Product Reviews by KVR Members
All reviews by tibah
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In the need for a good parametric EQ with analyser I bought IIEQPro and I'm very happy with this purchase. Since I own it I also deal a lot more and better with Equalizers and I feel my overall sound improved because of that. Either to make space while filtering off unwanted frequencies or as a sound-shaping tool.
The interface is easy to understand and doesn't fill up that much space on the screen.
The IIEQPro sounds very smooth and thanks to both, analogue and digital sounding peaks, you can go for your preferred type. I also used this as a filter in one of my latest tracks and I'm really happy with the results.
You got 10 bands, 12 different filter types and an analyser. Also you can decide to either have the different points working in series or in parallel which can lead to interesting results.
It comes with a PDF manual which covers the basic functions, but most of the things are done so easy that reading the manual is not a need.
Some general presets like all points activated or presets for different purposes to get you started.
I had a few questions and got a quick supply from the support, so you feel there is always somebody to ask that cares for his customers.
VFM - This is where this EQ shines. 20$ for a fully featured EQ that does it all for me and quickly became my go-to EQ. There are some other EQs on the market, also with a little more features but none of them can beat IIEQPro in this category.
I also didn't experienced any crashes, glitches or alike in the time I own it now.
If you're looking for a decent EQ that is fairly priced, I highly recommend to try the demo if IIEQPro. The only thing that could see a little improvement and the only negative aspect I could find is, that the analyser could have a smoother respond and should also stay activated when you close and reopen IIEQPro.
EDIT: Version 2.1.1. improves the analyser respond a lot, which just came out a few days after this review.Read Review
The interface is easy to understand and doesn't fill up that much space on the screen.
The IIEQPro sounds very smooth and thanks to both, analogue and digital sounding peaks, you can go for your preferred type. I also used this as a filter in one of my latest tracks and I'm really happy with the results.
You got 10 bands, 12 different filter types and an analyser. Also you can decide to either have the different points working in series or in parallel which can lead to interesting results.
It comes with a PDF manual which covers the basic functions, but most of the things are done so easy that reading the manual is not a need.
Some general presets like all points activated or presets for different purposes to get you started.
I had a few questions and got a quick supply from the support, so you feel there is always somebody to ask that cares for his customers.
VFM - This is where this EQ shines. 20$ for a fully featured EQ that does it all for me and quickly became my go-to EQ. There are some other EQs on the market, also with a little more features but none of them can beat IIEQPro in this category.
I also didn't experienced any crashes, glitches or alike in the time I own it now.
If you're looking for a decent EQ that is fairly priced, I highly recommend to try the demo if IIEQPro. The only thing that could see a little improvement and the only negative aspect I could find is, that the analyser could have a smoother respond and should also stay activated when you close and reopen IIEQPro.
EDIT: Version 2.1.1. improves the analyser respond a lot, which just came out a few days after this review.Read Review
I bought the impOSCar in the last deal that GForce was running for 3 weeks. Even if you didn't had the opportunity to get in in that period, I do believe that this synthesizer is a must-have for everyone that is looking for a synthesizer full of character. It's always good to remember that this plug-in was released 6-7 years ago and I really wished I would've discovered it earlier.
User Interface
The interface is based on the original hardware and you can get your head around it pretty easy. It's a single page interface, while you have to turn a knob to edit the user waves or enter the MIDI learn function of impOSCar. It's straight forward and fun to use.
Sound
The best part of impOSCar got to be the lovely sound. This synthesizer never sounds bad and truly shines, thanks to his own and unique character.
It's still considered one of the best analogue sounding synthesizers out, while the original OSCar was mainly digital, beside the filters. I don't really care for those topics and I probably will never touch a real OSCar since there are only like 2.000 pieces made. The only thing that matters is how it sounds and I do think that impOSCar is one of the best sounding plug-ins ever made. On top of that its very light on the CPU. 1-2% per instance on a little dated dual core system.
Features
The additive feature adds another flavour to impOSCar and gives it a wider range of sounds than any average subtractive synthesizer. The different LFO sync rates, like internal, clock or MIDI are useful to make some really nice modulations on different or unusual tempos. I really like slow filter modulations.
You can imagine the filter separation to be like 2 filters but it's hard to describe, how many different shapes you can get out of this feature, together with adding some nice drive to the filters too.
The 2 effects, chorus and delay, can sweeten up a sound in no time.
Documentation
PDF in 6 different languages to get you started, while I still think you can just dive into this synthesizer to explore it the best.
