KVR Audio

HydrogenHuman · Post by **HydrogenHuman** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:01 am

I've been looking at the ANA Synth for months now, and I really like the design and sound from it.

However, I read from several forums that it has really bad aliasing at a lot of different frequencies, not just the high ones.

Does anyone know if these claims are true?

Does anyone who owns ANA enjoy using it?

Thanks.

arkmabat · Post by **arkmabat** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:07 am

Just listen to the demos. If they sound fine to you then don't worry about it.

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:09 am

^ what he said.

Just use what you like. I do it.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:31 am

"A lot of different frequencies" doesn't make any sense at all.

Aliasing is the effect you get when you sample an analog signal.

For example in typical oscillators we define "a saw at 1974.93hz". That itself is analog. We have to sample it somehow, usually we use some sort of anti-aliasing filter like a minblep or blit or so on.

When we sample the signal, we define it based upon a sampling frequency. 1/2 of that frequency is called "nyquist". Above the nyquist frequency the signal doesn't just disappear to zero, instead we have reflected/mirror images of the signal below nyquist going up to infinity. These are called "aliases".

If we don't apply some sort of anti-aliasing filter during the sampling process those aliases will be reflected downward off nyquist instead of going up to infinity because in our sampled signal there is nothing above nyquist. Nyquist is infinity.

Those nyquist reflected aliases are what we're used to hearing about in digital audio referred to as just "aliasing".

The same thing applies to a filter or so on. If the resonant frequency is 5691.4hz and it has odd harmonics, the fifth harmonic will be 28457hz. If our sample rate is 44.1k, this will become an alias at 15643hz.

If you want to listen for how much aliasing is present the easiest way is to play very high notes because high notes have fewer more widely spaced harmonics, making nyquist reflected aliases stand out like a sore thumb.

You can also however play any frequency and look at a spectrum analyzer. This is far more easy and will give you far more information about exactly what is taking place.

As far as the question "does synthesizer X have aliasing?", the answer is always yes no matter how good the anti-aliasing filters are. It is simply a matter of how loud those aliases are and what frequencies they're at.

arkmabat · Post by **arkmabat** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:34 am

Something to take into account is how a synth sounds with other stuff going on. Something can sound great on its own but not play well with others and vice-versa. Depends on what your other sounds are.

Yudaidhun · Post by **Yudaidhun** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:50 am

Technically alias is not a good thing, but musically it's not always so.
Original JP-80x0 SuperSaw is actually one of the masterpiece of alias sound.
Believe your ears.

HydrogenHuman · Post by **HydrogenHuman** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:54 am

Thanks for the answers.

I always liked the ANA synth, primarily because it was all "self-contained", in other words, it has all the FX built in similar to Sylenth 1.

I know the developers said they wanted to make it as an alternative to Sylenth1.

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:02 am

I tried it once and it sounded ok to my ears, but it didn't respond to CC64 Sustain Pedal messages so I didn't buy it.

arkmabat · Post by **arkmabat** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:16 pm

Sylenth1 may be going on sale in September, as it marks a special day for them. Hoping so.

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 2:22 pm

I could be wrong but I thought ana used samples for oscillators? Maybe they are using impulse responses like spire? That would make sense being so set on quality of sound like they advertise. How's the filters? Any character or just flat, static, run of the mill filters?

HcDoom · Post by **HcDoom** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:13 pm

If you want clean sounding analog high tones, than forget about Ana. If you want dirty sound, than go for it.

Sendy · Post by **Sendy** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 9:02 pm

It certainly is true that it's the most strongly aliasing synth I've heard in a VERY long time. In a mix with other synths, that doesn't have to be a problem, though. And for medium to low notes, it's not too noticable.

fluffy_little_something · Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:01 pm

Sendy wrote:It certainly is true that it's the most strongly aliasing synth I've heard in a VERY long time. In a mix with other synths, that doesn't have to be a problem, though. And for medium to low notes, it's not too noticable.

That's really a pity, because the concept of that synth seems pretty good and interesting, especially those unusual attack options.
Why don't they improve their product?

PWM, osc phase control, and an EQ FX module would also be nice, and maybe envelope stages as mod targets.

recursive one · Post by **recursive one** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:06 pm

They've promiced an uptade to fix the alisaing problems but it was more that a year ago iirc. It seems that the synth didn't generate much interest and sales and they've ditched it. Making tutorials is their main activity.

fluffy_little_something · Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:38 pm

I do think they got quite some attention a while ago, but of course when they don't fix things, people start to lose interest. Who wants to buy abandonware...
They got to get the order right, first they need to offer a great product, then people will buy it, not the other way round...

I can't imagine they make a lot of money with tutorials when there are zillions of free tutorials on YT etc.

Does a higher sampling rate in the DAW eliminate or significantly reduce the aliasing?

ANA Synth - Is it true it has bad aliasing?