New Hybrid Synth/Sampler/ROMpler from TheSynthFactory...Now released!!.
- Thread starter Lindon
- Start date
OP
OP
Lindon
VST/AU Developer
So on a couple of other forums there were a bunch of questions, so I thought I should reproduce them here(with the answers of course), sorry if it gets a bit long....:
1. "When you say "7 Voice" you don't mean polyphony correct? You mean there are "4 Sampled & 3 Synth Engine OSC" ? What is the actual polyphony?" -- Yep 7 different sound sources, Polyphony is currently set to....256.
2. "I assume the countdown clock is to release date? " -- Yes.
3. "Can you tell us "30% off" what price?" - We've decided not to release pricing yet, though I can tell you its not an impulse buy, and its not, not not, a "save up to buy this" situation either. Not sure that helps much really.
4. "Can you import your own samples?" - No not in this current version, but its on the list of things to add in the future.
5. "How much content will it ship with?" - the current sample sets are lossless compressed in a custom algo. that currently measures 6.8 GB
6. " I am guessing 500 sound sources means samples, or maybe it's something else." - Yes that's the sample library , of course you get to combine the 4 sample voices that with 3 subtractive synth voices...
7. "Also can the oscillators be set to free running versus retriggered?" - you mean the subtractive synth voices? Interesting idea -how much difference does that make to (say) a sine wave ? I cant see it having much effect - or do you mean something else?
EDIT: Or perhaps you mean the LFOs? if so then yes retrigger or free-running, and 1-shot or loop......
8."Will it support MPE?" not this release, but already on the road map...
9."What type of copy protection does it use?"
Its a "simple" serial number entry, the plug-in doesn't do any internet based validation, it's not using iLok or any other hardware or software-daemon based system. The license allows you to run the plug-in on any and all of the machines you own. You just need to keep the serial number for future use. Your serial number will work for all future versions of the software (more on that in a minute..).
10."Will there be at least a partial demo so we can test the features, compatibility, stability etc ?"
Frankly we are not fans of partial demos, so in the demo you get 100% of the sound set and 100% of the functionality, actually what happens is if you dont have a serial (yet) you can just run the production product in demo mode. The demo limitations are it times out after 15 mins, you can restart the plug-in and it will allow you another 15 mins, but you can only run in demo mode for 9 times. So you get a total of 2hrs 15mins to try the plug-in and see if its right for you.
11."I would have been in for the intro if the price is reasonable but after been burned so often now with 50 % off and more sales coming just a few month after the "special intro" of 30 % off I am out this time."
I definitely get where this is coming from, we've all been burnt by this sort of stuff in the past. But first I want to disavow everyone of the notion that what we are offering on Day-1 is 30% off - and nothing else. If you scroll to the bottom of the web page there's a list of whats included in your Day-1 purchase:
- 30% off (we will send you a voucher if you've signed up before hand)
- Additional Presets - not entirely sure how many as Andy is working on these now - but I think he's shooting for 50-100 additional presets
- Day-1 Skin - a different colour scheme and look to identify your purchase as a "Day-1 Supporter", no one else will EVER get this, we might do other alternate colour schemes but this one will only ever be available on Day-1.
- Audio Demo Stems and MIDI files - so all the audio and MIDI files from the demos that Andy made that you can load into your DAW and use (and learn from) as you wish
So we think this is a lot of additional value on Day 1, but putting these additional benefits aside, let me say first that I'm *not* saying we wont run sales - because at some point we will - however it took over 2 years of diligent hard work by a dedicated group of people to make this platform, and the most important thing about it is that we see this as not a one-off product but as a platform. We spent a long time internally "discussing" (arguing really) how we should approach every part of this development, and that included committing to the idea that this wasn't a "1.0 product" - with no life after release. We have spent a long time planning where we wanted it to go after version 1.0, suffice to say we have BIG plans - so there will be updates, lots of updates. We already have a fairly firm idea what we want in 1.1 - but we want to listen to user feedback about 1.0 and make sure we are addressing that too. All this means we are not interested in "making a quick buck", including tactics like 30% off on release and 50% off 8 weeks later...we are not going to scupper our Day-1 supporters with that sort of malarkey, sure it might sell well or it might not on release, but in any case we think 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc. will only make this a more attractive proposition.
So in brief price is one way to differentiate yourself - functionality , quality, reliability, support and innovation are others - we choose these.
1. "When you say "7 Voice" you don't mean polyphony correct? You mean there are "4 Sampled & 3 Synth Engine OSC" ? What is the actual polyphony?" -- Yep 7 different sound sources, Polyphony is currently set to....256.
2. "I assume the countdown clock is to release date? " -- Yes.
3. "Can you tell us "30% off" what price?" - We've decided not to release pricing yet, though I can tell you its not an impulse buy, and its not, not not, a "save up to buy this" situation either. Not sure that helps much really.
4. "Can you import your own samples?" - No not in this current version, but its on the list of things to add in the future.
