SEM V

[Friendly Noise]

A comparison with the hardware:

https://youtu.be/y-0oPE6pJHc

[robindrieghe]

friendly noise! or other arturia sem knowers...i have v2 but need a sound from v1 thats not included, is there a way to convert?
dont getting it right in the voice programmer.

[abernathy]

friendly noise! or other arturia sem knowers...i have v2 but need a sound from v1 thats not included, is there a way to convert?
dont getting it right in the voice programmer.

I don't remember which instrument presets it converts, but I have this Converter on my home Mac and could send to you (doesn't appear to be on Arturia.com any more). Don't know if I have the PC version:

https://ask.video/article/audio-softwar ... llection-5

[Rastkovic]

friendly noise! or other arturia sem knowers...i have v2 but need a sound from v1 thats not included, is there a way to convert?

By hand?

What's the name of the sound? Maybe someone here can do this job for you....

[Rastkovic]

A comparison with the hardware:

https://youtu.be/y-0oPE6pJHc

Nice comparison, thanks! Would love to see a comparison between Gforce SEM and your hardware SEM.

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion the Gforce SEM doesn't have the distinctive Oberheim sound....

[vitocorleone123]

A comparison with the hardware:

https://youtu.be/y-0oPE6pJHc

Nice comparison, thanks! Would love to see a comparison between Gforce SEM and your hardware SEM.

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion the Gforce SEM doesn't have the distinctive Oberheim sound....

Tom seems satisfied enough. Doesn’t mean you have to like the synth, of course.

[chk071]

A comparison with the hardware:

https://youtu.be/y-0oPE6pJHc

Nice comparison, thanks! Would love to see a comparison between Gforce SEM and your hardware SEM.

Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion the Gforce SEM doesn't have the distinctive Oberheim sound....

Tom seems satisfied enough. Doesn’t mean you have to like the synth, of course.

He also seemed "satisfied" enough to let Arturia use the original synth's name, or let Dave Smith call his synth the OB-6 (think it even sports Tom Oberheim's signature). I remember another occasion, but, can't remember now which one it was exactly. Let's just say that he's satisfied with a lot of things, as it seems. Or maybe they simply pay him enough.

Would love a comparison of the Gforce with a real SEM as well. IMO, the Gforce SEM lacks some resonance, or has a slightly different resonant behavior. In every SEM demo, I hear more resonance on full level. The base sound seems to be quite there though. Maybe a bit too reserved in the bass region as well.

[RobustAmerican]

friendly noise! or other arturia sem knowers...i have v2 but need a sound from v1 thats not included, is there a way to convert?
dont getting it right in the voice programmer.

friendly noise! or other arturia sem knowers...i have v2 but need a sound from v1 thats not included, is there a way to convert?
dont getting it right in the voice programmer.

I got the first version of the SemV as soon as it was released. Loved it. I was recently looking for the converter as well with no luck. I have about 160 presets that need converted and it seems hopeless. Hard to believe really. Oh well...Lesson learned.

[Arashi]

A comparison with the hardware:

What's the point of comparing the hardware with the worst SEM emulation? We all know Arturia's SEM V isn't good.

[PAK]

What's the point of comparing the hardware with the worst SEM emulation? We all know Arturia's SEM V isn't good.

Nope. It's actually excellent with regards to its control over many aspects of voice variation and sound shaping. So good that I wish Arturia had stuck with, and expanded it, on their other emulations.

However the vast majority of users don't use these features, and will judge based on what you can do only from the main panel. The presets Arturia provides have traditionally made little use of the advanced features too.

[Arashi]

What's the point of comparing the hardware with the worst SEM emulation? We all know Arturia's SEM V isn't good.

Nope. It's actually excellent with regards to its control over many aspects of voice variation and sound shaping. So good that I wish Arturia had stuck with, and expanded it, on their other emulations.

However the vast majority of users don't use these features, and will judge based on what you can do only from the main panel. The presets Arturia provides have traditionally made little use of the advanced features too.

I'm aware of the voice editing panel and know how to use it. The features are good, but the sound isn't.

[PAK]

I'm aware of the voice editing panel and know how to use it. The features are good, but the sound isn't.

Since the features shape the sound your statement is contradictory, to a degree, as the fact is those features can be used to match a real world hardware unit better than other emulations, which lack those calibration features, for specific sounds.

Which is not to say the usual areas can't be improved (resonance, VCA, distortions, saturation, unintended compression type behaviour etc). But it is to say that, if you don't like aspects then that's your right, but don't presume to speak for other people (which you did on your prior post, by using the phrase "we all").

It just reminds me of when people said much the same (and still do) regarding Aturia's OBXA V Vs Obsession. Opinions, on the vast differences, were usually more muted when people actually compared them. Which means recreating the same sounds on both, and not just going with "feelings".

[Arashi]

Since the features shape the sound your statement is contradictory, to a degree, as the fact is those features can be used to match a real world hardware unit better than other emulations, which lack those calibration features, for specific sounds.

No amount of features will fix the problem if they don't get the core emulation right. They didn't. It doesn't sound like a SEM. The filter, in particular, sounds completely wrong. Other emulations sound much better. Compare it with GForce SEM or bx_oberhausen and it's clear as day…Arturia's version is not in the same league. Not even close.

For the record, I like Arturia OP-Xa V, and many of their other emulations. SEM V is just not one of the good ones.

[PAK]

No amount of features will fix the problem if they don't get the core emulation right. They didn't. It doesn't sound like a SEM.

Some people will tell you the exact same about the recent hardware OB-X reissue Vs original. Or, indeed, an original SEM Vs reissue. There's degrees of difference. EG The original Arturia Jupiter 8V emulation isn't exactly accurate, but it still didn't stop it being able to get many sounds close to spot on, whilst others.. maybe not so much

The filter, in particular, sounds completely wrong. Other emulations sound much better. Compare it with GForce SEM or bx_oberhausen and it's clear as day…Arturia's version is not in the same league. Not even close.

That would depend on multiple factors. Many sounds could be copied well, even prior to ZDF type techniques.

My point is it's not really possible to be quite so absolute, especially when a synth has extensive shaping features. But Arturia's original SEM is over a decade old at this point. I don't remember what got updated, on V2, but its very likely they could significantly improve things with their latest methods..

[Arashi]

My point is it's not really possible to be quite so absolute, especially when a synth has extensive shaping features. But Arturia's original SEM is over a decade old at this point. I don't remember what got updated, on V2, but its very likely they could significantly improve things with their latest methods..

Yes, SEM V is pretty old now. I have no doubt they could do a better job if they rewrote it. The Jup-8 V4 rewrite was a big success. The new Prophet-5 V also replaced one of the worst emulations in the collection with a very good one.

Arturia has gotten very good at what they do. I'm glad they keep circling back to improve the older emulations instead of just dropping them or letting them drag down the overall quality of V Collection.