Great video as always! I'd like to mention the DeepMind 12 as it can also be a true stereo poly-synths, even though there is no button for it on the panel. By putting it in Unison-2 mode (and reducing it to 6-voice polyphony), you can pan unison voices and apply different modulation to each panned voice. The result is a rich chorus-y effect with a wide stereo field. And the screen will show you all the modulation patching, which is great for figuring out what's going on.
I can describe the sound of it, after owning it for almost 2 years, as lush and warm and pristine all at the same time. Usually pristine and clean tends to be brittle and sharp but the Super 6 somehow oozes warmth and punch while still remains clean and clear. It also directly contributes to how it sits better in the mix compared to my other synths.
@@P-S-T In my current setup I have a Moog Matriarch, Kodamo Essence FM, GR-1 Granuar synth and some Virtual instruments. I did own more vintage gear in the past like a Juno 106, Oberheim OB8 etc. but since moved away from that.
Your reviews / opinions are one of the best here on UA-cam. I really dig your editing/style etc. How you try not to sell anything but also to remain highly informative. You cut the crap, no idiotic joke. Just the Synth! Hope your channel will grow even bigger.
@@dankeplace Of course they don’t sound the same, genius. But having the same basic architecture (Hybrid: FPGAs + analog filters) is not “nothing alike”, though. S6 is voiced brighter, different UI, far fewer voices, significantly more expensive. “Binaural” is just marketing hype for stereo.
I bought the desktop module recently and I love it. All of my other synths have panels, so it is interesting not even having a little strip. It is one of my favorite synths now, I just really like the sound and the layout.
I am getting mine in 12 days or so, they've fixed the voice allocation panning with round ribbon, I think this is an amazing bit of gear and look forward to having it sit on my desk.
Hi Tim - Love your videos as always ❤ I've had a Super 6 keyboard for ages and probably not got as far with it as you 😊 I think the features they had added have started to exceed the controls on the unit. I wouldn't be suprised to see a S6 Mk II with more controls or even a screen 😲 However, I love it for the sound and the LACK of a screen. You really, really can't beat one-knob-per-function. I have always thought electronic music lends itself to stereo positioning at least. Suzanne Ciani performs in quad - NOT surround - which must be an amazing experience. Anything that gets you somewhere close to that is a Good Thing. Hope you get to keep it forever. Look forward to more videos...
Yes - what does the Super6 do, that the Summit (with firmware updates) can’t … ?! Both FPGA … both analog filters … the only obvious differences are the higher price, and the fewer voices/keys, of the Super6 … !! 🧐🤔🙃
@@kierenmoore3236 Summit seems like a beast, but to me personally it seems easier to get quick results with the Super 6. The front panel is way more beautiful as well (not that everyone cares, but to me it's more inspiring to work on a gorgeous looking instrument). No shade on the Summit tho, both are awesome instruments.
@@trackaccino5724 Yes - the Super6 seems more focused/limited. I guess the above is a question for the designer, really. The other main differences I didn’t mention above were that (to my ear) the S6 tends towards brighter/grainer sounds, whereas the Summit tends to have a darker tone … and the Summit of course does more/has more synth engines (wavetables, gorgeous Reverb, etc). I’d love to know why the S6 is so much more expensive, when it has a similar (but more limited and fewer voice) architecture?! I presume the Gemini is basically an S6 with more voices, ribbon and polyAT? … and a higher price tag again, of course. Edit: I don’t like the mod stick at all on the S6 KB. Not sure whether the Gemini is better in this respect?
@@kierenmoore3236 the price is not only a reflection of the spec sheets, which should be obvious. If the bang for the buck was the only criteria for decision making, then there should be no need to look past the Hydrasynth. S6 appeals to me immensely more than the Summitt, for reasons mostly outside of the spec sheet.
@@kierenmoore3236 The mod stick is very disappointing. Standard Mod and pitch wheels are well proven as a good choice, with very few if any, superior alternatives especially the new trend to put them farther up and away from your immediate left. The price tags on all his instruments, are very high. I do not have info on a lot of the expense/materials in UDO versus Novation, but Novation has a poor quality keybed, I believe Summit does not have poly after touch. UDO has more expensive hardware knobs sliders, build etc., so this will effect price. There is a customer base for better luxurious stuff. Rolls Royce has no difficulty selling cars. There does appear to be a major difference in the audio output between these two devices with regard to purity of tone at extreme high frequencies, which always means higher quality D-to-A and analog output stages. My guess is that cost is higher to produce UDO...they're also a lot smaller than Novation which adds more cost as well.
Tim. I’m super excited that you have done this video. I recently got a super 6 and I adore it and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Now, for the next 57min the house will get a good clean 😂 where’s my 🎧 ...
Wonderful overview. Thank you for clearly moving through the functions of the S6 - this is your style and approach, and it is appreciated, as so many videos are unclear in their demonstration of a function that is spoken about. I think the S6 needs an in house UDO tablet editor, that works seamlessly in real-time, addressing the hidden functions, low patch storage, and mysteriously difficulty to reeves engineer mod matrix. And in a couple of years a Mk2 - that addresses the missed one knob per function updates. I would re-purchase. And, I would describe the sound as delicate, diaphanous and harrowing. But I’m being silly now. Thanks heaps for another great vid. Saving pennies for an STVC because of your wonder full video.
Always presenting stuff in a very interesting and different way, Tim, and always enjoyable to watch. Not that I have any knowledge of video editing, but I particularly enjoy the lighting, processing, or whatever it is you use in your videos. It is somehow grainy and clear all in one. It never feels like a spotlight is blasting massive contrast and making the video harsh.
This synth in blue is my dream synth 100% since its announcement. There’s a lot of boards I love but this one is the chief. I love the sound signature and the no-nonsense layout.
Nicely done sir, especially in a short space of time. I'm partial to a spot of the Super 6. Btw - what's that box with "ursa major" written on it in the background at 52:16?
Thank You! I think I used a Ursa Major Space Station 30 years ago, and haven't been able to think of what it was called or who made it... until now! ...and I've spent hours trying to figure it out over the years...! Mystery Solved!
Hey, nice video. You missed a cool trick with the LFO. Once you set the LFO to match the oscillator waveform, you can change the oscillator waveform again, and the LFO will remained locked to the previously set waveform. It is even stored in the preset. Basically, the LFO can be any shape regardless of the shape of the oscillator.
