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Synth: Future Impact vs Source Audio C4?

#21
mr2xbass said:
I hope the fire is getting hotter underneath the FI 3.0 firmware/editor release...
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I doubt the C4's release (or, for that matter, the SY-1's) is going to substantially change Panda's timeline. There is some competition between these products, but they are also complementary.
 
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#22
Adamixoye said:
I doubt the C4's release (or, for that matter, the SY-1's) is going to substantially change Panda's timeline. There is some competition between these products, but they are also complementary.
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I can dig that. Maybe the only potential competition might be the market of first-time synth pedal purchaser. It is also apparent the two companies are completely different and Panda is doing what it can do.
I will say while I love my FI and it has completely opened up new opportunities for me in my career, as an FI fan, it's a little disheartening to see the C4 being released with its (IMO superior) initial software editor having so many of the things FI users have been requesting for years, nay, since its release! But again, I get it; PA basically, it smol. SA has a full range and line of products and developement.. and Nathan:)

I am very curious and would very much like to try both the C4 and the new filter as well from SA, but I don't see myself switching over to the hub and all the SA integration. I change patches on my FI with an old Ground Control (not pro, original) I got from a musicgoround for $10 and it works just fine.. for now.
 
#24
mr2xbass said:
I can dig that. Maybe the only potential competition might be the market of first-time synth pedal purchaser. It is also apparent the two companies are completely different and Panda is doing what it can do.
I will say while I love my FI and it has completely opened up new opportunities for me in my career, as an FI fan, it's a little disheartening to see the C4 being released with its (IMO superior) initial software editor having so many of the things FI users have been requesting for years, nay, since its release! But again, I get it; PA basically, it smol. SA has a full range and line of products and developement.. and Nathan:)

I am very curious and would very much like to try both the C4 and the new filter as well from SA, but I don't see myself switching over to the hub and all the SA integration. I change patches on my FI with an old Ground Control (not pro, original) I got from a musicgoround for $10 and it works just fine.. for now.
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It's worth noting that you don't need the hub to access all the features of the C4. Just the DMC Micro switch to cycle through the 128 presets. You're good to go with that!
 
#26
For what it's worth, the C4 is going to be easier to program, either using a computer and the USB port or a phone and the SA app with the (included?) cable. I have the FI and I love it, but I rarely connect it for programming because it needs a compatible computer MIDI interface.

I personally don't think it has to be one or the other. They're both going to have their strengths.

The difference comes down to users who own neither yet and are looking to make a choice. I suspect the C4 is probably gonna win in that category as it's more readily available and quite a bit cheaper, even if you have to add a Hub or compatible MIDI controller to get full preset recall.
 
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#27
Chace90 said:
For what it's worth, the C4 is going to be easier to program, either using a computer and the USB port or a phone and the SA app with the (included?) cable. I have the FI and I love it, but I rarely connect it for programming because it needs a compatible computer MIDI interface.

I personally don't think it has to be one or the other. They're both going to have their strengths.

The difference comes down to users who own neither yet and are looking to make a choice. I suspect the C4 is probably gonna win in that category as it's more readily available and quite a bit cheaper, even if you have to add a Hub or compatible MIDI controller to get full preset recall.
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Yup trs cable is included for app support but no USB cable is included.
 
#29
estimated_eyes said:
Hmm, I am eagerly awaiting my C4. I thought it came with the cable to connect to the computer out of the box?

If not, what should I be looking to purchase?
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Any USB type-A to USB mini cable will work. Easily available, and I'd be willing to bet you already have one lying around somewhere from another device.
 
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#32
Been comparing all day between my FI & C4 and a Behringer Model D. I kind of forgot how great the raw sounds of the FI are. Might post a video later but it's quite stunning how close the FI SQR and SAW are to the ModelD (one might saw almost identical but that would be blasphemy!).
C4 is close but I can't get the envelope (VCA not VCF) to respond the same.
Tracking on the C4 seems better - the 'jumpy' notes in the FI keep distracting me.


Soundwise the SY300 is laughable compared to the other two. Polyphony and ease of editing is a big plus though.
 
