VK-1 just got a (paid) update

This forum is for discussing Rack Extensions. Devs are all welcome to show off their goods.
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chimp_spanner
Posts: 2908
Joined: 06 Mar 2015

14 Jun 2018

https://shop.propellerheads.se/rack-ext ... nthesizer/

Only having a tickle while I work but initial impressions are that it's definitely beefier and fatter (more on par with VK-2 and Legend in the low end department). Envelopes feel snappier. And a quick browse through the presets tells me there's some cool stuff in there!

seqoi
Posts: 417
Joined: 12 Aug 2017

14 Jun 2018

Amazing thanks for the info and thank you blamsoft!!

Update - i have maybe stupid question for Blamsoft. I am aiming at Synthetic Rig 3 and will buy it in near future. If i buy SR3 do i get updated version of VK-1 or not?

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manisnotabird
Posts: 475
Joined: 20 Feb 2015
Location: Austin, TX

14 Jun 2018

What's the difference between ZDF I and ZDF II? Are the Drive I, II, and III the same as on the original?

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chimp_spanner
Posts: 2908
Joined: 06 Mar 2015

14 Jun 2018

Just an update on this; having an absolute blast with the Synthwave patches. Really, really good update. Always wanted to use VK-1 more but it just lacked the bite and presence of some of my other synths. This is filling up a whole track with just two or three instances. Great stuff!

scratchnsnifff
Posts: 1423
Joined: 21 Sep 2016

14 Jun 2018

Sadly this is the one item I don’t have from blamsoft, vk2 and the polymodular system cover my vk1 needs :)

Still hoping they release a new oscillator module for the polymodular system. I saw they made a sort of expanse oscillator for the VCV rack system, I wonder how hard it would be to port to RE
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buddard
RE Developer
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14 Jun 2018

I'm wondering a bit about the following text on the product page:
Warning: Your mixes will sound fatter. In all seriousness, you may not want this if you are in the middle of a project or need to reproduce old projects.
I interpret this as if they have made changes that are not backwards compatible -- i e it will make your existing songs sound differently than before.

If this is the case I'm rather surprised since I always thought that this was a big no-no when developing REs, and that it's always been a high priority on part of PH to have your device sound/act the same in all future versions... (For my REs I've always made sure to make new features optional, i e turned off by default, in order to ensure backwards compatibility.)

Are there at least some controls in place to switch back to the legacy sound if needed?

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Blamsoft
RE Developer
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Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

Thanks for the great feedback chimp_spanner!

It is not backward compatible. That is the main reason why it is a paid upgrade. It is not mistakenly put on peoples' accounts. They will see the warning on the shop page before paying. I don't think it's worth having an overall worse mode any longer.

ZDF I and ZDF II result in a subtle difference in the low end, ZDF II has a little more. ZDF I sounds pretty clean while ZDF II should be slightly fatter. The Drive sounds have changed with the new filters. They are a similar idea though.

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esselfortium
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14 Jun 2018

The lack of a backwards-compatibility switch for old songs is a really bad idea. You say it's not worth having because it's "an overall worse mode" but you also say that it sounds different enough to affect existing songs. The sacrifice there doesn't make any sense to me.

There's a good reason why, for instance, the 14:2 mixer had a Compatible/Improved toggle added to its back panel when it was upgraded: the new (default) mode sounds different, and it would break existing songs without that compat switch.
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Blamsoft
RE Developer
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Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

I am expecting people not to upgrade if they want compatibility.

Regarding Synth Rig, new users get the new version. Existing users keep the old version.

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Noise
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14 Jun 2018

Amazing update, I just paid for my old songs to sound better lol (I guess)
Also, this new presets from eXode... really good stuff. Time to give the VK-1 the love it deserves.
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bik44
Posts: 98
Joined: 03 Jun 2015
Location: Poland

14 Jun 2018

Great update Blamsoft! Do not worry about people who have a problem everywhere. I wonder if you will also update the modular oscilator and filter. Thank you :)


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hurricane
Competition Winner
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Joined: 14 Oct 2017

14 Jun 2018

Blamsoft wrote:
14 Jun 2018
I am expecting people not to upgrade if they want compatibility.
Yup.

Sounds great. Viking is one of only 2 RE synths I still use. Thanks!
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MarkTarlton
Posts: 795
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

14 Jun 2018

to keep reason up to date you must have a good income...especially this past year with the upgrades. how is the cpu with the new viking upgrade?

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Zac
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14 Jun 2018

Always nice to see an update. I was pretty excited this morning as i assumed it was free. But can see blamsoft's reasoning for it being paid due to non backwards compatibility. Just not sure why he chose the 2nd tier (£14) rather than the 1st (£8). Looks and sounds like a great update (can't Try upgrades) but I'll now go the PWYW VST route as I'm skint (i would prefer the RE if i wasn't). The RE update including the 50 new synthwave patches seems to bring the RE up to date with the vst. I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

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Emian
Posts: 712
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

ok, again it sucks that people cannot TRY an update before they buy (not to blame Blamsoft, i believe that's Propellerheads fault...).