Grait video Tim as usual, feeling this synth like something "pure" in vintage terms, but without emulathing anything. Thank you very much for your work.
3:50 The amount of depth, richness, and lusciousness on display here is remarkable. You really do make this synth sing, and this "short" video is one that I'd call a prime seller of the synth.
3:50 - 5:08, to be specific. This part starts out sounding quite good, then just builds into a deeper and deeper, soul-searching sound that, again, starts out good and gets so much better with each moment that passes. Man of man, what a hell of a demo of this synth, Tim.
A great "first thoughts" on a fantastic synth. I guess you gave precious hints and comments to the UDO creators (e.g. for firmware improvements). Nevertheless I fully agree regarding the user interface ... either "knob per function" (as Grandmother/Matriarch) or display (as Hydrasynth or Summit/Peak). An interesting synth but "if" then I would vote for the "Kyra".
Nice that you mentioned the supersaw … this thing reminds me SO MUCH of my Roland JP-8080. Even most of the knobs and sliders are in similar positions. At 5U rackspace, the Roland is slightly less massive than the 7U UDO though.
Great “non” review Tim thanks. I’ve learnt a lot and enjoyed retracing your path on my own super6. It was a helpful reset on the hidden complexity of the synth. Totally agree the sound is lush and it’s super easy to get amazing sounds out of it without even trying!
The Waldorf Kyra had sync issues. The arpeggiator would not sync. It also had bugs and would not start via midi in sync. I liked the sound but returned it. Not sure if that was addressed by Waldorf and fixed. I tested it extensively 1+ years ago.
I am glad you mention the misconception of the binaural word. I have had those same thoughts since the launch of the Super 6, but chose to keep my mouth shut so I didn't step on any toes. Thanks for your honesty. Still a great synth though.
Thank you Mr. Shoebridge. You have a very good approach, and to me your reviews, together with Nick from Sonic State and Ujiie are simply the best on YT. I like and own the Kyra, but I don't like the UDO. That is because the UDO seems to poor the same 'binaural' sauce on every patch as soon as used...
I’ve had mine for about 6 months now and I don’t really use Manual mode too often. I tend to prefer starting with an init patch and going from there. Much more practical in my experience
It's most suited to a playing and tweeking performance, like George Hearne does. Thing is, it really sounds lovely - best synth I have ever played. Bass is so deep and thunderous.
Hi Tim, thanks for your review. Would you mind updating us about the bugs you encountered? I’m curious to know if any of them have been addressed in firmware updates.
hey! this is awesome! thanks! one little thing with the binaural mode. not on all patches the sound pans, sometimes when you turn binaural off you get one sound on left and other on the right and they dont pan at all. so is about the settings of each pad. i have mine for 2 weeks and im just switching pads and tweaking them to get magnificent results. im delighted by its sound! thanks again for this tutorial. will help me a lot!!
I come from the modular world and I wanted to have a polyphonic keyboard synth that gives me the same feeling as a puristic analog module. With the Super 6, I have found what I wanted and I don't regret this decision. It has some flaws, but my Tempest has more.
Thanks for this very thorough video and your thoughts on this synth. I’ve had mine for about 6 months and I love bits of it immensely, but I do find some of its « quirks » or « niggles » as you call them to be quite annoying (having no way to see where a value is set in a patch, for instance). I’d really love for UDO to build some sort of plug-in to at least give us the possibility to see them when connected to a computer for fine control. I’d gladly pay a small fee for such a plug-in as it would basically turn this into my desert island synth.
Thanks for your feedback on this machine. It sounds lovely. Off topic - FYI from someone in the states: the term "bless your/his/her heart" is not complementary, in the south. It's tantamount to calling someone an idiot. I know you didn't mean it that way. Just letting you know.
S6’s “Binaural” just seems to effectively boil down to using LFO1 for stereo voice panning (or ping-pong voice tremolo, if you prefer …). Talk about marketing hype … ?!!
Instant Pink Floyd😎 Thank you for an, as usual, thorough and knowledgeable run through. Being close to pulling the trigger on a Super Gemini (basically two enhanced Super 6 in one box!) I checked out my favourite electronica UA-camrs. However, I was a bit distraught by the fact that you added reverb to the sound. How am I going to assess the sound if you dress it up with reverb? Even if it’s just a “tiny bit”. I am a musician/audio engineer/producer, it is my job to listen to the tiny bits in a sound/mix. Why not crank up the reverb and add a chorus too? That would make almost any pad sound good. I realise that YT sound isn’t “the truth” but please minimise the variables. Sorry about the complaining, but I do it with the best of intentions. Getting closer to the truth. ♬𝄆👏👏👏👏𝄇🎶
@@kierenmoore3236 oh blimey no, it has none of the aliasing, stiffness, harshness or ear fatigue, it's much more on the analog end of the spectrum and allows for much more play in the emotive frequencies...its a very expressive design as opposed to a feature focused one...I'd draw the analogy of it being more of a Moog vibe to the Novation's more Sequential vibe
It seems rare for me to feel the same reaction hearing a synth now as I do when it was first shown off. Usually after a year or so I'll think the sound has been superceded by something new and I'm not a GAS freak and am conscious that just because a synth is newer doesn't mean the 'quality' is better. I think it has something to do with FPGA as all the other synths I've heard using them have always had a more distinct flavor. Anyway, it sounds just as luscious as when I first heard it. I'm glad they went up to 'drastic' with the Drift option.
Not to be rude or annoying, just to prevent possible myths before they born. FPGA as a technology is basically a "programmable hardware logic". It actually has nothing to do with a sound at all, it performs exact same computations as any other processor will do. But using FPGA people build (actually more like "program") processors that are tailored to exact calculations they need for their specific algorithms, so they can perform this computations faster on a cheaper hardware. Cheaper compare to general purpose processor like Intel and AMD stuff. When you say that FPGA synths has a distinct flavor I believe it's connected more to a level of craftsmanship and expertise needed to create such synth. It's not like "I looked 20 schematics of old analog synths and combined some building blocks into a new one". Don't get me wrong there are a lot of good analog synth in the market, but today to build an analog synth is basically a summer project for a geeky college student. But to create an FPGA based digital one you need at least a guy to program FPGA, a guy to program all the algorithms, a guy to design a complex digital + analog circuit (you anyway need an analog part to produce any sound at all). That's a very high entry level for a team.
