Sonik synth 2 0

Creates enough mixer channels for whatever choice you've made. The exception here is Pro Tools, though a fix is apparently on the way.The user has control over level, pan and polyphony from this window; the plug-in has a maximum polyphony of 256 notes, though this figure is, of course, CPU-dependent.A Host Of HostsI was able to use Sonik Synth 2 on both Mac and PC with a number of software packages. And there should really be no current sequencer that can't host the plug-in: VST, RTAS, Audio Units and DXi are all supported, for example. Whether your computer can handle it will be a different matter. My ageing Mac could run the software, but the host software could do little else.In my tests, Sonar 4 on the PC and Cubase SX on both platforms accepted SS2 's ability to use up to eight stereo audio output pairs flawlessly: when creating an instance of the plug-in, the correct number of audio ins is created for the relevant mixers. Playing the plug-in multitimbrally was simply a matter of creating MIDI tracks and assigning the right Sonik Synth parts. There was a problem with Pro Tools LE, though: it can play Sonik Synth 2 multitimbrally, but does not handle its multiple audio streams. This problem is currently being addressed.The Sound Of ScienceConceptually, it might be fair to put Sonik Synth 2 in the same basket as Ultimate Sound Bank's Ultra Focus (reviewed in SOS January 2005). Both packages are based around a huge collection of sampled classic synths which cannot be expanded by the user. Comprehensive voice-editing facilities are provided in both instances, mimicking the familiar subtractive analogue synthesis signal path. Large libraries of patches are supplied, with the option for the user to create and save even more. There are differences, of course. The playback engine is the most obvious difference, and the thinking behind sample acquisition differs between the developers of the two products, with Ultra Focus offering more detailed multisamples. SS2 scores heavily by being 16-part multitimbral; Ultra Focus is not, though it is capable of dual-layer patches. Layering in SS2 uses up two channels of multitimbrality, but SS2 lets you carry on layering until all 16 parts are used up, and that equals some pretty serious sound design options!Unlike Ultra Focus, SS2 also includes a fair number of workhorse sounds. In general, I'm glad these have been provided — many of them are excellent, especially the drum kits — but it seems a bit of a shame that so much of the sample library has been taken up with them. After all, SS2 can be crossgraded to Sampletank 2 (which can load all SS2 sounds) if you want a generic synth workstation. Ultra Focus may well be excessive in the length and number of its individual samples, but it will never be mistaken for anything but a synth plug-in!Nevertheless, Sonik Synth 2 still manages to supply solid, good-sounding examples of a dizzying number of classic synths, some of which

Especially in layers. I did rather miss an option for an 'infinite' release, though, which is something I often use when creating purely abstract sounds.The resonant filter is a simple affair, yet rather effective. Low-pass, band-pass and high-pass types are selectable, and slopes of 6dB, 12dB and 24dB are available. Cutoff frequency and resonance controls are also provided, and that's it! It's a fairly robust filter, capable of cone-flapping or tweeter-friendly resonance. A lot of the depth of Sonik Synth 2 is as much down to its filter as it is to the quality of the raw samples and the fidelity of the playback engine.Sonik Synth 2 Free IK Multimedia have been quite forward in pushing Sampletank as a playback medium. The company have also made available freebie versions of their plug-in, with a fixed set of sounds, with more available for download on their web site.The same tactics are being followed for the new synth plug-in: Sonik Synth 2 Free can be downloaded for Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP, along with about 20 voices. More will downloadable in future, making this a great 'try before you buy' option. Most functionality remains the same, though saving is disabled; that said, any panel tweaks the user makes can be saved within the host song, and all parameters can be controlled via MIDI. What are you waiting for?The Engine RoomAs I mentioned earlier, SS2 has a choice of three synth engines, accessed via the Synth button. The most basic mode is called 'resampling'; don't get excited, since this merely means that multisamples are played back in ordinary fashion — samples are played faster or slower as they're transposed up or down by the keyboard, with 'chipmunking' artefacts occurring as the transposition moves out of an acceptable range. Three parameters are available in this section: coarse and fine tuning, and pitch-bend range.The second synth engine, labelled PS/TS (for pitch-shift/time-stretch) is best suited to allowing sampled loops to be played back at different pitches without affecting their length and different tempos without affecting their pitch. There's no way for you to import loops into the plug-in, but there is a range of looped material included with the software; I'm not entirely sure this is DVD space and sample-editing time well spent, but many users may welcome this extra material. The percussion loops are a varied selection, and a certain number of textural loops are useful in abstract sound design.The final synth engine is dubbed Stretch (for Sampletank Time REsynthesis TeCHnology). The process is aiming for a similar effect to Roland's Variphrase routines, allowing changes in pitch and tempo to be made without disturbing the original sample's harmonic series. The process has to be applied manually — which can take a little while if a chosen multisample has many samples in it — though once done, it doesn't need to be applied again. Sonically interesting more than convincing, the effect is organic though not often completely natural. Stretched audio sounds obviously processed, and this

