Edirol VSC Replacement in S4

[dachay2tnr]

For all you Sonar 4 users, I haven't heard any feedback on the new DXi included in S4 that was to replace the Edirol VSC. I recall this getting a lot of interest before the S4 release, but I haven't heard anything afterwards.

So... how is it?

And while we're at it, was S4 worth the $$? What's your favorite new feature?

 

[Qwerty]

Yes, Sonar 4 is the bee's knees.

Track folders, track lanes, clip-muting, the advanced comp. tools, track freezing, group editting and the MPEX pitch/time stretching are just fantastic.

They will only be more fantastic when the 4.01 patch is released this week and they all work properly.....

The TTS-1 DXi is pretty good. Much better than the Edirol VSC thing. Better in terms of realism of the instruments. It is still not perfect, but you could quite easily record a backing track and then play gtr/piano and sing over the top of it and have it come out sounding pretty much like a real band. This wasn't the case with VSC...

Also - d'ya think that TTS-1 stands for 'Twelve Tone Systems'?

Ciao,

Q.

 

[dachay2tnr]

Thanks for the reply, Q. Where are the rest of you S4 users?

I'm just gathering my ducks about whether the S4 upgrade is worth it to me. A better version of the Edirol certainly helps make the case. If I do upgrade it will be to the Studio edition, so the MPEX time/pitch stretch doesn't help me. And I'm still having trouble convincing myself to fork over $100 for work flow enhancements.

I'm still leaning toward sitting this one out.

 

[acidrock]

A better version of the Edirol certainly helps make the case.

Whatever happened tp Kompakt?
I'd like to know what sounds in VSC are superior to that.

The track folders would be the no.1 reason for me to get S4,which I will not be doing.

 

[dachay2tnr]

Whatever happened tp Kompakt?
I'd like to know what sounds in VSC are superior to that.

The track folders would be the no.1 reason for me to get S4,which I will not be doing.

I still have Kompakt, but I find that I favor the Edirol VSC for piano and sometimes bass. Kompakt only has one acoustic piano, and I usually prefer a much "dirtier" piano than the one they include.

In Kompakt I have used the Rhodes, the violin, the cello, and some percussion elements (tamborene). But a lot of what I use simply depends on the song I am working on and what seems to fit best in the mix.

So far I haven't liked any of the Kompakt basses with any project I've tried. They just never sound quite right to me. I'm not in love with the Edirol basses either, but I do favor them slightly. Our latest song uses a Sound Font for bass (Naturally Decaying Bass from the Hammersound site). But I used the LSP to play it, rather than Kompakt.

All in all, I have no issues with Kompakt, but ultimately it's just another tool, not THE tool.

 

[acidrock]

Lot's of piano samples out there...if you want to spend a few $$$ on a decent one.
I've got GIGApiano,a leftover from PROsuite,it's over 600mb!

 

[dachay2tnr]

Lot's of piano samples out there...if you want to spend a few $$$ on a decent one.
I've got GIGApiano,a leftover from PROsuite,it's over 600mb!

And if I happen to like some of the piano samples in the VSC, does that make me a bad person?




Just for info, here's a couple of comments from the clinic on our last song that used a VSC piano sample:

"Nice piano,is it real?"

"loved the key playing (my own soft spot)...what 'piano' sound are you using? It's not real, is it?"

"Piano rocks!"

 

[acidrock]

And if I happen to like some of the piano samples in the VSC, does that make me a bad person?

You're a bad person,but it has nothing to do with software.

My comments are based on the fact that you were looking to upgrade,using the the VSC replacement as the clincher.The VSC is a "closed" piece of software,only giving you the sounds it comes with,as opposed to Kompakt,which is open ended only limited by the samples you have.

 

[K-dub]

I never used the VSC all that much...opting for a Yamaha P50 and Steinberg's "The Grand" when a piano was needed.

I did fool w/ the TTS for a little, and the interface is better than before. Sounds about the same to me.

If you're a multiprocessor user or surround sound fan, then this upgrade is a must have.

If not, the work flow improvements are absolutely wonderful...really, really good, but I'm not sure if they're worth the price of admission by themselves.

For me, I saw a huge improvement w/ this upgrade. For others, try the demo and see if you can't live w/o it.

K-

 

[minofifa]

if we have sonar 3 and then upgrade to sonar 4, is there any way that we can take the edirol vsc and use it in sonar 4?

 

[James Argo]

Heheh... TTS-1 is nice Like always, sound quality is relative - it depends on wether you like it or not. Haven't done any recording with it myself, just chewing a bit... Hey, I've even found some bugs in it... previewing drum channel doesn't work well in Edit mode. The rest 15 Piano track is fine... you'll have same audition riff when you hit "Preview" button on the channel's preview, and edit mode... But previewing the drum channel in edit mode will give you only single snare hit audition...

Unlike VSC, you'll have more control on the sound as it has knobs for EQ, brightness, effects, etc.

This is great DXi, but definitely not major reason to upgrade to S4, IMHO.



Jaymz

 

[dachay2tnr]

I did fool w/ the TTS for a little, and the interface is better than before. Sounds about the same to me.

K-

I didn't have much problem with the existing interface. It was the sounds I was primarily interested in.

All in all it is certainly looking like I will sit this upgrade out. Track folders are nice, although I can live without them. Freeze function is nice, but I can get there with clone and archive today. I like the project navigation view, but it does add more clutter to an already cluttered interface (and that's with dual monitors).

Seems to me the $99 would be better spent toward expanding my existing mic collection. That has a much better shot at improving my stuff than a newer version of Sonar. (Comments about my stuff being "unimprovable" anyway should be kept to yourself. ).

 

[Qwerty]

Seems to me the $99 would be better spent toward expanding my existing mic collection.

Show me a $99 mic that makes THAT much of a difference....

Unless you are Dachay of Perfect-Take-ville, then you would get more benefit from the comping and group editting tools than a crappy, $99 mic....

Ciao,

Q.

 

[dachay2tnr]

Show me a $99 mic that makes THAT much of a difference....

.

I didn't say a $99 mic. I said put the money towards a mic.

That said, however, a couple of matched, small diaphragm condensor mics can be had for around $99, and they might help capture a better acoustic guitar sound (as long as I can, at the same time, find someone who actually knows how to play it ).

 

[Qwerty]

I didn't say a $99 mic. I said put the money towards a mic.

That said, however, a couple of matched, small diaphragm condensor mics can be had for around $99, and they might help capture a better acoustic guitar sound (as long as I can, at the same time, find someone who actually knows how to play it ).

OK, I'll let ya off....

A couple of matched, small diaphragm condensor mics here in Australia -- decent quality, but by no means the top of the market -- start from about $US325...

What can you get for $99?

Ciao,

Q.

 

[acidrock]

What can you get for $99?

Two ecm8000s,with change leftover.
Search the mic forum...

A couple of matched, small diaphragm condensor mics here in Australia -- decent quality, but by no means the top of the market -- start from about $US325...

Yikes,you'd think it be cheaper,seeing as you're closer to China.

 

[punkin]

Sounds like an opportunity for some off-shore exchanges. How much could it possibly cost to send a mic to the Outback? Those prices are out of hand.

 

[James Argo]

Well oh well...

Next reply will turn this lovely forum into mic forum... prepare your weapon, kids!

Hey, you won't believe what I found today... some realy realy nice -pencil like, self powered- condenser on local market for only ~US15... I purchased without trying (Who wants to try anyway when they only have Alto & Behri mixer to test it... )...






















Okay, it's a crap on acoustic guitars... but it's perfect for booming! (Talking about next movie project )


Jaymz