@@CHEpachilo Not rude or annoying but informative, thanks. I should've been more clear, not that FPGA has its own distinct flavor but how each synth using is individually programmed. Unfortunately it's been awhile and I can't think of the other synths I heard them...except for the guy that built a h/w unit based on an old Reaktor patch...sounded like Prism iirc, and a guy that made a Waldorf clone, or maybe a Virus clone... Trying to remember from NAMM coverage from previous years ago
@@Nomo_Popo It's very funny that you mentioned Reaktor. No longer than yesterday I convert Super 6 oscillator waveforms to a Reaktor compatible format and post it at User Library and right now I'm sitting in front of Reaktor coding funny stereo oscillator based on waveforms that has 7 detuned voices with stereo spread...
@@CHEpachilo Sorry for not replying sooner. I noticed the notification much later but couldn't check it the whole thing and then I forgot until now. Gonna check the library for it now. Cool!
@@CHEpachiloAgreed.. Just to expand on that, it's effectively embedding the instructions into hardware so that they do not have to be interpreted prior to execution. Less load lends to more capabilities, generates less heat, which leads to longer expected operational lifetime.
I owned a Super 6 for nearly half a year ... and i was impressed and excited for one month, but then my excitement changed to mixed emotions about the unreliability, several bugs/problems (including design flaws that are impossible to fix via firmware updated) and bad support. It ended up in pure frustration after 3 months, so bad that i didn't turn it on for weeks to prevent me from anger. After I realized, that the biggest advantage (binaural sound) is only audible in some dedicated patches and only if the synth playes solo, the decision was easy to stop this experiment and change to another synth with a better UI/system design and much more joy while playing real music.
I have super 6, prophet 10 and OB-X8. Really like the sound of super 6, but since I bought OB-X8, I have no space for super 6 so I will sell it. What synth will you buy instead?
@@P-S-T I've bought an ASM Hydrasynth instead and was really happy with it (especially the very special joy of playing with polyphonic aftertouch) ... till the Walford Iridium Keyboard came out. 🙈 Unfortunately I have not enough space for both.
After having dedicated about a week to both the OB-X8 and the Super 6, the winner is the OB. The quality and tone of the OB-X8 are phenomenal. Things that killed the Super 6: Slider's resistance was all over the place. The binaural is a waste of 6 voices, and audio anomalies are frustrating. It’s a cool synth, but it needs to be cheaper for what it is. Not sure what this synth us about.
Sold mine as well after one year. Hardware as designed is strictly limiting any software improvements. I am still on the search for a decent poly synth.
How I would love a Summit v Super6 comparison video, from you … !! 🙏🏼😔💭 They are the obvious, high-end contenders in this space … yet, no good comparison of them on YT … I’m not sure exactly where (if) the (relatively new) Gemini fits in, here …
Someone made a software editor which I use to get around the 'cannot remember how mod matrix was setup on patches I made a while ago or from other people' issue.
Nice, Recently I have been playing with my Summit and also in eurorack setup to create wide stereo fields. All good but I find it difficult to make full tracks with with such wide stereo sounds. for minimal works these wide stereo synth pads, effects sounds are gorgeous. Opens slow lane to Astral Projection, 🙂 ps: heavens will be If I could manipulate two Prophet 5s for stereo widening, phasing etc....
@@TimShoebridge Thanks Tim. They get good reviews for sound from the serious headphone geeks, for the money (eg Google ‘Crinacle headphone ranking list’). Cheers!
That was a lot of info for a "non-review"! I've been following the development of the Super 6 since it's announcement and finally demo'd one at NAMM. It really is packed with a lot more features than meets the eye, but I felt the "biaural" feature was marketing hype. The Waldorf Q has 2 filters that can be configured in series or parallel and arranged in the stereo field. Even the Roland JP-8000 has an amazing pan feature for spreading the stereo field (and a great supersaw oscillator). The Oberheim OB8 has a lot of cool page 2 functions in which the phase of the oscillators can be inverted and the filter and amp of the 8 voices can be 90 or 180 degrees out of phase. The voice allocation on the OB8 is rotary mode, so each key press cycles through successive voice cards. On the Xpander, you can select "reset" instead of "rotary" so that the same key pressed triggers the same voice at the same point in the stereo field. I would imagine that additional voice modes for the Super 6 could be made in a software update. Overall, I felt the Super 6 had lackluster sounds and was overpriced, compared to the Hydrasynth Deluxe that I had just demo'd moments before. I guess that experience with the full keyboard with polyaftertouch for less money biased me. Thanks for the "review." It always helps to hear all the pros and cons.
Thankfully the OB-X8 also retains those pan spreading features (in page 2 of course). The PolyBrute also has some stereo panning features including the ability to map each filter type to a channel. Frankly, I think this should be standard on all poly synths 😁
Hi, wedream2 … Thanks for your comments. Do you have experience with the Summit?! I’m really curious as to how these 2 compare … They seem very, very similar (especially after all the Summit firmware updates). The Super6 is more expensive, tho’ … with fewer voices and keys … 🧐🤔
This is subjective, but I think the S6 just sounds better than the Summit. Hands down. Less subjectively, the S6 has a better build quality/more durable materials and better keybed.
@@FakeGlasses Summit building Quality has no issues. it has a great keybed as well. Sound is subjective but i cant see damn thing Summit cant do S6 does well.
@@FakeGlasses You must just like ‘brighter’ sounds … to some, brighter means ‘thin’ … Subjective. Your conclusion re build quality is based on what, exactly … ?! ☺️ The Summit is solidly built.
For this kind of thing the BM just creates too big files, I just don't need the quality most of the time. Shooting here with 2 x GH5s plus an S5 I'm trying out as I've almost become brainwashed by now that I need FF... which I don't! 🤣
Nice review as usual, great vids. At 41mn manual mode "attack" not being direct is because you had the envelope inverted and some decay I presume? Not a bug maybe? cheers
@@TimShoebridge my bad... I "missread" the video, I double checked and you are right. Well, then same as you, no idea, kind of weird indeed :s Still, an amzaing sounding synth I agree with your conclusion :)
I really love the industrial design of this synth, one of the best among all the synths I've ever seen. It's so modern so beautiful. It's like a combination of Roland and Sequential lol.
Hi, sorry I don't get notified of every comment. The keyboard is a Kawai MP9000. I love the keyboard action, it's a grand piano hammer action. Only downside is no aftertouch.