Also , no video's/sound-examples of the new version ? without the option to trial i'd sure like to hear how the new product sound before concidering buyin' the upgrade...

A video-review or showcase of the new features would be very welcome !


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lakinlakin
Posts: 121
Joined: 07 Jan 2016
Location: Scotland

14 Jun 2018

Just had a look at the RE and the VST versions.
Sadly I prefer the VST version because it looks so much better than the smaller RE.
By better I mean bigger and therefore easier for me to see and use.

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Exowildebeest
Posts: 1553
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

I wish I could get both the old version and the new version side by side in my rack.

And not really for backwards compatibility, it's just that I know I like the sound of the original VK-1. I often reach for it exactly because it sounds different from VK-2 and others.

Tough call. I'll postpone buying the upgrade for now.

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chimp_spanner
Posts: 2908
Joined: 06 Mar 2015

14 Jun 2018

Unfortunately I don't have much to show apart from this awfully derivative 80s/synthwave thing I'm doing for work. The bass and main melody are VK-1. I'd say it just has more presence, and power than it used to. Always lacked a bit of impact to my ear, which is why I'd end up using VK-2 with its way sharper, more aggressive filter envelopes or Legend with its rounder bottom end. Now I think I can use VK-1 for a lot more stuff!



More than anything I'd say it's super playable. Especially the Synthwave patches. The sound isn't so radically different as to be unusable. Like I recognise the old patches. They just sound...better.

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eXode
Posts: 838
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14 Jun 2018

chimp_spanner wrote:
14 Jun 2018
Unfortunately I don't have much to show apart from this awfully derivative 80s/synthwave thing I'm doing for work. The bass and main melody are VK-1. I'd say it just has more presence, and power than it used to. Always lacked a bit of impact to my ear, which is why I'd end up using VK-2 with its way sharper, more aggressive filter envelopes or Legend with its rounder bottom end. Now I think I can use VK-1 for a lot more stuff!



More than anything I'd say it's super playable. Especially the Synthwave patches. The sound isn't so radically different as to be unusable. Like I recognise the old patches. They just sound...better.
Nice!!!

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Blamsoft
RE Developer
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Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

There are sound examples here. These come from the VST which is almost identical to the new RE except for slight tweaks to the filters.


You can compare the VST with the old RE in your rack. The HQ filter from the VST has been optimized for the RE.
Last edited by Blamsoft on 01 Nov 2018, edited 1 time in total.

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Zac
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14 Jun 2018

Hmm. So it is a RE tax. It's worth it I'm sure but to me it sayz we are already hooked. Vst peeps get the first one free.

Like class A druqs?

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Blamsoft
RE Developer
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14 Jun 2018

Think of the $15 as what you should have paid for PWYW as a crossgrade.

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Zac
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14 Jun 2018

Blamsoft wrote:
14 Jun 2018
Think of the $15 as what you should have paid for PWYW as a crossgrade.
Some of us paid much more than the current asking price... £53 i think it was €79 so that plus £14 now...

If i was able to get VK2 for 29 tokens when you went mad on that i would have. Expanse too. I respect your REs and attitude. Just my opinion being this should have been a 1st tier upgrade.

Be well.

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Faastwalker
Posts: 2281
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: NSW, Australia

14 Jun 2018

Nice. A revitalized VK-1 sounds like $15 well spent to me ;) I must admit it doesn't get much love in my rack lately. This upgrade will certainly give cause to delve in again.

Incidentally, if anyone here is an iPad owner running the Liine Lemur App you can get my free VK-1 Lemur control surface on the link below. The control surface works really well. But my MIDI implementation I think it is a little clunky. Needs a tweak ..... or maybe a Remote template. Not sure to be honest;

https://liine.net/en/community/user-library/view/361/


Demo video here (featuring the now replaced original GUI);

Last edited by Faastwalker on 14 Jun 2018, edited 2 times in total.

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Blamsoft
RE Developer
Posts: 100
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

14 Jun 2018

chimp_spanner wrote:
14 Jun 2018
Unfortunately I don't have much to show apart from this awfully derivative 80s/synthwave thing I'm doing for work. The bass and main melody are VK-1. I'd say it just has more presence, and power than it used to. Always lacked a bit of impact to my ear, which is why I'd end up using VK-2 with its way sharper, more aggressive filter envelopes or Legend with its rounder bottom end. Now I think I can use VK-1 for a lot more stuff!



More than anything I'd say it's super playable. Especially the Synthwave patches. The sound isn't so radically different as to be unusable. Like I recognise the old patches. They just sound...better.
Diggin' the tune. :puf_smile:

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