Ultranova - Got one! Here are my thoughts..

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by TweakHead

I think it would be interesting to see a rack version of it!

Question: can it do FM? I know the SuperNova 2 could, along with multi-trimbrality with separate effects per part and more voices then this one - somehow it still feels like a more powerful beast to me...

No, FM is just one of those things they've thus far decided not to do on this synth. They could add it, very easily to an OS update (there's nothing about the hardware to prevent it, just another menu option and UI changes to the VST) and maybe they will in the future, but for now that's one item it's lacking.

[namnibor]

That's what I meant, the "MiniNova"...and realize I am off-base because totally different knob configuration and such with mininova.
I actually was going to ask you if there's a limit to how many parameters you can influence/change via the touch or is the engine such that it does not glitch if say you made a very long release and then just went mad touching knobs and such?
Lastly, is there any glitching in aforementioned scenario when connected in the vst? Do you HAVE to use the integration to deeply program or is all that available as a stand alone synth?

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by namnibor

That's what I meant, the "MiniNova"...and realize I am off-base because totally different knob configuration and such with mininova.
I actually was going to ask you if there's a limit to how many parameters you can influence/change via the touch or is the engine such that it does not glitch if say you made a very long release and then just went mad touching knobs and such?
Lastly, is there any glitching in aforementioned scenario when connected in the vst? Do you HAVE to use the integration to deeply program or is all that available as a stand alone synth?

It's fully designed to be a stand-alone synth with emphasis on live play, you don't have to use the VST at all and you can get to all functions through the menus, but the display is just a one-liner at a time, so certain things would be infinitely more productive in the editor... For example the modulation matrix, you've got 20 slots with two potential sources (not counting the knob assignment) and one destination for each slot. Using only the synth you'd have to page through one mod slot at a time, on the editor you see 10 slots at a time (two pages of a grid) so it's more productive that way. Plus, you've got visualizations of things right there in front of you, like lets say LFO3 is a sine wave and you're using that as a source to modulate a filter on OSC2, well the actual rate of that sine wave, whether its free or synced etc is not going to be visible on that same line of the LCD display while making that mod slot assignment, but on the editor you'd have a graphic representation of the sine wave at the top of same screen to help keep things in context.

This could be irrelevant with simple modulations, but think about a situation where you get many of those going on (for the sake of knob assignments), and now remember that you can do things like modulate the rate of LFO3 with LFO1 via another mod slot! Lots of modulation options means lots of opportunity for losing track of what's what, and it's much easier to keep up with on the editor. You would just be menu diving more without the editor.

In terms of glitchy behavior with lots of weird knob modulations on patches with long release, no not at all, you can go nuts assuming no other technical issues going on. The only thing that feels slightly glitchy (impaired by MIDI itself I guess) to me are things like patch browsing through the editor, that require synchronization between the VST and the synth. You don't have to do that if you don't want though. And at the end of it, it's still smoother than my experience with the Virus editor.

It's not to say you couldn't encounter particular bugs. I saw someone saying that selecting certain waveforms in the editor was crashing the VST for him in Cubase. I've had no such problems in Cubase so I suspect he had something else going on, or maybe they've just patched it since (it was an older post).

[MBTC]

Also looking back, not sure if I answered your question about # of params and knobs. Total of 20 mod slots, one knob per slot, 8 physical knobs but you can have a knob listed more than once (i.e. you could have a single knob modulating 20 different destinations if you wanted). Not sure if that answers your question though? Also in addition to the 8 knobs you still have aftertouch, the mod wheel, the "big" knob (good for filter sweeps) etc.

[MBTC]

I've discovered something about this synth that seems odd to me, like a design flaw that's based more in hardware than software.

If I'm playing a sound and I have the "big knob" of the Ultranova set to cutoff filter (what most of us are likely to use it for), and during play I reach up and give it a firm and rapid counter-clockwise twist (for expressive reasons, to "dry" the cutoff quickly for effect while playing), I've noticed that the faster I twist it, the more likely it is to actually INCREMENT the filter cutoff than decrement it. For example if cutoff = 20, decrementing it too fast might actually leave you with a value of 24! In other words working the knob a little more slowly (for a more typical filter sweep) works as expected, but the knob cannot respond properly to extremely rapid motion.

A little disappointing considering its something I would consider as an acceptable fluke between (and admittedly I have not yet tried the latest OS update to see if it made a difference), but something like that takes away from "hardware as an instrument" vs. a softsynth + midi controller.

