Forum for all other samplers & synths such as Maschine, MVs, Akai S & Z series, Roland, Korg, OP-1, analog synths etc.
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By Wormhelmet Sun May 06, 2018 11:19 pm
I just ordered one of these. Was looking for something in a portable centerpiece sampler sequencer groove box type thing and saw the Sonic State interview and update on the Deluge. This is what I was looking for actually when I signed up here to check out the new standalone MPC’s. I held off on the new mpc’s and have kept using my mv8800’s but still not a portable solution. Just bought a few more boutique synths too so I can keep a mobile setup small with some cool gear and almost took the plunge on buying a Squarp Pyramid sequencer but the Deluge seems to offer everything I’ll need to sample, sequence external gear plus internal synths and stay able to put in a backpack along with the boutique cases I bought.

Check it out if you got time.

https://synthstrom.com/product/deluge/

I read through the forums to see if there were any complaints and seems to be just minor complaints that get addressed quickly. Seems to be great support for this thing

SYNTHESIZER

Full-featured internal synthesizer engine (subtractive and FM)
Polyphony limited only by CPU. Up to 48 unaffected synth voices or 64 unaffected sample voices may play simultaneously
Live adjustment of synth and effect parameters with two endless-turn encoders with LED level-meters
Easy buttons to select the functions these control
Parameter automation recording
Arpeggiator
Dedicated volume and tempo knobs
LFOs and envelopes on each synth / sample. Highly customizable modulation matrix
Synthesizer engine features LPF / HPF, FM, portamento, oscillator sync, ring modulation, unison detune, and more
Four basic waveforms, or select any WAV file from SD card
FX including delay, reverb, chorus, flanger, phaser, bitcrusher, sidechain effect, live stutter, and more
Keyboard mode, where the pads become a live instrument on a 2D grid
Preset or custom scales, or chromatic mode
Live processing of the audio input including polyphonic pitch shifting (according to sequenced notes), filters, and all FX
SEQUENCER

Piano-roll-style sequencing on 128 full RGB pads (16×8) with scrolling and zooming
Sequencing limited only by device RAM (many thousands of notes)
Simultaneously output separate sequences to all 16 MIDI channels, 2 CV / gate channels and 2 additional gate outputs, in addition to internal synthesizers / samples (limited only by CPU, as above)
CC control and sequencing on all 16 MIDI channels
Probability and iteration based step / note conditions
Undo / redo note and parameter automation editing and recording. Number of undo steps limited only by RAM
Advanced syncing capabilities. Non-standard time signatures supported, Polymetric
Adjustable swing
Horizontal note shift
MIDI program change and bank select
SAMPLER

Streams all samples directly from SD card (up to 32GB SDHC), without limitations based on RAM size
Time-stretching
Same filters, modulation matrix and FX as synth engine
Resampling
Slicer feature for cutting a sample into evenly sized slices
CONNECTIVITY

Two ¼” line outputs, and 3.5mm headphone output
3.5mm mic input, ¼” line input, and built-in microphone
2x CV outputs. 0 – 10V, individually configurable to between 0.01 and 2.00 volts per octave, or to hertz-per-volt
4x gate / trigger outputs individually configurable to v-trig or s-trig, with shared voltage switchable between 5V and 12V
Trigger clock output, configurable up to 192 PPQN
Trigger clock input, also with adjustable PPQN
MIDI input and output via hardware connectors or USB. Syncing via MIDI beat clock as master or slave
Powered via USB B (cable included) or 9 – 12V centre-negative (pedal-style) power supply (500mA) (not included)
User-upgradeable firmware – expect updates from Synthstrom Audible
Internal speaker, rechargeable Li-ion battery (6+ hours of operation)
Printed manual of software 1.3.0 is included
DIMENSIONS

