KVR Audio

AnX · Post by **AnX** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:59 am

im wondering where ppl are getting these opinions from

anyone got one in front of them next to a virus?

or just YT 'reviews'

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:03 am

Loopop has a 50 minute in-depth video where you can clearly hear how these things sound. Couple that with some experience from using a Virus, that's perfectly enough to form an opinion.

Elektronisch · Post by **Elektronisch** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:07 am

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:54 am Filters sound better than Virus filters. Oscillators are not bandlimited like crazy and don't sound as dark like Virus oscillators do. You can build your own wavetable from the waveforms that are in there, on Virus you can't. Modulation is much more advanced. Macros. CV...

And no, Virus cannot do all things that Mutators do (like 3 different types of PWM). Oh yeah, FM also sounds much better than on Virus... So no, Virus is not really more attractive than this.

My virus doesnt sound dark, its quite bright.

Ok wavetable building is a nice feature (even tho i never used in any synth), people might like it.
Macros: virus has 3, but i never used them in my entire life, nor any macro in any synths.
I think sound can be a taste thing, to me at least from youtube videos Hydrasynth sounded thin and lifeless.

I have to admit overal idea of this synth is great and especialy hands on controls, but not being multitimbral is not a good value for the price and the sound it offers.

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:09 am

IMO Hydra doesn't sound exceptional by any means. Maybe some preset demonstration can change my mind.

I'd rather consider it as a Serum-in-the-box - vast digital osc manipulation capabilities with streamlined interface. It doesn't promise to emulate any 70's classic or such.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:11 am

Elektronisch wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:07 amMy virus doesnt sound dark, its quite bright.

Sure after you go through the whole synthesis chain. I was referring to the raw sound of the oscillators, if you didn't notice. They ARE heavily bandlimited and as a consequence don't contain the full treble spectrum, hence they sound darker than, say, Blofeld oscillators.

recursive one · Post by **recursive one** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:06 pm

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:11 am I was referring to the raw sound of the oscillators, if you didn't notice. They ARE heavily bandlimited and as a consequence don't contain the full treble spectrum, hence they sound darker than, say, Blofeld oscillators.

I actually think that's a huge part of why virus has such a nice sound. You can make it bright but it never goes really harsh, unlike Serum, Spire and such.

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:54 am FM also sounds much better than on Virus.

I'm huge fan of Virus FM actually. I admit it may be not the most mathematically correct FM but it just sounds great. Yet again, it can sound really edgy but without any harshness.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:22 pm

recursive one wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:06 pm
EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:11 am I was referring to the raw sound of the oscillators, if you didn't notice. They ARE heavily bandlimited and as a consequence don't contain the full treble spectrum, hence they sound darker than, say, Blofeld oscillators.
I actually think that's a huge part of why virus has such a nice sound. You can make it bright but it never goes really harsh, unlike Serum, Spire and such.

Yeah. Definitely seems like the VA hardware synths, but also older soft synths were heavily bandlimited. I noticed the same when i compared Terratec Komplexer to Waldorf Largo, for example. It's not nearly as harsh. Rather soft and airy, which people generally seem to connect to the typical old Waldorf hardware sound.

I wished devs would, in general, rather make character synths than market their synths with "super clean, high end oscillators" and all that. There's lots of beauty in not so bright synths as well. Some soft synths just sound harsh as f***.

sqigls · Post by **sqigls** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:32 pm

it all sounds pretty good!
very exciting time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rJd_j9_Ixs

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:55 pm

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 7:55 am
pdxindy wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:40 amDigital lends itself to polyphony, but it seems that a lot of digital synths now set frustratingly low limits.
My thinking about that is that more DSP juice is thrown at the quality of algorithms, which reduces available polyphony. Putting more DSP chips inside increases costs, so...

Sure, I do understand the choice... I do wish there were more options with greater polyphony in digital hardware. Physical space is precious in my studio.

TobyB · Post by **TobyB** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:24 pm

A stack of 4 polychained Skulpts doesn't take up much desktop but gives me 128 oscillators into 16 voices and sounds amazing! Or two pairs with similar desktop as a Peak or P12 ...

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:30 pm

https://youtu.be/chCQz-O4Gns

OK this is interesting. In the mixer section, panning is PRE-filter. Which means filters are TRUE stereo. Not even $4k Quantum does that, this is quite rare! This could explain why there's 8 voices only.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:40 pm

I would be very interested in this if I hadn’t recently bought a Quantum. I’m actually relieved that the Quantum still ticks a lot of boxes that this doesn’t. At the price they’re asking, I’m tempted to get one anyway, but I’m not sure I’d really use it much instead of the Quantum.

JCJR · Post by **JCJR** » Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:32 am

That thar hydrasynth looks cute as a bug. Will keep an eye on it.

Will be curious about bugs and infant mortality issues. Am hoping bugs will be rare and maybe there has NEVER been an entirely bug-free synth.

It is just that some otherwise brilliant Chinese-designed gadgets seem to have bugs or QC issues that never go away. Things that look great and work great except when bugs that never get fixed decide to bite. Products like cute deluxe MP3 players and digital oscilloscopes and such. Things that cost enough hundreds of bucks that they ought not to have bugs that never get fixed.

Here's hoping Hydrasynth won't be like that. I'm wishing them well. Just being my usual cynical "glass is half-empty" self.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:55 am

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:30 pm https://youtu.be/chCQz-O4Gns

OK this is interesting. In the mixer section, panning is PRE-filter. Which means filters are TRUE stereo. Not even $4k Quantum does that, this is quite rare! This could explain why there's 8 voices only.

The analog filters in the Quantum are not stereo... (you can use unison 2 and pan the two voices left and right to make stereo with the analog filters for 4 voices). The digital filters in the Quantum are stereo.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:51 am

pdxindy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:55 am
EvilDragon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:30 pm https://youtu.be/chCQz-O4Gns

OK this is interesting. In the mixer section, panning is PRE-filter. Which means filters are TRUE stereo. Not even $4k Quantum does that, this is quite rare! This could explain why there's 8 voices only.
The analog filters in the Quantum are not stereo... (you can use unison 2 and pan the two voices left and right to make stereo with the analog filters for 4 voices). The digital filters in the Quantum are stereo.

And of course the effects downstream can add some stereo width back in. But yes, it isn’t ideal.