|
2008 User-Revies
from:
http://www.kvraudio.com/user_review/1102.html
Mike Loggan:
" recently got Wusikstation and I'm already impressed with
everything, specially support. At the company forum here, I asked for some
info about multi-layer crossfading using an external controller. To my
surprise, it was possible only to modulate two layers, not three or more.
But even more surprised I was when the author released a beta version with
the option to crossfade any number of layers. I never saw this before, but
again, I don't own many other VSTs.
Still, using Wusikstation is very easy, I get everything I
need right in front of me. Each layer's parameters are there to be used,
there's a Master area, FX areas and file-browser to handle all
files.
It works
like those old-school workstations, not like SF2 files I'm used to. But
this is not a bad thing to be honest. You get, for example, to keep your
sound file in one folder, and have multiple programs using that same sound
file for several programs. Yes, you can do the same with a SF2 file, BUT,
if you want to add more programs to it, you need to edit the original SF2
file. Not to mention that with SF2 files you don't get to make a program where you use sounds from different SF2
files. With Wusikstation you can. Since Programs are one file-type, and
sounds another.
Its handy that is reads WAV
files directly. But still, the Sample-Editor that came with it is simple
to use. Many users won't even bother about that, but since I do a lot of
sound-editing of my own, I had to use it. Again, the author was nice to reply to some of my
questions via the support thingy.
I couldn't make it crash yet, so
stability has been 100% for me.
Documentation was OK, not great, but OK. It had
everything you would need to start. The youtube video-tutorials are GREAT,
those helps a lot. Specially when getting started. They even got an intro
video at their site, under the
product's page. That's one reason I got it, since I could test it out and
also see it in action even before downloading a demo version.
The demo version was nice, as I could test it, but
loading new sounds was a bit strange at first, until I knew what I was
doing exactly. You have a folder where you keep your sounds and another
for your presets, as I said above. It wasn't too clear at first, but I
noticed some info at the bottom of the sounds-page, and after reading a
bit the manual, I was able to figure things out. But this shouldn't scare
new users at all. The
worse case scenario, you would contact the author and he would guide you,
as he did with me on other areas.
Sound wise its very good. It
will sound as good as the things you input it with, since its basically a
sample-playback engine. It also works as a normal additive synthesizer,
and has the ability to sequence waveforms in real-time. (aka
wavesequencing, the old Korg Wavestation was famous for that)
But you really start to go
nuts once you get to know the modulation-matrix and the different
filter-types. They sound very analogish in my humble opinion. There's a
SMOOTH knob that will take the zipper effect out of
transitions when using an external controller. It doesn't work very well
when using with modulations, but still, its a very nice touch.
I
had some sound problems with the original version, but after I updated
everything was normal again. (I forgot to install the latest update after
I installed the main SETUP, doh!)
I got 4 DAW computers in the same
room, so I asked the author if I would need 4 licenses. He said that if
all computers are operated by me, it wouldn't be a problem, one license is
enough. Try asking this to other companies...
One of my computers has only
512 of memory, which wasn't a problem as this vst features
direct-from-disk-streaming. (or whatever you want to call this) Yes, CPU
usage did increase by 20% when I activated it on the other computers,
but its still nice, since I could load more instances at the same time.
Specially pianos and strings on a project I was working on.
It came
with mostly synth sounds, but the pianos really stroke me, they are very
good and not too big. Compared to other libraries. I like mostly sampled
pianos, as they tend to sound more alive to me.
This is not the
best synth out there, but its sure amongst the top ones I use on a daily
basis. Be prepared to expend a lot of money on extra sets by other
companies, you will be addicted in no time! (but that's another good thing
about it)
Not sure what else to say, if I remember something else,
I will edit this on another time. Hope this is not too long, I'm used to
writing for the local newspaper, so I tend to write too much at
times... lg"
Hermit01
"The Wusikstation version 4 series is a
surprisingly versatile synth. Its interface is very typical of traditional
synthesizer interfaces and quite easy to use. It is 4 voice multi-timbral
and the 4 voices are each presented on separate pages which eliminates any
confusion that could be caused by such a complex system. It's modulation
matrix makes for easy hook up of LFO's, envelopes, and on-board effects.
It could list them but it's better that you try them and hear for
yourself.
The sound generation of WS is created from manipulation
of samples (called WusikSounds) and/or standard .wav files, user's choice.
The 16-bit 44KHz processing is immaculate and provides an amazing depth of
resonance and pitch. As a result of this attractiveness, there are over
3500 presets already directly available for it Wusik.com. The range of
sounds, the types, is so wide it clearly demonstrates the versatility
mentioned. While, due to the brilliant preset design of sound packages by
Vera Kinter (Art Vera) and like programmers, it has gotten quite a
reputation as an "atmospheric pad synth," this is a very misleading
commendation of a synth that will, in fact, produce virtually any type of
sound desired from analogue emulation to razor-edge digital sounds. It can
even be used as simply a 4-voice .wav file or sample player, if desired.
My experience has been, in over a year of dealing with William K
and Wusik.com, support for the product is superb. It is in constant
development, as well has sporting excellent peripheral devices provided by
Wusik.com (many skins, file handling software, a steady flow of new
presets, a product specific magazine with added features, etc.), but the
stability does not seem effected. Beta products don't seem to mean the
same thing to Wusik.com as I am accustomed to. They rarely crash or even
malfunction and seem to be just a precautionary step rather than a true
bug elimination process. In so many words, this is a very stable piece of
software and seems to remain so through version after
version.