The latest instrument plug-in from IK Multimedia and Sonic Reality packages eight Gigabytes of samples, mostly from a huge range of classic synths, in IK's Sampletank front end.When IK Multimedia's Sampletank hit our computers a few years ago, its novel aim was to function as a plug-in alternative to the standard multitimbral sound module. Few other plug-ins provided such a broad-based sample collection, organised to give users the basic sounds necessary for day-to-day sequencing work. As a result, IK's software has won an enthusiastic customer base.Initially at least, editability was not a high priority, and the basic samples were not upgradeable by the user (the XL version offered basic Akai sample library import, though), but the system wasn't exactly closed. The engine itself became a vehicle for other IKM and third-party sound sets. For example, American sample-library wizards Sonic Reality released a collection dubbed Sonic Synth back in 2002. This all-new set of samples and patches came with a playback version of Sampletank.Fast-forward to now, and not only has Sampletank morphed into an even more serious instrument — version 2 offers improved effects, many more editing options, comprehensive user sample import and some funky loop-manipulation options — but we discover that Sonic Reality's relationship with IKM has grown rather more close. You might call it a 'strategic alliance' if you were writing their press release. The first result of this closer relationship is Sonik Synth 2, one of an impending series of specialised sample and patch sets created by SR that are played back by a modified version of the latest Sampletank engine. The focus of this first release is classic synths: a veritable museum of instruments has been sampled during the creation of this set. But a healthy selection of bread-and-butter sounds is also provided, also all new and created by Sonic Reality. In all, 8GB of samples is provided, on two DVDs (the cross-platform installer has its own CD-ROM). That's a lot of samples!The ModuleWhereas the original Sonic Synth just looked like Sampletank, the new product has its own look and feel, beyond swapping a 'c' for a 'k' in its name. Sure, the basic layout is very much like the parent product, but subtle graphic tweaks have been made, the most obvious being the colour scheme — gone is ST orange. All the basic elements are there, though the virtual 'display' has been utilised slightly differently and the editing knob scheme has also been modified. The engine, however, is exactly the same, excepting that SS2 does not offer sample import: the system is closed when it comes to its basic sound set.Briefly, then, Sonik Synth 2 is a 16-part multitimbral playback synth module with a large sample ROM, eight stereo 'audio out' pairs, a decent effects complement, and plenty of editability. It even implements Sampletank 2 's three 'synth engines', of which more soon. The plug-in runs on both Mac OS X and Windows XP/2000, and supports all major standards: VST, DXi, RTAS and AU — the

...if you are on DP that is. I bought Sonik Synth2 in the recent group-buy, and I have been really frustrated ever since. The GUI is completely unstable - knobs and controls just jump madly all over the place when you touch them, usually ending up on 'zero'. BTW, SS Free worked just fine, so go figure... I put in a help request and got this response back from IK: "Unfortunately this is a known issue. It not depends only on Sonik Synth 2 we tested several plug-ins (Not IK Multimedia plug-ins) and get the same problem we found a workaround: When you start a session in DP4 (every version..) you can use Default Templates for the session.(File -> New ..) You can choose if you want to start with a "New" blank session (first choice on top) or you might want to use one of the templates. IF you choose the "Empty" template then Sonik Synth 2 will have the ... bug. If you start with "New" (no template) or ANY other template everything will work with no prob. So the workaround is to start sessions with New or ANY template.. but NOT with "Empty" template. We are working together with MOTU in order to fix the problem. Thank you for your request." ------------------- This is what I wrote in response to that email: "Thanx for your quick response. Two problems tho- 1. Your fix won••™t work, not for me anyway. Using SS on an EXISTING DP file is where I am experiencing problems. I have a bunch of existing projects, when I try to add a SS track to them, I experience this problem. What••™s the work-around for that? I cannot just scrub everything in these projects and start again!! 2. If this is a known issue, why is it not on your web-site? Why aren••™t buyers warned BEFORE they buy? That is REALLY poor form on your company••™s part. It leaves a very bad taste in my mouth... Cheers, BK" --------------- In the IK forum on KVR, their tech person said that we should close other windows in DP, and then the problem would go away. (I haven't tried that yet, but it seems pretty pointless if that's the best that they can do - I kinda need those "other windows" to do my work!) Well, its pretty dissapointing really. I think this might be the last purchase from me of any IK product. [ July 21, 2005, 01:18 AM: Message edited by: BKK-OZ ]Cheers,BK…string theory says that all subatomic particles of the universe are nothing but musical notes. A, B-flat, C-sharp, correspond to electrons, neutrinos, quarks, and what have you. Therefore, physics is nothing but the

To handle the plug-in, but that's the story for most current, serious synth plug-ins. And top marks to all concerned for providing a paper manual — it's a comprehensive and compact affair that covers all the basics. An 'installation' manual is mostly concerned with copy protection and authorisation: if you're wondering where the data on the sound collection DVDs goes, check out the little PDF that appears on those discs.Sonik Synth 2 is great value for money, sounds excellent, and integrates nicely with host software. Sound-editing options are just right, and given the reservations noted above, I loved the accessibility of so much audio material from so many classic synths: if you're familiar with the originals, then you'll appreciate having their sonic signature in one package. At this price, what choice do you have?ProsA lot of special synth voices allied with quality bread-and-butter sounds.Works with virtually any host software on Mac or PC.Good value.Sounds great.ConsRequires speedy, up-to-date computer to stand a chance of working well and allowing you to add more work in your chosen host.Some on-screen graphics are just too small in most normal display situations.A few parameters seem to be non-functioning in this version.Perhaps a few too many loops and too much non-synth material for some users.SummaryTop-notch collection that delivers the goods even if you don't want dozens of vocal patches and orchestral sounds. If you've got the host, Sonik Synth 2 will provide the sounds!