Dimensions: 305mm x 208mm x 46mm (12 x 8.2 x 1.8 inches)
Weight: 1.5kg
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By Wormhelmet Tue May 08, 2018 3:45 pm
Just read version 2.0 should be out in June this year with some great improvements and a new Arranger view that will record your live playing into the arranger as a song that you can go back and make edits on later much like Ableton Live. A few new Osc types and new filter types too. Also learned it uses stereo samples fine. Got a couple days until mine arrives still. I’ll keep updating the thread as I try it out.
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By Coz Fri May 11, 2018 1:13 am
Nice one. Definitely interested in this. :nod: :smoker:

How do you track your projects out into stems? If everything gets mushed into a stereo track it'll be a bit of a vibe killer.
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By Wormhelmet Fri May 11, 2018 2:37 am
Coz wrote:Nice one. Definitely interested in this. :nod: :smoker:

How do you track your projects out into stems? If everything gets mushed into a stereo track it'll be a bit of a vibe killer.


Its planned for future update to export stems. Right now people are just soloing tracks into a DAW.

Mine got here yesterday. Its the easiest machine I’ve used to date to get really creative on in a hurry. The tactile and visual feedback, ease of controls, zooming in and out, flipping live from track view to song view while sequencer plays, plus a whole lot of other stuff (just about 3 hours total on it so far. Gotta work and all that stuff) make this machine hyper-responsive. The Arranger update is gonna make this one insanely easy to feel like a hardware Ableton.

Glad I waited on on a second sequencer for portability. That mv8800 is a beast but this thing is small and compact and quick to get to making tracks in a really fun way.

I don’t use a DAW for about 4 years now but do use either Auria Pro or Multitrack on iPad to record outputs of my mixer. My newer X-Air mixer has a record feature too that outputs a wave directly on usb flash drive and I bring it into Adobe Audition for some quick master edit final and conversion to mp3 to upload to soundcloud or SoundClick.
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By Wormhelmet Fri May 11, 2018 2:57 am
By the way - the build is pretty awesome. All metal casing, metal knobs with click action for extra menus. Very solid. Pads are tiny but usable for my size hands. They cram 128 pads on grid then 16 more for track solos/mutes/note previewing, etc

Not velocity sensitive but external controllers work. Like a keyboard or 16 pad controller if wanted. Has midi learn that’s pretty good. Drum grid style, piano roll style, instant keyboard keyed out in 4ths vertically and 1/2 steps horizontally. Scales light up associated pads, etc. more like a guitar layout strangely enough for the keyboard view. I happen to be a guitar player of 35 years so very intuitive to me. Maybe a future alternate keyboard traditional view in one of the updates. Its been suggested and this company is very small and listens to customers a great deal. Wood side panels standard.

A very solid machine that has had some amazing updates in the relatively short time it’s been out.

Built in synth has a lot of power and you can have quite a few synth tracks with different sounds. Sampler is great. No multisamples yet but also may be a future implementation. Not just sample playback but an actual sampler too.

There is a user that has written a sample transfer/editor, track editor, song editor all available from a browser using a Toshiba WiFi SDHC card too. So can create custom kits with drag and drop over wireless. Still 32gb max card size, but samples stream of the SD card taking no internal RAM of the machine. Very efficient use of cpu and ram. Can use samples as an oscillator source on synth tracks too.
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By Wormhelmet Fri May 11, 2018 3:51 am
Did some reading and you can export track audio via resample feature onto SD card, then bring those individual tracks into DAW. Not sure yet if they are going to expand on DAW integration, but imagine if they get enough requests, they might implement more features.

Edit - looks like its planned for a future update.
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By Coz Thu May 17, 2018 11:00 pm
Sounds good man. I can see me picking one up eventually. :smoker:

How are you finding it a week on? Are you hitting any limitations?
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By Wormhelmet Fri May 18, 2018 3:20 am
Coz wrote:Sounds good man. I can see me picking one up eventually. :smoker:

How are you finding it a week on? Are you hitting any limitations?


