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Filterscape VA
Reviewed By ztrauq [all]
April 2nd, 2005
Version reviewed: 1.0 on Mac
As mentioned before, FilterscapeVA is a part of a plug-in bundle, and is quite possibly one of the most useful parts of it.
Interface: FilterscapeVA has one of those interfaces that are very easily tweakable - everything is all in one window, and there are enough parameters to make a very complicated sound, without having hundreds of different knobs and sliders spanning multiple pages. The in-line display that gives clear information about the parameter you are currently editing makes the synth much easier to use. Overall, it's a very user-friendly interface, and while a read through the manual is helpful, it allows you to jump in and start playing around with it immediately.
Sound: This synth is able to deliver some very convincing sounds. It's hard to classify the sound, as it can do a decently wide range of things, including analog, FM, and some really obscure extreme filter/EQ stuff. In any case, the sound quality is good, albeit a bit more towards the "digital" type of sound. This synth can do standard types of sounds, although probably not as flexibly as more purpose-built synths - however, it excels at creating some truly unique and varying soundscapes and unusual tones.
Features: Quite featureful for a 2-osc synth, with strong modulation capabilities (you can modulate just about anything with a wide range of sources), a decent slate of LFOs and Envelopes, and a morphable inline EQ for some truly unique sounds. Add to that one of the most versatile arpeggiators I've ever used, and a randomize feature which produces eminently usable presets and variations, and you have perhaps one of the most feature-filled 2-osc synths that I've used to date.
Documentation: The documentation is well-written, with good visual references and decent explanations. However, a few areas were lacking (such as what the warp settings correspond to on certain oscillator types, etc.).
Presets: Filterscape comes with a decent amount of presets, including an additional pack that can be downloaded from the site. Of any of the plugins, FilterscapeVA has the most presets. It's a decent amount, but with commercial synths coming out with upward of 1000 presets these days, FilterscapeVA doesn't have nearly as much, although many of the ones it does come with are quite usable.
Support: Haven't had to deal with this personally yet, but everything I've seen shows that u-he is quite responsive in the support of their products.
Value: I got this during a special pricing for the bundle, so it was definitely worth it, even if it had been just for the synth alone - you get 2 other plugins as well.
Stability: It's been rock-solid stable so far, in the hosts that I've used.
Overall: This synth sounds good, is easy to use, and the more I use it, the more I'm appreciating what it's capable of.
Read ReviewInterface: FilterscapeVA has one of those interfaces that are very easily tweakable - everything is all in one window, and there are enough parameters to make a very complicated sound, without having hundreds of different knobs and sliders spanning multiple pages. The in-line display that gives clear information about the parameter you are currently editing makes the synth much easier to use. Overall, it's a very user-friendly interface, and while a read through the manual is helpful, it allows you to jump in and start playing around with it immediately.
Sound: This synth is able to deliver some very convincing sounds. It's hard to classify the sound, as it can do a decently wide range of things, including analog, FM, and some really obscure extreme filter/EQ stuff. In any case, the sound quality is good, albeit a bit more towards the "digital" type of sound. This synth can do standard types of sounds, although probably not as flexibly as more purpose-built synths - however, it excels at creating some truly unique and varying soundscapes and unusual tones.
Features: Quite featureful for a 2-osc synth, with strong modulation capabilities (you can modulate just about anything with a wide range of sources), a decent slate of LFOs and Envelopes, and a morphable inline EQ for some truly unique sounds. Add to that one of the most versatile arpeggiators I've ever used, and a randomize feature which produces eminently usable presets and variations, and you have perhaps one of the most feature-filled 2-osc synths that I've used to date.
Documentation: The documentation is well-written, with good visual references and decent explanations. However, a few areas were lacking (such as what the warp settings correspond to on certain oscillator types, etc.).
Presets: Filterscape comes with a decent amount of presets, including an additional pack that can be downloaded from the site. Of any of the plugins, FilterscapeVA has the most presets. It's a decent amount, but with commercial synths coming out with upward of 1000 presets these days, FilterscapeVA doesn't have nearly as much, although many of the ones it does come with are quite usable.
Support: Haven't had to deal with this personally yet, but everything I've seen shows that u-he is quite responsive in the support of their products.
Value: I got this during a special pricing for the bundle, so it was definitely worth it, even if it had been just for the synth alone - you get 2 other plugins as well.
Stability: It's been rock-solid stable so far, in the hosts that I've used.
Overall: This synth sounds good, is easy to use, and the more I use it, the more I'm appreciating what it's capable of.