KVR Audio

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 5:36 pm

V0RT3X wrote:I got my post count from checking in here pretty much daily, so i guess in a way you do kind of have to live here. KVR is addictive though!

+1
I don't live here, but I do mitigate lost time here.
(Fires and storms can make me house bound and unable to get to the studio).
I really come here for information (and sometimes I can find that).

phdsg vn chfhn · Post by **phdsg vn chfhn** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 5:45 pm

V0RT3X wrote:I got my post count from checking in here pretty much daily, so i guess in a way you do kind of have to live here. KVR is addictive though!

yeah, me too

2 more to 4k for you.

Shy · Post by **Shy** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:05 pm

Tried it and I have to say I think WaveGenerator sounds better and has better features. Serum's interface and features are nice and it's fun and simple to use, but I'd say WaveGenerator is still by far the best wavetable synth plugin. The many filter types in Serum and its different workflow may be selling points to some. And don't anyone criticize me, it's a valid comparison (any new wavetable synth should be compared to Wolfgang Palm's) and I like Xfer's plugins (I even bought vMinion from Steve long after it was discontinued).

billcarroll · Post by **billcarroll** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:10 pm

Shy wrote:Tried it and I have to say I think WaveGenerator sounds better and has better features. Serum's interface and features are nice and it's fun and simple to use, but I'd say WaveGenerator is still by far the best wavetable synth plugin. The many filter types in Serum and its different workflow may be selling point to some. And don't anyone criticize me, it's a valid comparison (any new wavetable synth should be compared to Wolfgang Palm's) and I like Xfer's plugins (I even bought vMinion from Steve long after it was discontinued).

Out of curiosity, what features do you like better about WaveGenerator? Do you have any sound examples that show what you prefer out of WaveGenerator? Just curious.

mlt · Post by **mlt** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:11 pm

Truly amazing synth.
The only think that concerns me is the CPU load, especially in some presets that use long releases.
When I shorten the release or decrease the polyphony the CPU load comes down, so I think it would be nice
if Steve could add a function, as an option, that automatically "kills" voices (or something similar) in order to lighten the CPU load. Other things like unison doesn't seem to load the CPU much, so it is mainly the polyphony.
I have a fairly old system so this was quit expected. I wonder if someone who has a modern CPU (like 4770, 4790) could tell us about how much is the CPU load with some of the heavier patches.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:16 pm

PPG is a different story, the same with Waldorf Microwave... As Steve said, it's not a clone or something of a existing synth (Massive) there are ideas in this synth he had since a very long time (10 years). IMO Serum is different enough to be a useful tool alongside Massive or other already existing synth. It's not a "me too" synth, it's a Steve Duda synth.

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:30 pm

I hadn't realized WaveGenerator had been released for PC.
Thanks for that information.

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:53 pm

4damind wrote:PPG is a different story, the same with Waldorf Microwave... As Steve said, it's not a clone or something of a existing synth (Massive) there are ideas in this synth he had since a very long time (10 years). IMO Serum is different enough to be a useful tool alongside Massive or other already existing synth. It's not a "me too" synth, it's a Steve Duda synth.

Agreed, actually, I mostly use Massive as a glorified VA (in that I don't use the wavetable aspect of it that much). It's just an easy synth and with great routing possibilities. So in that respect, Serum doesn't replace Massive for me, it's an extra flavour, like for instance FM8 in another aspect is.

I bought it today and I have to say, it sounds incredible, it's a blast to program and to create wavetables. The unison is lovely and so are the warp functions. And yes, most of the CPU usage comes from the use of the warp functions, the unison itself is very modest to the CPU. The filters are very nice, much better than Spire's for instance (although, that's IMO, may be personal preference rather than a statement of quality in regard to Spire's filters).

jdnz · Post by **jdnz** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:58 pm

Robmobius wrote: I was a bit surprised at the omission of an arp.

the solution to that is simple - give Steve more money and grab Cthulhu as well as Serum

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:12 pm

jdnz wrote:
Robmobius wrote: I was a bit surprised at the omission of an arp.
the solution to that is simple - give Steve more money and grab Cthulhu as well as Serum

I have Cthulhu I find in quite difficult to use with S1. I really hope they have plans to put an arp inside Serum.

c_voltage · Post by **c_voltage** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:12 pm

A compare with WaveGenerator I think not quite correctly. He is more sequence-oriented instrument (due to built-in really great sequencer), although the same WT.
As well (I have not tried WaveGen yet) there seems no unison? While in a subject unison is fat pros, even i would say the most significant his part.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:25 pm

Shy wrote:Tried it and I have to say I think WaveGenerator sounds better and has better features. Serum's interface and features are nice and it's fun and simple to use, but I'd say WaveGenerator is still by far the best wavetable synth plugin. The many filter types in Serum and its different workflow may be selling points to some. And don't anyone criticize me, it's a valid comparison (any new wavetable synth should be compared to Wolfgang Palm's) and I like Xfer's plugins (I even bought vMinion from Steve long after it was discontinued).

Totally opposite feeling. I was disappointed by how time consuming Wave Generator was to edit. With Serum I had a reasonable patch with custom wavetables in seconds. The UI made sense on iOS but less so on desktops. As i'm more concerned with making my own sounds I find it easier to get sounds in it and "warm" them up with the FX compared to WG where I always tended to end up with metallic tube sounding patches. Overall WG is a nice sounding synth with some great presets and good modulation but I find Serum more useful.

It's a workflow thing though that i'm sure depends on the person. I've always liked Alchemy but found it difficult to use in creation whereas something like MachFive I find immediately intuitive.

loungepanda · Post by **loungepanda** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:43 pm

mlt wrote:Truly amazing synth.
The only think that concerns me is the CPU load, especially in some presets that use long releases.
When I shorten the release or decrease the polyphony the CPU load comes down, so I think it would be nice
if Steve could add a function, as an option, that automatically "kills" voices (or something similar) in order to lighten the CPU load. Other things like unison doesn't seem to load the CPU much, so it is mainly the polyphony.
I have a fairly old system so this was quit expected. I wonder if someone who has a modern CPU (like 4770, 4790) could tell us about how much is the CPU load with some of the heavier patches.

Tried finding some of the heavier patches to see what load is like on my 4970k (stock 4.0, turbo not on):

PD Big Minor Seventh Pad [SN], 2 OSC with 10 Unison on both: 18-19% holding one note.

Other unison pads/sequences were around 8-12% s

fceramic · Post by **fceramic** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:00 pm

This synth is a lot of fun to program, so visual and logical. Unfortunately it sounds really really cold and modern like most spectral synths. Was kinda hoping this would be a traditional subtractive wavetable synth like PPG. I also noticed that even the filters seem to be spectral and the filter drive only adds gain - no saturation going on. For a modern wavetable synth I have to say I much prefer the sound of Waldorf Nave, though I'm sure the EDM kids will be all over this for those plastic sounds.

robotsound · Post by **robotsound** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:03 pm

any chance of being able to load tuning files?

Official Serum thread!