@@TimShoebridge Amazing thanks tim. Also wanted to say thanks for all your hard work with the vids. Always amazing quality and content, big fan from australia.
The Super 5 is MAGICAL! Completely blew my plan to buy SUMMIT. And PolyBrute must be limited, given the combo of hybrid and wave tables that Summit can do; the pallet on the super 6 must be far greater, I would think. Kyra has no MAGICAL, and I’d end up committed to an asylum from tiny screen and PAGING AND PAGING
Thank you! I’m interested in selling my Nord Wave 2 to buy a Super 6 desktop. I want to make trancey unison-detune poly/plucks patches, like a luxury Access Virus, but nobody who reviews/first impressions the Super 6 ever seems to focus on or care about those kinds of sounds!
So its a way to implement polyphonic unison (think Nord A1) but it reduces voices buy two and requires you to modulate something with lfo 1? Sounds like a cheap way of doing unison.
@@symbiat0 It has the best weighted grand piano action in any controller I have ever played. But on the downside there is no aftertouch, not that I am a great fan of mono aftertouch anyway...
A good Binaural APP allows you to place the sound at a spot in space and your brain says YEP, THAT IS WHERE IT IS…right over there to the right and up 12 feet in air. I’m really asking… Isn’t that the brain trick being played OR is it horizontal plane only ?
Our ears are very good at identifying the source of sound both horizontally and vertically. There are ever so subtle changes in emphasis at different frequencies. So yes, proper binaural software can emulate this, but everyone's ears are different so it's a very complex science.
I can only imagine; mine protrude a bit--I know they capture sound in odd fashion. IT's pretty amazing that a a software can create the illusion in or heads and, generally, be convincing. I've always thought you must be an engineer... @@TimShoebridge
Amazing video Tim! If you had to choose between OB6 and Super6 for epic cinematic soundtracks (think blad runner), which would you choose? This super6 reminded me of OB6 very much. Which synth sounds more in that direction that i asked? Which sounds more lovely in general and which is more versatile? Many thanks!
I had a UDO S6 for a time. (the full KB) but the lack of a display killed it for me. I don't mean every synth needs a display, but the modulation routings I'd forget, among other Tim's mentioned things (remembering patch numbers, knowing secondary slider position, etc... ) If I need a notepad next to my modern synth to know my own patches then It needs a (even tiny) display. Additionally the patch storage limit is small at 128 if memory serves. Hands on experience is wonderful, but simplicity for the sake of simplicity isn't always the right decision. Tim's discovery of the sticky pan spread algorithm was something I never came across - but it's odd for sure.
Great video as always!
I'd like to mention the DeepMind 12 as it can also be a true stereo poly-synths, even though there is no button for it on the panel. By putting it in Unison-2 mode (and reducing it to 6-voice polyphony), you can pan unison voices and apply different modulation to each panned voice. The result is a rich chorus-y effect with a wide stereo field. And the screen will show you all the modulation patching, which is great for figuring out what's going on.
I can describe the sound of it, after owning it for almost 2 years, as lush and warm and pristine all at the same time. Usually pristine and clean tends to be brittle and sharp but the Super 6 somehow oozes warmth and punch while still remains clean and clear. It also directly contributes to how it sits better in the mix compared to my other synths.
What other synths do you use?
@@P-S-T In my current setup I have a Moog Matriarch, Kodamo Essence FM, GR-1 Granuar synth and some Virtual instruments. I did own more vintage gear in the past like a Juno 106, Oberheim OB8 etc. but since moved away from that.
@@Handheldsounds that's my exact dream setup! What do you think of the kodamo?
@@tristan_mcdonald The Kodamo doesn't get enough press but it's pretty amazing.
Could not agree more 👏🏻👏🏻
Your reviews / opinions are one of the best here on UA-cam. I really dig your editing/style etc. How you try not to sell anything but also to remain highly informative. You cut the crap, no idiotic joke. Just the Synth! Hope your channel will grow even bigger.
nice video Tim, makes me want to go back to my Super 6 which I haven't used in a while. It is a great synth
Matt, you inspired me to get one. You have to get back on it!
Super6 just seems a lot like the Summit (which at least has a very nice reverb) … just more expensive, but with less voices and keys … !! 🧐🤔🙃
@@kierenmoore3236 no, they're nothing alike, just because they use FPGA, doesn't mean they sound the same.
@@dankeplace Of course they don’t sound the same, genius. But having the same basic architecture (Hybrid: FPGAs + analog filters) is not “nothing alike”, though.
S6 is voiced brighter, different UI, far fewer voices, significantly more expensive. “Binaural” is just marketing hype for stereo.
I bought the desktop module recently and I love it. All of my other synths have panels, so it is interesting not even having a little strip. It is one of my favorite synths now, I just really like the sound and the layout.
First synth I played for 15 minutes at the store and paid for immediately
I am getting mine in 12 days or so, they've fixed the voice allocation panning with round ribbon, I think this is an amazing bit of gear and look forward to having it sit on my desk.
Hi Tim - Love your videos as always ❤ I've had a Super 6 keyboard for ages and probably not got as far with it as you 😊 I think the features they had added have started to exceed the controls on the unit. I wouldn't be suprised to see a S6 Mk II with more controls or even a screen 😲 However, I love it for the sound and the LACK of a screen. You really, really can't beat one-knob-per-function. I have always thought electronic music lends itself to stereo positioning at least. Suzanne Ciani performs in quad - NOT surround - which must be an amazing experience. Anything that gets you somewhere close to that is a Good Thing. Hope you get to keep it forever. Look forward to more videos...
Looks like your theory was proven right with the Super Gemini!
@@thegreaterconundrum Hi John - Yeah, looks cool. Probably won't tempt me from my 6, though 😊
The Novation Summit would be another real contender for this synth, also FPGA hybrid analogue filters, but with wavetables.
Yes - what does the Super6 do, that the Summit (with firmware updates) can’t … ?!
Both FPGA … both analog filters … the only obvious differences are the higher price, and the fewer voices/keys, of the Super6 … !! 🧐🤔🙃
@@kierenmoore3236 Summit seems like a beast, but to me personally it seems easier to get quick results with the Super 6. The front panel is way more beautiful as well (not that everyone cares, but to me it's more inspiring to work on a gorgeous looking instrument). No shade on the Summit tho, both are awesome instruments.