Wusikstation is my first experience with serious shareware
softsynths. I've tried a few trial versions over the years but never found
one by which I was so impressed as to spend the sort of money involved in
their purchase. Wusikstation broke the mold for me. It is priced
competitively low for the marketplace but comes "out of the box" with over
3500 presets, built-in effects of the same quality as its sound
generation, and excellent support. It was a bargain I couldn't resist and have never regretted. I
highly recommend it to beginners and accomplished users alike. And subscribe to the magazine, too. It's
filled with articles on use of Wusikstation as well as general music and
composition discussions."
|
August 2004 - Keyboard Magazine
"New Gear" by Kevin Owens
From: http://www.danieljslewis.com:
"Another masterpiece from WilliamK. Wusikstation is a hybrid
vector and wavesequencer sample-based synth that picks up where Eve
left off. Like Eve, it sounds great, is very CPU friendly, and is
reasonably priced. William is also very responsive to user-feedback,
which is a major plus. You really should check out the demo - you'll
want one. Wusik.com gives you the the option of downloading the entire
sound-set for the demo, which means when you buy the full-version all
you need to do is download the authorized VST itself. Great idea."
WilliamK
Interview
Bleeding Electrons -- The Digital Audio
Blog!
"I am proud to
announce that our first interview is with software synth developer
WilliamK.
Enjoy the first part of the interview now ..."
|
User reviews from the
KVR site @ http://www.kvr-vst.com/user_review/1102.html
|
| BDuffy |
As a busy composer
and sound designer, I'm always on the lookout for powerful
synthesizers that are capable of a wide range of sounds, and I
definitely found that in Wusikstation. It's like buying a
full-fledged keyboard workstation that can be used for basic to
radical sounds with easy browsing and loading.
Wusikstation features a powerful wave sequencing engine, which
means that wave files are loaded in and can be radically mixed
and manipulated to create unusual (and usual) sounds. Pads swirl
and sweep with unexpected depth and complexity, and the
possibilities seem endless.
I was instantly impressed with just the selection of pads.
Further prodding through the presets revealed large, meaty
basses, nifty sound fx and a huge selection of vintage/standard
instruments - like Rhodes pianos and 303 synths - often with a
Wusik edge to them, making them more original.
And that's where Wusikstation exceeds: in creating original
sounds. I've never heard anything quite like Wuskistation, and
that impressed me and drove me to buy it immediately. When I'm
stuck or bored, I can load up Wusikstation and just start
cruising through presets, and within no time, I'm writing
something. It's my go-to instrument for pads and basses now,
especially after purchasing Manytone's incredible Ultimate Bass
Kit - one of the several (and growing number of) libraries
available for Wusik. I should, then, mention that Wusikstation
is also a full-fledged sampler with 1st and 3rd party libraries
available.
The only complaint I would have is that the updates can be a
little awkward to install to a non-power user, occasionally
having to manually move and update items; but the updates have
been very straightforward since v2.x. And the developer is VERY
prompt in responding to calls for help, so I've never had a
problem that lasted longer then a few minutes! So all is
forgiven.
And all of this at a truly reasonable price. Wusikstation is
cheap and comes with a large selection of presets, and all the
libraries are very affordable. I think the coming years will see
Wusikstation become one of the more popular synths, a la Reaktor.
I certainly hope so. |
| Mark
Briody |
I've been making music since my
late teens (way back in the 80's). I signed my first
record deal at 17 and have released 9 albums since.
Nothing on the charts and no platinum on my walls, but they
are still are all released internationally and they sell a
respectable amount of copies.
Although my music doesn't have
much keys, I've been a keyboard junkie since I first heard an
Arp Axe. I've since owned Ensoniq's ESQ-1, several
Yamaha FM synths, a Wavestation, an M1, a Korg DSS-1 (early
sampler), all the Proteus models, etc. I've probably
owned 30 synths in my life.
Wuskstation is better then all
of them. Easily better. Better sounds.
Better variety. Better sonic quality. And most
importantly - they fit better in a mix.
So I just wanted to say
'Thanks' for releasing such a fantastic synth!
|
| FunkyChickenDance |
I'm pretty new to the
VST world, with a trio of NI Express keyboards as my only prior
purchase, and a massive ever-changing folder of freebies from
this fabulous forum. I have to say, though, that Wusikstation is
worth every cent (or pfennig).
I've started to experiment with the synth's capabilities for
tweaking sounds, which seem limitless to me. It comes with an
excellent package of samples, and the presets are well-chosen
and thoughtfully done, too. What is intended to sound authentic
sounds, well, authentic.
But it's the overall sound that makes this a great synth. To me,
William has hit a home run here. I recall Wavestation moderately
well, and the 'Wu' -- as I have started calling it -- can do
pretty much anything that its inspiration could do, and then
some.
It's remarkably stable, and doesn't hog CPU: though I guard
against that issue in general by having 1GB of RAM, and expect
to move up to 2GB soon.
The 'Wu' is creeping into more and more of my projects since I
picked it up a week or so back, and I see
it displacing a whole lot of other VSTs as I get better at
working on my own presets.
