KVR Audio

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:37 am

I strangely dismissed this synth after having been floored by Cakewalk's Z3ta. I thought the latter overall usurped it, but I see (and hear) now that the two are resolutely different synths.

After retrying the demo I was happily surprised to find the Helix a real powerhouse, programming this synth is only hampered by the relatively tiny gui. The sound is imo terrific, with plenty of depth even without the effects.

So, I bought the darn thing lol! It's a shame the programmer seems to have kind of abandoned it, it seems it only needs a few tweaks (mostly concerning the aforementioned gui).

A deep and rewarding synth that is also fun, at least to me.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:39 am

Yep, great sound...crappy GUI that I can't read.

Which is why I didn't get it.

** Hint, Hint **

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:42 am

wagtunes wrote:Yep, great sound...crappy GUI that I can't read.

Which is why I didn't get it.

** Hint, Hint **

I'm still coming to grips with the tiny size, but then the Z3ta Osc windows aren't exactly huge either.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:57 am

Apostate wrote:
wagtunes wrote:Yep, great sound...crappy GUI that I can't read.

Which is why I didn't get it.

** Hint, Hint **
I'm still coming to grips with the tiny size, but then the Z3ta Osc windows aren't exactly huge either.

Z3ta+2 is leaps and bounds ahead of Helix in the GUI area. I can program Z3ta+2. I can't even look at Helix.

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:05 pm

wagtunes wrote:
Apostate wrote:
wagtunes wrote:Yep, great sound...crappy GUI that I can't read.

Which is why I didn't get it.

** Hint, Hint **
I'm still coming to grips with the tiny size, but then the Z3ta Osc windows aren't exactly huge either.
Z3ta+2 is leaps and bounds ahead of Helix in the GUI area. I can program Z3ta+2. I can't even look at Helix.

I feel your pain.

Ghostwave · Post by **Ghostwave** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:05 pm

Apostate wrote:It's a shame the programmer seems to have kind of abandoned it, it seems it only needs a few tweaks (mostly concerning the aforementioned gui).

He hasn't. It's just that Helix is mature and bug-free.
And regarding the GUI, it's a layered .psd file so anyone using Photoshop could customise it.
I did so myself, replacing the huge Audjoo logo but I got used to the rest.
It's been one of my go-to synths since I bought it a few years ago.

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:08 pm

Karten wrote:
Apostate wrote:It's a shame the programmer seems to have kind of abandoned it, it seems it only needs a few tweaks (mostly concerning the aforementioned gui).
He hasn't. It's just that Helix is mature and bug-free.
And regarding the GUI, it's a layered .psd file so anyone using Photoshop could customise it.
I did so myself, replacing the huge Audjoo logo but I got used to the rest.
It's been one of my go-to synths since I bought it a few years ago.

I feel dumb that I didn't think of that, it's mostly dealing with Matrix that gives me scrunched up eyebrows and an impending headache.

To me, for $75 US this was a total steal. And, considering that Sytrus is my favorite FM synth, I really shouldn't complain too much about guis in general, paucis verbis I deal with worse every day.

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:20 pm

Karten wrote:I did so myself

@karten, I did as Jonas suggested in his Audjoo forum thread on GUI size: I increased the GUI .psd Image SIze precisely 200%. However, the DAW plugin window size did not similarly increase, thus most of the GUI was cut off. The DAW developer said the plugin sets the window size.
Did you increase the Image Size in PhotoShop, or do something else?
Would you mind sharing your .psd document?

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:22 pm

I find myself squinting at the matrix. The trade off is the amount of tweaking I can accomplish; I'm getting truly extraordinary sounds out of this synth.

gamecat666 · Post by **gamecat666** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:29 pm

havent checked but that PSD method sounds like the customisation will only applies to colours +textures though, im guessing you wont be able to enlarge or move elements. (= no less eyestrain)

Apostate · Post by **Apostate** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:33 pm

gamecat666 wrote:havent checked but that PSD method sounds like the customisation will only applies to colours +textures though, im guessing you wont be able to enlarge or move elements. (= no less eyestrain)

I'm wondering if perhaps the lower Stages/Fx section (which I mostly can't see on my laptop) could be made smaller to expand the Osc/Matrix section. I would actually pay money for an update that made the latter section larger. Helix is worth it, to me at least. I'm still programming it this morning and am frankly very impressed.

Again though, I've had MAJOR problems with the Sytrus gui yet use it all the time, and there's no hope in sight for a transformation there either. Maybe I do just need to get used to it.

Anyway, I'm popping in and out between some Helix programming fun. So there's that.

Ghostwave · Post by **Ghostwave** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:25 pm

Michael L wrote:
Karten wrote:I did so myself
@karten, I did as Jonas suggested in his Audjoo forum thread on GUI size: I increased the GUI .psd Image SIze precisely 200%. However, the DAW plugin window size did not similarly increase, thus most of the GUI was cut off. The DAW developer said the plugin sets the window size.
Did you increase the Image Size in PhotoShop, or do something else?
Would you mind sharing your .psd document?

I didn't do anything regarding the size or the fonts. Like I said, all I did was replace the Audjoo logo (with it's ugly rounded square. Jonas, no offence) with graphics from an old Akai sampler, as the blank space was too large.

syntheticillusion · Post by **syntheticillusion** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:13 pm

I'm still using the beta 2008.04.13....I have no problems with eyesight and can read
the GUI and ModMatrix perfectly, I have no complaints, I don't know why I'd get it
since the beta suite my needs perfectly, I have no problem with Zeta OSC window
either since I can read the screen fine, I don't know why everyone here hates Helix.
I use this synth a lot and it's been great for basses in my songs, I don't want the new
released version which btw is easier to read then the beta, I just think that I can't
give enough praise for the beta of this synth, it's a great sound for what I'm doing
assuming you all make your own presets from initialize presets.

lotus2035 · Post by **lotus2035** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:58 pm

Holy crap when did the price go down? Is this a sale or a permanent price drop?

Naenyn · Post by **Naenyn** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:15 pm

lotus2035 wrote:Holy crap when did the price go down? Is this a sale or a permanent price drop?

Pretty sure it is permanent.

Reconsidering the Audjoo Helix