Solaris 5.0 Upgrade

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:43 pm

I just want to say that anyone who doesn't have Solaris, should get it now.

The reason I have maintained my analog hardware synths is because no virtual synth developer ever considered Monophonic soloing or FX to be as important as having massive polyphony.

Many developers preffered " stacking voices ", which IMO just hogged resources and offered more chorusing and loudness. I can get that effect with a plug, ankyuvarymush.

But separate glides for Oscillators? Now that's what made these BASTARDS so FAT. This also will take a preset with two voices and give it that duophonic ARP Odyssey quality, if my assumptions are correct.

To me, this is the ultimate upgrade for a virtual synth. I have heard them all, and grow weary of their weak efforts of trying to be FAT. But now you have the best virtual polyphonic synth known to man, and it just became a monophonic beast as well.

Trust me this is a first, and one of the main reasons I never bought Nord Modular, or Lord Lead ? ( a contradiction in terms ). Sure they all sound good enough as is, as do Creamware's and 3rd party synths. But this separate Oscillator glide will make an already FAT BASTARD, seriously overweight. If this feature is applied polyphonically, the old '80's Brass Stabs synth sounds should be phenominal. And some of the guys who do John's presets will definately find some new timbres to chew on.

Now imagine this on the hardware version? Dayamn. 16 voices 4 to 6 Oscillators w/ separate glides. I'm selling my clothes and going to heaven.

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:03 pm

I've got a couple of cards left over and thinking about building another machine to port into my main DAW. It will have 9 DSPs how will it handle Solaris as an almost stand alone machine?

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:46 pm

Solaris will be limited polyphonically on heavier patches with 9dsp. Depends on the patch.

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:06 pm

Good to know. Maybe a booster board is in the works to bring it up to 23. How does that sound?

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:38 pm

Sounds fat-rockin' to me

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:49 pm

I only use 8 voices to avoid envelopes re triggering.

Most presets work well 6 voice poly.

A standalone Solaris DAW.............I tried that but soon my addictions took over , and you know the rest.

Solaris's insert effects rack and legato section are extra icing on the cake, especially when 5.0 becomes a reality.

23 DSP's should handle the sickest of presets just fine.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:35 pm

I am getting nervous about the value of my hardware synths once Solaris hardware is released.

Right now today, a beat to shit Oberheim XPander sells for 1600 USD w/o a case.The Matrix 12's are going for 2500-3500 w/o a case and cosmetic flaws as well. And check out this neglected ( smoke free ) version. Weak.

http://cgi.ebay.com/OBerheim-Xpander-VI ... dZViewItem

If 5.0 really does what I think it can, I will be selling my Oberheims since they can never possibly get any higher in price.

I have mint versions of the 12 and the X w/ cases. extra batteries which have never been needed after 20+ years of use, and extra Curtis Chipsets also. I have the original owners papers.

I like the way guys say that their synths remained in smoke free enviroments,.............Bull Puckey !! Why all of the scratches then ? They are full of shit. Mine probably had more smoke on them and look beautiful. That's because I pampered them like a child nightly, and still tuck them into bed. They rarely are used since buying Scope, but I was going to re program the XPander to be MIDI'd to the Solaris, but rather doubt that now. I have heard of the pair going for 7000 in mint condition. That's insane. I bought both of mine for 5500 USD back in the '80's.

I am sorry to say, since I am not wealthy these cannot be kept, as I believe Solaris will be so fierce that the value of existing analogs will decrease. That's my paranoid opinion. But If I can get what I paid for these in Janurary, they are history. No other synths I know of have kept their value so well, for so long.

No one ever talks about the worst keyboard action in history being on the Matrix 12. I have never understood that, but it is a reality. If anyone here ever played one they would agree, it was a joke. It literally has little springs that after a years would stretch, it sucked so bad, but was fixable.

I would love to see the face of a guy who buys the 12 for 4000 bucks, and plugs it in, feverishly awaiting it's awesome textures, and then realising the action is horrific at best.

At any rate, the beasts will be sold while the getting's good. I shall mourn their absence, but I loved them for years, and someone else will have that priveledge next '08.

Post by **hubird** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:42 pm

decimator · Post by **decimator** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:47 pm

Here's the true face of the Solaris hardware

It will sell your synths on ebay while you're not around, in case you haven't done it on your own ...

I haven't explored V 4.1 by far so this massive new set of features ... it's great to have so many approaches / possibilities on a single synth.

Funnily, new features on a synth are referred as additions, I would rather call them multiplications as a single new feature could really multiply by a X ratio preset Y !

On that record, Solaris is gonna breach some barriers !!

hifiboom · Post by **hifiboom** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:30 pm

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:32 pm

That's as scarry as your presets.

I am as anxious for your pre's on Solaris hardware, as Solaris itself.

Thanks 4 Dropping in.

Awesome bot BTW.

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:43 pm

Any chance of you selling some Curtis Chipsets to a fellow Scoper Oberheimer? I bought my Xpander from jazz great Oscar Peterson and I'm thinking about being buried with it like a pharaoh. But that wouldn't stop me from getting into bed with Solaris 5.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:27 pm

There's an XPander going for 2600 USD right now w/ 24 bidders.

That's insane. Probably a guy buying Solaris who want's a MIDI partner.

Crickstone, I would be able to get you any spare parts you need from a place that warehouses anything Oberheim in Vallejo.

But at the prices of these things lately, I do not wish to take any chances on availability. Even the voice cards for the OBX, and OBX-a can be had.

The hardest ones are for the OBM-x, which was hardly an Oberheim. That;s why nobody really wants that model. The synth was O.K. but not mighty like the 12's, or the X's. Plus Gibson's lack of support saw it's demise right after it's release.

The XPander actually sounds better than the Matrix 12, and uses those tasty Curtis Chipsets.

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:06 pm

The 3374s are rare as hens teeth and I think one is going to fail on me soon. I have tuning problems

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:04 pm

That's unusual 4 an analog.

You should have it looked at, Oscar would be happy also.

I still play My Fair Lady, an excercise on life itself.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:37 pm

Crickstone,.....I do have a gift for you afterall.

It's a full set of restoration stickers for Oberheim.

Send me your address........................Seasons Beatings !!!