Strength's and Weakness of Radias, what does it compare up 2

[Stephen Wiley]

I've had my Radias Rack a few weeks ago and I was wondering what some of you seasoned Radias users

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be as objective as possible. I know the people who read this board are likely big fans of the Radias, and believe it to be better than a lot of things, but please do your best to be objective here.

Let us begin.

Without getting into a lot of tech specs, what are the strengths of the Radias? (Bass,Leads, Pads, Functionality, Arps, Step Sequencer, Oscillators, Filters, Vocoder, Versatiility, Software to make patches, patches from other Korg machines able to be reproduced for the Radias, etc)

What are the weaknesses of the Radias? (Bass,Leads, Pads, Functionality, Arps, Step Sequencer, Oscillators, Filters, Vocoder, Versatiility, Software to make patches, patches from other Korg machines able to be reproduced for the Radias, etc)


What other synths does the Radias remind you of (both hardware and software,) and how does it stand up to synths in it's price range and synths above its price range. I know some of these synths use different synthesis methods, but in terms of sound, how do they stack up in your opinion?

Virus TI Snow ? Versatile, lots of patches, Total integration so you can use it like a VST, etc. Newest firmware upgrade has, from what I understand, made the Virus fully functional with Macs.

Waldorf Blofeld - Don't know a lot about this one.

Nord Lead 2X - Have never played with one, but I do have Discovery Pro which is basically a perfect software emu. I think Discovery is great, but does the Nord Lead 2X perform better than the Radias? The two units are just about dead even on prices, so this is a very fair comparison. Please be honest here guys! I've heard a lot of great things about the NL2X and havn't really heard anything about the Radias, although the little bit I have heard about the Radias is good. It just doesn't seem to be very popular for some reason.

Moog Music Little Phatty II Stage Edition Analog Synth - This is a completely different animal, but, do the LP's one voice sounds outweigh the benefits of getting a Radias instead?

Dave Smiths' Tetr4 - Not expecting any comments here since the Tetr4 is so new and most probably havn't been able to get a very good grasp of it, but if for some reason one of you have, please do tell.


THANKS GUYS!!!!

[X-Trade]

I don't think the radias really compares to anything on the market at them moment in terms of functionality and flexibility of sound design. IMHO it is seriously underrated, most likely because of all those trance/dance presets it is loaded with - It is much more than that. I use it in a dance/rock band, and before that I was using it for Metal, Progressive rock. I'm also using it for krautrock-style electronica and chillout.

Its strongest point I believe is pads. Polyphony is good for pads, it has plenty of effects, the modulation sequencer, etc. you can make pads that go on for hours without getting boring. similarly it makes nice atmospheres. the Ensemble, reverb, phaser, and tape delay are wonderful tools for shaping those. Similarly it makes some nice vintage string machine sounds (see my upcoming vintage/analog pack)

Its weakest point is true-analog sounding sounds. not in contrary to what I have said in the past here, it doesn't sound very analog to boot. it takes a lot of work to get a good analog sound out of it and really you have to hold back on the effects because they completely detract from any analog feeling in the sound.

I personally find the EGs very difficult to control, in that my sounds tend to have the wrong dynamics. The compressor and limiter are good for this though.

Similarly, I think the Arp and SEQs let it down. they are not at all flexible, and I would have liked a pattern switching ability, or rather polyphonic arps like on the triton (which, with fixed-note mode in combination with a transpose option for fixed-note mode, would make poly step sequencers too). However, I do like the ability to set the 16 buttons to trigger mode, and scroll through the different drums for what I believe someone called x0x editing (808, 909, etc), where you can program in the pattern for each note/drum separately.

That brings me on to the drum section, which is also fantastic, and again underrated. you effectively have 16 timbres of monophonic programming, using almost all of the normal voice structure. this would make great analog and effect drum kits, if anyone could bother to spend the time programming in there. also drum voice programming as an art in general is difficult. and the effects functionality for drum timbres is rather limited. in fact I think the entire synth should have an IFX system more like the triton where all of the effect slots are freely assignable and chainable. sometimes I want three effects for one timbre, but only one effect for the other, or sometimes I want send levels for the different drums. it would benefit in that way if the dry/wet mix control was actually pre-effect, controlling how much goes in rather than comes out, but thats always been a problem with standards in general.
Also, a knock at korg's effects in general, the forced-mono effects on all of their boards (triton, M3, Radias, etc) REALLY need a pan control. for example when I was making a guitar amp system, I wanted one amp sim on the left, and another timbre with another amp sim on the right. this just isn't possible with the current effects without unplugging and using the aux-out for one side, in which case you loose the MFX (which is really a TFX) for that side.

