Why the omega 8 has me so transfixed.

[Paul Maddox]

read the review here -

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct04/articles/studioelecomega8.htm

the EGs and LFOs are digital.

Paul

On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 3:00 PM, Paul Maddox
<paul.maddox.mail-list at synth.net> wrote:
> 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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>