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Dave Smith instruments Poly-Evolver
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Pypedream
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
45
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245
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 03:12
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I'm looking for an experienced opinion on this piece of hardware. I'm seriously considering it based on some reviews I read (Computer Music, etc.).
It's very expensive though. I am trying to make warm, pad-rich ambient music and some of the reviews talked favorably about the sound of this synth.
Those of you who have experience with hardware programming - have you seen it and what do you think??
Thanks.
  ELECTRON EYES / MARK-EVAN (NOR. CAL)
WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/MARK-EVAN |
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Mantrix
Started Topics :
4
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12
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 12:12
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If you know your way around a synth then go for it!
You can literally make any sound you want with the Evolver.
If you rely on Presets however, you may be disappointed. A lot of the presets are wierd.
But like I said, if you know how to synthesize, this will give you an amazing sound.
I used to have one and sold it due to cash problems, but I really wish I still had it now.
Good luck
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extone
Started Topics :
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13
Posted : Feb 20, 2006 22:46
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The polyevolver - in fact any of the evolver range are bound to become as classic as the minimoog or the tb303, jsut wait and see, the synths are amazing.
The evolver range (I think) is an undiscovered gem for something like psytrance. They are not marketed towards trance - more prog rock, which might explain it. But the sound you can get out of these synths, my god, VSTs don't come close to the real analog sound.
All the world needs is one psytrance producer to get their hands on one of these and learn to program it well and it will become as standard as the virus or nord. |
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sonik_akb
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5
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221
Posted : Feb 21, 2006 00:04
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Dave Smith is the man behind Sequential Circuits Instruments (you know, Prophet 5, Prophet VS etc.).
Polyevolver is like Prophet VS, if you would like to try this technology (vector synthesis), you can use the Vector Sector from General Vibe in the following link:
http://www.generalvibe.com/download.html
The engineer that coded this software is the same one has implemented the original software on the Prophet VS's hardware (I forgot his name, sorry...).
So, Polyevolver is able to make amazing analog and digital sounds and looks amazing. Great user interface. Much better than Nord Lead, IMO.
Peace, AK. |
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14-year old e-tard
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
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797
Posted : Feb 21, 2006 11:07
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Quote:
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On 2005-10-21 12:12, Mantrix wrote:
You can literally make any sound you want with the Evolver.
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You can't make patches that involve resonant high pass sweeps/leads because the Evolver/Poly/PEK/MEK, do not have a resonant high pass filters. Actually there is only the resonant analog low pass filter and the non resonant digital high pass filter...that's it. Some people probably won't mind, but for the cash I think its a bit of a rip off, especialy since the PEK is in the same price range as the A6, and that has a multimode filter section that leaves the Polyevo, standing.
Anyway, I had an Evo for a few months and did not like its sound much. It does analog ok, but the sh-101, Pro-1 and my modular, pissed and shat over it in terms of characteristic liquidy analogue squelchness. And although you can only use the analog oscillators in the mix, you can't actually bypass the synth's digital path. The analogue LPF filter was nothing special, probaly in the same league as the Pulse's filter. The distortion was awful, but the feedback circuit gave some very nice weirdness.
For me it is the digital side of the Evolver series that makes them. The digital oscillators sound nice and the option of importing your own wavetables (something you can't do on the Virus TI) is fantastic. Personally I would get a PEK (Polyevolver keyboard) only if I had an A6, or Jupiter 6/8, MKS-80 with programmer that covered the analog spectrum of patches. Needless to say that the interface on the Evolver/Poly rack is an inspiration killer. You'd have to get the PEK or the MEK to open up the synth's potential in front of you.
Me>You |
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14-year old e-tard
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
797
Posted : Feb 21, 2006 12:08
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Dissing aside though, I believe that if you don't mind using CCs to control hardware synths, the original Evolver is a great bang for the buck synth.
Me>You |
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DJ Kontakt
Started Topics :
8
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153
Posted : Feb 22, 2006 09:24
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this thing and the elektron something or other are two things totally out of my budget but would be AWESOME for ambient tracks. The evolver is nice too.
G+ - Army Collective - Kontakt Recordings
Sie verbringen die Jahre, die zur Schule gehen, einen Job zu
erhalten, und dann verwirklichen Sie, das Sie nie ein irgendwie erhalten!
www.myspace.com/k0nt4kt
Music is my Playground |
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Pypedream
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
45
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245
Posted : Feb 24, 2006 04:23
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Yes I'm thinking of the PEK. As you say, there are a lot of possibilities with this synth. Obviously you have spent some time on it. Thanks for picking up this topic again. I'll post again once I have had some time to play around on it. Thx guys.
ELECTRON EYES / MARK-EVAN (NOR. CAL)
WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/MARK-EVAN |
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jivamukti
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
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342
Posted : Feb 24, 2006 11:13
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I don't have the synth or have ever played it, but the demos at www.davesmithinstruments.com sound very good indeed. One major con of it is like e-tard said that it has a limited filter section. In addition it has only four-voice polyphony whereas Alesis Andromeda for example has sixteen-voice.
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Jeto
Jeto
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258
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3252
Posted : Feb 24, 2006 18:21
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texmex
Started Topics :
5
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189
Posted : Feb 25, 2006 14:47
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Howabout spectralis instead? Haven't tried it out but sure would love to (haven't tried polyevolver either, but still).
http://www.spectralis.de/
And elektron monomachine is one to consider too, but completely different beast (very digital compared to these analog ones) |
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mikhail
Started Topics :
7
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18
Posted : Dec 9, 2008 01:31
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Quote:
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On 2006-02-24 18:21, Jeto wrote:
I demoed it.. IMO not so good for psytrance.
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why not? i recently got a good second hand offer and would be interested to hear more. although the filter section seems disappointing the synth sounds very promising to me. i have to make decision either for PEK or Virus TI and i though a PEK would be a more original choice as so many seem to have a Virus.
I would like hear some more opinions about this synth ?
thanks |
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Upavas
Upavas
Started Topics :
150
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3315
Posted : Dec 9, 2008 05:20
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I have a desktop Evolver, even though it is monophonic (you can hook up 4 to make them poly) I like the sounds it makes a lot. Great machine!!!
The Poly has as far as I know (tried it only once sometime ago) really nice controls, and makes tweaking a lot more easy. Definitely a very nice synth...
and the filter is top of the line.
And please don't ever ask me if I will sell my desktop evolver because I won't! 
Upavas - Here And Now (Sangoma Rec.) new EP out Oct.29th, get it here:
http://timecode.bandcamp.com
http://upavas.com
http://soundcloud.com/upavas-1/ |
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Tryptagon
Started Topics :
0
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95
Posted : Dec 9, 2008 06:36
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Quote:
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On 2008-12-09 05:20, Upavas wrote:
I have a desktop Evolver, even though it is monophonic (you can hook up 4 to make them poly) I like the sounds it makes a lot. Great machine!!!
The Poly has as far as I know (tried it only once sometime ago) really nice controls, and makes tweaking a lot more easy. Definitely a very nice synth...
and the filter is top of the line.
And please don't ever ask me if I will sell my desktop evolver because I won't!
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+1
And not for psytrance,come on ,i got two of the 4 banks filled with out of this world sounds,had to tweak them myself though.
Seriously,u don't buy the synth for the presets.
Thats like pissing on it. |
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Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
84
Posts :
981
Posted : Dec 9, 2008 18:15
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...and the option of importing your own wavetables (something you can't do on the Virus TI) is fantastic.
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I wonder if a TI update will allow that function.. I don't see why not, it is only software in that box and it has enough memory for a few samples.
Maybe I should nag Access. |
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