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.
It looks more like Behringer finishing than Elektron, that’s for sure but all those effects and filter and polyphony seemed like a lot of bling bling. I’m afraid that it’s exactly what it is, bling bling…
Thanks guys
I don’t know, dude. It sits somewhere between a Volca and a DN to me.
Its case is plastic and the button like keys aren’t expressive without some other MIDI controls on velocity, but the cheap build makes its sound features more affordable.
I sound like an apologist for it, but I like it. Maybe because it is my DN replacement for budgetary reasons.
The sound you get from that machine is what matters even though I’m not sure I would have sold my Digitone for one of those. The most important thing is that you’re happy with it and that you use it today with the same pleasure as you did when you first got it.
I will have to try one to form my own opinion about this machine.
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Oh, not quite that I sold the DN for the XFM! 
Selling the DN helped me afford a 707 and I already had a good amount of FM overlap between DN, MC, and XFM. Just DN’s workflow never felt near as smooth for me as the other two FM instruments.
Also take note that I am still quite amateur and have only been using synthesizers for just around three years… 
Heck yeah. Long as we keep making noise we like.
Absolutely, the whole point of music is to make us happy
Take good care of Potato 
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Here’s a Sonicware Liven XFM demo with focus on Dub Techno, Ambient, Electro and Electronica. Maybe you find it useful.
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Hey ! I just listened to the demo by LimbicBits and I really like the sound, it’s gritty & lofi in a way that I love, it remembers me BlastBeats and MegaFM sound that I really like (I got a BlastBeats but I didn’t like the workflow so I send it back).
Is the workflow good on this machine ? I was checking the manual to see how works the editing mode and it seemed a little confusing… Any users can tell me what they think about it ?
I’m also really interested by the different morphing features that could be awesome for experimental ambient or techno stuff.
I thought the morphing controls were pretty unique and I liked how many FX were built in. I’m also a sucker for “step jump” on sequencers. Though I found deeper editing to be somewhat tedious and I wasn’t much of a fan of how plastic it was.
Even though I was initially pretty excited about it I’ve since moved on to an Opsix.
The Liven XFM sounds great and is very powerful for the relatively cheap price. Really pretty versatile, but the cheapness is apparent in the build quality maybe.
Thanks for your feedback ! And do you think this could be a reliable machine for live situations ? The cheapness worries me and I’m afraid this device will have a very short lifetime (3/4 years…).
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You’re welcome!
Keep in mind that I’m not a pro. I’m just a hobbyist, so take my advice with a grain of salt:
Maybe that cheapness would be good for live situations. It might be easy to replace if something happens. I do think it is a very performative synth with a lot of the main parameters that you would want to tweak live right there up front.
Hmmm ok. This could be a home studio synth but in this case, I think I would probably go for a Korg Opsix.
Thanks for the advice !
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