Novation Peak- not impressed

[Dasheesh]

have to admit it's fun watching software guys trying to figure out hardware.

[Wriggle]

I think this demo greatly demonstrate the Peak's capabilities in doing "classic" sounds. The type of sounds I was wondering about since I've heard so many other digital or harsh sounding patches. I think it sounds good, would definitely consider it over i.e. the REV2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKssAN1cXKo

Ok don’t get me wrong. I really want Peak to sell. But this isn’t my experience of it. I bought one and returned it. IMHO the problem with this synth is the stereo field. There isn’t one. It sounds like a mono output with stereo effects. This vid has external stereo processing beyond fx. This is how it should sound.

In terms of interface I think the Peak is amazing. In sound, it is quite beautifully Roland at times. I don’t want Dave Smith left/right/left panning of individual notes. But I do want something that can play on its own and sound like it exists in 3 dimensions rather than 2. Come on Novation!

[chk071]

Meh... really hoped they'd make a Ultranova 2, or even some software. Just my opinion, but... i find such polyphonically limited hybrid synths utterly boring.

My rant for today. Going back to the cellar now.

[KBSoundSmith]

have to admit it's fun watching software guys trying to figure out hardware.

It reminds me of my own stupidity recently, but with microphones. I've recorded plenty before, but it had been years since anything serious, and previously under the eye of someone experienced.

Anyway, I recently picked up a few mics, and I had gotten so used to extremely clean sound from software/hardware synths that the noisiness of microphones and preamps was outright disturbing to me. So I started asking around if there was defects with the equipment, spent several sleepless nights fine-tuning mic placement and distance from source, preamp levels, etc... only to realize (and be told, repeatedly) that my expectations for the S:N cleanliness of my recordings was obsessive and unrealistic. (that said...the time spent on the recording technique has payed off )

So yeah... can be a bit funny going from ITB to OTB equipment.

[JoeCat]

Meh... really hoped they'd make a Ultranova 2, or even some software. Just my opinion, but... i find such polyphonically limited hybrid synths utterly boring.

My rant for today. Going back to the cellar now.

My band gigs with an Ultranova. Doesn't do anything super-great, but can do almost anything (a few complex waveforms and generous mod-routing, including effects, mean you can mimic a lot of other gear), and has a great small footprint for bands where keys aren't the main attraction.

Last gig we dropped it 4 feet off a stand on its' back (happily during the sound check!), turned on with cable attached. Picked it back up and started right back where we left off. Light and plastic-y doesn't mean unreliable. I'm really hoping for some more poly with keys from Novation.

[chk071]

Judging from sound demos i heard, i think i prefer the sound of their older Supernova synths, but, i always liked the feature set and interface of the Ultranova. What i think is a shame in general that such companies with a nice heritage in VA hardware synths don't build up on that, make use of more modern DSP, and offer better sound and more voices. Unfortunately seems like most companies reached some kind of dead end in that regard, maybe due to developments in the software area.

[BONES]

I am pretty sure Ultranova uses the Supernova sound engine. That's certainly how it was marketed. I love mine. It does the best syn strings of all time and some of the biggest, nastiest unison pads you will ever hear. I just wish it wasn't blue.

[chk071]

I am pretty sure Ultranova uses the Supernova sound engine.

Not quite. As far as Novation stated, it's a "improved" version (just like with their former synths) of the Nova engine. I definitely prefer the sound of the older Nova's, but, to each his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dilB8h8QQQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gby94W4jikQ

[Ph-J]

was all set for go till my son went and told me i was getting a grandchild

Congratz to you !

[aMUSEd]

We have reached peak Peak

https://www.musicradar.com/news/superbo ... -polysynth

[AnX]

Meh... really hoped they'd make a Ultranova 2, or even some software. Just my opinion, but... i find such polyphonically limited hybrid synths utterly boring.

My rant for today. Going back to the cellar now.

you might like summit else

[zerocrossing]

I’m having a bit of an internal gain issue with my Peak... its driving me a bit mad, but it could be that I just don’t understand it well enough. I notice that if I do an initialized patch and start adding a second oscillator, I’m getting pretty audible distortion. The input levels are fine. I’m going to try to run it with its volume all the way up and pad it down at my interface, but any tips would be welcome.

[mjudge55]

I’m having a bit of an internal gain issue with my Peak... its driving me a bit mad, but it could be that I just don’t understand it well enough. I notice that if I do an initialized patch and start adding a second oscillator, I’m getting pretty audible distortion. The input levels are fine. I’m going to try to run it with its volume all the way up and pad it down at my interface, but any tips would be welcome.

Peak has several gain stages where clipping can happen, and where noise floor can become an issue. To avoid noise, I suggest getting the highest signal you can from the earliest gain stages without clipping - ie get as much osc volume in the mixer as you can w/out clipping, then tame any clipping from filter drive stages using VCA level. This will get you a clean, hot signal into the fx. All the gain stages after fx add noise so I avoid adding gain there. I always try to keep master volume at noon or lower, because again, noise. I typically use full wet reverb to test for any clipping because for me it’s easy to detect that way.

[zerocrossing]

I’m having a bit of an internal gain issue with my Peak... its driving me a bit mad, but it could be that I just don’t understand it well enough. I notice that if I do an initialized patch and start adding a second oscillator, I’m getting pretty audible distortion. The input levels are fine. I’m going to try to run it with its volume all the way up and pad it down at my interface, but any tips would be welcome.

Peak has several gain stages where clipping can happen, and where noise floor can become an issue. To avoid noise, I suggest getting the highest signal you can from the earliest gain stages without clipping - ie get as much osc volume in the mixer as you can w/out clipping, then tame any clipping from filter drive stages using VCA level. This will get you a clean, hot signal into the fx. All the gain stages after fx add noise so I avoid adding gain there. I always try to keep master volume at noon or lower, because again, noise. I typically use full wet reverb to test for any clipping because for me it’s easy to detect that way.

Thanks. I’ll give that another try.

[mjudge55]

Just keep in mind the init patch has a cranked oscillator into a wide open filter with a cranked vca and no velocity reducing the vca level. Playing big chords with that is definitely going to get you close to clipping and adding another osc will quickly push you into clipping. So really it’s already about as loud a preset as you can expect to get away with. You want to back off levels pretty soon if you start adding gain to it.

Last thing, I suggest zooming in to find out what gain stage is causing clipping. Is it at the osc level stage in the mixer? Is it the pre filter OD? Is it from filtercresonance? Is it post filter drive? Is it VCA level after the filter and drive stages? Once you get comfortable you’ll be able to predict what different osc types, mono/poly settings, gain and filter settings are likely to cause clipping in a given patch and what to adjust to prevent it.