Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #40 on: November 19, 2016, 01:37:31 PM »
As an aside, I don't spend much time on other synthesizer forums, but I do poke around a bit.  I'm amazed at how frequently I see comments by present or former Evolver owners who dearly wish DSI would bring back at least the Poly Evolver.  I haven't seen any such comments about the other retired Dave Smith instruments, but it's common enough to see several wistful remarks about the old blue machine.

In August 2016, the German magazine Amazona.de named the Poly Evolver DSI's best instrument and re-published their review: https://www.amazona.de/report-dave-smith-poly-evolver-analogsynthesizer/

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #41 on: November 19, 2016, 02:01:57 PM »
What did they forget to include?

If you ask me: Analog oscillators in both instruments and analog filter feedback in Prophet 12. Reason? Again this Spoiled By Evolver (TM) syndrome. One of the reasons the Evolver is so cool is the combination of a (fairly solid) analog foundation spiced up with a good portion digital diversity.

One key improvement over the Evolver already exists in both instruments: fully analog signal path whenever possible. If you compare the sounds of Evolver and Prophet'08/Mopho/Tetra you will notice a far better bass in the latter. The lack of post-filter converters does make a sonic difference.

Of cause its relevant to say that both instruments are very deliberate designs by DSI. Its not that they forgot the analog oscillators. Its simply that so was the design concept. Some love it. Some don't. Some of us would just have preferred both analog and digital oscillators due to increased sonic versatility compared to a fully digital oscillator section.

I'm not sure. The Prophet 12 and the Pro 2 should really be taken for what they are. Whether one has to miss the Evolver's DCOs on them is basically a matter of taste and ultimately a conclusion one can only arrive at via a side by side comparison in person. One could also argue that the newer ones sound more hi-fi and that especially the Pro 2 has an easy to use and quite comprehensive sequencer on board that runs circles around the one of the Evolver. And there's certainly not a lack of options in the mod matrix that could make one feel less spoiled.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #42 on: November 19, 2016, 08:45:36 PM »
As an aside, I don't spend much time on other synthesizer forums, but I do poke around a bit.  I'm amazed at how frequently I see comments by present or former Evolver owners who dearly wish DSI would bring back at least the Poly Evolver.  I haven't seen any such comments about the other retired Dave Smith instruments, but it's common enough to see several wistful remarks about the old blue machine.

In August 2016, the German magazine Amazona.de named the Poly Evolver DSI's best instrument and re-published their review: https://www.amazona.de/report-dave-smith-poly-evolver-analogsynthesizer/

I salute their good taste!

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #43 on: November 22, 2016, 04:49:32 PM »
I'll just point out we didn't forget to include anything, it was a design choice to make a different instrument. We already made the Evolver, after all. That aside, including two analog oscillators per voice would significantly increase the cost of the instrument, especially on the Prophet 12.
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dslsynth

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Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #44 on: December 06, 2016, 04:55:24 PM »
I do get the artistic statement and the designers vision. However, just like DSI/Sequential have made more than one synthesizer with two or more analog oscillators I am sure that a voice architecture with both analog and digital oscillators will one day make sense to you again.

Also, please don't make an Evolver again. Make something new with visionary integration of analog and digital. Implicit herein is that one type of oscillator does not do it alone.
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #45 on: December 06, 2016, 07:59:51 PM »
Also, please don't make an Evolver again. Make something new with visionary integration of analog and digital. Implicit herein is that one type of oscillator does not do it alone.

What?  Tracy, you know Dslsynth.  He's just a hilarious guy, full of good humor and great jokes.  And here he is again, at it as usual, cracking the funnies and making us all laugh and forget our problems.  Thanks, Dslsynth.  It's because of guys like you that I can carry my burdens.  Ha, ha, ha.  I tell ya....

Please completely disregard the previous post.  He was only joking.  Please, make the Evolver again! 
« Last Edit: December 06, 2016, 08:09:35 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #46 on: December 07, 2016, 09:35:43 AM »
On second thought, just run off one of each of the Evolvers and I'll be happy and quiet again.

