Impressions of Solaris

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 3:44 am

Hello Pulsarianz,
just enjoying John Bowen's new synth.
Here my first impressions:
FAT. Yes, very. DSP usage and sound.
Ideal for newbies: there is not much missing of the possibilities Pulsar-Modular has to offer.
So I would recommend that to everybody with the question: What Zarg synth first?

About all existing Osc's are included and can be activated. AT THE SAME TIME!!! That is why this thing can be is sooo fat. And unfortunately these pairs of Osc's consume a lot of your DSPs. Well, somehow this is normal, but with 4 or 6 DSPs it is only possible to build up a lead voice then. For moving pads of the very fat kind at least a SRB should be installed.
And there is a Rotor module to make it even more moving.
So now back from the horror of not enough DSP:
The synth can also be used with a single pair. Then DSP usage is very low and many voices are possible.
And that way Solaris can be a very versatile bread&butter synth with a sound range from Moog/Inferno to Prophet/Lightwave, somehow.
This shows a good concept: only the used devices are consumed.

The surface is again done by Stephen Hummel of wavelength. Very clear and easy to use with my Pocket Dial.
Parameters are usually one click away, sometimes 2 clicks. So: no problem.
I really like the design. Thanks, Stephen.
It is possible to use the modules for Zarg's Red Dwarf. These RD modules are packed devices for easy use in semi modular environements. You just load them and they fit properly, like, say, the Juno filter.
This adds some more butter to the bread.
I could imagine to have this synth in a barebone system. It has 3 (!) sequencers and can thus serve as a rhythm+bassline unit or blubber or whatever else.
Presets: A lot come with it. Like usual Johns and Stephens and, new, Marco Paris.
Most are in the bread&butter range. A few examples of leads. All in all they cover maybe 60% of the possibilities of this monster.
Fazit:
A Solaris is all you need for your basic needs, but the strength of the instrument comes with lots of DSPs, when you can "activate all and blow your window down the road".

johnbowen · Post by **johnbowen** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 3:24 pm

Hi,
Thanks for the nice review, Micha!
Just wanted to point out - Stephen H. didn't do the interface, I did...but he did provide the brushed metal graphic look of the surface object. (He also provided a bunch of great presets!!).
-cheers,
john b.

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:57 am

Oops.

Sorry for that.
Yes, presets (sh) are very much to recommend. He always shows some ideas regarding "What else can I do with this thing?". For me they always have been a source of inspiration. This is also valid for Solaris. Marco Paris's presets are also not bad. Could be his presets for the Prophet are worth the price... Hmm.

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 12:01 pm

I think I'm gonna have to get a NOAH to load all theese new brilliant synths into..

I don't like to drain my DSP-resources away from mixing/effects/processing (which is pretty important stuff imho)..

[ This Message was edited by: aMo on 2003-04-09 13:01 ]

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 5:39 pm

But Noah can't run SFP synths, only Noah synths. So you can't run Solaris in Noah.

Shayne

caleb · Post by **caleb** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 7:31 pm

I stated very recently in a different forum the following equation:

Solaris + Flexor + RD + Modular III = Synth Heaven.

I'm just checking out the validity of this claim so that I know where I'm spending my money in the near future.

Am I right in the assumption that you can use Modular III modules and Flexor modules within Solaris as well as RD modules making Solaris almost infinitely configurable yet with a lovely hardwired interface?

If this is the case, I have to ask the question - what other synth set up do you need?

I have to plan towards such an expense but I can't see how this can't be worth the asking price. Am I right or am I missing something?

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 7:51 am

yes, the formula fits.
The RD modules wrap the items of Modular. They are not additional modules, but they are adapted for that they fit directly into the internal routing of Solaris.
It is soo easy to build up a kind of "brandnew own synth". Yeah.
IMHO the "budget solution" of Solaris+RD covers about 80%. There are some things you can do with Modular/Flexor that are their own reason to get them. And always will be.

edit:
to Shayne: Pro One is in Noah, so JB knows how to adapt. So, maybe?

[ This Message was edited by: Micha on 2003-04-10 08:57 ]

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 8:08 am

But they said stuff about beeing able to run 3rd party plugins that are already available for the SFP platform on NOAH..

What's the difference from a SFP synth/module to a NOAH synth/module?
They all use the same SHARC's and algorithms.. Don't they?

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 8:44 am

Pro1 in Noah is a redo from CW.

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 10:28 am

What's the difference from a SFP synth/module to a NOAH synth/module?
They all use the same SHARC's and algorithms.. Don't they?

The problem (according to CW) lies in the fact that the NOAH OS runs not on a normal CPU, but on the DSP's, so there's some different coding needed to adapt plugins to work in this OS.

johnbowen · Post by **johnbowen** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:17 pm

Hi,

Yes, the Solaris can use any Modular module (from series I, II, or III), and should also therefore be able to use the Flexor stuff (I'mm really looking forward to that!).

The main thing to note is, in Solaris, the oscillator section has built-in Modular Windows, but the filters and envelopes only have RD Slots (can accept only special designed modules by me). However, in the RD Module set there are 4 "Modular Templates', that cover different functional aspects: 1 each for oscs (which for Solaris is redundant), filters, envelopes, and effects. These have a few limitations, but overall, allow you to use any Modular module in any of the 4 filters or 5 envelope slots in the Solaris!
This has been the case since I brought out the Red Dwarf in November 2000, but I guess it was not really understood very well (I did a poor job promoting and explaining the Red Dwarf functions, I guess).