I'm coming back to synths after a long puritanical exile in the
realm of grinding electric guitars and the 'authenticity' of
acoustics. They're both perfectly fine, but something like
Wusikstation really shows you what can be done with a little
imagination. |
| Bamim2 |
I've own version 1 of
Wusikstation and I upgraded to version 2 right away. I like
version 1 and used it before version 2 came out. Version 2, with
the Big Package is quite nice and a great price (hey, I'm a
poet). There are plenty of presets that come with it, but it's
very easy to either make your own or modify ones that are there
to suit your own style.
I like to play synth bass with my left hand and something else
with my right. Wusikstation lets me easily split the keyboard.
It can split the keyboard into several regions if you like to do
that sort of thing. It can assign waves and oscillators to any
part of the keyboard and give you plenty of filter controls and
even put them on any MIDI channel you want. They're all mixable
through it's built in mixer. It can load wave files to use like
an oscillator.
If I had to pick one thing about this VST that I like the most
is it's sound quality and playability (I know that's 2 things,
but they go together). It really has nice sound textures and
timbre. It has several skins available, so you can modify its
look to suit your mood. It does everything from simple to
complex sounds, has great filters, nice EFX and a straight
forward GUI.
I truly believe this VST is capable of making whatever kind of
sounds you want to make with it. There are a great range of
sounds that come with it, nicely laid out, and it's very easy on
the CPU. I easily run 2 Wusikstations at a time and have plenty
of CPU left over to actually do stuff in Sonar. |
| Wine |
This is an
exceptional synth.
Looking at the other reviews it is quite daunting to try and add
anything else to their reviews but I will give it a go.
Firstly, the sound quality. What is most impressive about the
sounds are that they are so varied, some of the pads are
absolutely inspiring and as for the "real"
instruments, particularly the piano's, while they are perhaps
not the best available they are some of the easiest to fit in a
mix.
Secondly, the upgrade to v2, particularly for the big pack
users, is extraordinary value for money. A massive sound
library, and the improvements on v1 make this an valuable
upgrade. The preset navigation system in particular is worthy of
compliment as it is one of the best around. My only real
complaint is that it can be a little difficult to upgrade if you
have some of the related products which need to be upgraded as
well.
Finally, the best part of being a wusik user is the user group
and the outstanding support provided by WilliamK. The developer
never seems to leave KVR except to work on more upgrades.
Overall, I would suggest you get this synth even if you don't
think you need it as it is the basis for almost any sounds you
could want. |
| Radek |
I had been searching
for workstation type instrument for so long. I don't have
anymore as Wusikstation fits my needs. No, not ideally (what
could?) but 90 percent for sure.
Wusikstation conceptually is similar to hardware such Korg
Triton, Motif or Roland but without many restrictions. There are
four multisample based oscillators, two wave sequencer, four
filters per osc (!!), eq per osc (!!!), eight (yes!) lfos and
adsr envelopes. All of them can be routed via big (36
positions!) modmatrix to almost every parameter. Even better
oscs own outs also can be used as modulation sources... This
means Wusik is capable of FM synthesis as well (but FM7 doesn't
had to worry - is rather nice addon that core feature). To spice
up sounds there also double FX processor with distortion,
chorus, delay and reverb. They are not the best sounding FXes
yet sufficient.
How does Wusikstation sounds then?
Actually very good but it depends on used samples and presets.
Certainly it can do smooth analog type leads, awesome evolving
pads (thanks to wavsequencers) as well typical sampled piano.
Wusikstation comes with 400MB of multisamples and hundreds of
presets. Not all are excellent but this is normal for such big
sound library. Certainly everyone will find something usefull.
Summing it all - I'm very satisfied with Wusikstation. It's very
solid vsti, cpu usage is moderate (if not low), doesn't crashed
yet and interface is well thought. |
| djastroboy |
I really like the
Wusikstation.
To me, Wusikstation provides a very punchy and direct sound.
Most VSTi's are like looking at a styrofoam ball painted yellow,
while the Wusik, as it is affectionately known, is like looking
directly into the sun. OK that's a little over the top, but
Wusik is very, very nice.
Lots of layers of easy to grasp programmability. More LFO's and
filters and effects and whatnot than you could ever need.
Support is fast and useful on the forum.
A big plus for me is the availability of lots of extra soundsets.
The presets are generally good, although they tend to lack any
performance type routings in the mod matrix. I mean that if you
want your mod wheel or keyboard aftertouch to do anything, you
are on your own with the modulation matrix to get things going.
I can't really judge the quality of the samples since I haven't
used any kind of sampler since I broke my Ensoniq Mirage in
1980-something, but everything seems good in loop point land.
Download the demo and check it out. |
| pw |
GUI
There are a lot of features in Wusikstation, and the GUI does a
great job of clearly categorizing them in an intuitive way.
Basically each oscillator has its own page, as do the two
wavesequencers. The mod matrix, assignable envelopes and
assignable lfo’s always stays in view for quick and easy
re-routing while editing individual oscillators and
wavesequencers. There is also a mixer page for fine tuning, such
as fx sends, pan and volume, and global filtering and eq. the XY
pad also lives on the mixer page.
