# Best vocoder



## eross2121 (Apr 23, 2019)

I haven’t had a need for vocoders in a while, but i’m just curious what is out there. Also I just watched the new gemini man trailer and it has a great vocoder in the vocals. any body have any recommendations ?


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## Quasar (Apr 23, 2019)

Polyverse's Manipulator is really cool... They do have sales sometimes.

https://polyversemusic.com/products/manipulator/


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## Bansaw (Apr 23, 2019)

I'm looking at Vocodex. I demoed Vocodex and NI Razor. Vocodex seems to deal nicely with the higher frequency buzz you often get with vocoders. Razor is quite versatile but suffers from that sharp hf issue.
I hear good things about XILS labs one, but not tried it.
My advice would be to demo. Vocodex has a pretty much full functioning demo, and NI Razor does too. Plenty of youtube vids online about these both.
Vocodex may be going down in price to $39 to coincide with NAMM London.


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## Haakond (Apr 23, 2019)

Check out the free TAL-Vocoder
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-vocoder

Sounds a bit 80s. But hey, its free!


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## eross2121 (Apr 23, 2019)

Quasar said:


> Polyverse's Manipulator is really cool... They do have sales sometimes.
> 
> https://polyversemusic.com/products/manipulator/


woo that looks pretty cool


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## eross2121 (Apr 23, 2019)

Bansaw said:


> I'm looking at Vocodex. I demoed Vocodex and NI Razor. Vocodex seems to deal nicely with the higher frequency buzz you often get with vocoders. Razor is quite versatile but suffers from that sharp hf issue.
> I hear good things about XILS labs one, but not tried it.
> My advice would be to demo. Vocodex has a pretty much full functioning demo, and NI Razor does too. Plenty of youtube vids online about these both.
> Vocodex may be going down in price to $39 to coincide with NAMM London.


yeah, i have razor, and it’s pretty cool, but more robotic. i guess i’m looking for a cleaner tone. i’ll check out vocodex. thanks


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## wst3 (Apr 23, 2019)

I've tried several software vocoders, my favorite is the old Prosoniq Orange Vocoder, but it is Mac only. and I'm using Windows, so I've tried a bunch more.

The UAD/Softube Vocoder is quite capable, and really expensive for the number of times I'd use it, so kind of let that demo expire peacefully.

The TAL vocoder is free, or it was, and it does a very credible job. In fact it reminds me quite a bit of my Electro-Harmonix Vocoder.

Cakewalk has/had a synth that could be a vocoder. Pentagon was developed by RGC, so it may resurface.

Klanghaus (I think) had an excellent vocoder, but it was x86 only, and has since disappeared from the marketplace.

Which brings us back to the Orange Vocoder. Not too long ago Zynaptiq announced that they would be updating and re-releasing Orange, for Mac and Windows. I'm looking forward to that!
Of the bunch I think Klanghaus came the closest to what I think a vocoder ought to do.


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## eross2121 (Apr 23, 2019)

wst3 said:


> I've tried several software vocoders, my favorite is the old Prosoniq Orange Vocoder, but it is Mac only. and I'm using Windows, so I've tried a bunch more.
> 
> The UAD/Softube Vocoder is quite capable, and really expensive for the number of times I'd use it, so kind of let that demo expire peacefully.
> 
> ...


yeah, I really like the sound of that orange vocoder as well. i saw a namm coverage of the version 4 but i guess it hasn’t been released yet. looks cool though


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## Living Fossil (Apr 23, 2019)

In terms of flexibility Melda's vocoder is fantastic and it outfeatures every other vocoder i know.....
However, as usual with the Meldaproduction stuff, it comes with a learning curve and a GUI that's a bit ugly and unintuitive.

https://www.meldaproduction.com/MVocoder


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## stonzthro (Apr 23, 2019)

If you want hardware, the Electro-Harmonix V256 is a fantastic option!


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## eross2121 (Apr 23, 2019)

stonzthro said:


> If you want hardware, the Electro-Harmonix V256 is a fantastic option!


interesting


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## wst3 (Apr 23, 2019)

stonzthro said:


> If you want hardware, the Electro-Harmonix V256 is a fantastic option!


Yeah, but you can't have mine<G>!


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## LinusW (Apr 23, 2019)

I like the BV512 vocoder in Reason. The knob for HF emphasis makes it easy to get the right amount of treble. You can also shift modulator bands by swapping cables at the back.


