Synthstrom Audible Deluge [inc. Open Source development]

Speaking of Circuit - just got an email from Novation saying they have something cooking for Nov 1… Interesting times…

No joke. I haven’t even watched the videos because I’m at work, but seeing the price piqued my interest, and now that I see there’s an installment payment option (which does ultimately add another $55 to the price), I’m awfully tempted to jump on this.

No that’s shipping, I think

Nevermind. You were right…I’m sorry for doubting you

Also 11/1:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BL_YQqkB1Vn/?taken-by=korgofficial

Is there anyone else watching this first video and feeling a little underwhelmed by the sound of the thing?

Their web site says the first videos are meant to be general walkthroughs, with more coming this week. They are long but seem pretty in-depth but I hope they can share some of what people performed at their launch party. It sounds like there are more coming.

We put together this video primarily with first-time users in mind, and the synth/pattern programming is very rudimentary, but as far as an introduction to the Deluge, you can’t beat it. Make sure you watch all three.

Part 2 does go deeper into the sound editor but also has a lot more talking when I just want to skip around and hear things!

Highlights for me;
Huge number of tracks
Zoom in and out grid
Effects and how you can apply them per track
Synth engine in BOX
MIDI control
Keyboard playing on grid
Overall interface
Sample loading
Sample recording with built in recorder
SD Card
Lowlights:
Synth engine menu diving, usable but could be a little annoying.

Not sure how much I trust this little company to deliver to put my money down and wait four months. It looks great though, not sure about the overall sound yet, need more demos.

taking the sound with a grain of salt, as its an overview intro of the units capabilities, (so I am not reading too much into the sound) it does appear very deep under the hood, once your hands on, it looks extremely tweakable and flexible.

Anyone know if those wooden cheeks can be removed?
And yeah it’s a deal breaker for me :laughing:

1 Like

Im into vid2 with the sound design stuff, and this aspect of the box is much less impressive and helping to cool my heels a bit. It seems extremely tedious to edit a patch, create a sound, etc. - which is to be expected with an “alpha dial + LED display” kind of control scheme that honestly harks back to the early 80s.

Also, the architecture is bog standard and pretty lacklustre - except for the option of loading samples as oscillators, which is always cool. Its certainly no Korg Z1, with 4 envs, 4 LFOs, 1000 mod slots, etc. etc.

The synth itself seems very basic and barely able to get the job done. Yet I can bet there will be plenty of firmware and OS updates on this thing. I get the feeling it will be updated deeply and frequently, so the options on display at this time may not reflect what its capable of a year from now. Or it may be completely accurate.

Thankfully the initial GAS is passing a bit, but Im still definitely considering this box. When Novation finally releases their Circuit Pro - and YOU KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN! - it could destroy this thing in terms of the price/performance ratio.

Had not even heard of the Korg announcement. Glad I came here.

Wow… where was all this shit 15 years ago!!! :evil: At least its finally here.

2 Likes

Watch video 3. Sounds quality of the video is awful, but the sequencer capability of this thing is worth the price alone, comparing it to the likes of pyramid etc. (on discount price first month). full price it will be a harder pill to swallow.
Im wondering how it keeps track of many songs.

As as sequencer i guess its very nice but … that display… hargggg ! so much menu diving it looks extremely tedious to editing sounds etc.

1 Like

I dunno. Maybe they should have just focused on it being a midi controller. That’s the only thing that seems beneficial with this thing. I can’t even sell myself on this thing at it’s special launch price

Sounds kinda like an Electribe 2 to me.

I prefer the earlier smaller one myself!

Yeh the sequencer stuff is blowing my mind… considering my whole brain is wired around a much more limited way of working with patterns coming from the old technology… whereas this is more like a hardware version of Ableton Live or something, and everything is much more fluid to stop/start/change/edit and gives you almost total freedom with the grid options and chaining and launching and all that…

I understand its being pitched as an all-in-one, but like most devices like that, its not going to nail each area. Some parts will suffer, in this case its the sound engine - but honestly as a 800 sequencer with some sampler and synth functions… its just really interesting.

A box like this would be world-shattering (in a good way) for me because of how Ive worked with sequencers over the years. And thats really hard to ignore.

3 Likes

I’ll feel so bad for synthstrom if Novation instantly piss on their bonfire with a serious Circuit :confused:

Expanded version of circuit seems pretty inevitable tho…Just not sure Novation have the, ‘our first product, let’s throw everything at this thing’ kind of motivation to program/offer the same depth of features as Deluge… Guess we’ll probably find out pretty soon.

Three years in the making…ouch.

Ah, that’s business for ya…

I’m not impressed and one word by screen, i will be boring to type my SMS word by Word is that a MMS Mode on it ?

OOOOH! Novation’s website has “The Story of Circuit” with more information being leaked each day. Circuit pro is coming…poor deluge :frowning: