Blamsoft and eXode present VK-2 Viking Synthesizer
- CaliforniaBurrito
- Posts: 574
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Awesome! I'm so happy with this beast. People might be turned off by heavy CPU but it is sooo worth it. It can't be compared to anything else really even though I see people comparing it to Legend. I'll take U-He Diva over Legend any day though and VK-2 is a match made in heaven for Diva. I must've jammed out on the keys with VK-2 for a good hour yesterday coming up with a lead melody for a track and there is so much delicious timbral character - just can't stop! Anyways, I'm on a good one - time to make some music.
- CaliforniaBurrito
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Haa! I just found that modular drum kit combi patch by Navi Retlav. Fourteen instances of VK-2 - there goes half my DSP! That is really cool though. It's pretty much a minimal modular techno track in itself.
- starflakeprj
- Posts: 23
- Joined: 04 Sep 2016
- Location: Hometown of Reason Studios
I'm sorry if this question has been asked before, or answered in some way, but I couldn't find anything while searching.
Is the VK-2 supposed to be a replacement for VK-1, or are they simply two different synths? I trialed VK-1 a long time ago, but did not purchase it back then, but I purchased VK-2 when it came out. Since VK-1 is now on sale, I thought I might pick it up, but if it's too similar to VK-2, I guess buying VK-1 would just be redundant.
Is the VK-2 supposed to be a replacement for VK-1, or are they simply two different synths? I trialed VK-1 a long time ago, but did not purchase it back then, but I purchased VK-2 when it came out. Since VK-1 is now on sale, I thought I might pick it up, but if it's too similar to VK-2, I guess buying VK-1 would just be redundant.
- fieldframe
- RE Developer
- Posts: 1037
- Joined: 19 Apr 2016
I still don't know why Blamsoft didn't name it something like "VK Modular" or at least a non-sequential number like "VK-10" or "VK-6." If they had, I guarantee they would not have had to keep hitting the "this is a completely new synth, not an update" message; it would have been clear from the outset.
- starflakeprj
- Posts: 23
- Joined: 04 Sep 2016
- Location: Hometown of Reason Studios
Thanks, makes it easier to decide
Bumping this thread because I was having a play with VK-2 yesterday (trying to approximate the bassline on "Teachers") and it's such an excellent instrument. The filter is wonderful and you can use it standalone on other sound sources (but still be audio-rate modulating it by the oscillators if you like!). I think its HP/LP mode with adjustable bandwidth is unique in Reason. And it sounds lush as fuck. So yep - just sharing the love. ^_^
- jayhosking
- Posts: 613
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Yeah, agreed! It's a really great synth that rewards exploration.
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What do you mean when you state “low resolution”? I’ve always been under the impression that the CV jacks could run at:
Sample Rate/64 samples
In other words, at 88.2kHz, you can get about 1300Hz. Can you amplify on that? I’ve never found any documentation on the resolution of CV within Reason.
DAW: Reason 12
SAMPLERS: Akai MPC 2000, E-mu SP1200, E-Mu e5000Ultra, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Akai S950, Maschine
SYNTHS: Mostly classic Polysynths and more modern Monosynths. All are mostly food for my samplers!
www.soundcloud.com/jimmyklane
SAMPLERS: Akai MPC 2000, E-mu SP1200, E-Mu e5000Ultra, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Akai S950, Maschine
SYNTHS: Mostly classic Polysynths and more modern Monosynths. All are mostly food for my samplers!
www.soundcloud.com/jimmyklane
CV runs at sample rate/64 samples so you got it right. I guess he means compared to audio rate.jimmyklane wrote: ↑28 May 2018What do you mean when you state “low resolution”? I’ve always been under the impression that the CV jacks could run at:
Sample Rate/64 samples
In other words, at 88.2kHz, you can get about 1300Hz. Can you amplify on that? I’ve never found any documentation on the resolution of CV within Reason.
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And VK-2 can bypass that for proper audio rate mod... very cool, I’ll have to check it out!eXode wrote: ↑28 May 2018CV runs at sample rate/64 samples so you got it right. I guess he means compared to audio rate.jimmyklane wrote: ↑28 May 2018
What do you mean when you state “low resolution”? I’ve always been under the impression that the CV jacks could run at:
Sample Rate/64 samples
In other words, at 88.2kHz, you can get about 1300Hz. Can you amplify on that? I’ve never found any documentation on the resolution of CV within Reason.
