New, more extensive Alesis Fusion sound demos available

[swandiver]

Just posted today, I believe, on FusionSynth.com.

 

Check them out:

 

http://www.fusionsynth.com/audiodemo.html

 

Let the debates begin!

 

[Khazul]

Still think the only thing worth considering the fusion for is its FM engine, though the PM engine show promise as well.

 

For all its features, the VA engine sounds Ive heard old seem a bit on the thin side and characterless - sure theres great modulations to play with etc, but it just seems bland.

 

The rest seems OK, nothing wrong with it, but nothing that really jumps out and grabs you either. Probably a great utility workhorse instrument for a cover band, but for me just not inspiring - sounds very bland.

 

Something bugs me about the holy grail piano sample set as well - in every demo Ive heard there is some odd not-right resonant quality about the samples used. I guess the samples are just very raw and lack alternate samples at the same velcity/pitch so you allways catch the same resonance everytime. They seems to need smoothing out, or mixing with another sample set to add a bit of natural phasing etc.

 

Could be they just need to contract some really good sound designers (like Access do) - technically its allways sounded like a great bit of kit.

[wackawa]

i must say, sounds better than i remember. i thought i had tried out the new updated sounds, but perhaps the Sam Ash folks were not telling the truth.....

[Khazul]

Yeh - I think the sounds have improved alot since the first demos and pre- 1.2 OS.

 

 

One thought - I didnt much like the Piano sounds on the Motif ES when I first got it, but over time they have really grown on me for electronica type use.

 

Maybe the Fusion needs time to grow on you - I didnt much like the sounds of Nords either, but slowly Im am coming round to liking them.

[swandiver]

I really like the new demos for the most part, but I wish they would have included more orchestral instrument samples in those demos, especially strings.

 

And I agree with you Khazul, from the demos I've heard of the Fusion VA engine, it all seems to be most of the same "bland character." Nothing compared to, say, the Virus or the OASYS VA engine or even Alesis' own Ion engine. Since I haven't had (and probably won't have) any chance to try one first-hand, maybe (hopefully) the demos don't do justice to the full range of diversity of sound possible with the VA engine . . .

[niacin]

Like the FM, and I think the VA is solid if somewhat characterless, but I think that's no bad thing. When the piano gets soft it just seems to get more distant rather than change timbre the way it should. But then I'd probably just load in my own piano sampleset anyway. Sounds to me like it's now up there with the other big 3, maybe behind Yamaha's latest - the EPs in the demos sound pretty lifeless. Probably nothing a bit of programming and a slew of effects couldn't resolve. And is it just me or do the snares all sound really thin (almost as if there's phase cancellation going on)?

[swandiver]

I'm close to buying a Fusion if at this upcoming Winter NAMM none of the big three (Roland, Korg, Yamaha) come out with a similarly-priced workstation that allows high-polyphony, multi-timbral, fully editable, multiple synthesis engines simulatenously. I think Yamaha might be close to doing so if they put their PLG boards into software. And Korg might be close if they come out with an "OAYSYS Junior." We'll see. Then I would *really* have a hard time choosing!