@@trackaccino5724 Yes - the Super6 seems more focused/limited. I guess the above is a question for the designer, really. The other main differences I didn’t mention above were that (to my ear) the S6 tends towards brighter/grainer sounds, whereas the Summit tends to have a darker tone … and the Summit of course does more/has more synth engines (wavetables, gorgeous Reverb, etc). I’d love to know why the S6 is so much more expensive, when it has a similar (but more limited and fewer voice) architecture?! I presume the Gemini is basically an S6 with more voices, ribbon and polyAT? … and a higher price tag again, of course. Edit: I don’t like the mod stick at all on the S6 KB. Not sure whether the Gemini is better in this respect?
@@kierenmoore3236 the price is not only a reflection of the spec sheets, which should be obvious. If the bang for the buck was the only criteria for decision making, then there should be no need to look past the Hydrasynth. S6 appeals to me immensely more than the Summitt, for reasons mostly outside of the spec sheet.
@@kierenmoore3236 The mod stick is very disappointing. Standard Mod and pitch wheels are well proven as a good choice, with very few if any, superior alternatives especially the new trend to put them farther up and away from your immediate left. The price tags on all his instruments, are very high. I do not have info on a lot of the expense/materials in UDO versus Novation, but Novation has a poor quality keybed, I believe Summit does not have poly after touch. UDO has more expensive hardware knobs sliders, build etc., so this will effect price. There is a customer base for better luxurious stuff. Rolls Royce has no difficulty selling cars. There does appear to be a major difference in the audio output between these two devices with regard to purity of tone at extreme high frequencies, which always means higher quality D-to-A and analog output stages. My guess is that cost is higher to produce UDO...they're also a lot smaller than Novation which adds more cost as well.
Tim. I’m super excited that you have done this video. I recently got a super 6 and I adore it and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Now, for the next 57min the house will get a good clean 😂 where’s my 🎧 ...
Wonderful overview. Thank you for clearly moving through the functions of the S6 - this is your style and approach, and it is appreciated, as so many videos are unclear in their demonstration of a function that is spoken about. I think the S6 needs an in house UDO tablet editor, that works seamlessly in real-time, addressing the hidden functions, low patch storage, and mysteriously difficulty to reeves engineer mod matrix. And in a couple of years a Mk2 - that addresses the missed one knob per function updates. I would re-purchase. And, I would describe the sound as delicate, diaphanous and harrowing. But I’m being silly now. Thanks heaps for another great vid. Saving pennies for an STVC because of your wonder full video.
Always presenting stuff in a very interesting and different way, Tim, and always enjoyable to watch. Not that I have any knowledge of video editing, but I particularly enjoy the lighting, processing, or whatever it is you use in your videos. It is somehow grainy and clear all in one. It never feels like a spotlight is blasting massive contrast and making the video harsh.
all seems depressive and sad, dark cave with spiders... :)
This synth in blue is my dream synth 100% since its announcement. There’s a lot of boards I love but this one is the chief. I love the sound signature and the no-nonsense layout.
Nicely done sir, especially in a short space of time. I'm partial to a spot of the Super 6.
Btw - what's that box with "ursa major" written on it in the background at 52:16?
That's a star gate to AudiPilz's reviews
Thank You!
I think I used a Ursa Major Space Station 30 years ago, and haven't been able to think of what it was called or who made it... until now! ...and I've spent hours trying to figure it out over the years...! Mystery Solved!
@@dankeplace best comment 😎👍
I've got two vintage Ursa Major FX in the studio at the moment. Neither look anything like that. Intrigued as to what it is.
@@AlexBallMusic Ahhh, very sorry to disappoint but it's a very boring thing, it's just an anti-static brush for my turntable😂
Always waiting for your experienced opinion about the new gear 👍
Hey, nice video. You missed a cool trick with the LFO. Once you set the LFO to match the oscillator waveform, you can change the oscillator waveform again, and the LFO will remained locked to the previously set waveform. It is even stored in the preset. Basically, the LFO can be any shape regardless of the shape of the oscillator.
I've been waiting what felt like forever for you to make this video. 🖤
ahhh, the issue with the panning has gotten me so many times. Thank you for explaining what's going on there! Glad to know it's not just me!
Grait video Tim as usual, feeling this synth like something "pure" in vintage terms, but without emulathing anything. Thank you very much for your work.
3:50 The amount of depth, richness, and lusciousness on display here is remarkable. You really do make this synth sing, and this "short" video is one that I'd call a prime seller of the synth.
3:50 - 5:08, to be specific. This part starts out sounding quite good, then just builds into a deeper and deeper, soul-searching sound that, again, starts out good and gets so much better with each moment that passes.
Man of man, what a hell of a demo of this synth, Tim.
A great "first thoughts" on a fantastic synth. I guess you gave precious hints and comments to the UDO creators (e.g. for firmware improvements). Nevertheless I fully agree regarding the user interface ... either "knob per function" (as Grandmother/Matriarch) or display (as Hydrasynth or Summit/Peak). An interesting synth but "if" then I would vote for the "Kyra".
Nice that you mentioned the supersaw … this thing reminds me SO MUCH of my Roland JP-8080. Even most of the knobs and sliders are in similar positions. At 5U rackspace, the Roland is slightly less massive than the 7U UDO though.
Great “non” review Tim thanks. I’ve learnt a lot and enjoyed retracing your path on my own super6. It was a helpful reset on the hidden complexity of the synth. Totally agree the sound is lush and it’s super easy to get amazing sounds out of it without even trying!
The Waldorf Kyra had sync issues. The arpeggiator would not sync. It also had bugs and would not start via midi in sync. I liked the sound but returned it. Not sure if that was addressed by Waldorf and fixed. I tested it extensively 1+ years ago.
the best explanation of the UDO workings
Nice, I just paid for mine tonight. Yours is just one more video making me feel anticipation and excitement for when it's going to arrive.
I am glad you mention the misconception of the binaural word. I have had those same thoughts since the launch of the Super 6, but chose to keep my mouth shut so I didn't step on any toes. Thanks for your honesty. Still a great synth though.
Thank you Mr. Shoebridge. You have a very good approach, and to me your reviews, together with Nick from Sonic State and Ujiie are simply the best on YT. I like and own the Kyra, but I don't like the UDO. That is because the UDO seems to poor the same 'binaural' sauce on every patch as soon as used...
