Future Audio Workshop.- Circle Synth!

condra

I recently came across some info on this very pretty synth:



It's called CIRCLE, and has sexy features (including OSC support) to match its sexy GUI.
Actually, it seems they borrowed the best things about Albino, Massive, Operator, Zebra, and Rapture, and blended them pretty well together, adding some nice etra features of their own.

The company who make it are called Future Audio Workshop, and it turns out they are based in Ireland.

Their site is here:
http://www.futureaudioworkshop.com/

Video here:
http://www.futureaudioworkshop.com/weblog/2008/03/19/circle-demo-video-on-sonic-state/
(Great to see an Irish guy at Musikmesse! - next stop NAMM!!)
Very interesting looking synth.

Anyway. I think we should all support these guys, mostly just because they're Paddys, but the product does seem very, very nice indeed.

James Hunt

Very nice looking product, isn't it?

I'll definitely be checking out that demo. I'm not a synth man by trade and primarily a preset surfer as a result, so this looks like something that could give me the chance to interfere with the sounds a bit more.

jtsuited

what programming environment are they using? i presume it's the same one as u-he?
i've seen a few plugins knocking about with the same knobs etc. lately.

looks like a nice mega-tweakable synth.

cornbb

Looks like a great product, its also comforting to see that there are Irish people out there making smart musical tools. I'll keep an eye on these guys, hope they can do well.

cornbb

Bump!

For anyone who's been following this, I've been beta testing this product for a number of weeks and I have to say tis the shizz. More to follow...

jtsuited wrote:

what programming environment are they using? i presume it's the same one as u-he?

They appear to be using JUCE which I've used in the past myself. A very handy development environment, especially for audio architectures.

ICN

Wow! That looks brilliant!!!


Looks like it would be a lot of fun to use.

condra

It's out now!

http://www.futureaudioworkshop.com/circle

Demo available on site.

€150 to buy.

condra

Just been playing around with it and its great. Very modular and sounds nice too.

The presets could be better but not to worry. Very nice synth.

seannash

womoma wrote: »

Just been playing around with it and its great. Very modular and sounds nice too.

The presets could be better but not to worry. Very nice synth.

i know you use zebra alot womona.would this replace it as your go to synth.
does it have any new tricks the other big soft synths dont

condra

Couldn't say too much having spent so little time with it. The way the modulation works is great. Like the bastard child or Reason, Zebra and Massive.

Another thing I like about it is how chunky and solid it feels. The sequencer section will probably attract a lot of people, let alone the fantastic graphics and cool sounds.

I was curious about this and I think it's fantastic, but it would be a pointless purchase for any Zebra owner IMO. Zebra is just remarkable in terms of sonic variety.

I'd still give this synth a 9 though.

ICN

There's a "full" review of it in Future Music or Computer Music next month.

Apologies for the uncertainty - but they blur into one after a couple of days of reading them..

jtsuited

sorry to dig this one up. just got this synth. have to say i'm not a fan whatsoever. it's a great interface - probably the best i've seen simplicity wise.
But it's sounds pretty horrible to me - the presets are awful and my own patches sound rubbish in it compared to other softsynths I use.

It's probably just my personal preference but I'd steer clear of this if you don't like digital cold harsh sounding synths. Then again, I'd put Massive and Zebra in that category. They sound very toy like or something.

Anywho..

condra

I haven't messed extensively with Massive, but how anyone could say Zebra sounds like a toy is incredible to me unless they didnt fully understand it or spend enough time with it.

I've coaxed so many nice sounds out of Zebra, from phat leads to beautifull alien chimes, and gritty electronic stabs.

jimi_t

womoma wrote: »

... to beautifull alien chimes, and gritty electronic stabs.

Once you're wandering into FM territory, its very hard to not get branded with the 'Cold and Sterile' brush; thats what analog delays and tube gear is for my friends

(also, my new fun thing of the week is D16's Devastator - a multiband distortion that makes dirty terror of what ever you run through it; signal path is dynamic-gain module -> diode-clipper distortion -> filter section x3. Absolutely stunning).

jtsuited

womoma wrote: »

I haven't messed extensively with Massive, but how anyone could say Zebra sounds like a toy is incredible to me unless they didnt fully understand it or spend enough time with it.

I've coaxed so many nice sounds out of Zebra, from phat leads to beautifull alien chimes, and gritty electronic stabs.

It's got that distinctive fizzy high end that sounds toy like to me. Horses for courses I guess.