I really appreciate these videos, as someone who's getting into synths, they've helped me clarify what I'm looking for. Now the proud owner of an Argon 8X and an OG Minilogue.
Wow. I'm impressed especially for the price. There's always going to be people who say stuff like "yeah but it doesn't sound analog" For those people you could play this thing and show an analog synth and they'd say it sounds amazing.
Man alive, I known it's probably easy for him but those Cyberpunk chords at the end were proper lush. Ok so it would be really cool if Jack could do 'How to Synth' mini series. The most interesting part of this video for me was watching him get to the sounds he wanted. I'm not talking about expert level stuff, more like 'what is an envelope' kinda thing. While there are a few videos on the Tube covering this, Jack is a dead good explainer - and it would give you a chance to demo a few more synths to the buying public :-)
I love Jacks enthusiasm and his uplifting vids. Also, I hope to get a Cobalt8M in 3 weeks and I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a sweet combo with my beloved Argon8
I bought one from Andertons. Its fantastic and easy to use. I don't understand a great deal about synthesis, I just need great presets as a starting point, tweak a bit, then record. That's what this is.
Never been this tempted by a VA synth before :) The price tag is unbelievable. It’s cheaper than some posh MIDI keyboards, and has a killer synth onboard.
From what I've heard so far (compressed YT audio from different places) this has some features and character, that the over-priced (IMHO) Jupiter-X has! With the options and keyboard they've used, it represents a really interesting VA synth for the price. Congrats Modal, is what I say. They deserve to sell well for the company. Very interesting product. Please also design some cheaper full-size analogue gear as well as. Great vid Andertons...
They already did analog in the past and it wasn't successful for them. I don't think they could get the price down low enough. Ironically they did a 180 with this - yeah it's VA but a 61 key semi-weighted FATAR at that price? It's stupid-affordable.
There seems to be quite a few critics these days making broad generalizations which are unfounded. I think pound for pound the Argon8 and Cobalt8 are a lot of synth for the money and with potential to fulfil a decent musicians ask. Like the polybrute - described by some as a 'thin' synth you do wonder where these critics get their understandings. Modal are a good outfit with the R & D in history that knows what they are doing and I for one can only think that this effort is an effort to be championed. I am thinking of one myself but, wondering which would be the better option, Argon8 or Cobalt8? Anyone got a decent appraisal and advice which to plumb for? Great vid as ever with still a smile - very much needed at present. Nice one.
I've been really enjoying playing the Cobalt, but it does have a digital edge (or more than an edge) in pretty much every sound you make. I don't dislike it, but my 20+ year old Yamaha AN1X sounds just as good if not better in places. What makes the Modal units fun is the interface.. Ease of use is off the charts.
@@kingtrance6826 I'm using an SY85 (I really like the sequencer and keybed on it - plus it has it's own charm) to run the Cobalt 8M, AN1X, Yamaha SU-10, Behringer TD-3 and an RD-8. Lots of hands-on fun. :)
The Yamaha AN1x was around 1500$ when it came out still holds a value for around 900$. I think the cobalt at 650$-812$ is fair. But I do wish Yamaha would release a new competing analogue style synth.
@@MrPokerian you utter heathen - its Moog not Moog - please appreciate what language you are speaking right now so I know with some authority.....it Moog OK?
Let me be the party pooper. it is nowhere close to analog. It sounds surgically clean. However, a) this may be a good thing for some music styles, b) it is 1/3 the price of my analog, c) it is polyphonic. I may actually get it ...
this cobalt vs some midi keyboard with good keys ? which win ? and which midi to go along ? cause i have this in omni ,u-he pack i need new midi keyboard so thinking on loud 780 for this with sound inside or blank midi with pads and drawbars ,,,hmmm help
I know it is probably a silly question but how do I get the sounds from the Modal into my DAW, do I have to connect the stereo outputs to my input or can i use it like a virtual instrument?
You will have to either put the audio out from this into the inputs of your audio interface, and just play it, or connect it up via USB such that it sends the midi information to a track, to record a sequence, and then route the MIDI back to the Modal for replay. Best way to do this is dependent on the DAW you use. I use Logic, and would use the External Midi Instrument pugin in a track. Here's how you do it in Logic.... support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/logicpro/lgcp12e7acdc/mac There will probably be a similar method with other DAWs... Google is your friend, here!