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #47 on: December 18, 2016, 07:53:47 PM »
Greetings Everyone.  Is there a way to sync the Clock Divide settings?  For example I want to be able to go from say "4n" (quarter note) to "16n" (sixteenth note) without having to step between the two values while a sequence is playing?

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Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #48 on: December 19, 2016, 04:32:11 AM »
Greetings Everyone.  Is there a way to sync the Clock Divide settings?  For example I want to be able to go from say "4n" (quarter note) to "16n" (sixteenth note) without having to step between the two values while a sequence is playing?

This is off-topic and should probably be a separate topic. The Evolver does not support individual real-time NRPN parameter changes like later DSI instruments do. You could either switch the tempo from your DAW (or whatever your master clock is), or save a second copy of the program with a different clock divide setting, and switch to it with a program change message. I've never switched running-sequence programs on-the-fly like that, but it's worth a try.
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Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #49 on: December 19, 2016, 04:07:51 PM »
Greetings Everyone.  Is there a way to sync the Clock Divide settings?  For example I want to be able to go from say "4n" (quarter note) to "16n" (sixteenth note) without having to step between the two values while a sequence is playing?

This is off-topic and should probably be a separate topic. The Evolver does not support individual real-time NRPN parameter changes like later DSI instruments do. You could either switch the tempo from your DAW (or whatever your master clock is), or save a second copy of the program with a different clock divide setting, and switch to it with a program change message. I've never switched running-sequence programs on-the-fly like that, but it's worth a try.

Thanks..only the second post I've done on this forum..still learning the flow (subject etc). 

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #50 on: February 17, 2017, 12:02:12 PM »
What did they forget to include?
If you ask me: Analog oscillators in both instruments and analog filter feedback in Prophet 12.

Never gonna argue with that.  :D  Maybe he can combine the 12 with the Mopho design?  The Mophet 12, Dave?  No?  ;)

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #51 on: February 17, 2017, 12:06:33 PM »
I'll just point out we didn't forget to include anything, it was a design choice to make a different instrument. We already made the Evolver, after all. That aside, including two analog oscillators per voice would significantly increase the cost of the instrument, especially on the Prophet 12.

Yes but you didn't make an 8 or 12 voice Evolver.   :D  I'm loving my PEK, and spent good money on it, but at the same time I would love to see a SuperEvolver.   :o  ;) ;D

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #52 on: February 17, 2017, 01:08:04 PM »
Ditto.  Poly Evolver Keyboard REV2.

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Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #53 on: February 18, 2017, 05:12:58 PM »
I love my Evolver for what it is; a very versatile monosynth that isn't a Moog clone.  It's one of the more original synths I own.  Mine is from the first batch released and I recently upgraded to the 3.x firmware chip.  14yrs later and I'm still finding new ways to make the thing shine.  Of course there are ways that DSI have done things that I wish were more like Waldorf, but hey, can't have it all.

Juxtaposing the Evolver with my Tetra, they are two very different beast.  Even as a mono, the Tetra is incredible traditional.  Not a bad thing really, as it gives me that wonderful classic analogue polysynth sound, bringing a John Carpenter flavour into my mix, something I could never quite reach with the digital synths I own.  It takes a little work to get an experimental type patch from it similar to what I can do with the Evolver, but at the same time refreshing to simply dial-up a preset and tweak a few envelope settings to suit what I want.

Another Evolver-like synth would certainly find a home in my studio, but something more on the additive side of things.  Another mono wavetable, but with multiple tables and more like the Microwave/Micromonsta tables with one analogue osc.  And perhaps a few FM ops.  The revival of the analogue synth is great, but all the manufacturers are making trad subtractive synths with few tweaks from that.  Give me a wavetable synth with multimode analogue filters!

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Re: Tell me/sell me! Help me Evolve!
« Reply #54 on: March 08, 2017, 07:14:44 AM »
Another mono wavetable, but with multiple tables and more like the Microwave/Micromonsta tables with one analogue osc.  And perhaps a few FM ops.

You are not the only one wanting to see a new synthesizer featuring morphing wavetables and phase modulation digital oscillators. In the phase modulation case it would be good if the modulators are part of the oscillator. Add P6/OB-6 style VCO's for extra Evolver style analog impact and I would be even happier.
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