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## mixtur (Apr 23, 2019)

There are a bunch of vocoders available for reaktor, ex https://www.native-instruments.com/...117.754475305.1556051310-796557654.1555212840


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## mixtur (Apr 23, 2019)

There’s also morphoder from waves but it’s a bit of a one trick pony. 

The next step up would be izotope vocal synth which can do vocoder type effects


In fact, some synths can be used for vocoding if they expose their effects section to the host. Like Razor 

https://ask.audio/articles/setting-up-native-instruments-razor-to-vocode


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## eross2121 (Apr 24, 2019)

Quasar said:


> Polyverse's Manipulator is really cool... They do have sales sometimes.
> 
> https://polyversemusic.com/products/manipulator/


this thing looks very very cool. thanks for suggesting. this might be what i’m gonna head toward


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## JEPA (Apr 24, 2019)

iZotope Vocal Synth2


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## Quasar (Apr 24, 2019)

eross2121 said:


> this thing looks very very cool. thanks for suggesting. this might be what i’m gonna head toward


I had Izotope's Vocalsynth (1, yes there is a 2 now) and when I discovered Manipulator I liked it a lot better. It works really well from the extremely subtle to the extreme, and features such as the smooth grains when pitch shifting down are effective. I can't say it's "better" than any other similar tool, only that the UI, workflow (easy to do the MIDI routing) and sonic quality is superb from my POV.

I was fortunate enough to capture this on a really deep sale. I don't remember how much it cost, but it was far less than $149.


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## Wally Garten (Apr 24, 2019)

stonzthro said:


> If you want hardware, the Electro-Harmonix V256 is a fantastic option!



So much fun to be had if you go hardware! I hear great things about that EHX.

The https://www.amazon.com/Roland-VP-03-Boutique-Vocoder/dp/B01LVTVF2W/ref=asc_df_B01LVTVF2W/ (Roland VP-03) has a very classic sound. It's a digital model of the VP-330, which was used on a ton of stuff. I use it a lot -- e.g.:



Behringer is also releasing a VP-330 clone. Considerably more expensive than the Roland, but you get the keyboard and analog circuitry.

(EDIT: Both of these also net you a _cheesy-or-fantastic-you-decide_ strings synth and "human voice" synth, too. If you're into that sort of thing.) 

And Roland has also just released a new vocoder...ish thing, the VT-4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjvyXDHn7qg (Looks fun). 

But for software (er... yes... I'm on the the _virtual_ instruments forum!), I think this is great advice, if you already have Reaktor:



mixtur said:


> There are a bunch of vocoders available for reaktor,



Check this list!

https://blog.native-instruments.com/best-free-vocal-hacks-in-reaktor/


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## mscp (Apr 24, 2019)

Warp Factory if you can score one off eBay.


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## eross2121 (Apr 25, 2019)

Quasar said:


> I had Izotope's Vocalsynth (1, yes there is a 2 now) and when I discovered Manipulator I liked it a lot better. It works really well from the extremely subtle to the extreme, and features such as the smooth grains when pitch shifting down are effective. I can't say it's "better" than any other similar tool, only that the UI, workflow (easy to do the MIDI routing) and sonic quality is superb from my POV.
> 
> I was fortunate enough to capture this on a really deep sale. I don't remember how much it cost, but it was far less than $149.


yeah, I am really looking at buying this one. thanks for comparing the two. it’s nice to here from somebody that does has both.


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## X-Bassist (Apr 25, 2019)

Been waiting a year for the orange vocoder redux to surface:
https://www.zynaptiq.com/orangevocoder/orange-vocoder-4-preview/

But there are others. Multiplex vocoder is a stand alone app that can load any vst synth and use that synth for a vocoder. I’ve tried it with repro 1 and omnisphere and it works decently, only downside is it’s not a plugin, so it can’t be opened inside a DAW. It needs to be recorded (it can output/record wav files) then those audio files imported into your DAW. Not ideal, but you can get some cool and unique results 

They also do a half price sale twice a year, At $30 its a steal...
https://www.pluginboutique.com/prod...KO7ldEEtnriT3OWpsvxQdcLFD6Z6pjgRoCUYgQAvD_BwE

You can also demo it for free first....
https://www.digitalbrain-instruments.com/multiplex-vocoder

Edit: Aaaaaaand two days later it's now 50% off until May 12th, 2019. In fact everything them make is half off with code:
SPRINGISHERE
Good deal.

Cheers!


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## timprebble (Apr 25, 2019)

For outboard I have a MAM VF11 vocoder which aren't expensive if you can find one... same vocoder as used by the Beastie Boys in Intergalactic... skip to 0'40"


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