AAS Ultra Analog VA-3 Synthesizer Released

[Michael L]

Most of the time I use just one layer, you know what's happening soundwise, when you are tweaking one sound source.... All that simplicity let the beautiful core, modelled sound shine, you concentrate to the essential.

Well said.

[Jace-BeOS]

Why can't they update that GUI.... ?

Wow, seriously? I love AAS products for their sounds, but their GUIs really stink. Some parts are really pretty, but the whole thing is always tiny and has tiny text. It’s like these guys only own a 1024x768 CRT. Same for Propellerhead (I refuse to call them “Reason Studios”).

[Lotuzia]

Does someone know if you can import presets from UA v2 in UA V3 ?

[sqigls]

yes you can, they go in the user folder.
i haven't tried to re-tag them yet... i'll let you know how they go.
preset management seems pretty straightforward, it's possible to quickly save presets to custom banks also.

[Lotuzia]

yes you can, they go in the user folder.
i haven't tried to re-tag them yet... i'll let you know how they go.
preset management seems pretty straightforward, it's possible to quickly save presets to custom banks also.

Thanks Sqigls (Just asking because I've made a soundbank for UA2, so if they are directly compatible, the better)

[sqigls]

They load fine, i can't verify the presets will sound the same, but the plugin appears to convert the VA-2 banks to VA-3 Packs. Then it's a right click and "Show Sound Details", which brings up a dialog box where you can edit preset name, style etc... not as handy as being able to edit the attributes by clicking directly in the browser cell, but i'll definitely put in a request.
So you can guess, tagging a full bank might be a good half hour exercise at least.

[BlackWinny]

Does someone know if you can import presets from UA v2 in UA V3 ?

Yes

[robotmonkey]

So no improvements in workflow for making brostep bleeps and wobbles?

[BlackWinny]

Ultra Analog VA-3 includes a converter that allows one to import sounds from Ultra Analog VA-2. The conversion operation simply involves copying a Ultra Analog VA-2 pack file into the Ultra Analog VA-3 sound pack folder. The conversion operation is then triggered automatically when Ultra Analog VA detects a pack from a previous version.

Ultra Analog VA-2 sound packs, which were then actually called banks, can be found by opening Ultra Analog VA-2, clicking on the Manage button at the top of the interface in order to open the manager and then clicking on the Show Files button at the bottom of the manager window.

While the great majority of sounds should be recuperated without noticeable differences, the conversion program is not infallible which means that some sounds might need some readjustments after the conversion. This is due to the fact that the mapping of the parameters from different versions of Ultra Analog VA is not direct as a result of changes in the architecture, modules and the effect section between the different versions.

Note that AAS expansion sound packs for Ultra Analog VA which were installed on your computer prior to the installation of Ultra Analog VA-3 should not be converted in this way. The Ultra Analog VA-3 installer you will have downloaded from our server should indeed also include your expansion sound packs and take care of their installation automatically. If this is not the case, or some packs are missing, please go back to your account on the AAS user portal and download the latest installer for these sound packs, they have indeed all been updated and optimized for this new version of Ultra Analog VA.

[BlackWinny]

Actually I'm not enthralled by the new version.

The GUI remains tiny. The number of tabs has again increased while all the users (myself included) complained about these already too numbered tabs in the v2.
There hasn't been again any improvements in the modulations (still neither envelope nor LFO for the noise source for instance, if you want to modulate a noise you must give up one of the oscillators).
I can't see any phase modulation from VCO1 to VCO2 as found in many old analog synths, no ring mode either, etc. features which were quite common on many old analog synths.

The bi-timbrality and the ladder filter seem to be the only things which are really new in this v3. For my wallet it seems rather poor to justify an upgrade. When we see what was the huge move from PolyKB II to PolyKB III in comparison, there yes it was a great move !

So I'm not yet sure to take the v3. Perhaps I'll wait for the v4. Even for a €40 upgrade for the v3. €40 to upgrade from v2 to v3 then probably again €40 (more or less) to upgrade from v3 to v4 will mean €80 to upgrade to v4 while passing on the v3 will probably mean only €40 to upgrade from v2 to v4.

Ultra Analog VA-1 : $200 in 2012 when I purchased it
Upgrade to VA-2 : $40 in 2013
Upgrade to VA-3 : $40 in 2019
Upgrade to VA-4 : $40 probably, and... in 2025 probably

Total : $320 !!!


Sorry but it is too much for me, even today ($280 in total!) for a synth which in its third version 15 years after the release of the first one (november 2004)... can't yet offer a quite great and big GUI (it will offer that decent size in 2025?), and not even the least FM modulation between the two oscillators, no modulation at all for the noise source, no ring mod, etc.

I prefer to stop at the current VA-2 ($240 in total). I'll keep on enjoying it for years as it is today having already costed $240 without even these features above.

I really like String-Studio, Chromaphone, Lounge Lizard and Strum-GS2 which at least offer all a real physical modelling synthesis (thing much rarer than the subtractive synthesis and than sample-based instruments) notwithstanding the tiny GUI of them all. But for what is actually a single subtractive synthesis synth (even knowing that UA sound is nice) there are way richer vintage analog plugins (and with sounds as nice) for much decent prices.

[sqigls]

yes, the tab circus and especially the GUI size are a bit... not going in the right direction.

it's stable though.
seems rock solid so far, can change scala tunings and temperament on the fly without glitching even.

the whole GUI situation needs major attention though, in my early opinion.

[Michael L]

By popular demand, v4 will be a reissue of v2 but with a large GUI and the midi mapping from v1

[plexuss]

The upgrade for me is $44 CAD. The way I look at it is, 580 decent new sounds for $44; equivalent to about $9 CAD ($6.80 USD) per 100 presents. That's amazing value even for a synth sound pack product let alone with a complete synth. The rest is just gravy. Much better browser. I think its worth it, for me.

[tony10000]

I am really loving VA-3. Great sounds, versatility, and ease of use.

[Harry_HH]

Ultra Analog VA-1 : $200 in 2012 when I purchased it
Upgrade to VA-2 : $40 in 2013
Upgrade to VA-3 : $40 in 2019
Upgrade to VA-4 : $40 probably, and... in 2025 probably

Total : $320 !!!


Sorry but it is too much for me, even today ($280 in total!) for a synth which in its third version 15 years after the release of the first one (november 2004)... can't yet offer a quite great and big GUI (it will offer that decent size in 2025?), and not even the least FM modulation between the two oscillators, no modulation at all for the noise source, no ring mod, etc.

I prefer to stop at the current VA-2 ($240 in total). I'll keep on enjoying it for years as it is today having already costed $240 without even these features above.

...

You can make the above calculations for all developer products. What leads you to the wrong conclusions, is the fact, that the music software markets have totally changed 2012-2019.
E.g. my first Waves product, the Renn Bundle costet me $ 360.
Today the market price of the same bundle is about $ 100.