Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Discussion of Digital Performer use, optimization, tips and techniques on MacOS.

Moderator: James Steele

Forum rules
This forum is for most discussion related to the use and optimization of Digital Performer [MacOS] and plug-ins as well as tips and techniques. It is NOT for troubleshooting technical issues, complaints, feature requests, or "Comparative DAW 101."
mike_o
Posts: 400
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:00 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: inside the mind of myself

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mike_o »

I don't know about omnisphere, but reaktor is a dream come true for ambient textures, soundscapes and moving pads.

it's $199 and worth every penny and more, the user library is filled with auto generators for every possible variety of pads/atmosphere's etc...

imo, there is no such thing as more bang for your buck than reaktor.
Mac Pro 2X Dual Core 2.66Ghz-10.4.9-7 GigRam-828MKII-MTPAV-Ultralight MK3-Digi Performer6.01-PeakPro5.1-Reason4-AbeltonLive6-Virus Rack(Red)-ReMOTE 25 & 37 SL-Nocturn-Stanton Dacratch-PluggoPack-DimensionLE W/EmuProteusPack-Sylenth1-Discovery MAC-MX4-Rapture-Alpha-Octopuss-Automat-Automat1-TALbassline-TALUno60
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

Actually, it might be cheaper, as I think there's an upgrade discount from the "free" Reaktor Player that many people may have without even realizing it.

Rather than upgrade Komplete Ultimate this year, I used my end-of-year voucher to upgrade Reaktor to v6. Haven't had time to do much with it yet, but it definitely gets deeper into Modular Synthesis than before. Also, the pro version gives you access to a huge catalogue of freebies and user community provided Reaktor Instruments.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

There's also an ambient library from Soniccouture that is quite excellent, but I haven't had a chance to make much use of it yet as I was already mostly done with my two or three albums worth of active ambient projects by the time it was released. Nevertheless, it was an important missing ingredient for several of my works.

I think it's called Geosonic, or something like that. Often goes on sale. Easy to find at their website; I don't have time right now for that as work is quite busy. Price-wise though, it may not compete with other options, depending on how many cross-grades, up-grades, etc. you are eligible for.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

I have some surprising feedback on Alchemy, now that I have finally learned ONE byzantine way to record in Logic (none of my attempts to do traditional recording worked, so I did a bounce instead).

So far I have only succeeded in bouncing three MIDI tracks, but they are quite challenging ones, and are from third-party Alchemy libraries so I figured out how to access the full window so I could select stuff directly in the Alchemy interface instead of the GarageBand-like way that Logic presents sound "choices" to you.

Anyway, gripes about Apple Illogic aside, so far I have clear and consistent observations from three recorded tracks and several other auditioned tracks that I will record hopefully before bed tonight.

Consistently, the version of Alchemy in Logic, is warmer (by a hair), but most importantly has FAR better envelope handling, so that complex arpeggios and evolving pads don't get tripped up or hiccup.

The bass is not quite as heavy in Logic's version, and sometimes there seems to be slightly less phase coherence, or perhaps a different stereo imaging, which may not sit in the mix as well, but the sound is definitely higher fidelity than the pre-Logic version of Alchemy.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
HCMarkus
Posts: 9712
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:01 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Rancho Bohemia, California
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by HCMarkus »

Thinking about Absynth? Wait until Komplete/Komplete Ultimate is on sale(just before the next version is released) and get the whole kit-n-kaboodle for a great price. Comes wth Reaktor, too.

That said, Omnisphere is a mainstay go-to for me, too. But, taken as a whole, I use the tools in Komplete Ultimate even more.
User avatar
Michael Canavan
Posts: 3537
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: seattle

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by Michael Canavan »

if you can deal with the short notice here, (4hours left on the sale) Diversion is on sale and sounds great! for pads. http://vstbuzz.com/deals/62-off-diversi ... hes-vstau/

At $63 I'm picking it up for sure. It's getting updated in 2018 so in a sense you're not saving a ton of money, so if the sale is over and you still want it I would recommend waiting for version 2 due this year.
M2 Studio Ultra, RME Babyface FS, Slate Raven Mti2, NI SL88 MKII, Linnstrument, MPC Live II, Launchpad MK3. Hundreds of plug ins.
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

Although more limited in scope than AAS Ultra Analog, I highly recommend AAS Chromaphone. Those are probably my two favourite and most-used AAS instruments in recent times.