That is a great instrument. I wish I had the room for one . Nice video .
Thank you so much for this video man!
You made my weekend much more interesting!
I’ve had mine for about 6 months now and I don’t really use Manual mode too often. I tend to prefer starting with an init patch and going from there. Much more practical in my experience
A deep view. Thanks for that.
Always excited whenever you release a video Tim ❤ I like the character of this synth, I tried a kyra in person and did not like it.
Great explanation and looks like a interesting synth. I like how it sound, lfo and mod possibility's.
Is there a VST or software editor that could help with visualizing the modulations on a patch ?
It's most suited to a playing and tweeking performance, like George Hearne does. Thing is, it really sounds lovely - best synth I have ever played. Bass is so deep and thunderous.
Hi Tim, thanks for your review. Would you mind updating us about the bugs you encountered? I’m curious to know if any of them have been addressed in firmware updates.
Great - bugs!! … 🐜 🐛 🕷 Yes, what’s happened re these; have they all been resolved, now?!
The Super 6 is phenomenal. Sits alongside the prophet 10, juno 106, ob6 in my setup.
8p is over rated asf
He must have deleted 8p, after you said that … ? lol. Weird … … …
Whats 8p
hey! this is awesome! thanks! one little thing with the binaural mode. not on all patches the sound pans, sometimes when you turn binaural off you get one sound on left and other on the right and they dont pan at all. so is about the settings of each pad. i have mine for 2 weeks and im just switching pads and tweaking them to get magnificent results. im delighted by its sound! thanks again for this tutorial. will help me a lot!!
I'd like one, but I'm all outta spare kidneys...
I come from the modular world and I wanted to have a polyphonic keyboard synth that gives me the same feeling as a puristic analog module. With the Super 6, I have found what I wanted and I don't regret this decision. It has some flaws, but my Tempest has more.
Thks Tim for this superb video .
Do you think you could create a minilgue xd user osc doing this wide super saw thing ?
Thanks for this very thorough video and your thoughts on this synth. I’ve had mine for about 6 months and I love bits of it immensely, but I do find some of its « quirks » or « niggles » as you call them to be quite annoying (having no way to see where a value is set in a patch, for instance). I’d really love for UDO to build some sort of plug-in to at least give us the possibility to see them when connected to a computer for fine control. I’d gladly pay a small fee for such a plug-in as it would basically turn this into my desert island synth.
Superb overview, thanks Tim
It just occurred to me… the color of this synth is Star Wars gray!!!! I knew it reminded me of something
Thanks for your feedback on this machine. It sounds lovely.
Off topic - FYI from someone in the states: the term "bless your/his/her heart" is not complementary, in the south. It's tantamount to calling someone an idiot. I know you didn't mean it that way. Just letting you know.
Thanks for that info, I had no idea.
I never quite understood the binaural aspect of the Super 6. Thanks for explaining. it.
S6’s “Binaural” just seems to effectively boil down to using LFO1 for stereo voice panning (or ping-pong voice tremolo, if you prefer …).
Talk about marketing hype … ?!!
Decent stereo monitoring capabilities, or as the rest of us might say, good speakers. No wonder Tim's videos take so long to get to the point x
Hi Tim. At 55:19 you said: "It's not as deep as...... " what is the name of the synth you mentioned?
Waldorf Kyra
@@TimShoebridge Thank you Tim!
Nice video, Tim! Have you tried the Peak‘s binaural capability since firmware version 2.0?
No, will have to check it out. Thanks for the tip 👍
@@TimShoebridge It‘s in the voice menu (page 2 of 5). You can set the pan position per voice. Then use it in multi mode.
Someone needs to do a comparison of the stereo functions of these two, very-comparable, FPGA/analog-filter synths … !!
This warms the cockles of one's heart
Nice review as ever. Thanks. I’m actually curious about the keyboard you’re playing. I can’t make out what it is. Could you tell me?
Hey thanks. The kbd is a Kawai MP9000.
Aha! Thought it looked nice. Thanks 🙏
Instant Pink Floyd😎
Thank you for an, as usual, thorough and knowledgeable run through.
Being close to pulling the trigger on a Super Gemini
(basically two enhanced Super 6 in one box!)
I checked out my favourite electronica UA-camrs.
However, I was a bit distraught by the fact that you added reverb to the sound.
How am I going to assess the sound if you dress it up with reverb?
Even if it’s just a “tiny bit”.
I am a musician/audio engineer/producer,
it is my job to listen to the tiny bits in a sound/mix.
Why not crank up the reverb and add a chorus too?
That would make almost any pad sound good.
I realise that YT sound isn’t “the truth” but please minimise the variables.
Sorry about the complaining,
but I do it with the best of intentions.
Getting closer to the truth.
♬𝄆👏👏👏👏𝄇🎶
I wish I had room for it, it is pretty large.
Great machine. I'd rather this than the keyboard version. Lovely sound and it looks so cool.
love the video man..awesome..thanks..detailed..powerful synth.
Sonically wipes the floor with the Summit, totally outclasses it!
How is it for basses?
How so?! It’s voiced on the brighter side … That seems to be the main/only difference, lol.
@@ChumpyDumps very good, holds together well and goes pretty low but I run a Minitaur with it for bigger mids bass
@@kierenmoore3236 oh blimey no, it has none of the aliasing, stiffness, harshness or ear fatigue, it's much more on the analog end of the spectrum and allows for much more play in the emotive frequencies...its a very expressive design as opposed to a feature focused one...I'd draw the analogy of it being more of a Moog vibe to the Novation's more Sequential vibe
@@Farold_Haltermeyer Aliasing etc? You must be confused. You can’t generalise brands like that, either.
indeed there is no really manual mode, thank you for your honest review
It seems rare for me to feel the same reaction hearing a synth now as I do when it was first shown off. Usually after a year or so I'll think the sound has been superceded by something new and I'm not a GAS freak and am conscious that just because a synth is newer doesn't mean the 'quality' is better. I think it has something to do with FPGA as all the other synths I've heard using them have always had a more distinct flavor. Anyway, it sounds just as luscious as when I first heard it.
I'm glad they went up to 'drastic' with the Drift option.