@@shapes2000 Let us know, how it works. Note that according to Roland... "The integrated USB interface provides a solid front end for a mobile or studio recording setup, allowing you to record MIDI and audio data, including sounds from the mic input. There’s even a dedicated DAW Control mode for controlling your music software from the JUNO-DS61’s front panel." You can further use the Sync/Tempo menu page for setting the Juno to Slave mode, which means that the synth will follow the DAW clock/tempo, and should mean that you could even sync the Juno's arpeggiator to sync with your DAW. Lots of fun to be had!
I mean the Virus TI2 is also almost $3000. This is only like $850, which is a steal for an 8 voice full sized poly synth. Cheaper than most other keyboard synths of its price (Digitone Keys, Hydrasynth keyboard, Blofeld keyboard, etc)
I agree 8 voices is limiting and strange, but every time I hear a Virus, it sounds flat and a bit lifeless to me (though I do think it's a very good and useful synth regardless). Cobalt still sounds digital, but more lush and interesting in my opinion. The difference in price between the two is also worth mentioning, especially since you can get 16 voices by polychaining two Cobalts.
@@hankhillwalker5809 ehm, no (thin? lol)... and no (used one cost me 860€. even the Virus Snow with 24 voices cost only 500€ used - and the sound ist thin? just watch this :-) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7eoFeX-_iFM.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7Oxt1hPvlpg.html
@@HOLODECK-MUSIC-PROJECT Just my opinion. There was a time I looked at getting a Virus, but the more I heard demos of it, the less I wanted one. Same goes for the videos you linked. It sounds fine, but nothing special to me.
I've had Virus TI in the studio where i was producing music and dare i say me and my friend never used it in any track. Is it great synth? Effing yeah :) but it was sold almost a decade ago. every preset/soundbank demo sounds great. I've made one for MiniNova (used it in some tracks). People say yeah new synths are shite with Monotimbrality. well it depends... How many timbres can you really use with some really voice hefty sounds? Just a matter of taste and i respect other opinion too
It’s so digital sounding because it’s very high resolution and very clean. It also has more upper frequency “sparkle” vs low end “fatness” and that’s not a bad thing but it is very different than a analog synth. Put this next to a Dreadbox Typon and the differences are very evident. Digital synths aren’t bad, wave tables and FM are fantastic but virtual analog sets its self up for failure with the analog comparison. They should have made a Argon12 or fm synth not this.
I agree this Modal doens't sound analog at all. But there is some synths capable. Model Bank on the Jupiter X/XM sound analog. It's really hard to ear a difference with the original.
Modal made a mistake calling it "virtual analogue", this synth can´t sound "analogue" at all, and that is not a bad thing, but when you call it virtual analogue... well, I expect it to be able to sound like an analog synth. Also the patches you tried were pretty rough and half baked, may be with more work it could sound better.
I guess it's easier for people to categorise it, compared to calling it digital subtractive. It sounds very 'fizzy' to me, but for the build quality and solid five octave keyboard I think it's bloody good value. And assembled in the UK?
It sounds like both my Moogs, also it's better in many departments. I use it way more than them. Analogue is just another term for salesmen. We hated it back then... but people swear they can hear it. Blind tests have proven it's nonsense.
I‘m sorry, it still sounds harsh and no way analogue to me. Oscillator drift helps a bit, but this isn‘t the only imperfection of a real analogue synth, cp. the ‘vintage’ knob on the P5. Cobalt8 is just a nice digital synth in its own right.
I bought a Juno 106 in 1983. Where were you m'fers? Thats right (I'll answer for you: nowhere) Anyway it was shit - so don't waste your 2020 dollars on old tech
@@entropybentwhistle Beginning of a golden age for Synths when the DX7 came out (which I couldn't afford). You can trace musical development in the 80's and 90's by the factory patches on latest Roland, Korg, Yamaha
I hear ya Alex! Sorry for my waffling. Here's a non-talking video with the same sound engine: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9yoQ0LiMx4M.html We often do at least one vid where I keep my mouth shut after listening to people such as yourself. Happy New Year and thanks for the feedback X