Last night, I ended up replacing one Alchemy track with a Chromophone add-on library patch that was the perfect arpeggio. I usually do my own arps, but sometimes like to trigger them with block chords, if it's a total background part. But I need consistency, and I get more of that from Chromophone's engine than from Alchemy's, even if the envelope doesn't have a strict cut-off.

I have also found Chromophone to be the go-to ticket when I need very sharp digital sounding blips, such as radio beacons and the like. Somehow, Chromophone manages to give us the excellent transients of FM synthesis, alongside some of the complexities of additive synthesis. Very different from a Moog or other synth source for such sounds.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
FMiguelez
Posts: 8266
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Body: Narco-México Soul/Heart: NYC

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by FMiguelez »

HCMarkus wrote:Thinking about Absynth? Wait until Komplete/Komplete Ultimate is on sale(just before the next version is released) and get the whole kit-n-kaboodle for a great price. Comes wth Reaktor, too.

That said, Omnisphere is a mainstay go-to for me, too. But, taken as a whole, I use the tools in Komplete Ultimate even more.
+1

I don't think there's a more bang for the buck package in the whole industry than this. It is really a no-brainer.
I got my upgrade on sale from Komplete 8 to Komplete Ultimate 11 for the price of a single instrument...
Mac Mini Server i7 2.66 GHs/16 GB RAM / OSX 10.14 / DP 9.52
Tascam DM-24, MOTU Track 16, all Spectrasonics' stuff,
Vienna Instruments SUPER PACKAGE, Waves Mercury, slaved iMac and Mac Minis running VEP 7, etc.

---------------------------

"In physics the truth is rarely perfectly clear, and that is certainly universally the case in human affairs. Hence, what is not surrounded by uncertainty cannot be the truth." ― Richard Feynman
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

Alchemy is also bang-for-buck as Illogic is so cheap. :-) But Absynth is practically free if you have many NI products.

Having put them up against each other again last night, I have concluded that Alchemy is the more versatile and advanced of the two, but only if using the improved version that can ONLY be used inside Logic.

And of course, new buyers don't have access to the gazillion add-on libraries, which are about all I use vs. the core. I think Apple might have included a "best of" along with some old Cameleon 5000 patches though. It's hard to tell due to their GarageBand like Amateur Hour patch "finder".
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
rp88.2
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:54 am
Primary DAW OS: MacOS

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by rp88.2 »

Good morning:

Personally, I think Absynth is awesome! It has the ability for some very complex, moving and organic sounds. However, as you are probably aware, it will require programming and experimentation, if you don't like the presets.

If you are in to sound design and enjoy creating different audio and control paths, it's a cool synthesizer. The ability to draw complex envelopes, modify the shape of waveforms and use your own samples as an oscillator, is very powerful. It's a monster once you get into it; but does require a desire for sound design.

A real deal right now, that is a no-brainer, is Hybrid 3 from AIR.

Plug-in boutique has Hybrid 3 on sale for $6 including 5 expansion packs from experienced sound designers. In addition, on the AIR website there are 2-3 more free expansion packs.

Yes, Hybrid 3 has been around as part of Pro Tools, but how you filter and manipulate the oscillators will give you unique sounds. Some of the presets from the sound designers sound great!

So, if you are less in to sound design and more tweaking a factory patch; this is an almost free alternative.

Hope you find this helpful!

All the best!
User avatar
daniel.sneed
Posts: 2239
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: France
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by daniel.sneed »

mhschmieder wrote:Alchemy is also bang-for-buck as Illogic is so cheap.[...]
And of course, new buyers don't have access to the gazillion add-on libraries, which are about all I use vs. the core. [...].
*Some* of the add-on libraries are now included in latest Alchemy core. I found a few of my favorite add-on patches in the core, but not all of them...
dAn Shakin' all over! :unicorn:
DP11.31, OS12.7.4, MacBookPro-i7-3.1Ghz-16GoRam-1ToSSD
Falcon, Kontakt, Ozone, RX, Unisum & Michelangelo, LX480
Waldorf Iridium & STVC & Blofeld, Kemper Profiler Stage, EWIusb, Studiologic VMK, ControlPad
JBL4326+4312sub, Behringer X32rack
Many mics, mandolins, banjos, guitars, flutes, melodions, xylos, kalimbas...
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

Daniel, that's why I added the second part of my statement (missing from your quote), as I did recall that they seemed to have curated patches from various collections but didn't remember whether they were marked as such or just thrown into a general grab-bag.

