For a project I use the peak connected to a computer, with a heavy use of MIDI automations. The engine is capable of a lot that way, and I just love the interactions you get between oscillators when you modulate FM and Ring and VSync. It gets near audible fireworks!
I had no luck with one trick though. All values back to default after a havily modulated section, I have this other section where I want to pilot the oscillatorsā pitches independently using range, coarse & fine parameters (all NRPN). I find that the Coarse tuning responds weirdly, as if offset, and automating it makes the oscillator āresetā with each note on message (you hear the pitch slope from 0 to the approximate pitch, weird).
The Range value is kind of erratic too, and seems to never respond to the same values when piloted via NRPN.
The Saw density and detune parameters also respond a bit quirkily, as they seem to reset tuning. That may be normal behavior, though, as it may work as a hard sync between several copies of the signal, but i donāt knowā¦
I havenāt tried using the Peak that way so canāt comment on the quirkiness youāre seeing with sending NRPN values, but to reset back to the default patch parameters you could try using program change messages to load another patch and then switch back to the original one. The Peak responds pretty quickly to PC messages, but you might need a short gap in your track where the Peak is not playing.
This is very fairly priced. Bought it. Even if it just helps a little with the workflow itāll be worth it. I have good experience with vast editors for hardware.
your description is MUCH more accurate than mine. that is exactly what I hearing.
adding: whatever I doā¦the sounds sound like they are distantā¦pushed back. nothing is up front.
maybe Iām crazy
and the buzz on other synths seem to be rounded off a little. like I can JUST hear the buzz.
and the saws hereā¦I hear no buzz. I hear the saw, but its softened. id sell the Peak to get an AN1Xā¦but buying old gear is, for me, TOTALLY rolling the dice. im so hung up on that monstrosity.
againā¦maybe im nuts
[thing isā¦I bet if you did a blind listen test on meā¦I couldnāt tell the difference]
Old synths vs new synths is toughā¦ especially listening on Youtube. I quite like that the Peak is a very clean, hifi kind of modern synth. If you want its frequencies rolled off like that youāll most likely need to use the filter, or EQ it, etc. I mean thereās lots of options for it, and plenty of wobble/instability/dirt available. But maybe those things require work to add, itās not the default/raw sound.
I definitely use compression on the Peak most of the time. Depends on the patch of course. But it usually helps.
Also @thomaso is exactly right about the gainstaging - itās really easy to introduce distortion that takes you away from a softer, more vintage sound.
Not sure if this is the sort of demo youāre looking for but I just dialled in a super basic āvintageā style 2x saw osc pad - there isnāt even any diverge or drift on this, itās just the 12db filter rolled off with chorus and a bit of reverb, nothing added afterwards. The key thing is turning the osc levels and VCA gain down, by quite a bit. If you keep them cranked it sounds really different. Thereās definitely a bit of residual fizz from the filter that you wouldnāt get on some other synths but I donāt mind it personally, I just see it as part and parcel of the Peakās character. I can see how it might not be what youāre looking for though.
im been struggling with this thing for the last two weeksā¦and am leaning towards the sell. along with DT and DN.
I like the sound of the system 8 more [terrible thought I know. a VST vs a synth], but the green just kills me/ superficial I know. but id never be able to sit in front of it. or perhaps im just learning im not cut out for this [20 years later]
project: crack it open and replace all the lights with color LEDs that can be color shifted
its also weird every freakin sound I make on the peak sounds like there is some reverb on it. even with FX bypassed. anyways. ill stop moaning. im still trying to find the love here. continuing to plug away at this.
Dude do you maybe have some issue with cabling or hookup method? Youāre saying things like the Peak always sounds distant, sounds like itās missing frequencies, sounds like there is always reverb on all soundsā¦ I know the Peak/Summit engine very well, owned Peak for years and now have Summit, and the things youāre saying sound pretty strangeā¦ How is your Peak plugged in, are you using the main outputs, the headphone output, are you summing the stereo signal, just give whatever details. Would not be surprised if the issue is in the cabling/hookup method, the Peak has a fat, punchy sound and if youāre initializing a patch and hear just a single oscillator, but it sounds distant and like it has reverb on itā¦ something is wrong!
I also remember your trials with the Hydrasynth as well, complaining that it had no bass/warmth, very low output, too much ābuzzā, and this is sounding fairly familiarā¦ thinking something is up with your setup dude!
Also, maybe to take the subjectivity out of this, initialize a patch and record the output, I can compare with mine at home and also just by ear since Iāve hit the initialize button about a million times on mine.
Also just fyi @shinobi the Peak/Summit has a huge amount of flexibility, no one set of demos is going to show you all of what it can accomplish, or even demonstrate all ācharacterā types that itās capable of. It can do pretty much every type of patch you can think of, can be massively bass-y, or super hollow, or really thin and digital, etc etc. āWarmthā is not an issue.
