AskAudio Mag Review - Spectrum

AskAudio (AskAudio Mag) - 09/08/2016

Anyone familiar with Wave Alchemy's product line likely has understandably high expectations when it comes to new devices from them: their recording and post-processing is among the best in the industry. The announcement of their new sample-based analogue synth instrument for Native Instruments' Kontakt platform predictably inspired widespread anticipation. Here we get a look under the hood at this impressively packaged and presented instrument.

Analogue For The Masses

Analogue sounds: we all need them, but we can't all afford them. While Arturia more or less has the market for virtual emulation of classic vintage synths cornered, their price point is still well beyond many producers' means. Those seeking equivalent sound quality in a sensible package at a lower price point, Spectrum is made for you—so long as you've got a full Kontakt license.

The core of any Spectrum patch is comprised of four Wave slots, each of which can host one of Spectrum's 175 waveforms. Each slot comes with its own coarse and fine-tuning, panning and volume, along with attack, release, sample start and end, velocity, and keyboard pan mapping controls. Using a single waveform on its own was enough to generate convincingly obese low-end and blistering leads, but the more you stack, the more textured your results will be. If the 250 included snapshot presets aren't enough to get started, the waveform randomizer is there to provide a unique layer combination when you've lost the time or patience to scroll.

Alchemical Spectrum

Combining sterling sound with creative sequencing tools and effects, Spectrum is an impressive package built on more than 11 GB of painstakingly multi-sampled waveforms. Unmistakable vintage bass tones, sweeping leads, deep chords, lush pads, crystalline bells, and percussive plucks make up just a small slice of the tones on offer.

Anyone looking for authentic analog sounds—who owns a full Kontakt license, which would include owners of NI's Komplete bundle—should give Spectrum serious consideration; unfortunately, Spectrum isn't compatible with the free version of Kontakt Player.

Read the full review here