There are many EXCELLENT skins available for the Wusikstation,
and freely downloadable from the wusik website. I generally use
the ‘smudge’ skin and the ‘shifrin’ skin.
SOUND
Wuskistation has a high quality audio engine, and the filters
sound great, so sound quality basically comes down to the
samples you feed it. The VSTi ships with the ‘famous keys’
collection of samples, which weighs in at about 500megs covering
various synthetic sounds from classic analogue to 80’s
digital. Everyone interested in synthesis should find something
that works for them here, from fat basses, to various string
ensemble type pads, to more crystalline digital sounds. I
particularly like the Arp samples and the whole of ‘famous
keys 4’ which has some deliciously lofi tron samples, chunky
moog source samples and some great synth pads.
There are many soundsets available to expand the sonic palette
considerably, and there are several 3rd-party plugs to create
your own soundsets from. I have the new Vox’d set of vocal
samples, which is simply stunning, and the Prepared Rhodes from
zvon, a unique beast and a must for those into experimentation.
Many more sounds are in the works from various developers.
FEATURES
More mod destinations in the matrix than you can poke a stick
at, with 36 slots in the matrix, 8 freely assignable envelopes
and 8 freely assignable LFO’s. Filter’s everywhere, 2
effects sends assignable in the matrix and the wavesequencers, 6
sample slots available, XY pad…There isn’t much more you
could want in a synth.
The wavesequencers are spectacular, and make for interesting
morphing textures, or crazy, jolty rhythms. For those into
ambient and richly textural music, this is the place to spend a
lot of time- it takes work building up a wavesequence, but it
pays off big time. The Wusik way here is intuitive for what is
quite a complex process, and there is a useful inline help
available in the wavesequencer menu if you feel intimidated.
FM and AM is possible from the matrix, and while Wusikstation is
not an FM synth, you can use these features to add extra
dimensions to subtractive analog-styled patches, wavesequences,
and also to push your sounds into experimental atonal territory.
You get the standard effects, chorus, reverb, delay and
distortion. The delay is particularly excellent, and the quad
chorus accentuates big moving pads very nicely.
DOCS
The documentation is very comprehensive, and guides you though
most of the features of Wusikstation in an engaging manner. I
had a quick go through them when I got the synth, but really,
for me the best way was to learn on the synth itself.
PRESETS
Heaps and Heaps of presets. Many of high quality, including some
great ones by Tim Conrardy and JJ which show off the
wavesequencing. There are also many free banks around to be
downloaded.
SUPPORT
WilliamK is one of the absolute best in the business, and an
all-round nice guy. Support via email or via the forum is quick
and efficient. Pop down to the Wusik.com forum and you will see
how on top of things he is there.
VFM
One of the best deals I have ever received on music software.
$99 regular price is a bargain, but there have also been several
group buys enabling many users to band together and get a
cheaper price based on number of sales. Once again, check the
forum to see what is happening at any given time.
Extra soundsets have so far been very reasonably priced.
STABILITY
Not once had a problem. |
| ttoz |
One of the best
synths ever and in my all time top 10.
UI: The fact that this is fully
skinnable and the abundance of already available skins means
that there will be a style that is to everyone's taste. I am not
going to lie, i haven't deeply explored the synths editability,
because i am generally a tweker rather than a preset programmer,
but for when I have needed to tweak a parameter it's all there
logically laid out. Everything "makes sense". This is
with the default black skin (which i love).
Sound: Very high quality, clean
but not clinical. very warm, capable of both really analog and
digital sounds at the same time.
Features: This is a huge beast to
discover. the sound can extend almost far as full songs in a
preset! Definitely NOT a one trick pony. the versatility of the
available patches proves that.
Documentation: I have skimmed
over the entire PDF manual and it is very thorough. it seems no
details have been left out, every single button and fucntion is
fully explained. When i have needed to refer to the manul, i
type the search word for the query i have and have always found
what i needed to know.
Presets: A delight. there are
over 600 included, of fantastic quality, alot of moving pads and
keys and atmospheres. beautiful. then there are the third party
banks which have started to surface all over the place. TC's
minimoog is a perfect example of the versatility of the synth. I
actually think this is going to be one of the most supported
plug in's presets wise, ever. There are already close to 1000
presets available, and HEAPS are on the way.
CustomerSupport: I shouldn't even
have to say anything here. William is at the top of the game, in
definitely the top ten of all time for b est support. super fast
email responses, super fast forum reponses. any bug is quickly
squashed. the guy is on the ball. top notch.
VFM: this is running under a
constant group buy which every month allows the synth to sell
for as little as $49.95..and it seems to always make that low
price so it's very polular! this is what I paid for it, and it
is possibly the best $50 ever spent on a synth. just think how
some places just sell preset banks for other synths for more
than that! This is actually something i woudl expect to sell
closer to the $200 mark.
Stability: Right from the word
go, I have not had ONE SINGLE CRASH with this plugin, EVER.
which is more than I can say for alot of others! Even if there
are minor bugs, William always squashes them quickly, and has a
good beta test system going. superb. |
| Caleb |
Wusikstation is an
interesting creature in that like only few other VSTis around,
it completely leaves behind the idea of fully dynamically
computed waveforms that are the mainstay of other higher-end VST
synths.
Instead, Wusikstation relies on
multisamples and uses filters, eqs and fx to create a patch.
