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Synchron Bösendorfer 280VC (Stage B)

I'll try to post mine soon as well -- I need to review them all due to the improvements made in the engine this week by VSL, and I'll be deciding whether to bake in (so to speak) any tweaks of the new features or whether those are too specific to each person's controller.

It will be interesting to see what you came up with for your own presets, as I found myself making different choices for the 280VC than for the others, and then going back to the others and doing some fairly subtle tweaks based on what I learned with the 280VC.
 
I finished my SLR review (finally). :)


Thanks @donbodin
 
I finished my SLR review (finally). :)


Thanks @donbodin
Excellent review! I've just upgraded to the full version of the 280VC so this was a very informative and detailed overview. Lovely articulate playing too, demonstrating the various mic mixes beautifully. Great work :)
 
Will re-download and revisit while Demo 280VC is still active. No clue why SSD-based samples would glitch /dropout. Was headed to IS _ Walnut Grand - Complete, but will take time to sort needs /wants vs choices. Definitely individual factors to consider, one of which is discretionary $$.
 
No clue why SSD-based samples would glitch /dropout.
If you're referring to my comment in the video, it was my "spinning disk" that had the dropouts. Everything was fine after I switched to SSD.

I wanted to make clear to people that VSL list the requirements for the types of drives to use. I didn't follow then in my initial haste to review the piano (my bad) and had some issues on a spinning drive (2TB 5,400RPM HDD).
 
Excellent review!
Can’t say I agree, Craig. It’s one of those typical SLR reviews that adheres strictly to the Bodin Manifesto wherein it is written: “Whatever you say or write, don’t do anything that might even remotely upset the developer.”

I know this is a Commercial Announcement thread and all that, meaning that doubts or misgivings about the product under discussion should be kept to oneself, so I apologize in advance for what follows, but I am testdriving the 280VC at the moment and, within minutes, my ears stumbled upon something that bothers me a bit: in the C2 octave (or C3-octave, if you follow the Roland-standard), there’s a couple of notes — A#2 is quite bad, for example — that, while not exactly suffering from explicit phasing, have a certain something in their sound which is, to my ears, very reminiscent of phase issues.

Here’s https://users.telenet.be/re-peat/SynchronBosendorfer.mp3 (<b>three minutes of me playing the 280VC</b>) (using very neutral settings: a combination of the Condenser, the Mid1 and the Main, without any delay on any of the mics, and no other edits or timbre shift either) — in other words: a fair setting (there’s no EQ’ing or any other processing either) — and to my ears, there is something wrong with this sound. Like I said, it’s never blatant phasing, but phasing is definitely never far away: a certain suggestion of liquid hollowness which I don’t like.

A pity, cause apart from this one issue, the 280VC is quite nice.

_
 
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Can’t say I agree, Craig. It’s one of those typical SLR reviews that adheres strictly to the Bodin Manifesto wherein it is written: “Whatever you say or write, don’t do anything that might even remotely upset the developer.”

I know this is a Commercial Announcement thread and all that, meaning that doubts or misgivings about the product under discussion should be kept to oneself, so I apologize in advance for what follows, but I am testdriving the 280VC at the moment and, within minutes, my ears stumbled upon something that bothers me a bit: in the C2 octave (or C3-octave, if you follow the Roland-standard), there’s a couple of notes — A#2 is quite bad, for example — that, while not exactly suffering from explicit phasing, have a certain something in their sound which is, to my ears, very reminiscent of phase issues.

Here’s https://users.telenet.be/re-peat/SynchronBosendorfer.mp3 (<b>three minutes of me playing the 280VC</b>) (using very neutral settings: a combination of the Condenser, the Mid1 and the Main, without any delay on any of the mics, and no other edits or timbre shift either) — in other words: a fair setting (there’s no EQ’ing or any other processing either) — and to my ears, there is something wrong with this sound. Like I said, it’s never blatant phasing, but phasing is definitely never far away: a certain suggestion of liquid hollowness which I don’t like.

A pity, cause apart from this one issue, the 280VC is quite nice.

_
Appreciate such focused, objective comment with example of issues noted. Will be impressive to see Replies dealing with thee specifics, especially from VSL.
Personal perspective is neutered by aging ears _ and how well this audio system presents your recording.
Considering 280VC carefully at this time.
 
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a combination of the Condenser, the Mid1 and the Main
did you notice if it was one of those mics in particular or (only) the combination of them? if the combination at those mix levels, then one might say the ability of the Synchron Piano player to invert phase and introduce delay might be an advantage 🤷🏻‍♂️

I'd especially be interested in hearing if the issue persists for you in the Main (only).

a certain suggestion of liquid hollowness which I don’t like
would you say this was a relatively "acute" problem with a couple pitches and a certain mic mix, or, a more "chronic" issue affecting the entire instrument and all mics to some degree?

another way of asking; can you find a different mic mix that sounds more pleasant to your ears?

I know that I personally was enjoying the Tube Mic and Mid2 (from the Full version) a little more than the Condenser Mic and Mid1 ... I wasn't putting my finger on why exactly, maybe a bit more "full" ness?
 
Try increasing the max voices (overall and per-mic); that helped me with other VSL pianos.
THX ! Labored thru another full 280VC dnld /install. All OK, yet will try increasing max voices while evaluating. This time, definitely single Reaper Track. May have been careless previously and loaded with other piano(s) ??
This also clears concerns re. purchasing Vienna Imperial (mainly to audition _ based on Refund policy).
Missed earlier Demo window.

Regards
 
I demo'd the 280VC and decided I still prefer my Synchron Imperial: the 280VC seems a tad harder and brighter for my taste, and I can get a close & warm enough sound with the mics of the Imperial Full library that I'm not at all bothered by the difference in room size. So not one for me, but kudos to VSL for letting us demo them! I'll probably buy the next one. ;)
 
Working on a new 280VC preset... anyone want to take it for a spin? What are you all hearing?

 
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