PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

I'm starting to consider selling my Andromeda, either to build up a Scope system or replace it with a Bowen (hardware) Solaris. Can either of them do a lush pad like this? I haven't heard anything like this from a softsynth yet.

http://home.earthlink.net/~synthetic/PWM_pad.mp3

If I could make that sound with Scope then I could hock the Andromeda to fund a 15-DSP card to run Solaris with style.

Doesn't sound that amazing to me - there's lots of stuff like this in Pro-12, but try a Mod synth first - there's loads of pad ones - i like Vintage String Ensemble myself. As to the Solaris - i think it will go far beyond what the Andromeda can do with evolving pads etc.

I have the same thoughts about the money tied up in my Andro...but I have yet to hear any DSP synth that can touch it...

The only ones that will say different are those that haven't lived with the Andro

With a 3-osc modular synth and a sophisticated delay I think you can achieve such results or better. Buy a 14-dsp-card.

Yeah, I probably won't part with it either. And I'm saving for a Voyager. I guess I haven't fully signed on to the Scope mania.

Sure, it's a simple 2-osc synth pad. Each oscillator has its own LFO doing PWM, but there are a bunch of synths that can do that. The character, though, is what I'm asking about. The lush, warm velvet that makes you want to weep in the rain. The thick leather coat that keeps you toasty by the ocean at night. It's got soul. It's a musical instrument, not a bunch of tubes.

andromeda isn't a dsp synth?

no it's not...that's the point

Nope, all-analog signal path. VCO, VCF, VCA.

16 channels x 2 VCO x 2 VCF x VCA all analog

+ CPU controlling 72 mod sources x 92 mod destinations (that 6624 modulation possibilities)

I agree its a bit difficult to get that super smooth and warm pads.

I hope flexor 3 brings some filters that cut finedetailed through the sound.

This could be THE solution.

synthetic88 wrote:Nope, all-analog signal path. VCO, VCF, VCA.

really!?
so tuning drifts and there are no presets?

my bad...

or is it digitally controlled?

*edit* ok, did some searching(i'm not a synthesist). it seems to be some sort of hybrid. real oscillators with some kind of programmable digital routing/path(so there are dsps involved). although i've heard pads in scope that equalled the example shown here, i think i'd hold on to that. the comment about it being an instrument not just a bunch of circuitry makes sense to me. every instrument will have it's own character, which is probably enough in itself reason to keep the keyboard.

nope, no DSP

the CPU controls analogue switches for the routing + DA for control signals (like any analog synth with presets)

the audio signal itself never go via AD/DA (there is some DSP effects, but these can be bypassed completely)

and yes the VCO's drift!

if you fiddle around with the oscillators etc...in orion, pro 12 or minimax, even miniscope synths, you can arrange it, but no, it takes a bit of work to get that warmth, for some reason its not the easiest thing to get in scope, like even exs analog plug does a great warm pad, and ulitmate sound bank romplers.

Andromeda is a great synth for pads, no doubt about it. It is also a great live synth also with all of its features, and the totally necessary ribbon controller.
But synthetic obviously knows its Achilles heel is the lead / mono sound. Most hybrids achieve their fatness through polyphony. The Voyager would be a perfect companion for that. I always believe that lead synth licks should be done with hardware analog designed for that particular application. Just like Solaris, the A6 can make a wide pallette of pads. But its monophonic sounds remind me of stacked sounds.

My Oberheims did it all, but lack the depth of a multi Oscillator based design like Solaris, hence the need to keep the SE-1x. I make my lead patches layer w/ DSP based designs, and add them w/ similar envelopes, which makes it seem like I'm adding different Oscillators to an already obese sound.

Since I have joined the forum I have come to the conclusion that hardware analog cannot live w/o Scope, and Scope cannot live w/o hardware analog. The two extend each others capabilities to new heights IMO.

A similar example where the two can no longer survive seperately is when I played the B2003 through my Pro 3t rotary cabinet and loved it immediately, but then ran it in conjunction w/ the B2003 Leslie emu through a seperate output w/o rotary added. The potential was instanly obvious as I matched the doppler effects speed, then slighty overlapped the speed to widen the realistic / virtual doppler. Then had C3 vibrato on one instance, and C1 on the other. The variations and potential increased dramatically, but my sounds are definately signature, and hybrid, but a very FAT hybrid.

I hate to see anyone depart from an A6. 88, you should wait till you hear the Moog while having an Andromeda pad run it's course. I think you might change your mind. Solaris and Voyager would be killer also. But that synth is expected to grow annually like the stock market, so it's a no brainer for me.

Brotha' Man Husker,
Your pads are probably begging for a monphonic companion. I'm sure family is first for you, but check out how ridiculousy cheap the SE-1x's are on ebay. I am sure once you hear the A6 next to a dedicated monophonic analog, you might also agree. I bought a spare 2 years ago, and have not needed it yet, but for 300 USD it's a steal.


I Enjoy Bouncing Ideas With You Guys,

An MP3 encoded at 160kB/s doesn't do justice to your sound, Synthetic.

But to add my voice to the other, I believe we can all make a similar if not better sounding lush pad with even the lowly Prisma.

I probably just need to save the money. I'll get a better job. I'm sure I'd regret selling off the Andromeda.

Now Andromeda and Solaris layered, THAT would be fatt. Phat like Kirsty Alley trapped in a Krispy Kreme for six months.

i'd keep the synth. to me vst, dsp synths are good supplimental textures. not a replacement for a fully functioning instrument.

The CS80V 1.6 can do those lush pads......ftp://ftp2.arturia.com/samples/demoweb/CS80V_demo.mp3
I own a real CS80 (1978) and the Cs80V is scary close to it.......
The CS80 is much more Analog than the Andromeda...
you can individualy detune the oscillators in rotation and detune panel 1 and panel 2 from each other....The same is true in the CS80V software...
It also is responsive to polyphonic aftertouch like the original...........

The CS80 is much more Analog than the Andromeda...

you are joking aren`t you?

that toy doens`t sound remotly analog and by far not as good as the andromeda.

Please do yourself a favour and get better speakers or use headphones.

Yeah, I have CS-80V and it's tragically bad, like all of the Arturia stuff IMO.

But hey if you think so, I'll trade a pile of Arturia software for your CS-80.

(scope4live's favorite synth BTW)