Not to be rude or annoying, just to prevent possible myths before they born. FPGA as a technology is basically a "programmable hardware logic". It actually has nothing to do with a sound at all, it performs exact same computations as any other processor will do. But using FPGA people build (actually more like "program") processors that are tailored to exact calculations they need for their specific algorithms, so they can perform this computations faster on a cheaper hardware. Cheaper compare to general purpose processor like Intel and AMD stuff.
When you say that FPGA synths has a distinct flavor I believe it's connected more to a level of craftsmanship and expertise needed to create such synth. It's not like "I looked 20 schematics of old analog synths and combined some building blocks into a new one". Don't get me wrong there are a lot of good analog synth in the market, but today to build an analog synth is basically a summer project for a geeky college student. But to create an FPGA based digital one you need at least a guy to program FPGA, a guy to program all the algorithms, a guy to design a complex digital + analog circuit (you anyway need an analog part to produce any sound at all). That's a very high entry level for a team.
@@CHEpachilo Not rude or annoying but informative, thanks. I should've been more clear, not that FPGA has its own distinct flavor but how each synth using is individually programmed. Unfortunately it's been awhile and I can't think of the other synths I heard them...except for the guy that built a h/w unit based on an old Reaktor patch...sounded like Prism iirc, and a guy that made a Waldorf clone, or maybe a Virus clone... Trying to remember from NAMM coverage from previous years ago
@@Nomo_Popo It's very funny that you mentioned Reaktor. No longer than yesterday I convert Super 6 oscillator waveforms to a Reaktor compatible format and post it at User Library and right now I'm sitting in front of Reaktor coding funny stereo oscillator based on waveforms that has 7 detuned voices with stereo spread...
@@CHEpachilo Sorry for not replying sooner. I noticed the notification much later but couldn't check it the whole thing and then I forgot until now. Gonna check the library for it now. Cool!
@@CHEpachiloAgreed.. Just to expand on that, it's effectively embedding the instructions into hardware so that they do not have to be interpreted prior to execution. Less load lends to more capabilities, generates less heat, which leads to longer expected operational lifetime.
Love my desktop. It really is a beautiful sounding synth.
I owned a Super 6 for nearly half a year ... and i was impressed and excited for one month, but then my excitement changed to mixed emotions about the unreliability, several bugs/problems (including design flaws that are impossible to fix via firmware updated) and bad support. It ended up in pure frustration after 3 months, so bad that i didn't turn it on for weeks to prevent me from anger.
After I realized, that the biggest advantage (binaural sound) is only audible in some dedicated patches and only if the synth playes solo, the decision was easy to stop this experiment and change to another synth with a better UI/system design and much more joy while playing real music.
I have super 6, prophet 10 and OB-X8. Really like the sound of super 6, but since I bought OB-X8, I have no space for super 6 so I will sell it. What synth will you buy instead?
@@P-S-T I've bought an ASM Hydrasynth instead and was really happy with it (especially the very special joy of playing with polyphonic aftertouch) ... till the Walford Iridium Keyboard came out. 🙈
Unfortunately I have not enough space for both.
After having dedicated about a week to both the OB-X8 and the Super 6, the winner is the OB. The quality and tone of the OB-X8 are phenomenal.
Things that killed the Super 6: Slider's resistance was all over the place. The binaural is a waste of 6 voices, and audio anomalies are frustrating. It’s a cool synth, but it needs to be cheaper for what it is. Not sure what this synth us about.
Sold mine as well after one year. Hardware as designed is strictly limiting any software improvements. I am still on the search for a decent poly synth.
Mine works great. Future classic.
Just a fun question. If you had to pick between this synth and an ob6 which you'll you choose and why?
Amazing... I love playing around with these toys. I just dont have the attention span to do anything more than intros and outros of songs etc.
How I would love a Summit v Super6 comparison video, from you … !! 🙏🏼😔💭
They are the obvious, high-end contenders in this space … yet, no good comparison of them on YT …
I’m not sure exactly where (if) the (relatively new) Gemini fits in, here …
Thanks for the detailed review!
Someone made a software editor which I use to get around the 'cannot remember how mod matrix was setup on patches I made a while ago or from other people' issue.
Nice, Recently I have been playing with my Summit and also in eurorack setup to create wide stereo fields. All good but I find it difficult to make full tracks with with such wide stereo sounds. for minimal works these wide stereo synth pads, effects sounds are gorgeous. Opens slow lane to Astral Projection, 🙂
ps: heavens will be If I could manipulate two Prophet 5s for stereo widening, phasing etc....
Hi Tim! AKG K612 Pros? Do you like them/still use them? Cheers! 🙂
@@kierenmoore3236 Yes, nice and light and very comfortable. Starting to become a little loose and floppy though after all this time
@@TimShoebridge Thanks Tim. They get good reviews for sound from the serious headphone geeks, for the money (eg Google ‘Crinacle headphone ranking list’). Cheers!
Did they ever fix the bug with the note trigger at 7+ notes?
Great review, didn't know of the desktop version.
The desktop looks so cool, very roland.
That was a lot of info for a "non-review"! I've been following the development of the Super 6 since it's announcement and finally demo'd one at NAMM. It really is packed with a lot more features than meets the eye, but I felt the "biaural" feature was marketing hype. The Waldorf Q has 2 filters that can be configured in series or parallel and arranged in the stereo field. Even the Roland JP-8000 has an amazing pan feature for spreading the stereo field (and a great supersaw oscillator). The Oberheim OB8 has a lot of cool page 2 functions in which the phase of the oscillators can be inverted and the filter and amp of the 8 voices can be 90 or 180 degrees out of phase. The voice allocation on the OB8 is rotary mode, so each key press cycles through successive voice cards. On the Xpander, you can select "reset" instead of "rotary" so that the same key pressed triggers the same voice at the same point in the stereo field. I would imagine that additional voice modes for the Super 6 could be made in a software update. Overall, I felt the Super 6 had lackluster sounds and was overpriced, compared to the Hydrasynth Deluxe that I had just demo'd moments before. I guess that experience with the full keyboard with polyaftertouch for less money biased me. Thanks for the "review." It always helps to hear all the pros and cons.
Thankfully the OB-X8 also retains those pan spreading features (in page 2 of course). The PolyBrute also has some stereo panning features including the ability to map each filter type to a channel. Frankly, I think this should be standard on all poly synths 😁
@@symbiat0 Agree!
