Anyone using arturia hardware instruments? Also, instruments besides virus that have AU editors?

[andrelafosse]

Honest question here. Not a dis, not a troll; genuine curiosity.

If you're using digital mixers with complete recall, and hardware synths with plug-in editors so that they can be tweaked/recalled on a per-song basis, then... where is the main workflow difference between this, as opposed to using all plug-ins?

It seems to me that one of the most appealing aspects of hardware is the imposed narrowing of options: NOT being able to endlessly tweak, committing to sounds, working within the (relatively) confines of what the specific hardware (or, conversely, lack of endless potential hardware) affords a person.

Again: not dissing, just genuinely curious about all of this.

[EnGee]

This is about limiting myself and having knobs to tweak and knowing myself - that since i started this when i was 17 (now almost 43), the best stuff i ever wrote was before i went VSTi crazy.

Congratulations on that Korg! Good find for excellent price

Why do you need a mixer? My mini mixer is just sitting there. A waste of money really. But audio interface with many inputs is crucial IMO and you absolutely need it. Don't care a lot about latency because you won't have it I would buy PreSonus and save lots of money.

IMO you will overwhelm yourself with many synths. As a composer, you really don't need that much. I would omit the analog four and mininova from the setup unless you have a plan to go playing live.
The other instruments are beautiful but you might still need an additive synth like Loom for example or Razor.

The most productive step in my opinion is to use only one DAW. Get rid of Cubase and just use logic and be all mac.
For me I'm all windows and using now just S1 and my blofeld as main setup. I even don't think I buy anything else really (hardware). I Realized lately that KLC is the greatest synths collection I have completing Blofeld

Just be sure you don't translate your lust for vst world to the hardware

[Uncle E]

uad apollo 8 is the current lead choice.. i get 8 analog in's only but will add another 8 via adat, and have realtime uad processing on all the synths, plus i can simply save uad/apollo sessions alongside the logic projects with the same name, and have true total recall.

A good thing about the Apollos is you can chain 6 of them for more I/O's. It'd be expensive but you'll need the inputs with all those hardware synths.

I looked at hardware mixers and it's going to be a bit of a nightmare IMO - decent ones with project recall run the cost of the apollo (unless I am missing something).

An old 02R, D8B, or RAMSA wouldn't cost much but you'd lose the flexibility of having direct outputs from each synth. On the plus side, they look awesome if you've got the space for them.

Then there is the AVB motu 16 analog, or 828x, but guess what, only one thunderbolt port
I need something with a pass through.

You can use it USB. The one that makes me tear my hair out is the 24Ai. If they'd only put in 2 analog outputs, it would be an excellent interface for most modern musicians.

BUT.. caveat with UAD is the price.. and.... they have the lowest I/O count vs price of any of them. I mean i know for a fact the RME 802 converters are just as high quality as the Apollo's.

The new blackface Apollo 16 actually has ESS output converters that are better than what are in the blackface Apollo 8 and possibly also the RME.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

This is about limiting myself and having knobs to tweak and knowing myself - that since i started this when i was 17 (now almost 43), the best stuff i ever wrote was before i went VSTi crazy.

Congratulations on that Korg! Good find for excellent price

Why do you need a mixer? My mini mixer is just sitting there. A waste of money really. But audio interface with many inputs is crucial IMO and you absolutely need it. Don't care a lot about latency because you won't have it I would buy PreSonus and save lots of money.

IMO you will overwhelm yourself with many synths. As a composer, you really don't need that much. I would omit the analog four and mininova from the setup unless you have a plan to go playing live.
The other instruments are beautiful but you might still need an additive synth like Loom for example or Razor.