Presets
500 presets in the factory of impOSCar with some sounds made by a guy that made sounds for Jean Michel Jarre, if I'm correct. Plenty of others to download from the GForce site and KVR's Bank & Patches section. I do have to say that I like the factory sounds a lot, but impOSCar is just that much fun to play with that you always will find yourself tweaking it.
Customer Support
I purchased it via PayPal which was obviously supported by the GForce shop, but after some e-mails and a manual payment to their PayPal I had my impOSCar waiting for me in my account. I also read that some people had issues with the installer under Win7 64bit and Dave (from GForce) did uploaded the single files so they could pass the installer, so the support really seems to be decent.
Value For Money
Like I said, I did get in in a deal period and so it was one of the best purchases ever, but even the original price is still a real bargain, considering you like the flavour of impOSCar.
Stability
Not one single crash in 3 weeks.
Summary
A truly sweet synthesizer with some sweet filters and character. It's just that much fun to play around with it and get lost for hours and in the same time the simplicity is raising creativity, becoming more and more a part of my sound and productions.Read Review
User Interface
The interface is based on the original hardware and you can get your head around it pretty easy. It's a single page interface, while you have to turn a knob to edit the user waves or enter the MIDI learn function of impOSCar. It's straight forward and fun to use.
Sound
The best part of impOSCar got to be the lovely sound. This synthesizer never sounds bad and truly shines, thanks to his own and unique character.
It's still considered one of the best analogue sounding synthesizers out, while the original OSCar was mainly digital, beside the filters. I don't really care for those topics and I probably will never touch a real OSCar since there are only like 2.000 pieces made. The only thing that matters is how it sounds and I do think that impOSCar is one of the best sounding plug-ins ever made. On top of that its very light on the CPU. 1-2% per instance on a little dated dual core system.
Features
The additive feature adds another flavour to impOSCar and gives it a wider range of sounds than any average subtractive synthesizer. The different LFO sync rates, like internal, clock or MIDI are useful to make some really nice modulations on different or unusual tempos. I really like slow filter modulations.
You can imagine the filter separation to be like 2 filters but it's hard to describe, how many different shapes you can get out of this feature, together with adding some nice drive to the filters too.
The 2 effects, chorus and delay, can sweeten up a sound in no time.
Documentation
PDF in 6 different languages to get you started, while I still think you can just dive into this synthesizer to explore it the best.
Presets
500 presets in the factory of impOSCar with some sounds made by a guy that made sounds for Jean Michel Jarre, if I'm correct. Plenty of others to download from the GForce site and KVR's Bank & Patches section. I do have to say that I like the factory sounds a lot, but impOSCar is just that much fun to play with that you always will find yourself tweaking it.
Customer Support
I purchased it via PayPal which was obviously supported by the GForce shop, but after some e-mails and a manual payment to their PayPal I had my impOSCar waiting for me in my account. I also read that some people had issues with the installer under Win7 64bit and Dave (from GForce) did uploaded the single files so they could pass the installer, so the support really seems to be decent.
Value For Money
Like I said, I did get in in a deal period and so it was one of the best purchases ever, but even the original price is still a real bargain, considering you like the flavour of impOSCar.
Stability
Not one single crash in 3 weeks.
Summary
A truly sweet synthesizer with some sweet filters and character. It's just that much fun to play around with it and get lost for hours and in the same time the simplicity is raising creativity, becoming more and more a part of my sound and productions.Read Review
Predator 3
Reviewed By tibah [all]
May 8th, 2010
Version reviewed: 1.5.8 on Windows
I was looking for a good go-to-synthesizer for all my needs in the studio and I ended up with Predator.
Interface:
One of the best out there. Easy to use and intuitive. Everything, beside 2 sub-pages (arpeggiator / advanced settings), can be accessed at a one single page interface. The overall layout is clean and simple. Since I had already some experience with different synthesizers I think even beginners will quickly get into the handling.
Sound:
Very good sound that's all I can say. It can sound very warm and even the phrase is sometimes over-used *analogue*, but in the same time it can sound very digital.
Even with just one oscillator turned on you get nice results immediately, thanks to features like the spread button and the dedicated sub-oscillator each oscillator has.
The best thing about Predator is the width of possibilities when creating sounds. Most of the subtractive synthesizers I know just have the standard waveforms like saw, square, triangle, sine and a noise generator. Predator offers you a range of 128 different waveforms, including spectral waveforms and loads of different vocal waveforms.
Features:
It comes with a PredatorFX version too, which gives you access to the decent FX on each track and other instruments. This way you can use all the build-in effects also as an insert in your DAW. All of them are good and the reverb is one of the best build-in reverbs I know.
