After listening to most of the demos the one that seems like it would be most useful in a mix is Ian Boddy: Analogica. The sounds are fat and not so complex that nothing else will fit in the mix.  Also they seem like they don't rely on FX for the meat of their sound.  Anyone have this one?

Alchemy is not really a bread and butter or meat and potatoes synth. I think is much more designed for those who already have a decent set of bread and butter sounds and are after something very different and interesting. On that front I think it is amazing.

Sorry Dean I don't have Analogica but I am sure it is good. I have quite a few other VST's that emulate analog synths rather well with their own libraries. 

I do find however that Alchemy sounds do sit rather well in a mix, even very complex sounds. I think it is more about what other things are going on around it and how it is produced at the time.

Also to Zo you can easily lower reverbs and other effects by just changing the wet/dry balances etc. Some of the sounds can be drenched in reverb a bit and I find it is nice to pull that right off in terms of Alchemy and maybe add some different reverb later on etc..

Looks like sales might be in full tilt at Camel Audio right now - the server is loaded right up, with a request to try back again in a few hours.

Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Zo


Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Zo,


I'd love to hear your thoughts on Junkie XL.  It's high on my list.  I've got it above Dance & Trance and Electronica, because it sounds more like my style and it has much fewer bass & loop presets than those other packs.  Is Junkie XL good?

Zo


Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Himalaya is a bit too old school for me compared to Analogica which I think strikes the right balance.

Zo


himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho

My feelings exactly, although that's not to shortchange Analogica.  Himilaya Vintage is my favorite but Analogica may be my 2nd favorite.  While on the subject, Steamworkx isn't nearly as useful musically as either of the above, but I so admire the creativeness that went into it that I'd give it an honorable mention as well.

Alchemy is great and it's really good to see reviews of all these soundbanks. I have also collected about $20 Camel Credits I can use towards this special deal they're having.

......and if you like Alchemy, don't foget to check out Camelsapce. Just throw it on any sound source and get some very musical rythmic textures. 

You can do some wonders with a simple (3 chord) distorted/clean guitar tone to get some very interesting variations. 

Like that famous GAS sufferer in here says........"It's a hoot......go git yer some!!"  

SmokeyJ628

Zo


Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Zo,


I'd love to hear your thoughts on Junkie XL.  It's high on my list.  I've got it above Dance & Trance and Electronica, because it sounds more like my style and it has much fewer bass & loop presets than those other packs.  Is Junkie XL good?

I was testng the waves MM all day , i'll give you a feedback tomorow ;) just le me go deep in ..

jimusic

I have occasionally thought about getting the full Alchemy player, but thought that $249 was a bit steep.

I seem to recall that it was on for $149 a number of months ago, but I passed on it then as well.

But now, there are some options to consider here. 

[The following calculations are all based on selecting libraries that are priced @$59.00.]        

Option #1:

If I buy one get one free, that'll give me 2 [$59.00 value] libraries + Taste of Camel - for $59.00.

Right away, that drops the price of Full Alchemy to $199.00 in the cart for a combined total of $258.00.

Or...

Option #2:

If I add Full Alchemy to the cart first, [$249.00], it includes one free library [$59.00 value] + Taste of Camel, technically making 'Full AL' only $190.00.

Then if I do the buy one get one free, I get 2 more as stated above. $249.00 + 59.00  - for a total of $308.00.

Shameless Edit: But for just $9.00 more, we can even add a 4th library.

I was just on the Alchemy site and now realize that I can get 4 libraries for just $68.00 on top of the purchase price for Full AL, so long as I add the Full Alchemy Player into the cart @$249.00 after choosing 1 [+ 1 free] libraries. 

Then if I add another one [+ a free one], the total reaches $317.00. 

So that would be 4 libraries + Full Al + Taste of Camel for just $317.00. [317.00 - 249.00 = $68.00]

That's gonna be hard to say no to!  Full Al + $68 for 4 [actually 5] libraries. Forgive my excitement & enthusiasm, but I love it when a deal works out to be really cool!

Also, I've received $5.00 in Camel Credits already just by filling out my profile entries, making it just 
$312.00. 

Hmmm...What to do? What to do?

I know! 

I'll ask Visa. 

Yeah that's it!!! 

The answer to all my problems - [or the cause of them all!]

Jim

Thanks Jim for sorting all this out for us.  I got my tax refund and just spent $312 ($317-$5 for my camel credit).  I got four sound libraries plus Taste of Camel and also the full version of Alchemy.  My only problem was getting one of the large Factory sample downloads to download without corruptions.  It took seven downloads to get it right.  Probably was my horrible web-service.  Anyway, it is all downloaded and installed.


My read on Alchemy is similar to what others have been saying.  It is great for Pads, for SFX, for Soundtracks and excellent ARPs.  It does not seem to be as "thick" and full as the presets in Omnisphere which I own and love; as many know Omnisphere can be difficult at getting it to fit in a mix because of its reverbs, fullness, "thinkness" (my term).  Alchemy is similar to Omnisphere, but the pads don't seem as big and awash in reverb as much as Omnisphere.  


The 3 part  factory Sample library seems to have plenty of usable instruments especially leads and basses.  However, Alchemy does not have tons of pianos or B3's or orchestras or traditional drum kits, etc.  For those traditional instruments, Kontakt has those traditional instruments covered.  Alchemy seems to have a strong suit for Pads, SFZ, Sountrack, ARPs, ECM and Trance.  


So, why did I buy it?  I like Pads, I like SFX, I like Soundscapes.  And I already have traditional instruments covered by Kontakt, NI Komplete7, IKM (everything) and all those other synths and samplers we talk about on this forum.


Four sound libraries plus Taste of Camel plus the full version of Alchemy all for the price of $312 =I ain't complaining.

Thanks Jim for doing the leg work and pointing the way for the best deal to spend my tax refund.