Valkyrie Synth by Exodus Digital

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by oli@bass

I'd like to propose a thought experiement:

If the Valkyrie, exactly as it is, was actually released by Access, labelled as Virus TI3 and sold for the same price as the current TI2:
- would you rave about it and be happy?
- would you rush out and buy it?

(and to play devil's advocate.... "why not?!")

The operative idea there is "...exactly as it is...". For me the answer would be a resounding no. It would be a consideration at maybe an under $1,000 USD price point.

Unless it can run the vast library of sounds available for the Virus, then there is nothing about it that would be other than a scam if it were labeled the TI3.
Even Access has had trouble maintaining backward compatibility with patches between models, it's tricky to pull off with even small changes to the architecture.

Besides, there currently is no T.I. for the Valkyrie, only hopes and plans. Having a stand-alone editor, and a useful VST are two very different things. Having a working USB 2.0 isn't really enough, Novation synths going for a few hundred bucks have had that down for years PLUS a great VST. Why would we not be expecting USB 3 or Thunderbolt in this day and age?

Drifting from your question slightly, from the demos I've seen, the synth sounds good, but since Access won't be releasing it as a Virus, we have to wonder whether Exodus Digital will even exist 5 years from now and what service would be like. Viruses have proven to be tempermental and full of repair needs, it sort of reminds me of the old Ensoniq VFX back in the 80s -- great sounding synth when it works. I don't know if I want a fledgling company behind a synth that's several thousand dollars? Risky expenditure.

That said, the overall idea of creating a new generation of V.A. synths using modern DSPs is a very good idea and someone needed to do it. Achieving incredible amounts of polyphony with relatively low heat output (which may be part of the cause for some of the Virus' woes) is feasible these days at a reasonable price point. So with that in mind, I will be keeping an eye on the Valkyrie and any similar products that emerge, but I will certainly not be an early mover on a relatively obscure unproven synth at a $2000+ price point. If they show me they can get VST integration working well, and have a few years of a reputation as a stable synth with great workflow in the VST, then they really have my attention.

What would really appeal to me now is something like an even more powerful Roland System 8 in a desktop/rack module, now that they have some REALLY good plug-out synths for it.

[MBTC]

Holy shit, I didn't see this. Well I guess this eliminates my concern about the future stability of Exodus digital. I might need to own one of these.

https://www.soundonsound.com/news/wa...d-call-it-kyra

[MBTC]

As I'm sure many of you know, the Waldorf Kyra was demo'ed at NAMM, there's some videos out there (but beware, the presenter seems to be unfamiliar with synthesis in general and appears to be just randomly twisting knobs hoping all the weird sounds it makes will impress someone).

I don't know when Waldorf plans to actually release it, but I plan to follow developments closely.

[MBTC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5u1KmVvbxI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5KhuTSzGQ