Anyone have an opinion of the new UVI collection?

[wst3]

300 synths! (301 actually). No one needs 301 synthesizers. I'll turn in my GAS card now...

What is in there is a pretty complete collection of sound makers across the entire specturm of sound making devices.

Out of the 301 models includeed there are maybe 100 (many of which I already own, from UVI or others) I could rationalize, and about 10 I'd really like to own.

So that is 10 synthesizers that interest me, and I do not already have. For $89! I'd spend more than that to get the 10 I am interested in, so it sort of seems like a no-brainer.

Except in most cases I own UVI models because no one else had bother to create them. And in most cases, where I do have the UVI sampled version and the <brand x> modeled version I prefer the modeled version. There are exceptions. The UVI ESQ-1 sounds better than the recently released modeled version - not sure why. And I will probably end up buying the modeled version because it is much more maleable.

I'm demoing a number of the synths that interest me, including a couple that have been done to death by others. But I'm pretty sure that for $89 I'll bite, even if it is just for the various Roland MKS-80, the SCI Six-Track, and the Kawai K5, which are at the top of my list.

Anyone care to talk me down????

[Guy Rowland]

OK Bill, I'll try and talk you out of it!

6000 presets of 300 synths. That's 30 per synth. Hmm. And of course tweakage is very limited. You like to tweak... I think you'd be happier getting the specific emulations as they appear... everything will get done eventually!

[Piet De Ridder]

6000 presets of 300 synths. That's 30 per synth.

20, Guy. If it were there 30 per synth, there would be 9000 presets.

__

[Guy Rowland]

6000 presets of 300 synths. That's 30 per synth.

20, Guy. If it were there 30 per synth, there would be 9000 presets.

__

I got an A at A Level maths as a teenager.

How the mighty fall.

[wst3]

OK Bill, I'll try and talk you out of it!

Thanks! And you succeeded...

6000 presets of 300 synths. That's 30 per synth. Hmm. And of course tweakage is very limited. You like to tweak... I think you'd be happier getting the specific emulations as they appear... everything will get done eventually!

Ignoring the math error this is my concern. I have a handful of their synth models, and they are fun to play with, but they are severly limited, and very static. As much as I'd dearly love a plugin version of an MKS-80 or a K5, I still have them in the rack, and they still work.

Cherry Audio's ESQ is not perfect, but it is very good. Not selling my ESQ-m just yet, but it won't get a lot of use either.

[progger]

I think the UVI Workstation is a wonderful platform for virtual instruments, and I use it just about every day since it's the platform choice for VI Labs and Acousticsamples, two of the finest developers out there at the moment IMO.

However.... UVI's first-party software, while by no means bad, is not usually very appealing to me. I really don't understand the appeal of sampling synths instead of emulating them, particularly when emulations have gotten so astoundingly good.

And speaking of astoundingly good emulations, there is indeed a plugin version of the MKS80, the new "Synth 80" by Jun Murakami. I bought it and installed on both my computers and it's a joy. I never owned an original but I love this softsynth version, and people who own the original are fans, including the likes of Charlie Clouser.

UVI is a quality developer but I don't understand their obsession with samples when it comes to synthesis in particular. Their Keysuite has some decent acoustic and electric pianos, very playable and good-sounding, and I particularly like their "Keysuite Digital" pack with a very good MKS20 and nice effects. But as far as the synths go, I think Falcon is probably the only thing I'd potentially be into.

[wst3]

How did I miss Synth 80? I frequently search the web for a handful of synth emulations that interest me.

I downloaded the demo, can't wait to take it for a spin!

Thanks for the heads-up.

Amd I am in complete agreement with your assessment of the UVI first party instruments. The MKS-20 is pretty good, and there are a couple others that I guess were well suited to sampling?

Anyway, thanks a ton for the tip on the MKS-80 plugin!

Now anyone know of a really good K5 emulation? Or maybe a good additive synthesizer plugin?