Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-15 by Jon
Other than the ROM changes and the switch to 16-bit, any other changes? more effects?
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Differences between the VFX and SD-1
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-15 by Bob S.
Read this for what you
want:
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----- Original Message -----From: JonSent: Monday, March 15, 2010 4:20 AMSubject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1Other than the ROM changes and the switch to 16-bit, any other changes? more effects?
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-16 by Joe McMahon
Hi, Jon - let me give you the right-brain assessment.
I own both a VFXsd and an SD-1/32. The VFX aftertouch is more sensitive and softer; you really have to go at it with the SD-1, even with the sensitivity cranked up to the softest setting.
The SD-1 is a lot quieter overall; the background noise that the VFXsd tends to have when nothing's playing is almost gone. The front-panel feel is identical.
Soundwise, the biggest addition for me was the new solo string waveform; we now have a pretty reasonable solo violin and cello (the cello patch that's in the SD-1 ROM is particularly expressive with aftertouch).
The SD-1 can be forced into 21-voice (24-voice?) mode depending on which kind of sequences you load - apparently "old" sequences will put it back in the less-voices mode. I can vouch for this as I have old sequences that actually depend on the voice-stealing algorithm to achieve certain effects, and these still work on the SD-1. The problem is that there's no way to pull something up that says "YOU ARE IN 32 VOICE MODE"; I have the feeling that most of my new sequences are also in 21/24 voice mode, but I can't really tell - anyone have an easy way to check this?
There are more effects - but none of them stand out for me enough to remember what they are. Still has that lovely chorus that the VFX has.
Generally, the VFX feels more "gentle" than the SD-1. I think that's mostly the aftertouch, as I mentioned.
I own both a VFXsd and an SD-1/32. The VFX aftertouch is more sensitive and softer; you really have to go at it with the SD-1, even with the sensitivity cranked up to the softest setting.
The SD-1 is a lot quieter overall; the background noise that the VFXsd tends to have when nothing's playing is almost gone. The front-panel feel is identical.
Soundwise, the biggest addition for me was the new solo string waveform; we now have a pretty reasonable solo violin and cello (the cello patch that's in the SD-1 ROM is particularly expressive with aftertouch).
The SD-1 can be forced into 21-voice (24-voice?) mode depending on which kind of sequences you load - apparently "old" sequences will put it back in the less-voices mode. I can vouch for this as I have old sequences that actually depend on the voice-stealing algorithm to achieve certain effects, and these still work on the SD-1. The problem is that there's no way to pull something up that says "YOU ARE IN 32 VOICE MODE"; I have the feeling that most of my new sequences are also in 21/24 voice mode, but I can't really tell - anyone have an easy way to check this?
There are more effects - but none of them stand out for me enough to remember what they are. Still has that lovely chorus that the VFX has.
Generally, the VFX feels more "gentle" than the SD-1. I think that's mostly the aftertouch, as I mentioned.
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-16 by Jon Carroll
Because of the music i do I'm wondering if there's a distortion hooked into something other than the Leslie effect.... Does the SD-1 have extra outputs or anything? I'm considering building up or buying a stereo resonant low-pass filter... ----- Original Message -----
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From: "Joe McMahon" <joe.mcmahon@...> To: <Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 5:03 PM Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1 > Hi, Jon - let me give you the right-brain assessment. > > I own both a VFXsd and an SD-1/32. The VFX aftertouch is more sensitive > and > softer; you really have to go at it with the SD-1, even with the > sensitivity > cranked up to the softest setting. > > The SD-1 is a lot quieter overall; the background noise that the VFXsd > tends > to have when nothing's playing is almost gone. The front-panel feel is > identical. > > Soundwise, the biggest addition for me was the new solo string waveform; > we > now have a pretty reasonable solo violin and cello (the cello patch that's > in the SD-1 ROM is particularly expressive with aftertouch). > > The SD-1 can be forced into 21-voice (24-voice?) mode depending on which > kind of sequences you load - apparently "old" sequences will put it back > in > the less-voices mode. I can vouch for this as I have old sequences that > actually depend on the voice-stealing algorithm to achieve certain > effects, > and these still work on the SD-1. The problem is that there's no way to > pull > something up that says "YOU ARE IN 32 VOICE MODE"; I have the feeling that > most of my new sequences are also in 21/24 voice mode, but I can't really > tell - anyone have an easy way to check this? > > There are more effects - but none of them stand out for me enough to > remember what they are. Still has that lovely chorus that the VFX has. > > Generally, the VFX feels more "gentle" than the SD-1. I think that's > mostly > the aftertouch, as I mentioned. >
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-16 by Joe McMahon
On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 5:08 PM, Jon Carroll <joncarroll@...> wrote:
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Because of the music i do I'm wondering if there's a distortion hooked into
something other than the Leslie effect....
Does the SD-1 have extra outputs or anything? I';m considering building up or
buying a stereo resonant low-pass filter...
Same as the VFX - the two (effected) primaries and the (uneffected) secondaries.
I've had good experiences routing the secondaries to a Lexicon Vortex as a now-for-something-completely-different external processor; I'd think the resonant filter would be pretty good for this too. Extra special coolness points if you can make the filter track the incoming MIDI note ... :)
I've had good experiences routing the secondaries to a Lexicon Vortex as a now-for-something-completely-different external processor; I'd think the resonant filter would be pretty good for this too. Extra special coolness points if you can make the filter track the incoming MIDI note ... :)
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-03-16 by Jon Carroll
That's pretty much what i am looking for / doing- an affordable resonant low pass filter that i can envelope and trigger the envelope from a MIDI trigger. The Waldorf X-Pole and Sherman filters are a little pricey for me to use on a VFX (A $500+ filter on a $150 VFX would be kinda funny). I've done some experimenting with doing it in my DAW but i'd prefer a filter. I may end up building a little analog lowpass filter as a side project just 'cause. ----- Original Message -----
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From: "Joe McMahon" <joe.mcmahon@...> To: <Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 5:24 PM Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Differences between the VFX and SD-1 > On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 5:08 PM, Jon Carroll < > joncarroll@...> wrote: > >> >> >> Because of the music i do I'm wondering if there's a distortion hooked >> into >> >> something other than the Leslie effect.... >> >> Does the SD-1 have extra outputs or anything? I'm considering building up >> or >> buying a stereo resonant low-pass filter... >> > Same as the VFX - the two (effected) primaries and the (uneffected) > secondaries. > > I've had good experiences routing the secondaries to a Lexicon Vortex as a > now-for-something-completely-different external processor; I'd think the > resonant filter would be pretty good for this too. Extra special coolness > points if you can make the filter track the incoming MIDI note ... :) >
Re: Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-04-04 by Quazimodo
Do they share the same keyboard circuit, anyone know? I have an SD1 with a faulty keyboard circuit. Would a VFX do as a source of spares? Cheers. TOM --- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Jon" <joncarroll@...> wrote:
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> > Other than the ROM changes and the switch to 16-bit, any other changes? more effects? >
Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] Re: Differences between the VFX and SD-1
2010-04-05 by Joe McMahon
On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 5:13 AM, Quazimodo <noddyspuncture@...> wrote:
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Do they share the same keyboard circuit, anyone know? I have an SD1 with a faulty keyboard circuit. Would a VFX do as a source of spares?
I think so but I'm not 100% sure. You might check in with thesoniq@... on that.