A new toy.

[K.loor]

Hi forum.
I saw yesterday that a new sampler will be produced from Sonicware, the smpltrek.
https://youtu.be/G33ukI1gHRo
https://https://www.kickstarter.com/pro ... on-sampler
In the kickstarter page says some of the specs.

[TGN]

Yeah, seems really interesting, really GAS over here. 30 Efx and MIDI Tracks with full midi implementation (midi-cc-automation, full 5-pin midi connect sockets)! And 128 steps per pattern (like the old electribes) Maybe soemthing for you SP-USER? You can buy a multitimbral rack synthesizer and use it with this.

But no variable sampling rate.

Nevertheless i would give it a try, man 262 Euros right now in "super early bird". Crazy!

But i i stay sane. I already have the digitakt, which I use to remotely control the novation ks rack... and a few other samplers. i really don't need it. Do you listen to this, GAS-Guy in my head???!!! You do not need this!!!

[ellaguru]

i subscribed just yesterday
i'll see what happens

a facebook group of discussion of the PPS Smpltrek is here, the machine is still on developpment, so we're asking mods or other requests to the programmers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sonicwarepps

i bought on january the Liven XFM from them wich i found cool
https://sonicware.jp/pages/liven-xfm

[K.loor]

The liven was on of my choice when i looked for my first synth. Due the pandemic they have delays in production, so i purchased a modal skulpt. I had read excellent reviews about skills/ price ratio, that time. As i read in their kickstarter page the company has some people that in past had worked for Korg and Zoom.
But of course the variable sample ratio was a big disadvantage. Imagine a 12bit sample resolution as option??
P.S. in my opinion horrible promotion video!!

[ellaguru]

The liven was on of my choice when i looked for my first synth. Due the pandemic they have delays in production, so i purchased a modal skulpt. I had read excellent reviews about skills/ price ratio, that time. As i read in their kickstarter page the company has some people that in past had worked for Korg and Zoom.

i bought the XFM on thomann site (germany), so no delays at all:); i didn't knew Sonicware before, so i didn't partecipate at their kickstarter; i just wanted more FM than my volca FM could offers and i've found that someway the XFM was more flexible than Model:Cycle (almost same price range)

i confirm that some memeber worked (in what role?) with Zoom (i love st224)

But of course the variable sample ratio was a big disadvantage. Imagine a 12bit sample resolution as option??

are you talking about the smpltrek....?

P.S. in my opinion horrible promotion video!!

totally agree, i mean, the image quality is not that bad in itself, but the track, well...
have you seen the XFM launch video (or the Bass&Beats or the other products)? they're worse:))

[K.loor]

Yes Ellaguru i mean the smpltrek. Because the software planning of this machine is still in progress I made an assumption, if the owners can sample sounds at 12 bit like in sp-1200, i think.

[ellaguru]

well for now i saw 16bit
i hope they'll had some lofi frq to

[SP-USER]

I only came across the SONICWARE LIVEN format stuff about three maybe four days back, and decided to keep a very close eye on how it developed. The first thing that enterd my mind after looking at the LIVEN 8bit WARPS and the LIVEN XFM was that all it needs now is a sampler in exactly the same format and I'd buy the whole damn set!

I literally clenched my fist and said out loud "Yes!!!" when I saw this thread. Unfortunately though, he's ditched what I personally feel is the best design of all the small equipment out there, and has gone for this other design instead.

What on earth is that all about?

I'd have been ecstatic and bought the whole set of LIVEN synths if this sampler was sold in the same LIVEN format as the others, but unfortunately it is not and I won't be buying any of them. What a completely and utterly show-stopping thing to do!

I've no doubt it is awesome, no doubt at all, but it's just not as good as it would have been if he'd stayed with the LIVEN format. What a bloody shame, man, I can hardly believe he did that, but this is often the problem with these Kickstarter start-ups. The people behind them have a passion and some very good ideas, but they lack the knowledge of how important 'continuity' and 'associative recognition' is.

Korg for example understand continuity with the Volca range, and Roland, with their Boutique range. I don't know how early this is or if there is any chance of him having a rethink, but I really hope he does, and instead releases it in the same LIVEN format as the others!

Damn, what a shame ...

[ellaguru]

i think that they have make the ELZ-1 synth first and then the 3 Livens, wich, more or less, are made based on the ELZ-1 synth methods. Maybe they want to change with this new product, but i hope that they will keep the XFM seq wich i like very much; if they don't, i will see, and i will use my XFM seq to drive my other samplers via midi.
Anyway, 10 tracks + 3 recorder style tracks + sync i/o + usb sampling, is not a bad beginning.
i'll see if we can make those guys add new features (if they listen our suggestions)

[K.loor]

Yes, first cames the ELZ-1. I hope to make someting unique. It' s a new try!