The most productive step in my opinion is to use only one DAW. Get rid of Cubase and just use logic and be all mac.
For me I'm all windows and using now just S1 and my blofeld as main setup. I even don't think I buy anything else really (hardware). I Realized lately that KLC is the greatest synths collection I have completing Blofeld

Just be sure you don't translate your lust for vst world to the hardware

we are actually on the same page almost 100% EnGee.
It would be a digital mixer with lots of inputs OR an interface with lots of inputs and it's own close as possible to zero latency dsp mixer - the latter option is far preferable but the ideal interfaces seem to be very expensive. The thing is that the interface also needs to have decent drivers to play back the few vsti live in low latency, that i AM keeping... and presonus are not exactly known for good drivers but I will look into it.

I write all my music in logic. As I have explained previously, I used cubase for a period when apple ditched logic on windows, from 2005 through 2008 and did a lot of material with it. After moving to mac and back to logic, i haven't created any NEW stuff on Cubase. But it's worth keeping around IMO to load the hundreds of cubase projects I have if i ever want to work on them or slowly convert them over to Logic projects

Keep interface ideas coming though, I am all ears.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

uad apollo 8 is the current lead choice.. i get 8 analog in's only but will add another 8 via adat, and have realtime uad processing on all the synths, plus i can simply save uad/apollo sessions alongside the logic projects with the same name, and have true total recall.

A good thing about the Apollos is you can chain 6 of them for more I/O's. It'd be expensive but you'll need the inputs with all those hardware synths.

I looked at hardware mixers and it's going to be a bit of a nightmare IMO - decent ones with project recall run the cost of the apollo (unless I am missing something).

An old 02R, D8B, or RAMSA wouldn't cost much but you'd lose the flexibility of having direct outputs from each synth. On the plus side, they look awesome if you've got the space for them.

Then there is the AVB motu 16 analog, or 828x, but guess what, only one thunderbolt port
I need something with a pass through.

You can use it USB. The one that makes me tear my hair out is the 24Ai. If they'd only put in 2 analog outputs, it would be an excellent interface for most modern musicians.

BUT.. caveat with UAD is the price.. and.... they have the lowest I/O count vs price of any of them. I mean i know for a fact the RME 802 converters are just as high quality as the Apollo's.

The new blackface Apollo 16 actually has ESS output converters that are better than what are in the blackface Apollo 8 and possibly also the RME.

Eric you are on to something with the motu.. because... it can be cascaded via ethernet.. i didn't realise multiple motus could do this.. This means i could buy the 1248 for mic pres and extra analog ins, 2 headphone outs and plenty of other outs, and the 24ai purely for synth inputs. That combo would give me 32 analog inputs without any extra adat stuff, and analog inputs of the highest quality (i know the sabre converters are very good). This means i can run all 6 outs of the virus (if i get the ti2 desktop), 6 outs on the integra, 4 on the nord, etc.. I would be able to have everything going to it's own out and have maximum flexibility. When it's time to print, just hit the record button in Logic and off I go.

However it would also mean i'd need to buy a thunderbolt satellite uad octo where the cheapest I negotiated in all of OZ after trying many stores was 2275 AUD delivered.

EDIT: scratch that, the motus are 3K each! I'd rather just get an apollo quad 8, ad an adat bank, use all my luscious uad modulators/tapes/verbs on INPUT.. and not have to buy a uad thunderbolt at all.
In time, i would add an apollo 8 6 months down the line for more dsp and i/o. It doesn't matter what i compare it to, because of those comprehensive realtime fx that no other system can provide, the uad always seems to make the most sense. It's just that it is stingy on the ins.

The apollo 16 has no pres and no headphone outs.. so it's not really useful to me. I'd also need to have the analog inputs hanging off connectors on the back which kind of irks me.. rather than built in. That said I am open to it, of course - i suppose the ideal thing would be would be to put a uad apollo 16 together with an 8, and that would be that. But that's BIG money (almost 9K aud, ridiculous).

Maybe i will just get a cheap as interface in the meantime with lots of ins, like a presonus something, and slowly save for UAD, and in the meantime just buy a second hand uad satellite quad to add to my current duo for 6 dsps for mixing. It's all alot to process.

