Nice!
hmm, Sonicware added a few short vids about Liven XFM on their chanel — it sounds totally MEH there, and stock presets seems to be cheezy AF.
however, vids on ChrisLody channel (the above one and two more) sound nice.
overall impression: not sure if it’s worth buying…
Was about to grab a Digitone but I’m waiting for more news about the LIVEN XFM, there are fun additional effects, some interesting morph functions and most importantly it seems (TBC) that it’s possible to PLock effects and Arp, unlike the DN.
I’ve got a Digitone and a Model: Cycles, but I can’t wait to start playing with this thing too!
I really want to see what kind of weird stuff you can do it with the morphing aspect of it. Looks to be really immediate to use.
Seems like you could come up with a patch that you really like, and then mix it with other patches indefinitely. You can probably get into some wild territory really quickly with it.
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I’ve had this for almost a month now, but while waiting on it to arrive I sold my Digitone to afford the MC-707 and I got pretty wrapped up in that crazy machine. I’ve been playing with it on lunch breaks at work, but I’m finally getting into really spending time with it.
I know the recording quality isn’t that great, but I figured I would share since I was out practicing with it. I’ll be doing cleaner stuff with it in the future soon.
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Drone music…
I think I get it now. Just got to be in the right mood when listening to it.
This is just one track holding a chord. Lots of slow modulation on the filter and a little on the pitch. All through the phaser.
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I haven’t seen that much talk about this machine compared to, for example, the Digitone. Is there something that the Liven XFM lacks that DN has? Can you create the same type of sounds?
I just bought and am waiting for delivery. very interesting device but still a dark horse. hope for something interesting and intriguing.
I’ve been trying to find this out through the manual without any luck, but I assume that you can’t sequence midi cc out from the sequencer (only that midi cc is sent when you’re actually turning a knob). Correct?
Okay, I heard someone say that you can sent midi out on every track and that even parameter locks of some of the knobs effectively will be midi cc parameter locks. If this is true, it would be massive. Can anyone who owns the device confirm or deny this?
Yeah, it does. I only made a quick check of it but I was able to send p-locked CCs from recorded knob values no problem.
Midi implementation chart is here: https://www.sonicware.co.jp/DL/LIVEN_xfm/DOC/xfm_manual_MIDI_en_r2.pdf
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Anyone on here got one?
What’s your impression? How’s programming sounds and sequences? And how’s the reverb?
It seems very interesting and my mpc would love a buddy but there’s not much about it online…
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Hey! the instrument is quite interesting, but with some drawbacks. in places not very clear control and navigation with presets. the synthesizer architecture itself is very deep, but the automation of the parameters is very limited. but there are sound locks and polyrhythm. the sound is clear there is no noise. connected a Behringer rd-6 to it sound great together.
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Has anyone tried the Liven XFM? If so, what’s your opinion and how would you compare it to the Model:Cycles or to the Digitone? It seems very interesting (filter, effects, arpeggiator, 6 mode polyphony, interesting look alike keyboard and obviously a very cheap price…). I’m only citing what is written on their website. I’ve never touched one so I have no idea what it’s really worth. What do you Elektronauts think about it?
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Liven devices look great before using them.
Elektron devices look great before using them but also actually are fun to use and very well made.
Different league. Get the M:C / DN.
I took the risk and bought a Liven and I regret that decision.
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@PekeDorty has a great points. The Livens are definitely budget devices as far as build quality goes, and you don’t exactly get Elektron’s style of sequencing either, though there is a surprising amount of depth.
I had a Digitone for a while and I loved the sound of it, but using it never felt smooth or intuitive, while on the other hand Model:Cycles and the XFM feel very immediately playable and tweakable in comparison.
My opinion though. Find the workflows that click for you. Everyone likes different flavors.
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Oh, I’ve been moved or more like swept in the little corner so Elektronauts don’t see too much of those ugly other devices. I am sorry mister moderator, I hope you were not bothered by the smell…?
Anyway, I am only asking what you guys think about it, I don’t plan on buying one. I am just interested by its pros and cons. One thing I noticed, It sounds more analog than FM to me…
I bought one from Amazon (UK) and decided to send it back within about an hour or so. I already have a Digitone Keys and a Model Cycles, so I’m a little bit spoilt by that I suppose, but the Liven XFM felt very ‘claustrophobic’ to use, the effects/reverb were very limited and actually not very nice sounding, and tweaking the FM sounds was either a) very limited or b) too complex - 2 issues that the Model Cycles overcomes quite easily.
For £200 though it wasn’t bad in isolation, but a Model Cycles is considerably nicer to use, sounds nicer overall, and is generally more easy to get results from. And the Digitone just totally trumps it in every possible way.
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So for a con I like things having usb/audio, but the Livens don’t have that.
It only has the smaller audio jacks, but there is a headphones gain boost so I can send it into my 707 to record through.