So do we have a synth here or a
sampler?
First of all let me say that this
is not a terribly convenient sampler for multisamples if that is
what it's intended to be. You don't have any of the editing
tools to create a multisample. You'll be doing all the editing
and looping outside of Wusikstation and then using a free DOS
utility to create a Wusikstation soundbank. This isn't as
inconvenient as I may be implying but most samplers will have
something better for this construction.
It is worth noting that there are
3rd party products that will convert from one soundbank type to
Wusikstation. However, this is of course an additional cost.
However, I don't think
Wusikstation really is meant to be a sampler. I believe it is
created as a rompler engine or platform with an expandable
soundset that lends itself to synth work.
I say this not because the
soundbanks themselves have had mainly synth content as you could
quite easily have lovely multi-sampled strings in there if you
wish, but more because the shaping tools seem geared more
towards a synth result.
You have 6 layers in this
instrument - two of which are wavesequencers. Each layer has 4
filters that can be added either in parallel or in serial and 4
different bands of EQ. You have two insert FX which consists of
Stereo Echo, Choruses, a Reverb and a Distortion which more to
come in later releases no doubt.
Obviously we would want some
ability to modulate various destination parameters to create
movement and dynamics in our patches. Well this is where
Wusikstation really excels.
The beast comes with 8 separate 4
stage envelopes, 8 separate LFOs with 8 different waveforms
including a random, midi controllers that are freely assignable
to destination functions, oscillators from the various layers
able to act as modulation sources as well as the wave sequences
modulators. It is missing the more flexible envelopes we have
become used to seeing on synths like Rhino, Crystal and z3ta+.
This does play against it somewhat in terms of features -
however, as stated earlier wave sequences can be used as
modulators which is a pretty happy compromise (more on those
later).
With all of those possible
modulators you'd imagine that there would need to be a
comprehensive modulation matrix and you'd be right; 36 entries
available divided over 6 pages.
Wusikstation has two Wavesequence
layers. These both have all the shaping functions of the other 4
layers with the additional Wavesequencer. Each Wavesequencing
layer has 12 possible wavesequence lances with 128 steps each
that can be looped at any interval. These can be assigned within
the wavesequencer itself to which sound is playing for each step
(hello Wavestation), crossfade between steps, timing, volume,
pan, fx controls, tuning and finetuning or can be left a
wavesequence modulators to be used as a source within the
modulation matrix.
And there's more. Wusikstation
comes with its own X-Y pad which can be used to morph between
the first 4 layers of the synth ProphetVS style; and can be
assigned just like any other modulation source.
And then there are the standard
modulations: velocity, aftertouch, pitch and some interesting
performance-based modulations introducing some randomness per
note.
Because of its complexity it is
no surprise to find that patch design can be a little tedious.
So if you like synths where you can build up your sounds very
quickly, you might want to try the demo for a while before you
make up your mind.
Because I've waffled a bit - the
rest in a rush.
William definitely treats WS as
his baby and I've had no complaints whatsoever in the service
he's provided me.
The manual is usable but could be
better - this doesn't surprise me in a small operation, but I
think a synth this powerful and complicated deserves more
comprehensive documentation.
The program is very stable and
I've had no complaints at all with any of the final releases.
VFM - excellent. $99 is a bargain
for this baby. And the major advantage is that quite a few have
already jumped on board putting together expansion soundsets and
patches for sale and sometimes for free. The sale items have
thus far been VERY well priced and include the work off well
respected sound designers like TotC productions and Teksonic.
Soundsets like MiniMoog offerings and "The Second
Wave" are available with more promised in the near future.
And this is where things get really exciting because if you're a
sound designer, Wusikstation has a great deal to offer, and if
you're a preset puncher you'll be happy for ever and a day.
This is a fantastic buy at the
price or indeed at twice the price.
Caleb |
| woolyloach |
This is for the
latest version (1.09) of Wusikstation.
Wusikstation was a bit of an
impulse buy for me, as I wanted something to replace my EVE that
was a little more flexible. I'm not a serious sound designer so
I also wanted something that had a fair # of presets, and
Wusikstation had a decent number and seemed well supported.
The default GUI is OK, but there
are several skins and I found one that worked well for me. No
complaints there, I can find my way around it without too much
effort.
I *love* the sound! The factory
banks are very useful, there are plenty of free banks that
provide an extended pallette, and for-pay third party banks are
coming out. Things sit well in a mix, and it can do mellow
sounds, pads, and weird noises equally well. It's not as
"warm" as a virtual analog, but that's not a minus as
far as I'm concerned. Plenty of features - layers, built in FX,
wavetables, too much there for me to learn!
Customer support is excellent,
William lives on K-V-R I think and he's always on top of any
issues. I've never run into a crash bug with Wusikstation,
though admittedly I don't push it, but it's rock stable for me.
Value for money? I paid $50 in a
group buy, and I got an instrument worth three times that
easily! It *can't* get any better value-wise without having
William starve to death from lack of income (lol).
If you're looking for a good
instrument with a wide variety of free and for-pay presets,
that's not heavy on your CPU and can provide a ton of excellent,
usable sounds, go buy Wusikstation NOW! |
| NedK |
I bought Wusikstation
back in October, so I’ve had a good bit of time to work and
play with it before doing this evaluation.
