Hi Peeps,

All the talk about analogue DSP based synths got me thinking I should research the Arturia synths. I've checked out their website and there are the usual offerings of sample tracks and videos. But I thought I'd ask around these parts and see if anyone is bothering to use the Arturia VSTi synths. I did a search and although there were some posts regarding Arturia most of them dated back quite a few years.

cheers

andy

I love me some CS80v.

I have MMV, ARP2600 V and Analog Laboratory, as well as the free version of MiniMoog V they gave away last year. I thought they had demos available.

I love the MMV, but the interface, though a wonderful recreation of a modular synth, is not particularly conducive to ease of use. IOW, it's much more fun to look at (with its wires that shake when you run the mouse over them) than to actually program. Same with the ARP, though sonically it's not as much in my ballpark as the moog.

Analog Laboratory is sort of a preset player that contains a whole bunch of programs from all of their other synths. The available controls are limited, not always useful for a given program, and sort of clunky, but the preset browser is pretty good, you get a lot of good sounds and can open up the full synth for tweaking if you own it. I'd say it's definitely a great buy for someone who plays more than programs.

I don't like their current copy protection, but it is what it is.

I suppose, then, that I should at least take advantage of their fifteen day trial period and see how it goes.

What is the problem with the licensing system? It looks something similar to the Native Instruments or fxpansion licensing system. Is it particularly quirky?

I think if I went for the Arturia stuff I'd just plough straight in and get the V collection.

It's a dongle/virtual-dongle system. I don't do dongles (YMMV), so I did virtual dongle. But that limits me to one machine so I can't use them on my laptop.

If you just try the Analog Lab demo, you can quickly get an idea what the others sound like to see if you want to bother demoing the full versions. 

I want one of these real bad.:




I even bought a new 8 port midi interface just so I have some place to plug it in to when I get it. 

Mike, where's the other half ;-)

drewfx1... I'll be going virtual dongle for sure. I'll only be using them on my laptop anyway

Mike I am thinking of building a complete new computer set-up and perhaps on a Mac as well. I will need a new midi interface and I am wondering how you are finding the MOTU as that is the unit I am considering.

On Arturia stuff I can certainly vouch for their sound. I used to own a full room full of synth hardware and that included many monophonic synths such as Mini Moogs etc.. I know the sound of the real instruments very well in all their glory. But I must say the plugins are fantastic and Arturia are some amazing people who have recreated this sound so well. OK the actual controls are not there so much but the sound of the instrument is, that is for sure.

I am also impressed by the fact that the plug in versions often take the original concept way further like a huge number of oscillators (32) for example on one note in unison mode or just going into polyphonic mode with the Mini Moog plug. My god that sounds incredible.

The controller that Mike is referring to is a very good idea. I have used a few of these things and that works very well. You can certainly modify synth sounds on the fly and those controls respond very well too. Do they make a version without a keyboard. I have got a few keyboards already and would not mind just a powerful synth controller on its own.

I am getting into something rather interesting right now too. I have a new Kurzweil PC3K synth and words fail me as to how incredible it sounds. But inside that machine is a virtual modelled analog synth called the VA-1. (this was a massive Kurzweil hardware synth that has now been reduced to a mere software program running inside the PC3K!) It sounds amazing and can be programmed like a plug-in too.

Hi Jeff,
 It is sitting here in the cardboard box. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes when I get it all set up.


best,
mike

Thanks for your input Jeff, as always

I had a Multi Moog once and I was stupid to let it go. I gave it away because I burned out one of the oscillators and at the time I was broke and couldn't afford to fix it. My loss.

When I fell on better times I treated myself to an SH-101 but it didn't come close to the Multi Moog.

So, I've had fix of a real analogue synth and I've also still got a couple of VA synths, but I never power them up nowadays. Peeps like Edgar Froese, JMJ, Schulz et al must be blown away at what you can do with just a laptop now. When synths back then cost more than a luxury auto mobile too...

Forgive my ramblings LOL

Regarding the controllers, I think you can get a knobs and sliders type controller, no keyboard, and I think Korg do one. I was looking at a few earlier today. And I'm sure you would be able to hook up more than one to your workstation. It's something I will be looking into myself in the near future.

BTW, I've just revisited the Arturia site and that picture posted by Mike is the MiniBrute and is a proper analogue synthesizer... no DCO is used apparently, which must be awesome. But you can use it as a controller to and connect via USB if you want... no MIDI hub required. You can also use it as a MIDI to CV converter, just in case you still have your classic stuff.

cheers

andy