Gear options - Ambient - Sonicware vs. Torso S-4 vs.?

The Lounge Other Gear
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Hey everyone. I’m looking to expand my arsenal with some additional workflow specifically dedicated to dawless ambient.

Currently considering a few options, with a max budget of ~$1100 USD so the wife doesn’t murder me:

  1. Sonicware Evoke + Ambient Ø + Undetermined Pedal
  2. Torso S4
  3. Other options welcome

Also, any feedback on the above would be welcome.

Really looking at filling a gap vs overlap with other machines I have, and with a dedicated focus on simplified ambient workflow, so I’m listing what I’m currently using:

DTII
DNII
ST
A4MKII
Prophet 10
Summit
TEO-5
Subsequent 37
Neon Egg Planetarium 3
Hologram Microcosm

Thanks in advance!

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Might as well toss this into the mix, too. I haven’t used it yet, myself, but it’s rather intriguing, particularly as it’s the same price as the Torso.

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I’m not exactly sure what you are looking for in terms of workflow, or how much overlap there is in your current gear with what you’re eyeing.

That said, I love the Sonicware Ambient0 and Evoke. They both sound tremendous, just gorgeous. They are affordable (although I think a price hike is coming soon in the USA). I haven’t gelled with the S4 yet so take my words with some granular kernels of salt, but I would say pick the two Sonicware pieces. Also I don’t think you need a pedal, plenty of onboard fx for both.

Happy ambient-ing!

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Yeah, I played with them both during my Japan trip this year, and they sounded gorgeous in store. I’m leaning that route.

S4 originally had so much promise on paper, but with all of the issues, I was curious as to whether they had moved past it.

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S4 seems stable at this point, but for me Tempera is a much more inviting and exciting instrument when I want to go granular.

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I’ve had the torso pre 2.0 update and got one after 2.2 and it’s a completely different device now.
I honestly love the machine, incredible workflow sounds great, I particularly love the distortion machine on it.

Some caveats I have still.
• USB AUDIO is flaky as hell, I almost always get crackles and pops.
• would love a step LFO (like on the Octatrack) so that you can program in a LFO pattern yourself.
• I wish I could trigger all the sample engines from midi and not just POLY

what’s incredible:
•the modulation section is best in class. Envelope follower from other tracks and input is :ok_hand:
• the temp button is great for tweaking on the in a live situation
• the performance page is also incredible, the fact that it has its own modulation section is also :ok_hand:. As an example, you can have one track affect the performance macros via the envelope follower, for some botanica style sample flips.

One track is basically a $3k eurorack system with Morphagene in the center.

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Ambient is different from granular to me.

For just granular hw options there is already a thread.

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It’s solid. Early batch owner. Recently repurchased. I can see why people are using it for longer, ambient style sequences and sampling.

I’ve been enjoying the Evil Pet demoes as of late:

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I would spend the entire budget on FX pedals. I think the sonicware stuff is neat but you have serious sound sources already right?

Other cheap and fun ideas would be lofi… like tape loops, dictaphones, 4 track recording, old multi FX pedals chained together, smartphone mic recording ambient sounds

If you want to go hifi there’s Cinematic Laboratories on YouTube for eurorack options $$$

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I am actually in the process of selling some eurorack gear to fund an S4 and this statement has me even more excited to get my hands on one of these.

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Lots of discussion of the current state of the Torso S-4 here from users.

(Endorphin.es Evil Pet) - I have one and am enjoying it very much, currently as an effects unit but it can do so much more, but with only one tape-style buffer, unlike the S-4 (though it can be a granular synth with MPE too).

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Agreed - while long ADSR swells, filter modulation, and noisy/airy elements all contribute to the source sound design, I would have to point to heavy use of reverb/delay, crescendo/decrescendo, and panning to create a sense of space in the mix as the defining characteristic.

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I have a4 and Torso- both can take samples and morph them in to ambient landscapes, both are very playable live. A4 has 4 tracks so you will get much bigger soundscapes, complete tracks possible!

If you want something more synth based, consider a small eurorack skiff centred around a VHIKK X…this is one of the best Ambient synths available IMO.

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