The UI is great. It didn’t take
me long to get familiar with it. I find tweaking patches /
samples easy to do. Wusik looks cool, is skinable, and there’s
a nice selection of optional skins to choose from.
I own Kontact, so I wasn’t
really looking for a sample based VSTi for my flagship synth.
(Wusikstation is my flagship synth!) I had the demos for a bunch
of the more popular VST synths out there, and choose Wstation
because it just sounds fantastic. Bass sounds kick butt. Lead
sounds are amazing. Pads are inspirational. I guess it’s the
filters. Whatever it is…I like it! And that’s without any
wave sequencing. Patches with well-programmed wave sequences are
mind-blowing. There are a couple of commercial sample conversion
programs that convert many sample formats to the Wusik format.
I’ve converted a bunch of my “.GIG” and “Soundfont”
samples into Wusiktation format, as well as a lot of “wave
file” samples with great success. This assures a bright future
for us WS owners.
The owner’s manual is good
stuff. Told me what I needed to know.
Presets range from just OK to
exceptional. But there are lots of them! And all of them can be
easily tweaked to taste. (Make sure and check out Teksonik’s
most excellent bank) There are a few 3rd party soundsets for
Wstation and more on the way. There is a very enthusiastic and
talented Wusikstation user base. It’s a safe bet to expect a
lot of high quality user banks ahead.
Value for the money? $50.00 is
what I paid in the Oct. group buy. That’s the best value in
the history of musical instruments!
As far as stability goes the only
problem I’ve had was a bug in a recent update which was fixed
before I could report it. William (the developer) is really into
it, and is all over the Wusik forum. Customer support is A+.
This synth is a truly versatile
instrument. |
| Ezy
Ryder |
Wusikstation is the
first commercial software synthesizer I’ve bought.
Unfortunately for other developer, it looks like I won’t need
any more soft synth for a long while.
Wusikstation is so versatile and
has so many options for sound design; I have yet to reach the
end of what can be done with it. Yes, it’s that deep; you have
to consider that, on top of the generous sound library that came
with it, you can also use your own sample or commercial one
released for it, layer, pitch shift and filter them to your
heart content to get formidable sound before even getting to the
wave sequencer or the mod matrix. Wow.
New soundsets and accompanying
preset are released almost on a weekly basis, faster than I can
grasp it all as I’m still going through the soundsets that
came with it in the first place, even though I bough extra sound
library already.
Then you get to the most
spectacular asset of Wusikstation which is, in my opinion, the
developer himself. WilliamK works very hard to develop this
instrument, he’s very attentive to customer request, either
for help or new features, is constantly looking for ideas in
ways to improve his instrument, and if/when you find an actual
bug and submit a report, it actually get fixed. I personally
posted a bug report and got a bug fix for it posted to Wusik
website 40 minutes later.
A class act all the way. |
| jzero |
This thing
rocks!!!!!! Oh wait, I'm not allowed to say that. I'll say this
instead:
WusikStation has two
Wave-Sequence oscillators for stunning, evolving pads.
WusikStation is extremely flexibile with a large modulation
matrix. WusikStation is like a rompler in that it includes a
large number of interesting sounds.
WusikStation often sounds great
with just one oscillator. WusikStation is ideally suited for pad
sounds. WusikStation has 8 tempo-synced LFOs. WusikStation has 8
velocity sensitive envelopes.
WusikStation has high-quality
effects: reverb, delay, and chorus. WusikStation can use 8 wave
sequencer slots as step-sequencers for modulation sources.
WusikStation includes an XY controller. WusikStation can import
wave files.
WusikStation provides great value
for $100. WusikStation has an even more affordable group-buy
discount price. WusikStation looks good, includes a lot of
skins. WusikStation requires an SSE capable cpu. Older
processors won't work. I'm very pleased with WusikStation. |
LIMIT
APROACHING
INFINITY |
This is the most
AMAZING synth I have ever purchased. The User interface is very
asthetically beautiful and the functionality is quite easy once
you get the hang of it. Some people complain about its
"lack of ease of use" and compare it to other synths
such as EVE. Well, yes EVE is most likely easier to use. But
THIS synth does about 20 times more! Also, the small wavetable
editors are being fixed and released so they are much easier to
use. It's Sound is great but that all really depends on the
amount of features it has... WHICH IS ALOT! You can route
anything to anything in the extensive mod matrix. Four filters
per voice! Great mono mode with porta. for leads and retrigger
option. The one thing that i, at first, thought this synth
lacked in features is more complex envelopes... Luckily, You can
use multiple wavetable drawable envelopes in the two wavetable
section and route them to properties of the 4 basic oscilators/samplers!
This is a huge plus! Plenty of information and docs on this
synth and you can always check the user forum here at KVR. Also
if you have bugs, Just report them and they ACTUALLY get fixed.