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#33
DeadPoet said:
Been comparing all day between my FI & C4 and a Behringer Model D. I kind of forgot how great the raw sounds of the FI are. Might post a video later but it's quite stunning how close the FI SQR and SAW are to the ModelD (one might saw almost identical but that would be blasphemy!).
C4 is close but I can't get the envelope (VCA not VCF) to respond the same.
Tracking on the C4 seems better - the 'jumpy' notes in the FI keep distracting me.


Soundwise the SY300 is laughable compared to the other two. Polyphony and ease of editing is a big plus though.
Click to expand...

are you using the latest FI version? Supposedly tracking improves with it. I haven't been able to get my MIDI interface to work with my new computer so haven't updated yet.

VERY curious about the C4, but as a FI owner, I feel it can do anything, I just need to learn more about synthesis and work with the editor more. I'd love to snag a C4 to compare them, but feel like it is really just a matter of which one of these you want to invest your time into. With both, do you agree? Are you building patches with the editors and building the same stuff for a true comparison or just browsing user submitted patches and seeing which has the best library for your needs?
 
#35
cosmicevan said:
are you using the latest FI version? Supposedly tracking improves with it. I haven't been able to get my MIDI interface to work with my new computer so haven't updated yet.
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Yes, latest version. Tracking has improved since v1.22 and his solution to minimize latency is brilliant (*) but especially when playing octaves (and more) it's quite distracting.

(*) apparently the FI plays the last recognised pitch whenever a new note is played and then starts calculating what pitch the new note is and jumps as fast as it can to that new pitch. The result is a small, but noticeable, 'jump' in pitch.

VERY curious about the C4, but as a FI owner, I feel it can do anything, I just need to learn more about synthesis and work with the editor more. I'd love to snag a C4 to compare them, but feel like it is really just a matter of which one of these you want to invest your time into. With both, do you agree? Are you building patches with the editors and building the same stuff for a true comparison or just browsing user submitted patches and seeing which has the best library for your needs?
Click to expand...
I'd love the C4 to be as good as (or better than) the FI, mostly for footprint reasons. Still have to dive deeper into it and I wish I found the enerygy to whip up a video - I forgot how much time you lose setting up a proper A/B video test.

Findings of yesterdays testing:
- when using single OSC, no filter the FI sounds 99% like my ModelD. The C4 about 85% - mostly because I can't get the ADSR to react the same as the FI. The SY300 sounds about 30% like a real synth.
- when using more OSCs (like eg: a square, slightly detuned saw and a square one octave below, also slightly detuned) there is a bigger difference in how the analog sounds vs the digital pedals. A tiny bit of detuning on the ModelD makes the sound fat and big. On the C4 I need only a bit of detune (127 is unisono, 147 makes it wobble) but it is not as fat. On the FI I needed to go to +/-30 on the fine AND beat parameters and it's still not really convincing (to my ears).


The C4 Neuro app is driving me crazy that I a) don't have all the parameters on one screen and b) they don't support mouse wheel - when being in a creative zone that sort of left/right-brain switching throws me off.



Herwig
 
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#36
DeadPoet said:
Been comparing all day between my FI & C4 and a Behringer Model D. I kind of forgot how great the raw sounds of the FI are. Might post a video later but it's quite stunning how close the FI SQR and SAW are to the ModelD (one might saw almost identical but that would be blasphemy!).
C4 is close but I can't get the envelope (VCA not VCF) to respond the same.
Tracking on the C4 seems better - the 'jumpy' notes in the FI keep distracting me.


Soundwise the SY300 is laughable compared to the other two. Polyphony and ease of editing is a big plus though.
Click to expand...
What did you find laughable about the SY300? Asking becuase I just returned my C4 and am curious about the Boss SY-1.
 
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#37
Grapevine921 said:
What did you find laughable about the SY300? Asking becuase I just returned my C4 and am curious about the Boss SY-1.
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Hi, sorry, been away from the msg board for a few weeks.


The way the SY-300 handles note-off information is waaaaay off. Everything you play seems like it has some kind of decay instead of a clear cut off point.

Also the basic OSC sounds are nothing like the FI, ModelD or C4.


Polyphony is pretty neat though.
 
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