Another top feature for me are the variation options which is the randomizer of Predator. You got 4 different variation modes, randomizing different parameters of a sound by an amount you can select. The results of those variations are always useful, and you don't turn up with useless sounds, where the volume are other essential parameters are set to 0 or other, weird "randomized issues" you sometimes get with other tools.
Morphing lets you combine 2 single presets by a amount you can select.
Having LFOs already set up to the Filter and the OSC Pitch is a nice idea, since I usually go for these anyway and this I don't have to set them up manually each time.
Presets:
I think they are 2.000+ presets for every style you can imagine and all of them are very useful and inspiring. After browsing trough them, I instantly recognized some sounds I know from some productions I really like. You got all classic synth-sounds, modern sounds for dance or ambient and banks that really show the possibilities like the bank made by Antonio Sage, which is one of my favourites.
A decent amount of 3rd party banks is available to, made by designers like Ummet Ozcan, Arksun and Andy Tau.
Documentation:
A decent manual.
If you click on the "?" on the Predator GUI, a help file going to open up, which is like a quick start guide.
Customer Support:
Rob Papen got his own forum here at KVR and I see him posting here daily, helping out people having problems or bugs.
Value For Money:
For what you get, the price is unbeatable. A workhorse for all your subtractive (and beyond) synthesis needs, with new sounds in no time, more presets than I ever saw in any other synthesier and some great build-in effects.
Stability:
Not one single crash here in the time I've been using it so far.
All I can say, after 3 weeks of having it is that I already have nearly 2 banks full of custom made sounds by myself. I never was getting into any synthesier as quick and easy as into Predator. It can sound very soft, warm, fat, harsh, whatever you want it to sound like. With all those features on top, I never had one single moment playing around with it, not having a smile on my face.Read Review
Interface:
One of the best out there. Easy to use and intuitive. Everything, beside 2 sub-pages (arpeggiator / advanced settings), can be accessed at a one single page interface. The overall layout is clean and simple. Since I had already some experience with different synthesizers I think even beginners will quickly get into the handling.
Sound:
Very good sound that's all I can say. It can sound very warm and even the phrase is sometimes over-used *analogue*, but in the same time it can sound very digital.
Even with just one oscillator turned on you get nice results immediately, thanks to features like the spread button and the dedicated sub-oscillator each oscillator has.
The best thing about Predator is the width of possibilities when creating sounds. Most of the subtractive synthesizers I know just have the standard waveforms like saw, square, triangle, sine and a noise generator. Predator offers you a range of 128 different waveforms, including spectral waveforms and loads of different vocal waveforms.
Features:
It comes with a PredatorFX version too, which gives you access to the decent FX on each track and other instruments. This way you can use all the build-in effects also as an insert in your DAW. All of them are good and the reverb is one of the best build-in reverbs I know.
Another top feature for me are the variation options which is the randomizer of Predator. You got 4 different variation modes, randomizing different parameters of a sound by an amount you can select. The results of those variations are always useful, and you don't turn up with useless sounds, where the volume are other essential parameters are set to 0 or other, weird "randomized issues" you sometimes get with other tools.
Morphing lets you combine 2 single presets by a amount you can select.
Having LFOs already set up to the Filter and the OSC Pitch is a nice idea, since I usually go for these anyway and this I don't have to set them up manually each time.
Presets:
I think they are 2.000+ presets for every style you can imagine and all of them are very useful and inspiring. After browsing trough them, I instantly recognized some sounds I know from some productions I really like. You got all classic synth-sounds, modern sounds for dance or ambient and banks that really show the possibilities like the bank made by Antonio Sage, which is one of my favourites.
A decent amount of 3rd party banks is available to, made by designers like Ummet Ozcan, Arksun and Andy Tau.
Documentation:
A decent manual.
If you click on the "?" on the Predator GUI, a help file going to open up, which is like a quick start guide.
Customer Support:
Rob Papen got his own forum here at KVR and I see him posting here daily, helping out people having problems or bugs.
Value For Money:
For what you get, the price is unbeatable. A workhorse for all your subtractive (and beyond) synthesis needs, with new sounds in no time, more presets than I ever saw in any other synthesier and some great build-in effects.
Stability:
Not one single crash here in the time I've been using it so far.
All I can say, after 3 weeks of having it is that I already have nearly 2 banks full of custom made sounds by myself. I never was getting into any synthesier as quick and easy as into Predator. It can sound very soft, warm, fat, harsh, whatever you want it to sound like. With all those features on top, I never had one single moment playing around with it, not having a smile on my face.Read Review
