Namm 2013

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by Timo

The customisable oscillator waveforms on Zebra2 look extremely cool too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfgoQYVP010

Not only do you have flexibility on the waveform, it is dead easy to take that waveform, modify it in some way (for example using the mouse to redraw the harmonics), then morph the waveform.

This is not the best example video, but if you watch about 10-15 seconds in, where he transitions the waveform between stage 1 and 16: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjCrvcV8q0 it almost shows what I mean when I say its easy to start with one wave in stage 1, copy it to stage 16, tweakt it to a different wave, then morph so that stage 2-15 are slow transitions between the two states, then you can modulate between those stages pretty much however and using whatever you want. He is not using complex additive waveforms here so its not a good showcase, but sort of shows the morphing possibility (I couldn't find the exact video I wanted).
Here's a guy making a dirty bass sound, which shows editing the waveform a slightly different way, so if you combine the two vids you can kinda get the idea.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlMD7...e=results_main

Zebra is an absolute monster of a synth. There's a reason why Hans Zimmer made this his instrument of choice when he did the soundtrack to (Batman) Dark Knight Rises. You can even actually buy all the original sounds used in the movie for Zebra.

UPDATE: For some reason when I first clicked your link the vid didn't load so I proceeded with my post without seeing it, but it is actually a better vid for the features I was describing than the ones I posted... Anyway I will leave what I wrote for thread integrity even though it seems unnecessary now. As a side note, I find the MSEG feature just as valuable, although when Zebra first came out, there were not too many other synths available that had this feature, whereas these days it seems more synth designers are adding them... just more crazy modulation possibilities that you pretty much never see on hardware.

[TweakHead]

Originally Posted by MBTC

I really don't want to get into a debate here on hard vs soft synths. I'm a fan of both... but have you ever looked at the modulation possibilities of something like Zebra? There are lots softsynths out there that let you literally modulate anything via anything, especially ones with modular or semi modular architectures. When I had my Virus Ti2, the possibilities VC afforded at that time (2009 I think?) were not even close to the versatility of Zebra, though admittedly I have not had my hands on VC recently.

yep, need no introduction to that one! Zebra is one of my favourites as well... What I meant was that it is still kind of rare to find fx parameters as modulation destinations, or something like Random for source, or the level of option for oscilators, for example, in just one synth - and it is... and why not say Reaktor? cause that would blow even the Nord Modular out of the watter when it comes to available options, right? But the point is the Virus, despite having a lot more to it, has almost a standard subtractive layout, that's very flexible - like we all know - but that's it, and on that championship, it still kind of ownes it. The filters to me are still the best sounding out there...

But yeah, couple that with the ability to draw waveshapes like on the Zebra, possibly even user wavetables, samples, so forth and so on... and it would be the beast to rule them all. some copying of massive's kind of lfos would be cool to, btw eheh

just give us a new beast to play with access - with no usb bugs on it! and we'll start a new access music religion right here

[namnibor]

Wonder why USB 3.0 is not exploited by hardly ANYONE? Would a new Ti benefit with Firewire 400/800 or like I said, USB 3.0 rather than USB 2.0's inherent limitations? It's hard enough to even find a high quality pro audio interface exploiting USB 3, let alone external hard drives with it. Thoughts on this?
robert

[Berni]

Originally Posted by namnibor

Wonder why USB 3.0 is not exploited by hardly ANYONE? Would a new Ti benefit with Firewire 400/800 or like I said, USB 3.0 rather than USB 2.0's inherent limitations? It's hard enough to even find a high quality pro audio interface exploiting USB 3, let alone external hard drives with it. Thoughts on this?
robert

There is also thunderbolt which seems to be gaining popularity. Looking through the latest sweetwater catalogue I see quite a few manufacturers adopting this connectivity for there gear.

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by Berni

There is also thunderbolt which seems to be gaining popularity. Looking through the latest sweetwater catalogue I see quite a few manufacturers adopting this connectivity for there gear.

Is "Thunderbolt" a propriatorial Apple product or is it being employed by PC's as well? I ask because a few months ago I had a professional custom-build powerful desktop/tower to use solely for audio and video intensive editing/production, having a few USB 3.0 and Firewire 400 as well as eSATA and is an AMD based system. Thunderbolt was not an option at the time for these pro geeks that built this for me.
Here's the scoop of poop with anything faster than USB 2.0 in-relation to say a couple hard drives with no less than 7200 rpm, 64 mb cache: The manufacturers of hard drives, external or internal, will ALL use the wording "transfer speeds UP TO 6 GBsec"....however the problem is that inherent faster/top transfer speeds are not utilized because USB 2 or even USB 3 devices do not actually transfer that fast and correct me if wrong, but Firewire 400 and USB 3 are comparable in speeds. When I use eSATA for an external third drive of same speed and cache soley for samples for like Izotope Iris's sample library, I actually get faster transfer with eSATA than even USB 3.
Sorry so long here but I guess I am asking why eSATA never really has been exploited expecially since eSATA goes right to motherboard and very fast memory for audio interfaces? I have read too, that USB 2 causes so many issues because USB 2 prefers to be propriatory in a direct connection and works great for audio but midi can be hit and miss. Lastly, I have found that whatever computer I may use, there's no problems as long as I use the EXACT SAME USB 2 port that I initially set-up audio interface with unless I want to go through reinstall procedures.

