Members Ski Posted April 18, 2004 Members Share Posted April 18, 2004 Thought you might enjoy some mp3 demos from the new Poly Evolver. All four of these demos are of "Combo" sequences (a Poly Evolver "Combo" is a combination of anywhere from one to four Evolver "Programs", a.k.a "patches"). These are 100% Poly Evolver Combo sequences, with no overdubs or layering, no external effects, etc. etc. I just hit the "Start" button and recorded: RollingHills.mp3 - 824 Kb- Kind of a bubbly, atmospheric, drone/pad kind of thing. Zeequence_3.mp3 - 550 Kb- A funky rhythm made from a combination of disparate sequences. MartianDance.mp3 - 592 Kb- This was my best attempt to sound like the great Steven West! It helps to have a good subwoofer that goes *real* low for this one. UrbanAmazon.mp3 - 712 Kb- A very slick electronic beat with some cool analog cymbals. I think this is the best of the bunch. Hope you enjoy them. For those of you that are thinking about getting a Poly Evolver, I KNOW you'll enjoy THAT! Dave Smith is taking care of some last minute details, but is still planning to start shipping Poly Evolvers this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted April 19, 2004 Members Share Posted April 19, 2004 I wish Dave would slap a keyboard onto it......the new Prophet 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ski Posted April 19, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 19, 2004 Yeah, I wish for a keyboard version with lots of knobs myself! In the meantime, just do what I do: Take the Poly, add the "regular" Evolver for another voice and as a "programmer", add the keyboard controller of your choice, and you actually have something that I think is much better than a Prophet 5... something more like a hybrid Prophet 5 / Prophet VS, with a bunch of extra features to boot. And while the Evo and the Poly have some cool digital circuitry, most of the heart of the sound engine is *real* analog - two real VCOs, two real VCFs, two real VCAs, etc. So you can't compare them - sound wise, price wise, or other wise - to all the virtual analog synths out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members c_hebb Posted April 19, 2004 Members Share Posted April 19, 2004 Originally posted by Ski And while the Evo and the Poly have some cool digital circuitry, most of the heart of the sound engine is *real* analog - two real VCOs, two real VCFs, two real VCAs, etc. So you can't compare them - sound wise, price wise, or other wise - to all the virtual analog synths out there. I thought the analog oscillators were digitally controlled? Heck, I even thought the Prophet 5s were digitally controlled too! Doesn't really matter cause it sounds great regardless. It sounds very analog even on the digital side. It could be those analog filters. EDIT: Hmm. In the specs it says the pulse width modulation is voltage controlled. Maybe I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted April 19, 2004 Members Share Posted April 19, 2004 Thanks! "Urban Amazon" really sounded cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ski Posted April 23, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 Minor update... It's Friday (Apr 23) about 5 pm CDT as I type. I just got off the phone with Dave, and the shipping company was carting off the first wave of Poly Evolvers as we spoke. For those of you who pre-ordered a Poly Evolver, it won't be long now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Napalm Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!! "Goes to pre-order PolyVolver" Thx for the demos Ski... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthetica Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 I really hope the presets are useable too ... since I created some of them ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 Originally posted by DodgingRain I really hope some of the presets this time are usable!!! Otherwise it's like getting a synth with no programmed sounds and one has to spend forever creating decent ones, especially considering the less than optimal interface of the evolver.It's great to demonstrate all the features of the synth but it's better to give me usable sounds. Just to demonstrate the whole "everybody has different priorities" concept. The first thing I did when I got my Evolver was erase the presets so I could work with a "blank slate". As far as the Evolvers interface goes, the logical layout combined with the endless rotaries make it seem very intuitive to me, especially when inputing sequencer values via a key board. Not that there is anything wrong with good presets, mind you. Just illustrating how different working methodologies can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ski Posted April 24, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 Originally posted by DodgingRain I really hope some of the presets this time are usable!!! Otherwise it's like getting a synth with no programmed sounds and one has to spend forever creating decent ones, especially considering the less than optimal interface of the evolver.DodgingRain , I'm honestly disappointed that you found all the Evolver presets "unusable", as I programmed about 120 or so of the 384 "version 1" presets. I did quite a few of the presets in the extra bank included with the OS2 "version 2" presets as well (for those of you that don't know, OS2 actually adds a whole new bank of preset memory, for a total of 512 program slots). I'm not sure if you'll like the Poly Evolver's presets or not. On one hand, the collection of presets in the Poly Evolver lean much more toward Programs that you play from the keyboard (as opposed to the Evolver presets, which had more emphasis on keyboardless sequences). That *may* be a plus for you, though I'm not sure. On the other hand, many of the Poly's preset Programs, and the vast majority of its preset "Combos", were programmed by me, which will probably be a minus for you. I'm uncertain what the balance will be for you, but hope the bottom line is that you like them. Originally posted by DodgingRain It's great to demonstrate all the features of the synth but it's better to give me usable sounds. Exactly what is "usable" to you? That's an honest question, BTW. For some people, "usable" is a cool sequence that they can use as a basis for a new song. For others, "usable" is some crazy science fiction sound effect they need to drop in a film score or as a sound effect in a song. For others, "usable" is a hot lead, or bass, or comp to be played live from a keyboard. So what is it you disliked about the Evolver presets? Were there any presets you DID like? If so, what kind of sounds were they? Actually, while I did my share of sequences, leads, and basses for the Evo presets, some of the presets I did would probably be judged as out and out "boring" - they don't really show off the capabilities of the Evolver at all, yet I made them because they worked within the context of a song for me. I didn't do too many in the "sound effects" category, with the exception of the analog thunder, and an analog wind/rain/tolling bell, and maybe one or two others. Have you tried the "Evolutionaries" soundset? If so, did you like that collection at all? If not, zip over to EX5Tech and download it. A total of twelve authors contributed to this soundset, and I personally think it's great. Quite a few of the "Evolutionaries" programs were used in the Evolver "version 2" presets, and quite a few have been used in the Poly Evolver presets. Anyway, I honestly hope you'll share your opinion of what constitutes "usable" for you, and which (if any) of the Evolver's presets you DID like. The more I learn about what different people like and dislike in a sound, the better job I can do in programming sounds for others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Is. Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 Hate to spam, but time's starting to become an issue. My evolver is still for sale, it's mint condition with all original packaging, doculentation, and accessories. $400 including shipping within continental US. Don't know if this is a selling point or not, but it's got about 100 original patches I programmed on it, a lot of neat stuff, too. email uvac@1cox.net if interested (remove "1") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 FWIW, I did listen to and enjoy the original Evolver presets. The Evolutionaries soundset is the one bank I did not overwrite. I share Ski's opinion that it is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ski Posted April 25, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 Originally posted by Sinner6 FWIW, I did listen to and enjoy the original Evolver presets. The Evolutionaries soundset is the one bank I did not overwrite. I share Ski's opinion that it is great. ONE bank, you say? Hmm, you might want to go back for another load and listen, because there were THREE banks in Evolutionaries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted April 25, 2004 Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 uh oh....the bank I loaded was "bank 4" and it included your "sweet dreams" preset. was that "evolutionaries"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ski Posted April 25, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 S6 - No! That "bank 4" that you got from the DSI site is not the "Evolutionaries" soundset. However, it *does* contain quite a few of the programs from "Evolutionaries". Go to the following topic at EX5Tech for details and a link to download: http://www.ex5tech.com/ex5ubb_cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=23&t=000035 Just keep in mind that "Evolutionaries" is pre-OS2, so it's "only" a total of three banks, and the SysEx file doesn't contain Program names. However, there's a nice PDF that contains the Program names, descriptions, authors, etc. One other minor note about "bank 4"... The separate "bank 4" that you can download from the DSI site is DIFFERENT than the bank 4 contained in the "version 2" presets. DR - Thanks for the feedback. Given what you said, I *think* you might like the Poly Evolver presets a bit better; I hope so, anyway. Like I said before, there aren't nearly as many keyboardless sequences in it, nor are there many sound effects. If you get a chance to play one, please holler back and let us know what you think. Other than Synthetica, are any of you thinking about getting a Poly? Or have any of you actually ordered one yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted April 25, 2004 Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 Thanks ski, I was all mixed up and unaware of what was really going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Okay, so I just got a Poly...I've had an Evolver for a while and have been a big fan, but the Poly definitely takes this thing to a whole other level. As mentioned in previous posts, there are definitely a bunch more "keyboard-playable" sounds in the Poly. It actually feels like a pretty different instrument than the mono unit does, even though it's the same thing x 4. I've only been playing with it for a few hours, but so far I'm really impressed. dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Array Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Originally posted by Dave Bryce Okay, so I just got a Poly...I've had an Evolver for a while and have been a big fan, but the Poly definitely takes this thing to a whole other level. As mentioned in previous posts, there are definitely a bunch more "keyboard-playable" sounds in the Poly. It actually feels like a pretty different instrument than the mono unit does, even though it's the same thing x 4. I've only been playing with it for a few hours, but so far I'm really impressed. dB Are you using the knobs to edit or are you using the PC editor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Originally posted by Array Are you using the knobs to edit or are you using the PC editor? Knobs. I also have a mono Evolver, which makes an excellent hardware programmer for the Poly;and, it gives me a fifth voice. dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthetica Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Congrats Dave, i knew you'd enjoy it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Napalm Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 The PolyEvolver is a noise generator + pad machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Wow - I'm kinda surprised that with so many synth-heads on this forum that more of you guys aren't into the Evolver thing... Don't you guys know that it's Superb and Fantastic? I don't think it has sympathetic string resonance though (even though it does have Curtis filters); however, I hear that there's this computer program that'll add it to the synth engine... In all seriousness, if you haven't checked Evolver out, it may be worth your time to do so. For $499, the mono one is kind of a no-brainer, especially given what used 20 year old analog-type synths sell for...and this thing does stuff that none of them can even fake. ...I mean, c'mon - it was designed by the guy responsible for the Prophet V and the Wavestation (among other things) - it's pedigree alone makes it worthy of serious consideration - I know that's what first drew me to it. Sorry to sound like a commercial - I tend to get a bit evangelical when I get into something, as some of you already know from reading my Andromeda posts. dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mook Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 I think most of us have read 'that' Andromeda thread! Did the Andromeda vs Memorymoog contest ever take place BTW. Back to the Evolver/Polyvolver, does any one know if it possible to use a Polyvolver preset in an Evolver (albeit with only the one voice I appreciate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthetica Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Originally posted by Mookus I think most of us have read 'that' Andromeda thread! Did the Andromeda vs Memorymoog contest ever take place BTW.Back to the Evolver/Polyvolver, does any one know if it possible to use a Polyvolver preset in an Evolver (albeit with only the one voice I appreciate) Yes it is possible for the single programs, not the combos of course. Actually if you have both the Poly and the Mono it is beneficial to load the Poly presets into the Mono Evolver so that when you change patches they are the same on both for 5 identical voices. Of course you can have the 5 voices all different for some more interesting fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 so what's the deal with those Dick Smith rip offs on Ebay? I have to chuckle whenever i see them, but Im not sure if Dave gets a laugh out of it. so is the Evolver VCO or DCO?can someone give my lazy butt a link to the site, I'd like to look at them... Silly question... but how would the sound compare to the Semblance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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