As for Noah - I have some messages over in the Announcements section under the Creamware NOAH Announced!!, March 21st & 23rd. I explain the situation with Noah and SFP synths (basically, developers and CW have to remake all devices to work in Noah).

As for the Solaris and Noah - can't be done, as I use a heavy amount of dynamic allocation in Solaris, off-loading DSP code as sections are enabled/disabled, and Noah does not allow dynamic allocation. If I didn't do this in Solaris, it would require a huge amount of DSP to just be loaded, because all sections would have to be activated all the time.

This also means you couldn't have the RD Modules or Modular Window functions in a Noah-based Solaris...and this is one of the most fun and exciting things about the whole RD/semi-modular concept, the ability for the end-user to re-configure things in the synth!

cheers,
john b.

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 2:28 pm

*sigh*

dangit.. For a while there, I almost wanted a NOAH... ah well..

caleb · Post by **caleb** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 10:52 pm

I am definitely getting this synth and I'll be getting Modular III and Flexor as well I think....probably more for Solaris than in their own right.

Solaris looks like it's going to be my one-stop fun box.

Thankyou for giving us sheer throbbing power-under-the hood synthesis at an affordable price.

Thankyou for also making it expandable with RD modules and the ability to integrate Modular contraptions into it's framework.

Wow! I'm saying all this and I haven't even used it yet. I'm already cataloguing the synths that I'm going to shelve once I've got this on my machine.

I will thank you some more once I've purchased Solaris and the RD module pack.

eliam · Post by **eliam** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 11:53 pm

I will add my own warm thanks to John for his most precious contribution to this platform! John, knowing that such high quality stuff is there for cw users definitely makes me want to upgrade my system. 3 dsps are cool, but I could use a few more...

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 8:53 am

Agreed, we need such people on our platform...

Now.. If anyone could butter up Robert Moog, we're in BIZZNIZZ! hehehe

johnbowen · Post by **johnbowen** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 5:13 am

Wow! I'm very honored by those nice words!

I just keep hoping that people like the things I build, and that there's something in one of my products that inspires you in creative/musical ways. I know both Stephen and I design with that in mind (plus just making things that we want to play ourselves

), and I'm sure every other instrument designer feels the same way.

Certainly, the Solaris is my most ambitious design to date...and it was great fun putting it all together! It's very satifying to be seeing the kinds of comments it's been generating, for sure.

cheers,
john b.

Music Manic · Post by **Music Manic** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 2:04 pm

Is there a spec list anywhere for Solaris.Doesn't say much on Zarg site.
Thx

wavelength · Post by **wavelength** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 4:26 pm

On 2003-04-09 20:31, caleb wrote:

I stated very recently in a different forum the following equation:

Solaris + Flexor + RD + Modular III = Synth Heaven.

I'm just checking out the validity of this claim so that I know where I'm spending my money in the near future.

Am I right in the assumption that you can use Modular III modules and Flexor modules within Solaris as well as RD modules making Solaris almost infinitely configurable yet with a lovely hardwired interface?

If this is the case, I have to ask the question - what other synth set up do you need?

I have to plan towards such an expense but I can't see how this can't be worth the asking price. Am I right or am I missing something?

Solaris + Flexor + RD + Modular III are each definitely a must have for the platform and without peer, in terms of their astounding sound and flexibility. The Solaris, in particular, is perhaps the most UNDERpriced piece of synth power you will ever find... grab it!!

I just want add a quick "aside" here; My latest synths can also do things that are simply not possible with anything else (even Solaris!). Take, for example, the oscillator phase-modulation routings on my "europa", what other synth can do this, in this way?

If you consider the sparC's sync algorithm (much like the vintage Korg MonoPoly), you will find that such routings cannot be achieved with any other SFP synth (you might be able to get somewhat close, with the ModIII, but it would be a gigantic beast to manipulate) and this doesn't even take in to consideration the substantial FM and feedback routings that the synth features. My new "uberPLASTIC" will have a very distinctive sound that is unique to the unit alone (do mostly to the way the parameters are arranged inside).

I guess my main point is that I (and John, as well, I'm sure) always design things with what others have already designed in mind. I strive to make products that do not overlap the features of existing devices for the platform (what would be the use?). It seems that the other designers are following this "unwritten code", as well... look at Flexor! It really is in your best interest to look into each new release, as there will be distinctive things that each can add to your sonic palette. We designers are striving to bring you consistently original products, each with fresh ideas inside. I don't think there will ever be a truly "all in one" solution for anything, so long as new ideas exist (although Solaris gets dangerously close).

cheers,

stephen

http://www.track0.com/wavelength/

PS: the only GUI-design aspects that I contributed to the Solaris were the texture-finish and the "Solaris" logo. otherwise it is all John's elbow-grease! I think he has done an astounding job fitting all that stuff into such an effiecient and user-friendly space. I also had a lot of fun getting lost in the synth and making presets to give (hopefully) some manner of inspiration to new users.

[ This Message was edited by: wavelength on 2003-07-20 17:29 ]

scary808 · Post by **scary808** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 5:48 pm

I love the name "solaris". The original Russian film is one of my all time favorites. Keep up the good work! Both of yous.

dehuszar · Post by **dehuszar** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 10:31 pm

Stephen: Any ETA on the Uber-Plastic? I've been using Plastic as a pad lately and really surprised by it as I usually use it for leads. Nice string-like sounds. Can't wait for the next one. I've got the demos for Europa and SparC. I'll check them out this weekend. Too many toys, too little time, especially as playing with each of these synths usually leads to a new track! Gotta finish a couple or I'll never get out on the scene.

Keep 'em coming,
Sam