None so far that I can’t find a way to implement some idea. Very versatile. Has some oddities compared to my mv8800 and Spectralis 2, but can get very deep at this current version still. I am looking forward to the new update in June, but have been making music for a week now with some extra enthusiasm. I was kind of in a slump for a bit and this is very much a piece of gear that begs to not just compose on, but jam on.

Very good at sample management and manipulation but have not tried slicing a sample beat yet. Just having some fun with my new tr-08, Nord Rack 2x and this thing and it sequences other gear well. A lot of videos on how to do things, active dev that implements requests good, a strong but small user base and has been glitch free so far.
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By Wormhelmet Wed Jun 06, 2018 3:05 pm
So almost a month now. Hands down the best purchase I’ve made in a long time and I like all my purchases!

This is the funnest most creative device I’ve ever used. 2.0 update almost here. This month, but bought it at version 1.4 and if there weren’t anymore updates, would still be the funnest box I’ve owned.

I’ve been experimenting with a few different hardware synths I own and also bought a Future Retro Orb sequencer I got synced with it. The Orb does TB-303 style sequencing really well with a lot of bonuses over original TB-303 sequencer (think hard techno/Acid BassLine with crazy slide notes). I got the Orb hooked up to a MAM MB33 analog BassLine synth. Tiny little thing with really great 303 filter sound.

The Deluge can do same style sequencing but a Orb has these crazy remix knobs that do some wild things to BassLine sequences.

My Deluge right now hooked up to a Virus Ti for up to 16 different midi channel assignments and sounds plus a boutique D-05 for some old skool digital layered sounds

Been using the sampler section a lot though. I have years of great collected samples and threw a bunch on the 32gb SD card. The fact that it streams samples directly off the SD card is great. The zoom in and out on sequencer grid is insanely good and functions for different features are really fast on this. Even though the display is so small, sample preview is great as is menu options and actually the device is printed with all the button shortcuts next to the pads on the 128 pad grid so you can quickly access any buried menu item right from the pad grid and quickly edit things.

I been creating more stuff in a month on this than the rest of my equipment work over the last year. Really creative box.
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By Sharris Tue Aug 21, 2018 8:08 pm
Does anyone know if you can play the pads on the side (instead of step sequencing)? I know you can use the pads to audition sounds I just haven't seen anyone use them to record midi into the sequence, so I'm guessing it's a no, but didn't want to assume.

I saw Wormhelmet mentioned using a Korg padKontrol for finger drumming in another thread: if you see this Wormhelmet, are using it with the Deluge as a midi controller?

Is there any way to play unquantized?

These are my only questions. If I can plug a midi controller up to it (or even just use the pads on the side) to record into the sequencer & if unquantize is an option I'm def buying this.
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By Sharris Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:59 pm
Kegeratorz wrote:Check out the linked video 12:05 ish he live records but says it automatically quantized to set tempo. Swing may be the only way to loosen the track but can’t answer for sure. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lgi3scERHpc


Thanks Kegeratorz! Great info!!!

Might be getting this......... gonna keep researching, but trying to downsize my set up & I think this thing could replace a few items.
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By Wormhelmet Fri Feb 15, 2019 4:09 am
Thought I’d update this thread a little since first posting after getting it at version 1.4

Now at version 2.1.1 and does multisampling, has Arranger mode and can record from live play in song mode directly to Arranger mode. Has waveform editing using the 128 pad grid to display wave and zoom capabilities. They have improved the arpeggiator and made RAM and CPU use more efficient, beefed up the built in synths as well as giving ability to make midi drum kits with a single drum kit grid display for multiple midi channel drum kits. I can now use several drum sounds I design on my Virus in multi mode and see it the same as the original drum grid kit view that uses internal samples.

Numerous other features and this years Superbooth they will reveal the next big update. The company is responsive to requests, bug fixes, and general support is excellent. Still one of the fastest sequencers/samplers I’ve worked with and it keeps getting better. Mine fits in one the cases I bought for my Roland Boutique synths. Very compact portable unit.