For example, if I just bind Automap to one of the pots on the MKII to the cutoff knob on the Ultranova VST, then do a rapid counterclockwise motion on the pot, the result is pretty much instantaneous... the filter never INCREMENTS when I'm rapidly telling it to DECREMENT.

Maybe this is just a fundamental flaw in the Ultranova hardware, or something they will fix in an OS revision......
....or maybe it's a fundamental flaw in the notion that interaction with dedicated hardware is better somehow than a MIDI controller of your choice + VST?

I would say this is something specific to the Ultranova, and maybe this particular buggy behavior is, but it actually pales in comparison to some of the nightmares I read about here getting the Virus to work properly. I guess the soft-synth world has spoiled me, I'm used to things now working as advertised.

[namnibor]

I have a thought and I in NO WAY mean to inadvertently insult you superior knowledge above my own when I suggest this perhaps rather obvious oversight that's worth looking into.

Knowing from what I have read on various user posts and sound designer review comments on the UltraNova, that for instance with expression pedal assignments to particular CC's they are set-up in Global Menu *per program*, which is nice.
With that said, could it just be like on our other advanced synths such as the Virus series, Waldorf Q, and DSI Mono Evolver Keyboard, that you have perhaps deeper in Global Menu an option when using knobs with the UN in standalone to set those knobs to relevant, jump, as well as like on my Q where I can set-up per program OR globally whether turning knob incredibly fast will rather than stepping, be exponential? These kind of things are sometimes set to a default unless you make those changes yourself and very well could have been in a recent O.S. update you have already done or just something the user manual did not touch on but *may* exist already in a sub/sub menu page.
Just a thought and worth mentioning because your solution may well be there and if not, I am learning that Focusrite's Customer Support is really impressive. (my Scarlett 18i20 arrived today and can say am very pleased that their dedicated support for their products for a much larger company that Dave Smith Instruments is just as attentive and impressive as they have proven to be) Meaning, like DSI, Focusrite encourages user feedback and very often implements musician's suggestions if it's an oversight that is incredibly beneficial in their gear's user workflow!

[MBTC]

I am definitely planning to investigate the issue a bit more. My few encounters with Novation tech support (one was Automap related, one was UltraNova related) did not seem to reflect the good customer support you've experienced on the audio interface side (I don't know if Novation/Focusrite support teams are merged or still treated as two different divisions, etc).

The issues I've put in with them take weeks to get even the simplest of resolutions resolved, because every time I respond, I have to wait 4-5 more days for their response, so the issue drags on and on. My most recent question (about Cubase running as admin) ended up being resolved by me, they were not even on the right path and they had already played pass the buck with the issue, transferring it from one support rep to another. Other issue with the Ultranova they did help me resolve but it still took way longer than something so simple should have.

Guess its a case of YMMV.

[namnibor]

I think that even though parent company may or may not be Novation, there seems to be a distinct level of separation between the divisions and the brand newer web design and forum areas do not make that easily discernible as it was previously. The much longer ferrite A/B USB 2.0 cable arrived from Newegg. (Focusrite included a 3 Foot one and for a "rack mounted interface" it seemed a bit ridiculous to me for say the average user) Hoping this is my only gripe. Standard IEC power supply is nice. one thing do not really need another of is a line that looks like a snake swallowed my cat in the middle AND a wall wart, like ALL my Waldorf gear has consistently had. FYI--Focusrite has revamped almost entire Scarlett Line, even just last week officially discontinuing the Scarlett 18i6 to be replaced with new 18i8. I was even considering the 18i6 and would have been highly peeved and glad did my research thoroughly.

[TweakHead]

Could be just a faulty knob you have there. A friend of mine had a similar issue with a brand new Blofeld which got replaced and then everything worked fine. Don't know if they're the endless encoder type of Knobs or not, but I think these have a tendency to misbehave like that sometimes.

Anyhow, rapid tweaking is something everyone should do when test driving new hardware instruments I think.

Also know that Novation and Focusrite used (at least) to be one company in GB. They seem to have grown more independent from each other now - could be just an impression, never really checked.

But... is there any relationship between them and KRK? they seem to use their monitors in all their stands, demos and videos (not just them btw)...

[namnibor]

@Berni: Wanted to let you know came across a notification that Novation has a major update for the UltraNova's Vocoder and you can read about it here:
http://en.audiofanzine.com/analog-mo...uly+20%2C+2013

Cheers!