The vocoder is also fantastic, I would like to work more with the vocoder in the future.

finally, I think it has great potential as a rack effects processor. I've already used it for some guitar amp sounds, although I'm still perfecting that. After I've finished my Digital, Analog, and Vintage sets, I may work on an exclusively audio-in set.

[gdh]

I agree with much of the above statements, I primarily use the Radias for pads, some ep and some organ but layered with my other racks. I use my Prophet 08 more for bass and leads.

[Stephen Wiley]

Similarly it makes some nice vintage string machine sounds (see my upcoming vintage/analog pack)

I've seen you talk about your packs. Where can I get them and where will I be able to get your upcoming packs for the Radias? I'm very interested

[X-Trade]

Similarly it makes some nice vintage string machine sounds (see my upcoming vintage/analog pack)

I've seen you talk about your packs. Where can I get them and where will I be able to get your upcoming packs for the Radias? I'm very interested

I have some available on the download section here on korgforums. For future packs, I may host them on my own site. They are free too
Just make sure you keep checking back here, I will post a topic on it when they are finally finished. I am just moving into a new flat at the moment so it is on hold for the next week at best.

[Synthoid]

I'm also interested in purchasing a Radias.

Funny though--I heard on another forum that it does do pads and analog sounds rather well. Not so?

I was interested in the Blofeld awhile back for it's uniqueness and PPG type wave sequencing sounds, but I assume it doesn't offer splits and layers, step sequencing or drum patches? And the menu diving turned me off. That synth needs more knobs.

So.....who has some input? Thanks.

[Stephen Wiley]

I'd suggest a Radias. No bias here either as it is my only Korg product in the studio. It has a learning curve, but if you are not lazy and learn how to use it, it'll increase your knowledge of synthesis a lot. I continue to learn multiple things every single time I turn the machine. It has capable of so many different things. The sounds you get out of it are nothing short of A+ either. It's worth its weight in gold.

[YorkshireLad]

I agree in that it doesn't do analog very well but for the money you pay you get an awful lot of synth! Mine was bought on eBay for <£700 (with the keyboard) and it's in mint condition.

If you dig around on the presets there are some great bass and lead sound so it can do them pretty well.

I also think that the large selection of effects on offer do help create a much wider variety of sounds than you see on other similarly priced synths.

[Synthoid]

Any other comments?

[slammah2012]

For me it is a give and take thing....

I love the flexibility.... and the types of sounds and the modulation sequencing the radias can make......

I find it lacks in sonics though....as if It is running out of amplifier headroom or running out of DSP power.

There are a lot of kewl motion sounds that can fit in with a lot of other synths....

I find the same problem with my Waldorf Blofeld......
Lots of versitility, but lacking in the sonics from the output....

Comparing to my Creamware Prodysey or my Use Plugiator,, these have sonics.... but then again, they lack in motion and modulations.....

so its a give and take....

The only synths that I can say top all of these in sonics are my Continuum,(amazng) and my old CS80......The CS breathes sonics....

[X-Trade]

For me it is a give and take thing....

I love the flexibility.... and the types of sounds and the modulation sequencing the radias can make......

I find it lacks in sonics though....as if It is running out of amplifier headroom or running out of DSP power.

There are a lot of kewl motion sounds that can fit in with a lot of other synths....

I find the same problem with my Waldorf Blofeld......
Lots of versitility, but lacking in the sonics from the output....

Comparing to my Creamware Prodysey or my Use Plugiator,, these have sonics....

I've found this too. I've started using the Limiter as an insert or master effect as a compressor (the parameters seem more like a compressor... it makes little sense really), it really adds a lot more energy to the sound. I've got it on almost every patch now. Particularly useful for plucky analog sounds. I've always found that the envelopes are a little tricky to get the results you want from them on their own.

[synthguy]

I thought I'd toss in with my own two cents, as a new owner. I've owned both the M3 and EXB-Radias for a year and a half, but kept wanting more than the EXB offered.