One time I reported a bug and it got fixed the SAME day! This is
unheard of customer service. A+. Also, Some of the gripes about
the small tedious Wave sequencer step envelopes are FIXED in the
new beta soon to be released! THe presets are great... But i
NEVER use any presets on any synth because the purpose of a
synth is to SYNTHESISE, but if presets are what floats your boat
i'm sure you will be pleased. They do acurately portray what
this thing is capable of. This thing is one of the only
commercial synths that is actually WORTH YOUR MONEY! Especially
if you do the monthly group buy you can get it for $49! Like i
mentioned, I had a stability problem with a bug.. But i reported
it and it was fixed the same day so this thing is stable and if
it wasn't all i would have to do is let the developer know about
it and presto chango! This thing is great. BEST VALUE HANDS
DOWN! |
| Lunch
Money |
I acquired this
instrument ridiculously cheap as part of a group buy (Canadians,
be sure to check out Wusik.com's Interac offer).
I find the User interface to be
above average in usability, and far above average in appearance.
This is partly due to the fact that WS is skinnable, and there
are already a large handful of alternative skins. It's fairly
easy to navigate, though a few buttons are in out-of-the-way
places that aren't immediately obvious. A half-hour of tinkering
or reading the manual will get you sorted quickly, though.
The sound is fantastic. The
possibilities are limited only by the wave files you choose to
use for your tones. The standards are included (sine, saws,
noise, etc.), but the real beauty starts to come out when using
more complex sounds like acoustic instruments. I don't own
another commercial synth of any sort of stature, so I cannot
draw comparisons, but suffice it to say that the included sounds
are wonderful and the third-party sounds are inspired.
Features... well, this synth can
cover all the bases. It's not just a 'workhorse', though. The
wavesequencing, included effects, multi-outs, and the ability to
use your own effects make this an artfully executed piece of
versatile code!
Documentation is adequate, if not
spectacular, and the devoted developer and loyal user base are
always willing to help.
Presets? It comes with one of the
best sound-sets ever assembled, in the form of Famous Keys.
This, in addition to the other included sounds, provides the
user with a wide range of presets right from the beginning. A
quick browse through the forum or Wusik.com will have the user
armed with another stack of free presets and sounds. A small bit
of money here and there will buy additional soundsets (and
accompanying presets) created by well-known sound designers.
Customer Support has been
extremely quick and friendly. Can't fault Wusik for the
personalized attention they give! The developer and users make
regular posts and answer questions quickly on the forum, as
well.
Value for money was ludicrously
good. At the full price ($99.95 US) this instrument would be a
bargain. At the group buy price, I practically stole it from
Wusik.com. I used the money saved to buy a few third-party sound
sets, and I continue to feel that I've underpaid somebody
somewhere.
Get this product before Wusik
starts charging a proper price for it. ;) (Actually, they are
continually finding ways to make it cheaper, so a price hike is
never going to happen, but get it anyhow!) |
| tonySaunders |
First off let me say
that for $99 you can get an excellent, low cpu synth and nearly
1gb of samples and simply the best support there is.
The sounds on this vsti are really what sold it to me though -
WillamK has done wonders with this 6 layer sample playing
instrument that allows modulation patching that would even keep
the modular enthusiast happy. Added to this the abilty to
sequence 2 of the layers to play different soundsets (a la
Xphraze but without the cpu lag) with cross fade this adds a
vector element to an already powerful modulation synth.
But beyond all that, the support WillamK gives to the users of
his new creation (he's always online and ready to answer you!)
means that this synth is sure to have an excellent following.
The only downside - very minor I should add - I found was the
manual contained mistakes and wasn't really helpful, but with a
synth this new I'm sure that will change.
As someone who owns virtually all the big name vsti's this one
is up there with the big boys. |
| Sensational |
I got lucky and had
the chance to purchase this synth in the last three days of the
group buy. This synth is breath taking! UI is clear, compact and
simple especially for all the features that on board. You also
get extra skins to download. Amoeba's light skin is my favorite.
The sound is unbelievable! After
1 min of going through patches, I was inspired to write tracks.
Pads, detailed layers, sequences and more can be done with this
powerful little synth.
The features are awesome! This is
the most complete synth I have seen in a while.
Doc are perfect covering every feature and walks you through
designing patches. It's also entertaining reading.
Presets simple stunning, deep and
ever evolving. i toyed with the first patch for nearly and hour.
Customer Support top notch thanks
to KVR forum. I order and ten minutes later I was playing.
The price point of $99 is a steal
for this synth. I can only compare its sound and features to the
Zeta+, with the scale tipping towards Wusikstation at the
moment.
Stability, haven't had a single
crash. |
| Hypertone |
Wusikstation looks
and feels great. The interface is very intuitive, but sometimes
I find myself tweaking settings on the wrong layer. The
wavesequencer window is too small, but William has a zoom
feature planned in the next update. And I must mention that the
GUI is skinnable. I am using Amoebe's Light Skin, it's very easy
on the eyes.
I tried the demo and I was very impressed as soon as I pressed a
key. This synth is refreshingly different. It's not meant to
emulate an analog synth. All of the sounds are produced by
sampled waveforms, but what you can do with those waves is
amazing. The pads are absolutely stunning. The wavesequencing
ability can produce some awesome, evolving sounds, like a
Wavestation, but with a better interface, and better sound. Not
to mention you can load your own waves. The range of sounds is
seemingly endless.
Wusikstation is feature rich. There is a ton of sound sculpting
possibilities. However there are some small details that I find
to be missing, such as modulating LFO depth with another
parameter, but it's possible to do this with midi learn in most
cases.
Documentation looks pretty good. I haven't really had to use it
except to figure out how to load waves.
