Spectralis Xtreame Update anyone?

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:24 pm

Does this machine finally have a workable OS that lives up to the machines potential and can be used live without any worries?

Its V0.97 at the mo, do we still need to wait for V1.0 for it to be a fully fledged beast?

Are there any Spectralis owners out there who can give a little insight into what’s hot and what’s not with this new update?

Post by **Zamise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:40 am

It has been a monster all along. Theres still some features on the waiting table I think cause some of the buttons and functions don't actually do anything yet. .97 was a while ago, I've not updated mine yet, I should, because I think I'm still running Nicolas or a version before that maybe even. Since its been great and pretty stable then, a few bits of missing things here and there which it was my understanding the last few updates have only been minor stuff mostly like bug fixes, improved midi functionality, some bonus sequncer step parms, added voices etc. stuff like that mostly if I'm remembering correctly, so I've not really wanted to risk me breaking the OS on mine again yet. I'm sure it'll be fine, just had a rough time on my first update which isn't supposed to happen again. I might catch the next one tho. It'll be nice I think if when the Arpegiator gets going and some of the other things down in the menus instead of selecting it and getting nothing. I used mine at my last gig for a song, in a year or two I might have another song ready on it. Simply freakin awesome sounding, but gota relearn it all every time I boot it up which isn't easy cause there is so much to it. Maybe I just need to practice on it more often. Go the radikical site and click join group I think, it ought to keep you up to date. I get emails from Jorge from the group list like every 6 months or so, update or something new about it, been a while since last time. I think it'll still be a while before 100% everything works and complete. Is intresting to watch an OS slowly grow like it's OS.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:05 am

Cheers for the insight Zamise.

I’ve been very tempted to flog some of my current gear to get one as the do come up for an obtainable price (for me) 2nd had but I know Jorge relies on the sale of new units to pay the programmer for further development so its like shooting yourself in the foot a little if you get one used but still its like this machine was almost designed for me being a Quasimidi aficionado.
Hey man has does the Specy have enough functionality and enough reliability to be used live? Does the sampling work as well as it should and what is the sequencer like to use when compared to something like a P3 (if you’ve used one)?
At the end of the day my 309 and Polymorph have their little quirks and workarounds too and nothings perfect under the sun I just need to know if the leap would be beneficial for my needs against what I already have.

Post by **Zamise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:26 pm

Its hard to say. I got mine used, but it was like new, almost too new the OS was like the first version hadn't been upgraded, caused me some major headaches at first. The other thing maybe consider, the new ones may not have been touched by the hand of Jourge as I last remember about a year ago or so he was supposed to get some help putting them together and all the old ones will be more special in that sense, but you've got a point, I do feel like I may have cheated him out of a few bucks, but I also saved one of his babys from being in a storage closet or worse, abondend in an alley somewhere.

If I was stuck with just it, then this might be another story. I've got my favorite piece of kit and the Specki, as type it do pronounce it like Speckeeee tho, it has yet to become my favorite. I was hoping it would become it, but it hasn't. Its been a slow and frustrating learn at times. Its not for the weak. I've not got into sampling with it so I can not say much on that for you. The thing I've got the most into has been its Hybrid synth part. I get stuck tweaking there and I never get around to learning much else when I'm at it. That in itself is nearly overwhelming when ever I turn it on.

Well, if you've got some of the other Quasi stuff and enjoy it, I don't have any, but maybe you'll have a nicer time with learning and picking up the intricacies of the Spectralis. Its a stunning machine, but if you can I'd suggest keeping your other gear until you have given the Specki a proper shot. I've had mine for about 3 years, and I did one song on it for my last gig. I made all the other songs on one other machine in the 6 months I had between that and the previous gig. That might tell you what you may be up against, or that perhaps my other machine, my favorite unit not a P3, sorry, its an RS7000, I may just be too attached and dedicated to it to give the Spectralis a really fair chance. I also don't want to get rid of it either cause I do enjoy messing around with it from time to time, and I do have a lot of other stuff and synths to attend to and constantly relearn each time I boot them as well, and it does sit up there in my priority list of things I need to keep on chugging away at on it.

