTi would really only be of interest to a 'niche market', but with the variability of control ('presence' in this case displayed as 'distance') and the second flute, you can really squeeze a lot out of this, and it would fit so easily with many kinds of music.
This is capable of lead instrumentation, backing, even doubling/trebling up for pad sounds.
In conjunction with reverbs, delays chorus etc it can sound sweet as a nut!
And thats before you come to the 'dirty', 'staccato' and 'percussive' settings..
('Staccato' and 'Percussive' enables you to get some really breathy sounds in there which liven up the instrument amazingly, and at some point I even got some Pan Pipe sounds out of it!)
I tried this out, just out of passing interest, but its staying in my VSTi folder; I'm just going to have to try to resist using it on every damn track!
The only criticism I can think of, and I'm being a bit picky here, but it might be of more interest to a flautist/classical musician; when creating a track with 2nd flute enabled, it might save time to be able to automate the 2nd Flute 'shifter' setting as a harmony line rarely works for long sticking to say, strict 7ths..
But then maybe I'm being lazy, I could just create a second track in a second instance of IxoxFlute and create the harmony line that way. As its CPU Super light that wouldn't be a problem.
Rating Notes:
GUI - Not basic but not over complicated. Just right to not distract from the ease of use.
Sound - see above!
Features - more than you might think! (2nd flute with harmony setting, dirty setting, Staccato, Percussive, attack, release, pan, gain, presence, automation, pitch bend of one semitone - any more would be ridiculous this is a flute!!)
Documentation - dont really need any!
Presets - dont really need any, three sound modes 'Normal','Percussive' and 'Staccato' set you off nicely.
Support - not needed it but Xavier's site/email is only a click away
VFM - its free!!
Stability - using this on a PIII 450mHz 256megs of Ram and it was solid as a rock.Read Review
I dont know much about the programming in either but Ixox flute sounds so much smoother and realistic, it is my guess that the bank of samples that it relies upon is so much wider. In fact when you read the release notes you can see how much sampling went into this (3 sound types, up to 3 velocity layers and no interpolation over 1 semitone!!)
I'm sure there are sound modules, SampleTank flute patches etc but I doubt they offer what this little package does either.
The first thing I thought was that a flute VSTi would really only be of interest to a 'niche market', but with the variability of control ('presence' in this case displayed as 'distance') and the second flute, you can really squeeze a lot out of this, and it would fit so easily with many kinds of music.
This is capable of lead instrumentation, backing, even doubling/trebling up for pad sounds.
In conjunction with reverbs, delays chorus etc it can sound sweet as a nut!
And thats before you come to the 'dirty', 'staccato' and 'percussive' settings..
('Staccato' and 'Percussive' enables you to get some really breathy sounds in there which liven up the instrument amazingly, and at some point I even got some Pan Pipe sounds out of it!)
I tried this out, just out of passing interest, but its staying in my VSTi folder; I'm just going to have to try to resist using it on every damn track!
The only criticism I can think of, and I'm being a bit picky here, but it might be of more interest to a flautist/classical musician; when creating a track with 2nd flute enabled, it might save time to be able to automate the 2nd Flute 'shifter' setting as a harmony line rarely works for long sticking to say, strict 7ths..
But then maybe I'm being lazy, I could just create a second track in a second instance of IxoxFlute and create the harmony line that way. As its CPU Super light that wouldn't be a problem.
Rating Notes:
GUI - Not basic but not over complicated. Just right to not distract from the ease of use.
Sound - see above!
Features - more than you might think! (2nd flute with harmony setting, dirty setting, Staccato, Percussive, attack, release, pan, gain, presence, automation, pitch bend of one semitone - any more would be ridiculous this is a flute!!)
Documentation - dont really need any!
Presets - dont really need any, three sound modes 'Normal','Percussive' and 'Staccato' set you off nicely.
Support - not needed it but Xavier's site/email is only a click away
VFM - its free!!
Stability - using this on a PIII 450mHz 256megs of Ram and it was solid as a rock.Read Review
Mother Ship Astrobelt
Reviewed By UniCon [all]
June 8th, 2004
Version reviewed: ermm.? on Windows
I won this VSTi from one of KvR's monthly competitions - and so first of VFM was excellent! :)
I'm a bit of a synthesis dunce, and impatient too, so I was plesantly surprised how easy this was to figure out how to use, and how to modulate for some pretty crazy sounds.
So hence the 9/10 for GUI.
Sound - i found that this synth doesnt do everything. I'm sure it was not the intention either, but for pads, weird FX, ambient tweaks and lots of lovely staccato/pizzicato/clav type sounds - this has it all.
Its now permanently residing in my audiological arsenal.
Features - some excellent and innovative features. The Pitch/Filter/Envelope editor is clear, easy and impressively versatile to use. Also the LFO sliders was a good touch.
The soundbanks random name giver also was a nice touch - showing that this VST has really been given some thought.
Documentation - I didnt use any, so I'm saying 7, as I know its there. Just shows you how easy to use it is!
Presets - there are no built in preset banks but Liqih does provide two and there are now more user presets for d/l. However, the randomiser is a good tool.
Customer Support - Liqih is one click away!
Stability - rock solid and super low CPU.
MattCRead Review
I'm a bit of a synthesis dunce, and impatient too, so I was plesantly surprised how easy this was to figure out how to use, and how to modulate for some pretty crazy sounds.
So hence the 9/10 for GUI.
Sound - i found that this synth doesnt do everything. I'm sure it was not the intention either, but for pads, weird FX, ambient tweaks and lots of lovely staccato/pizzicato/clav type sounds - this has it all.
Its now permanently residing in my audiological arsenal.
Features - some excellent and innovative features. The Pitch/Filter/Envelope editor is clear, easy and impressively versatile to use. Also the LFO sliders was a good touch.
The soundbanks random name giver also was a nice touch - showing that this VST has really been given some thought.
Documentation - I didnt use any, so I'm saying 7, as I know its there. Just shows you how easy to use it is!
Presets - there are no built in preset banks but Liqih does provide two and there are now more user presets for d/l. However, the randomiser is a good tool.
Customer Support - Liqih is one click away!
Stability - rock solid and super low CPU.
MattCRead Review