Off-hand, I seem to recall that they kept 10-20% of the add-on library patches, but I do remember not finding my favourites so I'm not sure what criteria they used as most of those libraries were pretty consistent vs. being mild variations on the same patch like a lot of patch developers do.

Even so, I think Alchemy is a bridge too far for most people at this point, but I just wanted to make people aware that the core engine -- whether due to envelope handling, filters, or internal audio resampling -- is much warmer now than before it became part of Logic, and more akin (finally!) to the general timbre of Cameleon 5000 (which I regret deleting, as I eventually bought 24 Lives and could have converted it to 64 bits).

Absynth may be "old" by now, but when was the last time you heard someone say that the Stradivarius violin needs a rev? Granted, one of the top players in SF Symphony uses an asymmetrical violin that he swears is both more ergonomic and better tonally. :-)

I'm not saying Absynth is as good as a Stradivarius, but just making the point that old is only bad if there were specific limitations that the developer constricted their design by, due to assumptions of people's computing power at the time. After all, so many people want emulations of even older synths from the 70's!

Personally, I am more comfortable patch editing in Alchemy, because I owned a Kawai 5000 for a while and that is the additive synthesizer that the original Cameleon 5000 was based on, and from which Alchemy draws its DNA.
Last edited by mhschmieder on Mon Dec 25, 2017 6:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
daniel.sneed
Posts: 2239
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: France
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by daniel.sneed »

Well, you're right, mhschmieder. All Alchemy patches in one single core is ridiculous.

But, I would still pay for a good Logic instrument to AU converter.
Which will probably never come...
dAn Shakin' all over! :unicorn:
DP11.31, OS12.7.4, MacBookPro-i7-3.1Ghz-16GoRam-1ToSSD
Falcon, Kontakt, Ozone, RX, Unisum & Michelangelo, LX480
Waldorf Iridium & STVC & Blofeld, Kemper Profiler Stage, EWIusb, Studiologic VMK, ControlPad
JBL4326+4312sub, Behringer X32rack
Many mics, mandolins, banjos, guitars, flutes, melodions, xylos, kalimbas...
User avatar
mhschmieder
Posts: 11282
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Annandale VA

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by mhschmieder »

The actual browser for separately purchased Alchemy libraries is actually better in the Logic version, but few people will be in that situation anymore as they can no longer be bought.

Note that some of the patches changed categories, effects, levels, etc. -- it's amazing they put so much time into modifying them for Apple, given that it's now a one-price-fits-all (i.e., "free").
Last edited by mhschmieder on Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
iMac 27" 2017 Quad-Core Intel i5 (3.8 GHz, 64 GB), OSX 13.6.1, MOTU DP 11.31, iZotope RX 10
RME Babyface Pro FS, Radial JDV Mk5, Hammond XK-4, Moog Voyager

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35
Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, Johhny Marr Jaguar, 57 LP, Danelectro 12
Eastman T486RB, T64/V, Ibanez PM2, D'angelico Deluxe SS Bari, EXL1
Guild Bari, 1512 12-string, M20, Martin OM28VTS, Larivee 0040MH
User avatar
monkey man
Posts: 13918
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:01 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Thinking of getting Absynth 5...

Post by monkey man »

Just another vote for Omnisphere.

Once familiar with it, you should be able to create any sound you need except for specific instrument-focussed "sample-library" and physical-modelling types of sounds.

Mac 2012 12C Cheese Grater, OSX 10.13.6
MOTU DP8.07, MachFive 3.2.1, MIDI Express XT, 24I/O
Novation, Yamaha & Roland Synths, Guitar & Bass, Kemper Rack

Pretend I've placed your favourite quote here
Post Reply