Customer Support, I give that a 10. If you have a problem, just
post in the Wusik.com forum. WilliamK is very quick to help
users with problems.
Wusikstation comes with about 500 presets. Many of them are pad
sounds, there are also plenty of leads, basses, bells, fx. I
have programmed a very good acoustic piano using the "grand
piano" wave, however there aren't many acoustic waves, most
of them being from vintage synthesizers. I think an expansion
with some good acoustic sounds that you would expect to find in
a workstation "rompler" would really appeal to alot of
users.
Wusikstation is a high end softsynth, it's up there with the
very best of them, but it is still priced very reasonably. I
joined the group buy, which made it a steal. It's the best VFM
on the market IMO. I think some developers slap a $200 price tag
on their product just so that it will appear more
"professional". Unfortunately alot of users can't
afford to pay that much for a softsynth. I think making your
product available to more users at a lower price is a better
business model.
I haven't had any crashes or glitches with Wusikstation, so I
have to rate that a 10.
This is a deep, powerful synthesizer. If you haven't tried the
demo, I highly suggest downloading it. |
| LlunaSol |
Finally the
workstation age has come to the VSTi arena. After a long period
of VA obsession finnally we got a 6 layers wavetable synths not
for techno but for musicians and made by a musician.
I've never rated 10 on a synth on every category, but that time
was necessary (don't believe me, have a look for yourself):
- 10 in User interface: clever GUI arrangement, skins options
with many "looks" (and more to come)
- 10 in Sound: crisp and warm sound sound, wide wavetables
selection
- 10 in Features: such a powerful engine that you'll never finish
its possibilities (and new features to come)
- 10 in Documentation: intro video, intro pdf and well
documented 50 pages pdf
- 10 in Presets: one of my favorite points on WS wonderful list
of inspiring sounds (probably all of them)
- 10 in Customer Support: well is WilliamK, you all know,
someone ready to support you before making business
- 10 in VFM: I really think that the price is too low
- 10 in Stability: thanks to an extensive and clever public
betatesting
All that is not an enthusiastic answer from a surprised fan,
I've betatested many synths, but there have been many synths
that had been a hype, just for having two or three oscillators
and one or two filters, but when a serious musician finds such
an easy architecture for creating complete soundtracks with a
key (ala classic Wavestation) we can finally concentrate on
making music.
I've found easier to explain that way, because the engine is so
complete that would take pages to detail and the sound is so
inspiring that you simple have to download it and start
enjoying, but beware, you could spend the whole night just with
4 or 5 presets and there are about 6 banks!! |
| Nu
Audio Science |
When you first listen to WS its like knowing
something's right but not knowing what ,The truth of the matter
is we cant put our finger on exactly what is so great about this
synth but we haven't used any other synth since buying it ,We
didn't waste too much time filling it up with recycled beats to
see how it sounded ,Low and behold it actually cuts through a
mix cleaner than Utonic ( And that really is saying something ).
Dont worry the fruits of our labor will be released soon.
Back to WS ,You may find a small learning curve involved in
using the two wavsequencers but once mastered they sound
wonderful allowing constantly evolving textures or hard
modulated wall breakers ,All in all this is a great synth for
the money and we cant wait to see what it matures into.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
| MickGael |
Another masterpiece from WilliamK.
Wusikstation is a hybrid vector and wavesequencer sample-based
synth that picks up where Eve left off. Like Eve, it sounds
great, is very CPU friendly, and is reasonably priced.
William is also very responsive to user-feedback, which is a
major plus.
I'm happy to say that it's been rock-solid on my machine, which
I've come to expect from WIlliamK's work.
You really should check out the demo. But be warned - you'll
want one.
Wusik.com gives you the the option of downloading the entire
sound-set for the demo, which means when you buy the
full-version all you need to do is download the authorized VST
itself. Great idea!
Lastly, there are lots of dead-sexy skins you can grab for free.
I expect to use this alot. Great synth! |
| GenoX |
Wusikstation is one
of my most favorite innovative plugins that have been released
in the last weeks. The sound is just incredible tho based on
samplesets which are well recorded and clear. The Wavesequencer
is one of the biggest strength WusikStation masters almost
perfectly. Combined with a really huge modulationmatrix the
sounddesignpossibilities are almost endless and ranges from
thick and fat basses, leads, strange noises and effects to
nearly endless morphing and evolving motionpads. With full skin
support it makes the GUI very attractive to every user for its
needs in colours and knobs. The greatest problem the GUI have is
the far too small wavesequencer window making the editing of
sequences very difficult on larger screen sizes (WilliamK will
include a zoom function in the next release).
There is also a huge sampleset delivered with WS including many
famous vintage synths in usual and unusual samples used within
many presets in several banks which are really useful and well
programmed.
The implemented effects are another child in the VSTi that have
to grow. There are only two classic types of them: chorus
(dual/quad) and echo. they are very useful and also useable as
flanger/phaserlike and reverb effects but there are missing some
more experimental/playful effects like degrade, distorion or
others of that kind.
The customer support is good and informative as far as i
followed the forum. Nevertheless i didn't had a problem so i had
no need to call for support.
The documentation is well done as PDF and easy to understand for
beginners of this form of synthesis making the whole product a
very worthy and good release.
thumbs up |
|
