Xpand!2 - just a few comments
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
First of all, I really like the sound and presets, much better and more sophisticated than on the M1 (the sound, not the features). For instance the fret noise etc., really cool and authentic
Even runs like a charm on my AMD computer
But I do miss a couple of things, mostly I find it odd that one can set aftertouch (which is great), but not velocity, which however is more standard and important than aftertouch.
Maybe it would make sense to put the volume knob and meter to the field to the right of the FX sections (and "xpand!2" to the empty black field on the opposite side of "air") and add two smart knobs at the top. Don't get me wrong, the current parameter selection makes sense already, but two more would make sense sometimes
A reset button to call up an empty init patch. You could place that button into the empty field to the left of the FX sections. There is place for another control or two there, for instance a global key tracking knob with target selector. Or a selector for other color schemes, I think it would also look nice with yellow, orange, or blue instead of green
Two EQ modules in the FX slots:
1) a simple 3-band like on stereos with a knob for bass, mid, and treble each
2) a one-band parametric EQ
The knob scale marker at about 2 o'clock makes little sense if it is supposed to indicate zero or default or whatever because that changes with the parameter. With the FX knobs the marker seems to indicate 0db, though, and as such makes sense.
No double-clicking to set them to zero or default?
Some parameter values seem strange, like -100% for release. What does that mean?
The browser is a bit difficult to handle due to its horizontal operation. And make the background solid black, the slightly opaque design is a bit disturbing.
Maybe others have feature request as well, feel free to add them here...
Even runs like a charm on my AMD computer
But I do miss a couple of things, mostly I find it odd that one can set aftertouch (which is great), but not velocity, which however is more standard and important than aftertouch.
Maybe it would make sense to put the volume knob and meter to the field to the right of the FX sections (and "xpand!2" to the empty black field on the opposite side of "air") and add two smart knobs at the top. Don't get me wrong, the current parameter selection makes sense already, but two more would make sense sometimes
A reset button to call up an empty init patch. You could place that button into the empty field to the left of the FX sections. There is place for another control or two there, for instance a global key tracking knob with target selector. Or a selector for other color schemes, I think it would also look nice with yellow, orange, or blue instead of green
Two EQ modules in the FX slots:
1) a simple 3-band like on stereos with a knob for bass, mid, and treble each
2) a one-band parametric EQ
The knob scale marker at about 2 o'clock makes little sense if it is supposed to indicate zero or default or whatever because that changes with the parameter. With the FX knobs the marker seems to indicate 0db, though, and as such makes sense.
No double-clicking to set them to zero or default?
Some parameter values seem strange, like -100% for release. What does that mean?
The browser is a bit difficult to handle due to its horizontal operation. And make the background solid black, the slightly opaque design is a bit disturbing.
Maybe others have feature request as well, feel free to add them here...
Last edited by fluffy_little_something on Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- KVRAF
- 35616 posts since 14 Sep, 2002 from In teh net
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Actually, I think they have done a good job picking important parameters, but as I said I would not mind two more.
I assume if they make it fully editable, the charm and inspiration to make music goes away. it is not a full-blown synth as such.
The envelopes for instance sound rather weak in my view. Even when using those Basic waveforms, it never gets professional like on Sylenth, Dune etc. It is the same with the M1. And I think it's OK for that kind of plugin.
I will definitely get this xpand!2 thingy, it will complement Sylenth nicely as they are at about the same level at what they are mostly intended for, upper mid-range I would say.
I assume if they make it fully editable, the charm and inspiration to make music goes away. it is not a full-blown synth as such.
The envelopes for instance sound rather weak in my view. Even when using those Basic waveforms, it never gets professional like on Sylenth, Dune etc. It is the same with the M1. And I think it's OK for that kind of plugin.
I will definitely get this xpand!2 thingy, it will complement Sylenth nicely as they are at about the same level at what they are mostly intended for, upper mid-range I would say.
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Is there a manual? Can't find any...
Some things I don't understand, though:
For instance how to make the second oscillator of the basic saw sound. I just don't hear it, changing its pitch does not seem to do anything.
Or how to set the filter envelope so that the filter is open from the very start and then closes, a standard scenario one might think. Currently all I get is a swell-kind of filter envelope. The decay control doesn't seem to do much, either, if anything. The entire envelopes seem really wrong to me. Maybe I am missing something, which is why I asked about the manual...
I really like the sampled instruments. The basic waveforms sound good, too, but the envelope limitations don't seem to allow me to use them for making normal synth patches.
Some things I don't understand, though:
For instance how to make the second oscillator of the basic saw sound. I just don't hear it, changing its pitch does not seem to do anything.
