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FP User
Published on 10/31/08 at 16:00
With the Version 2.0 update, the Vsynth is really really packed with features. You've got the oscillator section: PCM, Analog, or External sounds can be used as oscillators. The PCM lets you use your own encoded samples (covered above) and the Analog has a host of waves. And i do mean a freaking host. Seriously, knock yourself out. COSM section, also covered earlier. Very nice. It's got a post oscillator mixer section that you can mess with. Ever wanted to hear what a drum loop would sound like with a SuperSaw wave modulating it's pitch frequency? You can do that here (by the way, it sounds pretty freaking cool). Want to do some ring modulation? This is the place. Standard mixing of the two oscillators is also accomodated. TVA section is fairly straight forward, contains an envelope and the requisite LFO to control the amplifier. Dedicated sliders are helpfully located to the right of your COSM and Oscillator section so you can get right at that Release slider and "MAKE DAT JUNK SUSTAIN FOR A BILLION YEARZ". Thanks Roland! Version 2.0 also brings a fantastic Mod Sequencer that lets you assign up to 4 destinations for 4 seperate mod sequencers. I absolutely adore this feature, seriously. Great for external stuff. Control surfaces are also fantastic, and include the Time Trip pad and D beam. Oh yeah.
$700 USD
UTILIZATION
Touch Screen. Plentiful Knobs. Sliders for envelopes. Selectable combination of OSC-COSM-MIX-TVA-EFFECTS blocks. Touch Screen. OSC/LFO Knobs double as Sequencer controllers. Touch Screen. mmmm.
Built well. Nice knobs. No problems.
SOUNDS
I think the overall sound quality is probably the weakest point of this machine. The sample stretch and formant control is USABLE and works well for things like drum loops and what not, but for keyboard sounds and general key-played samples it's really somewhat unusable outside of the pitch area that the sample was recorded in. Say if the source sound (take a mellotron string sound, for instance) was recorded at Middle C, then you can maybe play 2 octaves above and below that without huuuuge quality loss. Even the Vsynth sample encoding process seems to degrade the punchiness of the sample, and seems to add some kind of compression. Not always the most useful thing. Aside from the sample engine, the Analog Modelling section sounds fairly good. Various lowpass and multimode filters are there for your pleasure, as well as a host of waves. I tend to use the outlandish v-synth specific waves the most (Juno wave? What the hell is that? I don't know, but i use it!) and relegate more common synth sounds to other VAs. The COSM blocks (which includes the various filters, as well as a few other toys) actually sound really really good for digital emulations. I frequently use that section to process external sources, such as drum machines/other synths/ me running objects together in front of microphones. The sample encoding technology still needs some work, but it's a great second generation machine from roland. Tre good roland.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't know if i REALLY love it, but i do like it quite a bit. It's a sound designers dream, it has a HOST of fun features, and it's really just a fantastic technology. Come to think of it, i guess i do <3 it!
Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: DonaldCrunk ( 3-, 2006)
$700 USD
UTILIZATION
Touch Screen. Plentiful Knobs. Sliders for envelopes. Selectable combination of OSC-COSM-MIX-TVA-EFFECTS blocks. Touch Screen. OSC/LFO Knobs double as Sequencer controllers. Touch Screen. mmmm.
Built well. Nice knobs. No problems.
SOUNDS
I think the overall sound quality is probably the weakest point of this machine. The sample stretch and formant control is USABLE and works well for things like drum loops and what not, but for keyboard sounds and general key-played samples it's really somewhat unusable outside of the pitch area that the sample was recorded in. Say if the source sound (take a mellotron string sound, for instance) was recorded at Middle C, then you can maybe play 2 octaves above and below that without huuuuge quality loss. Even the Vsynth sample encoding process seems to degrade the punchiness of the sample, and seems to add some kind of compression. Not always the most useful thing. Aside from the sample engine, the Analog Modelling section sounds fairly good. Various lowpass and multimode filters are there for your pleasure, as well as a host of waves. I tend to use the outlandish v-synth specific waves the most (Juno wave? What the hell is that? I don't know, but i use it!) and relegate more common synth sounds to other VAs. The COSM blocks (which includes the various filters, as well as a few other toys) actually sound really really good for digital emulations. I frequently use that section to process external sources, such as drum machines/other synths/ me running objects together in front of microphones. The sample encoding technology still needs some work, but it's a great second generation machine from roland. Tre good roland.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't know if i REALLY love it, but i do like it quite a bit. It's a sound designers dream, it has a HOST of fun features, and it's really just a fantastic technology. Come to think of it, i guess i do <3 it!
Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: DonaldCrunk ( 3-, 2006)