Applied Acoustics Systems Lounge Lizard EP-3 user reviews ( 10/10) - 4 user reviews

• 05/03/12

  JeffTadashi's review "A flexible, unique rhodes soft synth"

  Getting Started

  Applied Acoustics System's take on an electric piano synthesizer plugin is unlike the rest. It is not based on samples from the real Rhodes or Wurlitzer pianos, yet it sounds surprisingly real, and it infinitely more flexible. Immediately, you'll see controls that are beyond the standard soft synth parameters: Stiffness, Tine, Geometry, Damper, etc. This is a smart soft synth that gives you deep control over the electric sound, with incredible sounding results. If you want a synth that sounds exactly like a Rhodes or Wurlitzer, this may not be the best tool. But if you like electric pianos, but would love to change tonal details, and adjust every little parameter to your liking, then this is the soft synth for you.
  
  
  
  Compatible with Mac and Windows systems, it also includes a tremolo, EQ, and multi effects section in addition to the basic electric piano controls. You can easily save and organize your presets within the plugin as well.

  Suitability/Performance

  I've personally never used an authentic Rhodes or Wurlitzer piano, but I use them a lot in my music and are familiar with how they sound in most modern recordings. Alongside my Native Instruments version of the Rhodes, the Lounge Lizard does seem slightly more digital and synth-y, but the Native Instruments uses hundreds of megabytes of samples, and it is extremely inflexible: one sound is pretty much all you get. Lounge Lizard is much more lightweight, and cpu processing has not been an issue: I've used it live at low latencies with no problems.

  Overall Opinion

  Overall, this is a unique synth and a unique take on electric pianos, and for fans of synthy pianos and realistic pianos alike, this is a product worth checking out. The official price for this plugin may seem a bit steep, given that it's installation is just a few megabytes, but it is certainly unlike any other, and it is capable of producing some amazing electric piano sounds, with little hassle and little tweaking necessary.
  Did you find this review helpful?yesno
• 11/11/09

  songboy's review

  Getting Started

  So far, no compatibility issues.  I run a Macbook with Logic 9 and Ableton 7. 
  
  The manual is clear and sufficient enough.  I haven't really needed it to much for my purposes.  I run it mainly in Logic, so midi mapping is easy.  I don't use it as a standalone, but if I did, the manual explains very well how to midi map directly to the program. 
  
  The setup/configuration is very simple.  All the main parameters are right in front of you, including a drop down menu featuring all the effects offered. 
  
  Yes, all the typical functions are accessible.  They are all right in the main window.

  Suitability/Performance

  Yes, the plugin works great in both Logic and Ableton as well as standalone. 
  
  So far it has never crashed on me, or lost any preset/saved data. 
  
  As for performance, no latency (at least none that I can hear) and all midi mapped features work great.  I am pleased with the technical side of things.
  
  I have been using this plugin for about 5 months.

  Overall Opinion

  What I like most about this unit is the Wurlitzer patches.  The Lounge Lizard is my go to plugin for the Whurly.  It is very warm and realistic enough for a plugin (totally kicks the but of both Logic and Ableton's built in Whurly sounds).  I also enjoy the "Classic Tracks" presets.  I am a fan of Jamiroquai and it was cool (and audibly pleasing) to see/hear the Distorted Whurly sound from the song "Black Capricorn day."  Very very close representation. 
  
  What I don't like about this plugin is most of the Rhodes Patches.  Most sound pretty weak and when you really mash down on a key, you can really hear the "digital" side of things.   In all fairness, I do own a Real Mark 1 Rhodes, so I may be biased.  For a Rhodes plugin, I go with GSi's MrRay73mk2.  In a fight, GSi's kicks Lounge's But.  However, some of the Rhodes patches are Ok (like the Mellow Rhodes) and I use them for the sake of a different sound sometimes. 
  
  I believe my studio partner paid a little over $200 for it.  Thats a pretty standard price for a decent plugin, and I would say, because of the Quality of the Wurlitzer patches, its a fair price. 
  
  As mentioned before, the whurlys are High quality for me, the Rhodes, not so much. 
  
  Yes, I have used the GSi mentioned earlier, Logic and Ableton's built in ones, and also a few found in big sample libraries like IK Multi's Sample Tank.  I would say out of all of those, it ranks in second, behind the GSi. 
  
  Well, I would not buy this product again if I found a better Wurlitzer plugin for the same price (or cheaper) since that is the only function I consistently use in this plugin.
  Did you find this review helpful?yesno

• 05/19/07

  Pyer123456789's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Getting Started

  Ras

  Suitability/Performance

  Ras

  Overall Opinion

  So it's a great instrument! a perfect sound quality, may differ with version 2 but I see no equivalent competitor! is less by resorting to encoumbrantes giga sampler! wonder: the presets, everything is classified. To Mr. Mark will be a rodes I or Mark II? oh I feel tired tonight I'm going to take wurly (or should I say countless wurlies presets!), the experimental possibilities are as in return! only missing the clavinet e7 to crush definitely NI elektrik piano. it always appreciates the work of presets prémaché signatures, personally checked for the rider on the storm doors, the illusion is perfect. I am just beginning to discover the effects: wah wah assign a well-tuned to your mod weels (the automation is particularly well thought out!) and off you go for the whole of the dark side of moon floyd! delicious
  
  I prefer this vst and I have never felt with another: the expressive! by playing lounge lizard, I feel like the keys on my m-audio humble 49th entry level are weighted by the sudden RESISTANCE hammers! As the game is expressive! to play to believe it!
  
  no black spot for the instrument, except that this quality vsti s'aguicherai good standing of the mode provided by a stand alone
  
  perfect!

  N / A
  Did you find this review helpful?yesno
• 08/16/06

  luchogie's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Getting Started

  No prob.

  Suitability/Performance

  DELL D810. Pentium Mobile 2.1. 2GHz RAM.
  
  Obviously it works flawlessly.

  Overall Opinion

  I use it for several months.
  
  The sound is very nice, very musical. I'm not on it again
  
  the original electric piano to perfection, but the presets are very good.
  
  Lounge Lizard can do the plan as much dirty sound. I use it
  
  systematically in my compositions. Even when I had not expected a piano
  
  Electric departing, I always find a place to which he
  
  finally proves indispensable.
  
  
  
  Lounge Lizard is a synthesizer for musicians. We must play with a keyboard
  
  to make the most of expressiveness.

  N / A
  Did you find this review helpful?yesno