[Headphones]

For $200 on Amazon and 3 different models to choose from (8-16 bit video game chiptunes, FM & the brand new Bass & Beats), they look like Korg Volcas on Steroids. So I agree SP-User, why did they shrink the sampler?? Unless they just wanted the hand factor of most of the SP line I guess??? I feel it’s wrong to carrot & stick the world on a product they make you assume is ready to order, but then you find out it’s a Kickstarter project. So you’re encouraged to invest in it but will you get it???

Poor marketing if you ask me. I’m kinda too depressed to buy new shit at the moment.

[ellaguru]

i'm not a market expert but for now they got more or less 1400 orders in ten days, not bad for a non finished product, so this means that people need samplers as hell man:))
i think this product has sense because the volca sampler and the model:samples (portables ones at a similar price range) don't sample directly; i got an mc-101 wich can sample but is more expensive and the samples are not that friendly to handle (more in the it's ok, but kind of)

[SP-USER]

Well, best of luck to the guy, but I still think it was beyond stupidity to drop what was basically the best format of all the small gear out there, and release it in a less musical, hand-held "GameBoy" kinda design.

Samplers are for making music, not playing games, so unless his decision is tactical (as in perhaps he plans to release a LIVEN format version later down the line in an attempt to increase his ROI), then what he just did makes no sense whatsoever.

- BOTH formats can be battery operated.
- BOTH formats are portable.
- ONLY the LIVEN format has good, musical design whereas the new design does not.

Blows my fucking mind, but as I was saying to Girru the other day in the other thread about the Polyend Tracker, that's another startup doing well but nevertheless seem to have their fucking heads in the clouds.

These are both startups, both came along with good ideas and both managed to fuck it up in the dumbest way possible. With the Polyend Tracker you have an awesome device that is supposed to be standalone, but actually isn't, simply because it lacks on-board file management meaning it really needs its hand holding by a computer, which means it's completely fucking pointless going "Hardware Tracker" then isn't it really. Meanwhile that same developer managed to find time to fuck about giving it the ability to play video games!

LMFAO

And with this Sonicware guy, we have someone with the skill and foresight to design a better portable format than any of the big guys manged to do, and I applaud him for that, but then he goes and fucks it up by releasing the most important model of all in a fucking "GameBoy" type format of all things, instead of using the format he already has, is already way better than the competition, and was giving his company a good name!

Completely blows my fucking mind, and I do sincerely apologise for the language, but honestly, the decisions the people behind these startups sometimes make is completely fucking mind-blowing, and this one absolutely has to rank as the most mind-blowing fuck-up to date (like I said, unless it's tactical).

If he used to work for Korg then that could explain a lot, meaning he could be of the mentality that I suggested earlier, meaning it could be tactical with the aim of doubling-up on his investment. Either way, I won't be buying it or indeed any of them unless he releases it in the LIVEN format he already had right from the very start.

Rant over

[ellaguru]

And with this Sonicware guy, we have someone with the skill and foresight to design a better portable format than any of the big guys manged to do, and I applaud him for that, but then he goes and fucks it up by releasing the most important model of all in a fucking "GameBoy" type format of all things, instead of using the format he already has, is already way better than the competition, and was giving his company a good name!

Completely blows my fucking mind, and I do sincerely apologise for the language, but honestly, the decisions the people behind these startups sometimes make is completely fucking mind-blowing, and this one absolutely has to rank as the most mind-blowing fuck-up to date (like I said, unless it's tactical).

i don't know well the Polyend, all i know about it is that many people talks well about; personally speaking i'm not a big fan of trackers but there are other new products moving in that direction.

For the Smpltrek: from what i understand i think it's a new line or at least an isolated episode, if you think about Elektron first products (monomachine, machinedrum, octatrak etc) then they moved to a different format (digitone, digitakt) and, lately, to a more friendly format (model:samples, model:cycles) so this is not a scandal from Sonicware i think as you seem to say:) but i agree with you with the gameboy look sort of(+some elektron+mc-101) and for the timing (they maybe could have been wait a bit more before sorting it out)

btw, it's the first time i follow a kickstarter product, new thing for me, maybe there are also some other aspects that for now i cannot see;)

[ellaguru]

brand new reviews of the machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWKgbYYwURg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCushyZv_SQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqDRqgNQoDM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83nYFVLHP4A