[namnibor]

....**MAYBE** I should wait a bit when Access releases whatever they have up their sleeves, then get an used Virus Ti2 a bit cheaper when people start selling to buy the "next Virus"?
On a side note, Elektron's 'Analog Four" is being released Dec 3, and it's official in the FACT they are releasing it VERY incomplete. So much in-fact, not even an operational manual because they are not sure if all features can even be implimented~!! The device does not give me any GAS whatsoever because it seems to me to be a quasi-copy of DSI Poly Evolver BUT without the poly-thing and absolutely no wavetable osc's either. What's up with the ethics of companies releasing BLATANT incomplete products? Could this just be simple greed and expense of nervous systems of humans? I do not get it!
Back to the Mothership!

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by TweakHead

yep, need no introduction to that one! Zebra is one of my favourites as well... What I meant was that it is still kind of rare to find fx parameters as modulation destinations, or something like Random for source, or the level of option for oscilators, for example, in just one synth - and it is... and why not say Reaktor? cause that would blow even the Nord Modular out of the watter when it comes to available options, right? But the point is the Virus, despite having a lot more to it, has almost a standard subtractive layout, that's very flexible - like we all know - but that's it, and on that championship, it still kind of ownes it. The filters to me are still the best sounding out there...

But yeah, couple that with the ability to draw waveshapes like on the Zebra, possibly even user wavetables, samples, so forth and so on... and it would be the beast to rule them all. some copying of massive's kind of lfos would be cool to, btw eheh

just give us a new beast to play with access - with no usb bugs on it! and we'll start a new access music religion right here

Due to my now over military career, am quite new to the soft-synth scene BUT jumped right into Izotope Iris and wondering if you have checked it out? It is absolutely so cool! Imagine a hardware verion of something like a sampler on steriods? IRIS is pretty processor intensive, FYI. I like Camel Audio as well but honestly, have SO MANY hardware synths and prefer hardware, the few software things are just creative escape and fun for now.

[MBTC]

Thunderbolt is an Intel thing, although Apple was first to introduce to market. You can buy a card to add it to your PC.

The Apollo interface (which is high on my wish list right now) has the option to utilize it (you have to buy a card to slide into the expansion bay of the Apollo, and their website currently lists Mac support with Windows support slated for 2012).

I never understood why the Ti2 did not utilize the full potential of even USB 2.0, and I've never seen Access answer that question. I'd like to believe Thunderbolt and/or USB3 would solve many of the problems I saw with the Ti2, but when the status quo is so shrouded in mystery it's hard to know what to believe.

[Berni]

Originally Posted by namnibor

....**MAYBE** I should wait a bit when Access releases whatever they have up their sleeves, then get an used Virus Ti2 a bit cheaper when people start selling to buy the "next Virus"?
On a side note, Elektron's 'Analog Four" is being released Dec 3, and it's official in the FACT they are releasing it VERY incomplete. So much in-fact, not even an operational manual because they are not sure if all features can even be implimented~!! The device does not give me any GAS whatsoever because it seems to me to be a quasi-copy of DSI Poly Evolver BUT without the poly-thing and absolutely no wavetable osc's either. What's up with the ethics of companies releasing BLATANT incomplete products? Could this just be simple greed and expense of nervous systems of humans? I do not get it!
Back to the Mothership!

If I where u I would not wait around for access to release anything...its not looking to good for them & hasn't been for quite some time. As far as hard/software musical instrument manufacturers are concerned there are so many of them releasing products that don't match up to there advertising it is criminal & has been going on for decades with even some of the biggest names not coming through with the product they sell. Features promised not being implemented, buggy software, crappy build quality etc. etc.
If I buy software I download the demo & fully test before purchasing & if I buy hardware I get it from a dealer that will take it back if I am not happy with it after a month. It's the only way to avoid disappointment.
The fact is most of them are like drug dealers & do not have ethics, they just want your money.

[Timo]

Firewire's on its way out (try buy a laptop with one now, or even a desktop PC, your choice is very limited).

USB is a stalwart and here to stay. USB v3 is fully back compatible with earlier versions. USB v3 is also forward-compatible, allowing USB v3 devices to be used on older USB v2 ports (albeit at USB v2 speeds).

Thunderbolt is still seemingly fairly elusive, unless you're using Apple stuff, otherwise it's still not mainstream, a niche market.

All comes down to cost. Firewire was technically superior to USB, but firewire was deemed a premium product and USB won the battle overall because of cost - the lower cost of both the interfaces and separate devices. Again, Thunderbolt is superior to USB v3, but USB will win again, due to cost and relevancy to the userbase. If you need speeds that require Thunderbolt, odds on your usage is deemed a 'niche' thing compared to average people's usage.

For relevancy, compatibility and cost, USB is still the best bet to target most users as possible. If Access need more bandwidth, then a USB v2 HighSpeed chipset is needed (instead of the Full Speed chipset they've used in the TIs), or USB v3.