KVR Audio

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:52 pm

In the near future, I am planning on getting either the two via a midi keyboard purchase and I am trying to decide which to pick. I am really interested in AMT because they are the creators of Hypersonic and I simply love that synth. I even bought HalionSonic 2 thinking it was Hypersonic upgraded, but turns out it was completely different developers and imo completely different sound. So, out of the two which is most like hypersonic 2 soundwise? I know Expand2 is a rompler and thus more like HS2, but how about Hybrid 3? Is it an Expand2 or HS2 in synth version that has greater tweakability? In short is the Hybrid 3 sound like the Hypersonic 2 as well?

basslinemaster · Post by **basslinemaster** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:02 pm

Does anybody know where Hypersonic 2 stands legally now? Can the Air team re-release it, who owns the rights to the code, if nobody is selling it any more? Can't they re-release it and start adding new synths to it, new samples, etc.?
Who owns the source code? Could it be released as the ultimate, open source, free VST instead?

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:17 pm

I asked a similar question but never really got an answer - it appears XPand is the real successor to Hypersonic 2 in terms of capabilities and I believe still shares some sounds (although reworked) but is sadly crippled by having the actual synth/sampler engines closed off. On the other hand Hybrid is more of a multi engine synth, so lacks the sampler aspect, but does have a wavetable engine and I would love to know if it is the same as, or close to, the wavetable engine that is also in XPand and Hypersonic as that is the best part of it. If it did I might be interested in Hybrid - or XPand if they opened it up in the way that Hypersonic was.

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:57 pm

basslinemaster wrote:Does anybody know where Hypersonic 2 stands legally now? Can the Air team re-release it, who owns the rights to the code, if nobody is selling it any more? Can't they re-release it and start adding new synths to it, new samples, etc.?
Who owns the source code? Could it be released as the ultimate, open source, free VST instead?

I don't know the legality issues, but I'm certain it has been discontinued and nearly certain it is steinberg who has the copyright. Since the ATM worked on it, they may have partial share rights but who knows? Seriously, they should definitely release it again with it beefed up. It still can hold its own and more in todays market as far as quality sounds is concerned..

sbangs_air · Post by **sbangs_air** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:43 pm

The sounds in Hybrid 3 are really great for electronic and dance production its been very popular with electronic labels like Tool Room Records. Xpand!2 provides a very wide range of sounds covering all genres of music. Its highly regarded for its wide range of content and ease of use. Hypersonic is a grey area however we hope to work on a more powerful workstation instrument in the future.

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:42 pm

sbangs_air wrote:The sounds in Hybrid 3 are really great for electronic and dance production its been very popular with electronic labels like Tool Room Records. Xpand!2 provides a very wide range of sounds covering all genres of music. Its highly regarded for its wide range of content and ease of use. Hypersonic is a grey area however we hope to work on a more powerful workstation instrument in the future.

Sounds good and thanks for your reply. I should be recieving my midi keyboard in the mail shortly, an alesis 49 key. It says it comes with xpand2 in download format. Since you say Hybrid 3 is more for electronic music and I noticed Hybrid 3 is also available free with some midi keyboards, is there anyway to do a swap for xpand 2 for Hybrid 3?

sbangs_air · Post by **sbangs_air** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:38 am

Unfortunately swapping is not possible. However your Alesis keyboard comes with a $129.99 upgrade path for all 7 of our AIEP instruments. A significant saving!

basslinemaster · Post by **basslinemaster** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:53 pm

mysticvibes wrote:
basslinemaster wrote:Does anybody know where Hypersonic 2 stands legally now? Can the Air team re-release it, who owns the rights to the code, if nobody is selling it any more? Can't they re-release it and start adding new synths to it, new samples, etc.?
Who owns the source code? Could it be released as the ultimate, open source, free VST instead?
I don't know the legality issues, but I'm certain it has been discontinued and nearly certain it is steinberg who has the copyright. Since the ATM worked on it, they may have partial share rights but who knows? Seriously, they should definitely release it again with it beefed up. It still can hold its own and more in todays market as far as quality sounds is concerned..

In the Sound on Sound review, here:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar06/a ... sonic2.htm

it says "The only real concern I have about Hypersonic 2 has nothing to do with how well it works: it's about the takeover of developers Wizoo by Digidesign. Some will see this as casting doubts on the long-term future for Hypersonic as a Steinberg product, especially since Digi's new free instrument plug-in Xpand! appears to be closely related to it. However, Steinberg are promising a 'full support programme' for Hypersonic 2, and it would be most unfair to judge the product that exists now on the basis of speculation about what might happen down the line."

So am I right in thinking that it was Steinberg who made the decision to stop selling Hypersonic 2, and nobody else? (And I wish people would write 'Halion Sonic 2' instead of 'HS2' all the time, it's hard to know if they mean Hypersonic 2 or Halion Sonic 2).

Examigan · Post by **Examigan** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:42 pm

My short answer : Hybrid 3 is great, I really like it

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:11 pm

edit: posted on this thread by accident.

yessongs · Post by **yessongs** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 12:39 am

mysticvibes wrote:In the near future, I am planning on getting either the two via a midi keyboard purchase and I am trying to decide which to pick. I am really interested in AMT because they are the creators of Hypersonic and I simply love that synth. I even bought HalionSonic 2 thinking it was Hypersonic upgraded, but turns out it was completely different developers and imo completely different sound. So, out of the two which is most like hypersonic 2 soundwise? I know Expand2 is a rompler and thus more like HS2, but how about Hybrid 3? Is it an Expand2 or HS2 in synth version that has greater tweakability? In short is the Hybrid 3 sound like the Hypersonic 2 as well?

Which keyboards come with these sounds?

mhog · Post by **mhog** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:29 am

yessongs wrote:Which keyboards come with these sounds?

All the Alesis V Series should come with Xpand2 (together with Live9 Lite). I mean "should", because I bought a V25 some days ago. It is a very nice product in itself. The enclosed coupon claims "register your product, download Xpand2 and you will get your code from Air". The problem is that if you are not a citizen of the U.S. you cannot register your Alesis product, not even register a personal account. The form on Air page asks for data and serial product. Once filled it, you should immediately receive your code via e-mail. I mean "you should", because I received nothing at all

I just have this "Xpand Autorizer" on my desktop, asking for a code and linking to sonivox, which asks for a serial, and so on...

sbangs_air · Post by **sbangs_air** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:44 am

mhog wrote:
yessongs wrote:Which keyboards come with these sounds?
All the Alesis V Series should come with Xpand2 (together with Live9 Lite). I mean "should", because I bought a V25 some days ago. It is a very nice product in itself. The enclosed coupon claims "register your product, download Xpand2 and you will get your code from Air". The problem is that if you are not a citizen of the U.S. you cannot register your Alesis product, not even register a personal account. The form on Air page asks for data and serial product. Once filled it, you should immediately receive your code via e-mail. I mean "you should", because I received nothing at all I just have this "Xpand Autorizer" on my desktop, asking for a code and linking to sonivox, which asks for a serial, and so on...

It sounds like your being incorrectly identified as an American customer by IP filtering please send me an email at sbangs@airmusictech.com and I will help you.

Palio · Post by **Palio** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:05 am

On the M-Audio FB I read, that 2014 models of Keystation and Oxygen include Xpand2 and upgrade voucher to AIEP for 129USD. Is it true?

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:29 pm

Which keyboards come with Hybrid 3?

Air Music Tech: Hybrid 3 or Xpand 2?