5. "How much content will it ship with?" - the current sample sets are lossless compressed in a custom algo. that currently measures 6.8 GB
6. " I am guessing 500 sound sources means samples, or maybe it's something else." - Yes that's the sample library , of course you get to combine the 4 sample voices that with 3 subtractive synth voices...
7. "Also can the oscillators be set to free running versus retriggered?" - you mean the subtractive synth voices? Interesting idea -how much difference does that make to (say) a sine wave ? I cant see it having much effect - or do you mean something else?
EDIT: Or perhaps you mean the LFOs? if so then yes retrigger or free-running, and 1-shot or loop......
8."Will it support MPE?" not this release, but already on the road map...
9."What type of copy protection does it use?"
Its a "simple" serial number entry, the plug-in doesn't do any internet based validation, it's not using iLok or any other hardware or software-daemon based system. The license allows you to run the plug-in on any and all of the machines you own. You just need to keep the serial number for future use. Your serial number will work for all future versions of the software (more on that in a minute..).
10."Will there be at least a partial demo so we can test the features, compatibility, stability etc ?"
Frankly we are not fans of partial demos, so in the demo you get 100% of the sound set and 100% of the functionality, actually what happens is if you dont have a serial (yet) you can just run the production product in demo mode. The demo limitations are it times out after 15 mins, you can restart the plug-in and it will allow you another 15 mins, but you can only run in demo mode for 9 times. So you get a total of 2hrs 15mins to try the plug-in and see if its right for you.
11."I would have been in for the intro if the price is reasonable but after been burned so often now with 50 % off and more sales coming just a few month after the "special intro" of 30 % off I am out this time."
I definitely get where this is coming from, we've all been burnt by this sort of stuff in the past. But first I want to disavow everyone of the notion that what we are offering on Day-1 is 30% off - and nothing else. If you scroll to the bottom of the web page there's a list of whats included in your Day-1 purchase:
- 30% off (we will send you a voucher if you've signed up before hand)
- Additional Presets - not entirely sure how many as Andy is working on these now - but I think he's shooting for 50-100 additional presets
- Day-1 Skin - a different colour scheme and look to identify your purchase as a "Day-1 Supporter", no one else will EVER get this, we might do other alternate colour schemes but this one will only ever be available on Day-1.
- Audio Demo Stems and MIDI files - so all the audio and MIDI files from the demos that Andy made that you can load into your DAW and use (and learn from) as you wish
So we think this is a lot of additional value on Day 1, but putting these additional benefits aside, let me say first that I'm *not* saying we wont run sales - because at some point we will - however it took over 2 years of diligent hard work by a dedicated group of people to make this platform, and the most important thing about it is that we see this as not a one-off product but as a platform. We spent a long time internally "discussing" (arguing really) how we should approach every part of this development, and that included committing to the idea that this wasn't a "1.0 product" - with no life after release. We have spent a long time planning where we wanted it to go after version 1.0, suffice to say we have BIG plans - so there will be updates, lots of updates. We already have a fairly firm idea what we want in 1.1 - but we want to listen to user feedback about 1.0 and make sure we are addressing that too. All this means we are not interested in "making a quick buck", including tactics like 30% off on release and 50% off 8 weeks later...we are not going to scupper our Day-1 supporters with that sort of malarkey, sure it might sell well or it might not on release, but in any case we think 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc. will only make this a more attractive proposition.
So in brief price is one way to differentiate yourself - functionality , quality, reliability, support and innovation are others - we choose these.
Last edited:
OP
OP
Lindon
VST/AU Developer
Hi, here's a small, but possibly important thing. We've realized that calling the offer and discount a "Day-1" offer is confusing, and not clearly defining what we mean, so here goes:
First we've decided to change the name (yeah trivial but it might help) to "Launch Day" offer, and second to explain what this entails. So if you sign up to our email list then a few days before Launch Day we will send you a "Launch Day Coupon", this allows you access to the exclusive content: Launch Day skin, the 30% discount, the presets and the midi and audio demo stems. This coupon will remain valid for the next two weeks, so until the 7th November, which should give everyone enough time to download the demo version, try it out and work out if its a product for you and then hopefully buy HorZEN with your coupon.
OK if that's not clear let me know - and we're sorry for the confusion.
Meanwhile here's another daily playthru some of the presets:
First we've decided to change the name (yeah trivial but it might help) to "Launch Day" offer, and second to explain what this entails. So if you sign up to our email list then a few days before Launch Day we will send you a "Launch Day Coupon", this allows you access to the exclusive content: Launch Day skin, the 30% discount, the presets and the midi and audio demo stems. This coupon will remain valid for the next two weeks, so until the 7th November, which should give everyone enough time to download the demo version, try it out and work out if its a product for you and then hopefully buy HorZEN with your coupon.
OK if that's not clear let me know - and we're sorry for the confusion.
Meanwhile here's another daily playthru some of the presets:
OP
OP
Lindon
VST/AU Developer
Okay, launch day -- the site is live: download the demo and have at it..
thesynthfactory.com
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