DAW: Reason 12
SAMPLERS: Akai MPC 2000, E-mu SP1200, E-Mu e5000Ultra, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Akai S950, Maschine
SYNTHS: Mostly classic Polysynths and more modern Monosynths. All are mostly food for my samplers!
www.soundcloud.com/jimmyklane
SAMPLERS: Akai MPC 2000, E-mu SP1200, E-Mu e5000Ultra, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Akai S950, Maschine
SYNTHS: Mostly classic Polysynths and more modern Monosynths. All are mostly food for my samplers!
www.soundcloud.com/jimmyklane
All hail the power of VK-2
Reason, Nuendo, Studio One
https://soundcloud.com/user-404930848
https://soundcloud.com/user-404930848
- Faastwalker
- Posts: 2284
- Joined: 15 Jan 2015
- Location: NSW, Australia
Wasn't there a fairly recent update to VK-1 that improved audio but increased CPU demands significantly?
VK-2 is awesome. But it's the one RE that really struggled on my PC. Need an upgrade before I can buy it.
i'll just go ahead and say it - both of Reason's flagship synths are made by Blamsoft. Expanse is one of the most versatile, most powerful modern synths on the market in any format (eat your heart out Serum) and VK-2 is the current king of analog style softsynths imo - it really has no weaknesses and is insanely modular with slow cpu options to boot.
I love Grain and Europa would be a worthy flagship if Expanse didn't exist. Nostromo is my personal favorite synth for the style of music I like to make, and Antidote and the Legend are top shelf as well. Spectra, Oberon, Revival, JPS, FM4, 4mer, ES01,Parsec, Driver, Torsion, Redominator - not to mention all the stuff that has been ported to the RE format like the Korgs, Respire, the Papen stuff... We are absolutely drowning in superb instruments with Reason and if I never bought another one I could happily entertain myself for the next few centuries, but Expanse and VK-2 are at the very pinnacle of this embarassment of riches. Bravo Blamsoft!
I love Grain and Europa would be a worthy flagship if Expanse didn't exist. Nostromo is my personal favorite synth for the style of music I like to make, and Antidote and the Legend are top shelf as well. Spectra, Oberon, Revival, JPS, FM4, 4mer, ES01,Parsec, Driver, Torsion, Redominator - not to mention all the stuff that has been ported to the RE format like the Korgs, Respire, the Papen stuff... We are absolutely drowning in superb instruments with Reason and if I never bought another one I could happily entertain myself for the next few centuries, but Expanse and VK-2 are at the very pinnacle of this embarassment of riches. Bravo Blamsoft!
VK2 really feels like a secret weapon, only currently available to Reason users and it feels somewhat a privilege. Absolutely love the way it sounds, and the flexibility and ease of use of the interface. BRAVO indeed!two shoes wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018i'll just go ahead and say it - both of Reason's flagship synths are made by Blamsoft. Expanse is one of the most versatile, most powerful modern synths on the market in any format (eat your heart out Serum) and VK-2 is the current king of analog style softsynths imo - it really has no weaknesses and is insanely modular with slow cpu options to boot.
I love Grain and Europa would be a worthy flagship if Expanse didn't exist. Nostromo is my personal favorite synth for the style of music I like to make, and Antidote and the Legend are top shelf as well. Spectra, Oberon, Revival, JPS, FM4, 4mer, ES01,Parsec, Driver, Torsion, Redominator - not to mention all the stuff that has been ported to the RE format like the Korgs, Respire, the Papen stuff... We are absolutely drowning in superb instruments with Reason and if I never bought another one I could happily entertain myself for the next few centuries, but Expanse and VK-2 are at the very pinnacle of this embarassment of riches. Bravo Blamsoft!
