New DSI instrument!

[matia]

let's see ... i've done repair's for a living as well so i think i have some grounds to work off of. i've also been involved with an analogue drum machine project that included specking the price points out. if a company has the resources to pay for a comprehensive analogue vcf/vca ic and then also use similar ic's to develop the oscillators but uses a dco design then i'm a little baffled. similarly look at the korg monotribe price point for a real vco.

i think i have some grounds to base the question. the only thing my behind spouts these days is good old fashioned s**t.

[nathanscribe]

There's always the possibility they're doing what they want to do. How silly of them.

If you want VCOs, buy the Moog, or a Lancet, or build a modular in small case. DSI do not make VCO synths, they have their way of doing things, and they, like every other synth maker in existence, is doing what they want to do in a way they want to do it. If you don't want what DSI or Moog or anybody else makes, don't buy it.

You might as well complain that that guitar you have doesn't sound enough like a trumpet, but you don't want a guitar controller and you don't much care for trumpets.

(Matia: this isn't directed at you, just at the general common raft of nonsensical "why not x or y or z" complaints)

[matia]

no offense taken. mate i agree ... it could be their ... 'thing' so to speak. just seemed the conversation was going towards what people want or would like to see the company do. and i just bought an ob-8 and was really baffled by the little amount of parts in there (relatively speaking ... my jupiter 8 is another story) that it made me go ... "is it really that hard to do?"

still ... i think a polyphonic that sounds better than an andromeda and from one of the slightly bigger companies would be nice. especially where the total emphasis is sound and not bells and whistles. i love the sequencer on the 08/evolver but if that expense went into a more expensive audio signal path, i would be persuaded a little bit more to drop some coin on some modern stuff.

-matia

[pflosi]

...polyphonic that sounds better than an andromeda...

Is this a joke or something???

[Stab Frenzy]

...polyphonic that sounds better than an andromeda...

Is this a joke or something???

The Tip Top polyphonic modular shouldn't be that far away now, probably will be out this year.

[matia]

...polyphonic that sounds better than an andromeda...

Is this a joke or something???

no joke. had an andromeda for many years. it doesn't sound that good stacked next to a Jupiter 8 or an oberheim sem based polyphonic ... cheap plastic sounding thing ...

this is of course my opinion.

-matia

[pflosi]

I think it sounds simply awesome once the sweet spots are found (which can take some time, admittedly). The effects are not good though...

Also, have you tried to mix the separate audio outputs externally? Makes a big difference.

[MrFrodo]

I think it sounds simply awesome once the sweet spots are found (which can take some time, admittedly). The effects are not good though...

Also, have you tried to mix the separate audio outputs externally? Makes a big difference.

At the risk of getting further off topic (this is a Tempest thread), I'd like someone to answer a question for me regarding the A6. Has anyone had a chance to play the original E-Mu Audity? Because the A6 has 16 voices, I keep freely associating it with the Audity. Does it compare remotely?

[pflosi]

I don't think the one Audity that exists has ever produced anything like a remotely stable tone or something so no, they don't compare, the A6 can make sound

I'm staying away now to not hijack the thread anymore...

[MrFrodo]

Okay, back on topic.

The Sonic State review I saw last night on DSI's Facebook page stated that the Tempest wasn't yet equipped with alternate time signatures (3/4, 5/4, 7/8, etc) but that it would be soon. Does anyone know if such an update has been implemented yet?

[Blue Monster 65]

No. Still only 4/4 time.

See the DSI site for details on what's current and what isn't: http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/support/tempest.php

[kuroichi]

Odd time signatures have been implemented in a Beta OS update today I believe... So I imagine it will be soon...

Changelog Main OS 1.1.5.5
1. WARNING!!!: Large USB transfers will NOT work if you use Windows XP, Vista or 2003. I highly recommend looking into Windows 7 if you are still using any of these versions of Windows. I couldn't recommend any Windows OS from XP on until Windows 7, which has proven extremely stable for audio work and MIDI communication

2. OS updates over USB should work from this OS going forward

3. MIDI Project/Beat/Sound transfers over USB work, but have not been tested thoroughly. Please be extra careful when using USB to do updates and if possible, please verify that the files are the same when backing them up using the MIDI cable as well. I still have not done enough variations to feel comfortable that transfers are working flawlessly in all cases. Due to the first rev handling the 'cancel' button is currently not functional while receiving USB updates. Again, please be careful.

4. MIDI Cable selection variables have been added to the system menu. You can select either 'MIDI' (which is the hard MIDI cable) or 'USB' for Sysex and Clock/Transport incoming messages. You can also select 'MIDI+USB' for MIDI Clock/Transport outgoing messages

5. Other MIDI functionality is not yet available using USB as I have to do another pass at optimization before extending the functionality of the MIDI over USB

6. Odd Time signatures are now possible when initializing the beat using the 'Init Beat' command in the 'Edit' menu. You can select the number of steps in a bar and the number of bar in any combination up to a maximum of 16 steps in the total beat length (number of bars * steps per bar <= 16)

7. Polyphonic response has been added for 16 Tunings and 16 Levels pad functions and from MIDI notes using the synth channel. The sequencer will not steal notes played by one of those sources until you send a note off event. You can quickly kill all notes and reset the voice allocation by holding both shift buttons and hitting 'stop'

8. When 16 Mutes is selected as the pad function, the controls are now mapped to beatwide parameters:
Encoders/Pots now control beatwide effects
Touchfaders now control beat FX
Reverse and Roll buttons control the respective beatwide states
Undo button held, then moving an encoder/pot now reverts that beatwide effect
Copy and Erase buttons held still do sound operations as the pads are still assigned per sound rather than per beat

Fixed bug: Param changes were not being handled correctly during the release phase of notes
Fixed bug: MIDI Song Position Pointer (SPP) handling was being handled too slowly in some cases resulting in incorrect sequencer timestamps and/or sync
Fixed bug: Note off events from MIDI synth channel no longer turn off all notes for that sound, they now correctly only turn off notes for that pitch
Fixed bug: Sounds loaded using the preview function now correctly update the beatwide params
Fixed bug: Sounds copied using the copy button shortcut or erased using the erase button shortcut are now updating beatwide params correctly

[GuyaGuy]

Odd time signatures have been implemented in a Beta OS update today I believe... So I imagine it will be soon...

That is NOT helping me to avoid dropping 2 grand on this...

[Blue Monster 65]

EDIT: Nevermind - I got it.

[kuroichi]

Odd time signatures have been implemented in a Beta OS update today I believe... So I imagine it will be soon...

That is NOT helping me to avoid dropping 2 grand on this...

Tell me about it... I really want to try one out and see what I can do....