Why the omega 8 has me so transfixed.

[Paul Maddox]

Tony,

 I might be wrong but, I think you'll find the EGs and LFOs are
digital, only the VCOs, VCFs and VCAs are analogue.
 Also, your comment about modeled instruments isnt really fair, it's
not a prblem of modeling, but a problem of coding and people not
thinking about modulation routings correctly, nothing more.

Paul

Paul

On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 2:09 PM, Tony Scharf <noisetheorem at gmail.com> wrote:
> Recently, I took delivery of a fully stocked 8 voice studio
> electronics Omega 8 on behalf of Nial.  It has become the
> end-all-be-all of synths I have ever had the pleasure to play, and has
> turned me much further to being a believer in pure analog than
> anything else.  Of course, retail this synth would go for around
> $5000, so its not your usual instrument.  I also would say that, with
> the quality of its engineering and design, it justifies that price.
>
> Ok, so whats so special about it?  Try this:
>
> Take an envelope with the attack set to maximum, decay to minimum and
> sustain to maximum.  Assign it to control an LFO's Rate.  Now assign
> the Modulation Wheel (or any controller) to also control the same
> LFO's rate.  Assign that LFO to control Filter cuttoff.  Now play a
> note..
>
> Once the LFO reaches the maximum rate in the sustain stage of the
> envelop, move your mod wheel.
>
> If your on a VA synth (or any synth with digital modulation), chances
> are you will hear nothing.  On the Omega, the LFO goes even faster,
> and whats more if you change the shape of the LFO you will hear a
> distinct change in harmonics.  On a synth with digital modulation, the
> max rate on the LFO will turn ALL the LFO's into square waves (thanks
> to Niquist).  I would also contend that a digital synth pushed to the
> extremes of modulation will not sound as musical as an analog pushed
> to those same extremes.
>
> Very few synths past this test.  My PEK cant do it (4 LFO's but all
> digital ones), the ATC cant do it (digital modulation again) and the
> SE1x can almost do it, but its LFO's speed seems to max out (though
> they dont change to square wave) well below the audio range.  Oddly
> the only other synth I have ever played with that could go into this
> territory was the Moog LP, and so I would assume the Voyager as well.
>
> I think what I am learning is that the problem with modeled
> instruments is that they are not designed with the extremes in mind.
> They are made to sound good within the normal limits of what normal
> synth people might want to do most of the time. Pushing them into
> extremes causes their models to break down a bit (not necessarily a
> bad thing) and the differences between the model and the real deal
> emerge.
>
> the big problem?  Once you make this realization, I think your fucked.
>  At least, your credit card balance is....
>
> Tony
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