- Exowildebeest
- Posts: 1553
- Joined: 16 Jan 2015
I agree Expanse and VK-2 have genuinely taken Reason to a higher level. Blamsoft has come a long way since they started with RE's years ago! And I still use that old downsampler/bitcrusher
That's a small stain on Blamsoft's reputation as far as I'm concerned - not that it uses more CPU, but that the upgrade changes the sound drastically and there's no legacy mode/switch. I happen to like the sound of the current VK1 and I'm not willing to give that up. So no upgrade for me. There's the VST alternative of course, but... blegh, VSTFaastwalker wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018Wasn't there a fairly recent update to VK-1 that improved audio but increased CPU demands significantly?
Folks, just theoretical interest - do it possible to generate sound in VK-2 without appeal to sequencer\keys (and without gate\cv triggering thru cables in backward panel respectively). I mean - self-generate just thru some configuration in his front panel ?
At moment i incline to "NO" though. But, i'm unsure, due to his seems semi-modular nature. Need make sure.
At moment i incline to "NO" though. But, i'm unsure, due to his seems semi-modular nature. Need make sure.
- Reasonable man
- Posts: 589
- Joined: 14 Jul 2016
Exode posts here sometimes and he might be able to give examples...but sure its possibe. Just maybe not the most 'musical' as such .ab459 wrote: ↑09 May 2020Folks, just theoretical interest - do it possible to generate sound in VK-2 without appeal to sequencer\keys (and without gate\cv triggering thru cables in backward panel respectively). I mean - self-generate just thru some configuration in his front panel ?
At moment i incline to "NO" though. But, i'm unsure, due to his seems semi-modular nature. Need make sure.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xdx8wuodeq45 ... YSL_a?dl=0
- muckmclane
- Posts: 139
- Joined: 28 Oct 2018
Thanks man that was very helpful for some reason I never dived in that deep with VK2 and was certain this could not be done.Reasonable man wrote: ↑09 May 2020Exode posts here sometimes and he might be able to give examples...but sure its possibe. Just maybe not the most 'musical' as such .ab459 wrote: ↑09 May 2020Folks, just theoretical interest - do it possible to generate sound in VK-2 without appeal to sequencer\keys (and without gate\cv triggering thru cables in backward panel respectively). I mean - self-generate just thru some configuration in his front panel ?
At moment i incline to "NO" though. But, i'm unsure, due to his seems semi-modular nature. Need make sure.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xdx8wuodeq45 ... YSL_a?dl=0
To simplify in the far right 'control' turn off EG2
and in the far lower left in the Poly window switch it to Modular and you instantly have
countless options with self generation.
Can you think of any other synths that can do this?
The only self generated synths I have that dont require a gate or cv in (also excluding a built in step sequencer):
Vk1(global just set gate to on) and Vk2
Ammo
Little lfo
Pulsar
Movement
Wbl5515 dual triple loop osc
Effects(no incoming audio):
D1-RT line noise injector RE
Etch red(high resonance)
Thor(avoiding the step sequencer):
at first this seemed to be the least interesting of the self generating synths:
as only lfo 2 seems to work as a sound source for some reason
and I couldn't route it into filters/shapers soley using the front panel
then I used a square lfo 2 to modulate itself (lfo2 rate)
then I did another lfo 2 into lfo 2 rate and got some pretty interesting sounds
nothing seems to be able to even affect lfo 2 except for itself
Oh damn, thanks, really it possible. All the deal was exactly in the "Modular" mode of "Polyphony" dropdown list (I didn’t think to look there heh).Reasonable man wrote: ↑09 May 2020Exode posts here sometimes and he might be able to give examples...but sure its possibe. Just maybe not the most 'musical' as such .ab459 wrote: ↑09 May 2020Folks, just theoretical interest - do it possible to generate sound in VK-2 without appeal to sequencer\keys (and without gate\cv triggering thru cables in backward panel respectively). I mean - self-generate just thru some configuration in his front panel ?
At moment i incline to "NO" though. But, i'm unsure, due to his seems semi-modular nature. Need make sure.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xdx8wuodeq45 ... YSL_a?dl=0
Tnx for info, will check it as well (i'm fan of self-generate )muckmclane wrote: ↑10 May 2020The only self generated synths I have that dont require a gate or cv in (also excluding a built in step sequencer):
Vk1(global just set gate to on) and Vk2
Ammo
Little lfo
Pulsar
Movement
Wbl5515 dual triple loop osc
Effects(no incoming audio):
D1-RT line noise injector RE
Etch red(high resonance)
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