Question about Profit-5

kybernaut_01 · Post by **kybernaut_01** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 12:57 pm

Does the Profit-5 emulate the specifics a polyphonic analog synthesizer or is it just a model of one voice of the Prophet-5?

When I played the Profit on Musikmesse, I had the impression that every note is just a copy of the first one.

Or is there a hidden parameter that allows for subtle variations between the voice chains? I mean variations in oscillator and filter tuning etc. like on every polyphonic analog keyboard...

[ This Message was edited by: kybernaut_01 on 2005-08-17 13:58 ]

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 7:14 am

I couldn't answer that...I've only ever played monophonic analog synths!

narly · Post by **narly** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 6:20 pm

On 2005-08-17 13:57, kybernaut_01 wrote:

...variations in oscillator and filter tuning etc. like on every polyphonic analog keyboard...

You're referring to the ability to also model the "imperfections" of a polyphonic analog synth? Don't know if they've built that in to the Profit-5, but for analog machines I've owned I never considered that type of performance to be endearing or part of the charm of analog. Instead, I learned to calibrate them so they would operate correctly and within spec.

<rantmode>BTW - Why do people many times refer to the Sequential machine as a Prophet V??? Never have I seen Sequential print the name as such. It's a Prophet 5. It really peeves me to no end when I see a Prophet V listed on eBay. Makes me want to inflict further physical damage on the already mentally incapacitated seller.

I've never owned one (Prophet 5), but a I have owned a couple of Pro-I's and owned and rebuilt couple of Prophet X's and have refurbished a number of Prophet DC's. Not to mention an OB-VIII and a couple of Jupiter VI's. I am still hoping to someday own a Matrix XII or an Arp MMDC - preferrably a blue-meanie w/ matching keyboard!

BTWW - Is it a Pulsar 2 or a Pulsar II??? Hmmmmm.... I always forget. Creamware lists my registered hardware to include Pulsar II's.

[ This Message was edited by: narly on 2005-08-18 19:30 ]

Post by **hubird** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:08 pm

I guess you'd prefer Pulsar 5 when it's there...

kybernaut_01 · Post by **kybernaut_01** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:32 am

At least when grabbing octaves on the keyboard, it sounds much better when there are slight beats rather than the octave is 100% in tune and phase-locked....

Would probably no big deal to include such a parameter into Profit-5. The Waldorf Microwave II/XT has it and I find it quite useful.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:33 am

some want it even more precise and in tuneas this thread about hermode tuning shows...

http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... forum=30&5

and you're probably right - including random deviation of parameters isn't the most demanding programming task technically, but does it make any sense at all ?

from the original manufacturer's point of view is was completely unwanted and it's usually not even relevant for the sound character of an instrument.
At least you'd need an element to turn it on/off, which extends the user interface and internal routing demands - which is (effectively) time and money wasted.

as the name implies, the boxes are (imho) intended to bring back the authentic sound of the originals - they DO NOT bring back the instrument itself...

cheers, Tom

darkrezin · Post by **darkrezin** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:48 am

I want the plugin to heat my room and to go out of tune more as it gets hotter.

Although I agree that certain analog imperfections can be really important in the character of the sound, IMHO if you care about it that much, nothing is going to be as pleasing to you as the original analog synth...

narly · Post by **narly** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:16 am

On 2005-08-18 21:08, hubird wrote:
I guess you'd prefer Pulsar 5 when it's there...

Hey, whatever nomenclature CWA assigns is good enough for me! It might probably be a Scope 5, yes? In any case, it's the same as for SCI - if they call it a 5, then I'll not call it a V.

kybernaut_01 · Post by **kybernaut_01** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:23 am

[double post...]

[ This Message was edited by: kybernaut_01 on 2005-08-19 09:11 ]

narly · Post by **narly** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:27 am

MS-20 emulation in Korg's Legacy Collection has an on-screen variable parameter for "Analog" and I believe Alesis Ion has a menu paramater for the same. Agreed it can tend to thicken things, but beyond the slightest values those adjustments just make the synth sound out-of-tune to my ears. I consider those implementations odd and have thought the upper ranges of the "Analog" parameter would be more aptly labelled: "Call Tech"

Someone (Arturia?) should do a MemoryMoog VSTi and include fan noise! All of those virtual LCD's on VSTi's and not one of them emit's the "bad-voltage-inverter-whine" either!

kybernaut_01 · Post by **kybernaut_01** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:29 am

BTW. The NI Pro-53 has such a parameter, too...

I don't think it's that off to pose that question...

It's not that I asked for a what-happens-when-I-spill-beer-on-my-pro-5--Emulation...

narly · Post by **narly** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:37 am

- talk about a "Call Tech" indication!

Admitted, yours is a valid question - I'm just into sarcasm and it's not directed at anyone in particular. Just making fun of the old-days and some of the idiosyncrasies of vintage equipment. And they were the good-old-days, weren't they?

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:45 am

If you look at a keyboard like the Polymoog and listen to the Vox Humana preset - what a sound. Accurately in tune and stable? Certainly not. So instabilities can be VERY useful and indeed part of the character of a sound. When a certain Mr Numan tried to recreate the sound later on digital synths for live shows they were just too stable and bland.

narly · Post by **narly** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:58 am

Isn't this where modulation effects become useful?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:49 am

On 2005-08-19 11:45, Mr Arkadin wrote:
...So instabilities can be VERY useful and indeed part of the character of a sound. ...

yes, of course - that's why a real world SID chip is always ahead of an emulation: it takes you by some rough surprise - and you have to deal with it. Wavelenght OP8 does a real good job in emulating the sound character (though it's not even intended to 'emulate' that old piece of crap), but it's something different.
I took the chance to 'move' some of my old Casios today and was particularily impressed by the SK1. Pure imperfection, but WHAT a user interface and WHAT a sound character from that 'sweet nuthin'.
Impossible to emulate...

and no need to - why should everybody have the right to access any kind of sound without effort ?

subversive, Tom

husker · Post by **husker** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:42 pm

On 2005-08-19 08:27, narly wrote:
MS-20 emulation in Korg's Legacy Collection has an on-screen variable parameter for "Analog" and I believe Alesis Ion has a menu paramater for the same. Agreed it can tend to thicken things, but beyond the slightest values those adjustments just make the synth sound out-of-tune to my ears. I consider those implementations odd and have thought the upper ranges of the "Analog" parameter would be more aptly labelled: "Call Tech"

Someone (Arturia?) should do a MemoryMoog VSTi and include fan noise! All of those virtual LCD's on VSTi's and not one of them emit's the "bad-voltage-inverter-whine" either!

Funny you should mention Arturia...the latest version of the CS80V has individual tuning of each voice, complete with graphics of the 'voice' boards with trim pots to twiddle. Very cute

(no fan noise yet though)