First impression of M5.2 - very positive!
Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:54 am
I'm starting a new thread, because I'd like to achieve a little balance here. The impressions I've read here are largely VERY negative, and I was shocked to think that we were reviewing the same piece of software and collection of samples.
First off, my DVD-1 would not load, so I'm only dealing with DVD-2, 3, and 4. Maybe it's that first DVD that has all the bad stuff that's bumming everyone out. It will be a week or two before I can get that replaced, so maybe then I can be as bummed out as everyone else. But judging from the other three DVD's, I'm extremely impressed with this babe!
I have not had time to learn the features, to create special performances, or really to do anything yet except just try out some bare sounds. Right off the bat I was able to get effects and sounds with my Yamaha WX-5 wind controller that no other sampler/rompler has afforded me. The Vienna instruments were superb! Best I've ever used. Of course, I'm providing the articulations with the wind controller. It took some adjusting of controls on the WX-5, but eventually I was able to make all the samples VERY playable, very expressive, very responsive. The timbres are beautiful with a profoundly French bias in tone. That's my preference; if you're after German sounds or British, you might be disappointed, although some of the brass - horns for instance - sounded like the best compromise between French (when playing soft) and British (when playing loud).
I'm impressed with the full-screen capabilities. You can work at three different screen sizes. The normal little window that was always there, or one that fills up the whole interface, or one that goes full screen completely.
I was able to load Apple Loops, which sounded great except for the sounds of the slices made slight pops. I suspect there will be some learning in this department to eliminate those noises and bring the pops down to zero crossings or crossfades or something to that effect. Again, I'm writing this after about 2 hours of playing with an incomplete sound set.
I'm having trouble understanding the comments that there is "no life" in these sounds. I'd say the exact opposite. I'm impressed with the sounds and with M5.2's potentials -- its ability to handle the sounds. I hear so much potential in this sample set that I'm very excited to be working again. I can now do things that I've never been able to do before.
The piano is very close-micced, and very bright. It's also very clear. I think it's a beautiful piano sound, and yet it does not reach Ivory, but it's very good for certain sounds in its own right. But those who expect it to be a finished recording in one pass are going to be disappointed. Recording piano is a very hard thing to do. Once you get the recording, it takes a lot of engineering to bring that recording to what the ear expects to hear. I like it that the Mach Five "German Piano" gives us that actual recording, and leaves it to us to engineer it as we wish. Cut out the midrange around 315 Hz, give it some stage placement in Altiverb along with some beautiful hall sound, and you're going to be impressed with what you can get out of that piano. It's very clean, and reminds me a lot of the PianoTeq modeled piano in its sound.
I'm also troubled to hear so many negative comments from people who have either not tried M5.2 at all, or who have not spent enough time with it to learn how to make it sound its best. Does anyone really expect to sit down at this VERY complex device and instantly make it perform at its maximum capabilities? There is a lot to learn here, and that's coming from one who used to use Mach Five (1) fairly often. I feel like this is a completely new instrument. I'm at the bottom of a steep learning curve, two hours into it, yet I've already fallen in love with the VSL sounds, and I've already seen that loops work, though I've got to learn how to get rid of the artifacts in some of the Apple loops.
We have different emphasis and purposes, and mine may simply be more suited for Mach Five-2, but at this point in time I'm profoundly pleased with Mach Five-2, and I can't wait to hear how I am able to transform some of my mixes with it. First impressions can change, but from what I've seen here, I expect this reviewer's impressions to fulfill expectations and beyond.
It's very exciting.
Shooshie
First off, my DVD-1 would not load, so I'm only dealing with DVD-2, 3, and 4. Maybe it's that first DVD that has all the bad stuff that's bumming everyone out. It will be a week or two before I can get that replaced, so maybe then I can be as bummed out as everyone else. But judging from the other three DVD's, I'm extremely impressed with this babe!
I have not had time to learn the features, to create special performances, or really to do anything yet except just try out some bare sounds. Right off the bat I was able to get effects and sounds with my Yamaha WX-5 wind controller that no other sampler/rompler has afforded me. The Vienna instruments were superb! Best I've ever used. Of course, I'm providing the articulations with the wind controller. It took some adjusting of controls on the WX-5, but eventually I was able to make all the samples VERY playable, very expressive, very responsive. The timbres are beautiful with a profoundly French bias in tone. That's my preference; if you're after German sounds or British, you might be disappointed, although some of the brass - horns for instance - sounded like the best compromise between French (when playing soft) and British (when playing loud).
I'm impressed with the full-screen capabilities. You can work at three different screen sizes. The normal little window that was always there, or one that fills up the whole interface, or one that goes full screen completely.
I was able to load Apple Loops, which sounded great except for the sounds of the slices made slight pops. I suspect there will be some learning in this department to eliminate those noises and bring the pops down to zero crossings or crossfades or something to that effect. Again, I'm writing this after about 2 hours of playing with an incomplete sound set.
I'm having trouble understanding the comments that there is "no life" in these sounds. I'd say the exact opposite. I'm impressed with the sounds and with M5.2's potentials -- its ability to handle the sounds. I hear so much potential in this sample set that I'm very excited to be working again. I can now do things that I've never been able to do before.
The piano is very close-micced, and very bright. It's also very clear. I think it's a beautiful piano sound, and yet it does not reach Ivory, but it's very good for certain sounds in its own right. But those who expect it to be a finished recording in one pass are going to be disappointed. Recording piano is a very hard thing to do. Once you get the recording, it takes a lot of engineering to bring that recording to what the ear expects to hear. I like it that the Mach Five "German Piano" gives us that actual recording, and leaves it to us to engineer it as we wish. Cut out the midrange around 315 Hz, give it some stage placement in Altiverb along with some beautiful hall sound, and you're going to be impressed with what you can get out of that piano. It's very clean, and reminds me a lot of the PianoTeq modeled piano in its sound.
I'm also troubled to hear so many negative comments from people who have either not tried M5.2 at all, or who have not spent enough time with it to learn how to make it sound its best. Does anyone really expect to sit down at this VERY complex device and instantly make it perform at its maximum capabilities? There is a lot to learn here, and that's coming from one who used to use Mach Five (1) fairly often. I feel like this is a completely new instrument. I'm at the bottom of a steep learning curve, two hours into it, yet I've already fallen in love with the VSL sounds, and I've already seen that loops work, though I've got to learn how to get rid of the artifacts in some of the Apple loops.
We have different emphasis and purposes, and mine may simply be more suited for Mach Five-2, but at this point in time I'm profoundly pleased with Mach Five-2, and I can't wait to hear how I am able to transform some of my mixes with it. First impressions can change, but from what I've seen here, I expect this reviewer's impressions to fulfill expectations and beyond.
It's very exciting.
Shooshie