I must say that the Radias is about the most impressive VA I've seen for some time. It has about everything you could ask for in a virtual synth. I still want a Blofeld, because my Ensoniq Fizmo is way too cool but getting old, and the BF has a fantastic PPG style synth engine with very good filters. In the meantime though, the Radias fills the synth role nicely.

Along with what the others have said, I'd add that the Radias has some of the coolest filters I've ever played with, and filters are the main factor in how a synth sounds. The character of the Rad is a blend of a few notable synths, such as the Oberheim OB-8, Jupiter 8, Arp Chroma, Memorymoog, and it has a seasoning of Yamaha CS80 in it. I guess, in essence it's a KORG. The Radias is much bigger sounding; not just because it has digital waveforms in it, but because you can stack the oscillators up eight thick! And with waveshaping, four more sub-oscillators! If you want bases that shake the foundations to pieces or leads that strip paint from walls, look no further.

Like a modular synth, it's kind of a chameleon. You can coax Minimoog-like timbers from it, or capture some of the raspy filter textures of the CS80. Like most digital synths, it sounds a bit too pristine and perfect, but you can dirty it up with pitch fluctuations in the oscillators, waveshaping, distortion, bit reduction and other effects. The effects are very good if a little limited. Out of the box, it's a bright, bouncy, happy synth, but you can certainly give it a dark, angry mood without too much trouble, or most any character you want. The bright prominent high frequencies can be turned to growling muddy muck with a little effort.

The main thing that sets the Radias apart are those variable filters, which can be morfed from 24db lowpass, through 12db lowpass, bandpass, highpass, notch and allpass - which I have yet to experiment with. But shifting the filter character between 24db lowpass to bandpass yields all kinds of sonic flavors with each tiny change, things I haven't heard in other synthesizers. This filter is a dream tool for a synthesist like me who's looking for one more major element to build sounds with. I've spent hours on one patch just listening to how slight filter variations bring out certain harmonics, and puzzling over which setting is the ideal one for the patch.

As for the lack of "sonics" though, I'm not sure I've experienced that. With the EXB-Radias, it hasn't felt gimped compared to the M3 patches I've fiddled with alongside it. Not compressed, not anemic, not squeezed or boxed in. So far, the Radias itself hasn't either. Then again, I don't own the Big O. Another factor is that I also produce my music as I go, making sure that each piece in the ensemble has its place, so that sounds don't fight for space or attention. I don't push drum and bass to 11 and then compensate the rest accordingly. In fact, my volumes are a little lower than normal, so maybe my patches have more room to breathe. It doesn't hurt that I also have an excellent used mixer with a juicy sound and lots of headroom, and good monitors to hear every detail.

I'd also like to point out that despite the digital nature of the Radias, I can get it to sound quite analog. Using slight sample and hold and other subtle controller inputs to add analog imperfections helps a bit, as does a touch of drive on some sounds. It wasn't programmed to sound vintage, warm and electronic, but bright, pure and modern. If you understand synthesis, it's not hard to dig all kinds of old Arp, Oberheim and Moog sounds from it, and in my case, a few CS80 sounds. Be sure and check out stock patch F02 Dark Moon, for a look at how the 2008 Radias can sound like a 1972 VCS3 analog synth. And a hi-hat.

[slammah2012]

The radias does not have a hint of a CS80......
not even close....

The radias does not have the sonics a cs80 pushes out......Its headroom is squashed....
and, the Radias is better sonically than that Blofeld.....Even with the Sample upgrade...
I have all 3 to gauge from....

[McHale]

The RADIAS (like all specialty synths) is a great synth in it's own right. If you compare it to other synths hoping it will be able to do/be what they are, you'll be disappointed. But take advantage of everything it offers (which is a lot) and you'll be very pleased with it. I use the RADIAS for pads and leads. My comment has always been that the RADIAS sounds analog-like at best. But that's not really a bad thing though. I dumped all of my analog gear (except the DW-8000 and DSS-1) years ago and don't really miss any of it. Tuning stability and hardware reliability sucked.

The RADIAS can sound VERY analog (X-trade's free download has a bunch of great analog sounds in there to prove that) but it can also sound electronic or organic. It goes far beyond the scope of V/A and while I'm not using it to it's full potential, I'm using it for what I bought it for - analog-ish pads and leads which it does very well.

-Mc