Hope that helps, but doesn't put you over the edge one way or another on your decision to get it or not.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:35 pm

Cheers again for your insight bud

I think I may hold fire for now unless I catch a bargin perhaps.
Please let us know how the Xtream update goes when you get round to it!

chromex · Post by **chromex** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:52 pm

I have a Spectralis and have used it live. The last update WAS for the arpeggiators, which now function well, along with random patch generation , which is very useful. It operates fine live, have used it live on several gigs. The biggest irritant is the lack of midi clock out which has been requested numerous times. Who knows if we will ever get it, deveopment appears to be a decaying orbit. I don't sample much but have had no trouble getting them in and out. I rely on the sound design which is the most extensive I've seen in a groovebox. You don't NEED many samples to get a lot of different sounds.The sequencer is great, particularly step-sequence line assignment and random skip.Analog filter is fantastic and gives great bass. For some reason I like the drums better than any other groovebox. Deep machine which is both a delight and a pain. Give me Midi clock out and somewhat more extensive digital synth sound design and digital synth step sequencer integration and I will consider the machine finished for my purposes. Hope this helps.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:35 pm

Good stuff, thanks.

I’m just considering the fact that the Specy in its unfinished state is still more powerful that the set up I already use.
Is it easy to flick through different patterns and tweak/mute steps on the fly?
Are there any serious downsides with the machine in its current state or are there just a some features that haven’t been finished off yet?
For me a deep multi voice analogue style synth with a step sequencer assignable to any parameter, a decent drum synth engine thats good to tweak on the fly is what I’m after and the ablity to work in a live/jam type scenario is essential.

droolmaster0 · Post by **droolmaster0** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:23 pm

This is an opinion from someone who owned a Speckie and sold it, and has also had some experience with a Polymorph.

My primary issue with the Speckie is the convoluted interface, and the deep menu diving you have to do if you are a compulsive sound tweaker. I just didn't find it fun to program, which conflicts with the fact that the sound is superb. An interesting contrast with the Polymorph, which I see you own. This has better pure sound quality, and the sequencer is even more powerful than the excellent one on the Polymorph. Ultimately I had more fun with the Polymorph, and I regret selling it before I got the Spectralis. Your experience could be very different....I did appreciate the control you have over the sound, so it's kind of contradictory to want all of that power, and want it to be closer to the surface. Maybe if it were bigger - but that would bring the price up. All along, promised updates have taken wayyyyyy longer than initially scheduled, and I would buy it based on what it does now, rather than on any hopes for the future. But it sure do sound great....

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:52 am

droolmaster0 wrote:This is an opinion from someone who owned a Speckie and sold it, and has also had some experience with a Polymorph.

My primary issue with the Speckie is the convoluted interface, and the deep menu diving you have to do if you are a compulsive sound tweaker. I just didn't find it fun to program, which conflicts with the fact that the sound is superb. An interesting contrast with the Polymorph, which I see you own. This has better pure sound quality, and the sequencer is even more powerful than the excellent one on the Polymorph. Ultimately I had more fun with the Polymorph, and I regret selling it before I got the Spectralis. Your experience could be very different....I did appreciate the control you have over the sound, so it's kind of contradictory to want all of that power, and want it to be closer to the surface. Maybe if it were bigger - but that would bring the price up. All along, promised updates have taken wayyyyyy longer than initially scheduled, and I would buy it based on what it does now, rather than on any hopes for the future. But it sure do sound great....

Hmmm I see your point as the Poly has enough menu diving as it is however if the Specy responds to MIDI CC my Drehbank could come in useful perhaps? I'll have a good look at the manual methinks. Cheers

Post by **Zamise** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:52 pm

Arps in 97L. I did not know this (hadn't read those emails I guess) and its been out a while, can't wait to update it now. Something to do tonight yea.