As far as usb vs TB, well, the imac only has 2 usb busses, considering I have about 5 synths with usb planned and 2 midi KB's and dongles and hubs and more.. i think it's asking a bit much to do the audio there too. The only thing that would make sense is to create an all new USB bus via a thunderbolt dock, which could be dedicated to the usb interface (in the case of the RME I can use firewire also if i get the OWC dock).

Oh, and old digital mixers? nah, i won't take that far of a risk IMO.. i won't feel safe reliability wise and with no warranty.

Will contact you as i want to talk uad and stuff, cheers.

[EnGee]

we are actually on the same page almost 100% EnGee.

Maybe because you have already made up your mind about everything and don't need any other's opinions?
Anyway, good luck with your profession or hobby. I'm just repeating myself it seems and that won't be useful for you or for other readers.
Chau

[ObsoleteAcc99]

we are actually on the same page almost 100% EnGee.

Maybe because you have already made up your mind about everything and don't need any other's opinions?
Anyway, good luck with your profession or hobby. I'm just repeating myself it seems and that won't be useful for you or for other readers.
Chau

well you actually totally misunderstood my previous message to you then.

I asked for continued *advice* on interfaces, as i am way undecided on that, and all i simply did was explain to you why cubase was around.. thus "we are almost 100% on the same page", as in, we AGREE, as i am not using 2 daws to compose at all, just keeping one to open old projects and transfer them when i have time.

I have no idea how you could come to your conclusion quoted above from what I wrote, but perhaps it is a language barrier. As far as any hardware i am set on, there are only 2 things in that regard, theintegra and virus. Nothing else at all. Everything else is totally open to suggestion.
I keep taking recommendations and altering my decision often because of other's here like Uncle E and his advice (for example).. For instance, I was really interested in analog keys but due to the opinions and advice of others, i have taken a possible interest in waldorf pulse 2 or dsi tetra as alternatives. I am far from being concrete in my decisions and would be happy to take any suggestion! Cheers!

[ObsoleteAcc99]

I am bumping this cause i literally just found the most incredible deal on amazon for brand new waldorf pulse 2..

707 AUD priority shipped with guaranteed 6 day delivery date. NZD prices cant get close, AUD prices here can't get close, USD prices cant get close. Shipping is always reasonable from UK i must admit.

They let you pay in AUD as well so no hidden fees.

I can't find specs on whether the pulse's adapter is auto switching anywhere, and at least with a UK one we know it will be within aussie voltage tolerance.

Rather exciting for a true analog synth that can be controlled by a vst.. a third of the price of the elektron.. in fact, i can still get a tetra on *top* of this and still have paid for both it and the pulse, only 2/3rds of the analog four price. I feel a tetra AND a pulse will cover more ground than just an analog 4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G ... B00GEA4U10

one you check out the vat drops off for OZ and NZ orders

[ObsoleteAcc99]

Oh man i gotta say it feels soooooooooo good using a real hardware analog synth. The pulse arrived yesterday.

Sure there are great sounding plugins but using this makes me feel like I am in a studio again.

It sounds *really* meaty too.

I am also going to order a tetra. (and next summer when i order my second apollo 8, i will order another tetra as they can be chained for polyphony).

The tetra and pulse including shipping, in AUD work out to $300 less than *just* the elektron four. That was the decision I made cause i feel having a pulse AND a tetra gives me a better variety overall and more poly than just the one elektron four.

I still have to order the tetra from eric (he has the best dave smith prices and it works out to around 900 aud even with ship and currency conversion, and they are 1329 aud locally!) but after that, every spec of the hardware budget has been used, almost exactly to the dollar:)

Virus ti2 arrived today which i am about to unpack and have a go with.

I also found out at the access forums that the i can use a virus snow alongside a virus ti (or even multiple ti's).

Due to price i will choose a snow.. it can be used alongside the same machine in the same logic project with it's own plug in editor and can use all the same patches, so is basically a polyphony booster for me.

So yeah that's it for now, and basically in 7 months will get an apollo 8/second tetra/ti snow. And that will be absolutely it! until at least 2020