Or how to set the filter envelope so that the filter is open from the very start and then closes, a standard scenario one might think. Currently all I get is a swell-kind of filter envelope. The decay control doesn't seem to do much, either, if anything. The entire envelopes seem really wrong to me. Maybe I am missing something, which is why I asked about the manual...
I really like the sampled instruments. The basic waveforms sound good, too, but the envelope limitations don't seem to allow me to use them for making normal synth patches.
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Oh, found the manual, but it is not very detailed, many options are not explained
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
It ignores the velocity value 1 for some reason, shouldn't be like that...
- KVRAF
- 23257 posts since 7 Jan, 2009 from Croatia
You can't really make patches from scratch like you can on M1. Xpand is envisioned as a basically rompler with fixed patches that have pre-assigned macro parameters with which you can do relative adjustments (meaning, you can't set the envelope exactly how you want it, it uses the envelope settings stored in the patch, and from there you can say "less attack", "more attack", "less envelope depth", etc.). In that regard M1 is much more flexible since you can actually go forth and make a straight up patch from raw sawtooth, setting all synthesis parameters exactly how you want them. M1 vs Xpand is really apples vs oranges - different synths with different purposes.
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Yes, I get the same impression. As a synth most freeware blows it out of the water. On the other hand, the instrument samples are really a whole different league compared to the M1. It also shows in the file size, it's about 10x.
- KVRAF
- 23257 posts since 7 Jan, 2009 from Croatia
Naturally, also M1 is a synth from 1989, the entirety of its samples were packed into 4 MB of ROM. Can't really compare that. Well, KLC M1 contains ALL the extra add-on cards and you can use them simultaneously as if they were all plugged in to the original hardware (which was impossible IRL, of course). With some other boons like 256 voices of polyphony, resonance added to the filter (original M1 did NOT have it!), and two insert FX per part (M1 only had two FX units total for all parts), it's a very good update on the original.
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
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- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
In the percussion -> congas and bongos menu the sound of note B4 is missing
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- KVRian
- 616 posts since 27 Jul, 2001 from france
I have just discovered this plugin and I like it very much.
It's simple, and it sounds great.
It is similar to the Luxonix Ravity S that was one of my favorite rompler, but with more and better sounds.
I think it's philosophy is to be simple to use, but not a full editable beast.
The "sound design" is just by tweaking a few parameter and by layering things.
I will just use it as a good rompler, and do synth sound design in other plugins that are designed for this.
It's simple, and it sounds great.
It is similar to the Luxonix Ravity S that was one of my favorite rompler, but with more and better sounds.
I think it's philosophy is to be simple to use, but not a full editable beast.
The "sound design" is just by tweaking a few parameter and by layering things.
I will just use it as a good rompler, and do synth sound design in other plugins that are designed for this.
PQ
free software at : http://pquenin.free.fr/pqnaudio
free music at : http://www.soundclick.com/thepqueninproject
free software at : http://pquenin.free.fr/pqnaudio
free music at : http://www.soundclick.com/thepqueninproject
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- KVRAF
- 3735 posts since 17 Sep, 2016
I think Xpand!2 is a great, simple to use, go-to plugin when you just want to grab some real instrument sounds and create quick layers or keyboard splits.
Makes a good companion to your other synths!
Makes a good companion to your other synths!
Windows 10 and too many plugins
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Scrubbing Monkeys Scrubbing Monkeys https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=397259
- KVRAF
- 1713 posts since 21 Apr, 2017 from Bahia, Brazil
THISzzz00m wrote:I think Xpand!2 is a great, simple to use, go-to plugin when you just want to grab some real instrument sounds and create quick layers or keyboard splits.
Makes a good companion to your other synths!
We jumped the fence because it was a fence not be cause the grass was greener.
https://scrubbingmonkeys.bandcamp.com/
https://sites.google.com/view/scrubbing-monkeys
https://scrubbingmonkeys.bandcamp.com/
https://sites.google.com/view/scrubbing-monkeys
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- KVRAF
- 2265 posts since 30 Aug, 2004 from Lancaster, UK
I still love XPand!2. It is very useful as a rompler, and takes care of more than half of my sounds (ie the backing sounds mostly). I would be very happy for an upgrade to version 3 though, with more uptodate sounds and more fx (like transient shaper for more edge).
Best features:
1. Layering up to four voices
2. Number of patches
3. Sound quality.
Best features:
1. Layering up to four voices
2. Number of patches
3. Sound quality.
Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:15 pm Passing Bye wrote:
"look at SparkySpark's post 4 posts up, let that sink in for a moment"
Go MuLab!
"look at SparkySpark's post 4 posts up, let that sink in for a moment"
Go MuLab!