Hi, wedream2 … Thanks for your comments. Do you have experience with the Summit?! I’m really curious as to how these 2 compare … They seem very, very similar (especially after all the Summit firmware updates). The Super6 is more expensive, tho’ … with fewer voices and keys … 🧐🤔
its quite nice
The Novation Summit can do binaural with bi-timbral, and still a FPGA synth and hybrid.
This is subjective, but I think the S6 just sounds better than the Summit. Hands down. Less subjectively, the S6 has a better build quality/more durable materials and better keybed.
@@FakeGlasses Summit building Quality has no issues. it has a great keybed as well. Sound is subjective but i cant see damn thing Summit cant do S6 does well.
Not as good.
@@FakeGlasses You must just like ‘brighter’ sounds … to some, brighter means ‘thin’ … Subjective.
Your conclusion re build quality is based on what, exactly … ?! ☺️ The Summit is solidly built.
@@SPAZZOID100
Subjective conclusions aren’t arguments/substantive.
You do this all over synth-UA-cam-dom … ☺️
What’s your keyboard? I don’t recognise that one.
@stevehunt2125 Kawai MP9000
That opening tune gave me chills. Nice
still shooting blackmagic? 3 camera setup?
For this kind of thing the BM just creates too big files, I just don't need the quality most of the time. Shooting here with 2 x GH5s plus an S5 I'm trying out as I've almost become brainwashed by now that I need FF... which I don't! 🤣
@@TimShoebridge
Photography gear … now there’s an ever evolving/deepening rabbit-hole, lol 📸 ❤️
Nice review as usual, great vids. At 41mn manual mode "attack" not being direct is because you had the envelope inverted and some decay I presume? Not a bug maybe? cheers
Yes but the switch was not set to inverted, it was set to normal 🤷♂️
@@TimShoebridge my bad... I "missread" the video, I double checked and you are right. Well, then same as you, no idea, kind of weird indeed :s Still, an amzaing sounding synth I agree with your conclusion :)
Nice! Super 6 is good but Prophet REV 2 in binaural also does amazing strings and pads..
Rev2 is a beast, and fully analog … the 16-voice version is the ticket!!
I really love the industrial design of this synth, one of the best among all the synths I've ever seen. It's so modern so beautiful. It's like a combination of Roland and Sequential lol.
Definitely a pretty thing. 😍
Can you review the GS e7?
Hi Tim, I have asked before but hopefully get an answer this time. Love to know what ur midi keyboard controller is if you could let me know please.
Hi, sorry I don't get notified of every comment. The keyboard is a Kawai MP9000. I love the keyboard action, it's a grand piano hammer action. Only downside is no aftertouch.
@@TimShoebridge Amazing thanks tim. Also wanted to say thanks for all your hard work with the vids. Always amazing quality and content, big fan from australia.
This is the best of UA-cam. Point on, sharp & interesting, lovely sounds, nice demos, on a topic I love. Thank You!
The Super 5 is MAGICAL! Completely blew my plan to buy SUMMIT. And PolyBrute must be limited, given the combo of hybrid and wave tables that Summit can do; the pallet on the super 6 must be far greater, I would think.
Kyra has no MAGICAL, and I’d end up committed to an asylum from tiny screen and PAGING AND PAGING
Reface CS has nice wide panoramic soundscape too. Lovely for string machine sounds...especially with the chorus effect.
Thank you! I’m interested in selling my Nord Wave 2 to buy a Super 6 desktop. I want to make trancey unison-detune poly/plucks patches, like a luxury Access Virus, but nobody who reviews/first impressions the Super 6 ever seems to focus on or care about those kinds of sounds!
Nice video, Tim.
So its a way to implement polyphonic unison (think Nord A1) but it reduces voices buy two and requires you to modulate something with lfo 1? Sounds like a cheap way of doing unison.
Thanks Tim, another great video. ^_^
Binaural Supersaws ?
Either I’m deaf as a post or it doesn’t work in my AirPods Max. Couldn’t hear any binaural anything going on.
Thank you Tim, good video.
Tim, I was curious what you were using as the keyboard controller here, is that your “master” controller ?
It's an MP9000 from Kawai
@@TimShoebridge Wow, there’s a blast from the past - probably still holds it’s own against more recent offerings 😂
@@symbiat0 It has the best weighted grand piano action in any controller I have ever played. But on the downside there is no aftertouch, not that I am a great fan of mono aftertouch anyway...
18:22 great chorused brass. So transparent and punchy. I'd use that.
A good Binaural APP allows you to place the sound at a spot in space and your brain says YEP, THAT IS WHERE IT IS…right over there to the right and up 12 feet in air.
I’m really asking…
Isn’t that the brain trick being played OR is it horizontal plane only ?
Our ears are very good at identifying the source of sound both horizontally and vertically. There are ever so subtle changes in emphasis at different frequencies. So yes, proper binaural software can emulate this, but everyone's ears are different so it's a very complex science.
I can only imagine; mine protrude a bit--I know they capture sound in odd fashion. IT's pretty amazing that a a software can create the illusion in or heads and, generally, be convincing. I've always thought you must be an engineer... @@TimShoebridge
Can you do FM/Cross modulation with the L & R oscilators whilst having the LFO 1 Phase ? That would take it to unreal levels
Yes you have a dedicated cross mod slider
Binaural definitely adds a dimension that appeals to me.
Well, you do have two ears … like most all of us … 😊
Great video Tim
Amazing video Tim! If you had to choose between OB6 and Super6 for epic cinematic soundtracks (think blad runner), which would you choose? This super6 reminded me of OB6 very much. Which synth sounds more in that direction that i asked? Which sounds more lovely in general and which is more versatile? Many thanks!
If you're spending that much, look at Dekkards Dream
Are you making patches for sale? Tell UDO to hang off :)
Super six is amazing
I had a UDO S6 for a time. (the full KB) but the lack of a display killed it for me. I don't mean every synth needs a display, but the modulation routings I'd forget, among other Tim's mentioned things (remembering patch numbers, knowing secondary slider position, etc... ) If I need a notepad next to my modern synth to know my own patches then It needs a (even tiny) display. Additionally the patch storage limit is small at 128 if memory serves. Hands on experience is wonderful, but simplicity for the sake of simplicity isn't always the right decision. Tim's discovery of the sticky pan spread algorithm was something I never came across - but it's odd for sure.
It does not NEED a display. Future classic.
@@SPAZZOID100
HAHAHA … dk ☺️
looks like the 80's dr bohm digital drum knobs