Native Instruments Absynth 5

The Native Instruments Absynth 5 is the newest, latest version of the legendary Absynth line. It is know for its organic, evolving sounds, that can be customized to be very complex. It contains over 2,100 preset sounds, so you don't have to design anything from scratch (but you certain can if you want!). Other features include 68-stage envelopes, tempo sync, semi-modular synthesis, specialized effects (such as Aetherizer, Cloud Filter, and Super Comb), macro controls, usage as a standalone effects unit, and much more.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Native Instrument's Absynth 5 is a complex instrument, and it can be very overwhelming to use at first. Luckily, there are a plethora of factory presets, and they are organized very neatly in the browser section. You can quickly choose and browse sounds based on many categories, such as overall sound type, sound mode, main sound characteristics, and genre applications. There is even a mutation option, built right into the browser, which lets you randomly change and mutate the selected sound, creating new, original sounds immediately. This organic nature of Absynth is displayed throughout the synth, and it makes it a very unique experience.

One other unique feature of Absynth 5 is the effects section, which includes 6 various delays and reverbs. But these effects are very unusual and unique, and they work like no other delays. The creative possibilities are endless in this section and in others, and it seems to work in it's own way, with controls and parameters that seem very unusual and specific to Absynth only.

Even the graphic layout is an experience, which looks very futuristic, and almost alien-like. It sets the mood and tone of the synth pretty well, and Absynth, with it's complexities, can create some out of this world sounds.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, the Native Instruments Absynth 5 is a great synth if you are looking for something with more unusual textures and ambient possibilities. You may have a hard time finding basic, retro sounds here, but if you want to create something that has never been created before, this is the perfect tool.

Registering and all that is just as easy as any plugin. The real struggle comes when you open up the plugin and you see all these features. Now for an experienced synth user it's nothing special but it can be a little overwhelming for someone new to synths. After some time though anyone can understand it.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I've been using it for a few months now. It is kinda a CPU hog. Nothing too major but I have actually had to freeze my tracks a lot of the time because my computer isn't super powerful. It's just a 2.0GHz dual core 2GB RAM gateway not meant for music. Now this only happens on projects with a lot of tracks on it, generally I get good performance out of the plugin.

OVERALL OPINION

I would definatly guy this plugin again knowing what I know now. The sounds aren't your typical synths but that's OK. For me, I use it for the awesome sound effects and unique synths to get a unique sounding beat without going into some sci fi sounding production.

I love how easy it is to find sounds as well. The browser lets you choose attributes of the sound your looking for and the plugin narrows down your selection until you find your perfect sound. There are a lot of sounds too so usually I find what I want. If you don't the sounds are easily tweakable as well.

With some experience you can create very wierd synths or just use synths that fit into a beat well. Either way the sounds are top notch quality. Go demo it before you buy it and I'm sure you won't be dissapointed. I definatly don't regret buying this!

This VST installed as easily as any other, there were no compatability issues with FL Studio at the time and it still runs perfectly to this day. The GUI is the standard Native Instruments library method where you select instruments based on features and characteristics. Most of the presets on offer are pretty awful sounding atmospheres and pads that serve no purpose at all in any song. Sound modellers would have some joy from this though.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This VST works decently in FL and doesnt cause any lag whatsoever unless it is a big project that you are working on.. I have used it on and off for a few months and found that it lags and stutters on my low end PC. On my high end pc, in conjunction with other VST's it works and doesn't really strain the CPU at all like others do.

OVERALL OPINION

The sounds on this VST are very strange as initially most are spaxy and unneccessary pads and atmospheres that will not really work in any type of music. The actual sounds themselves are nowhere near as good as other VST's that I have used but it is nice enough to get away with. I wouldn't say that it is value for price as I am a so called "preset producer" who only really likes to work with preset sounds. I personally wouldn't buy this VST for myself if I had previously used it, but I would still reccomend it to anybody who likes to play with their sounds and develop their own sounds. I have not delved into editing the sounds much at all. However, there is a problem as the sound sources don't really blend together as one and require extensive filtering and EQ'ing to get anything half decent.

Installed in Komplete. it's a bit long but that's normal given the size of the suite.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This is not my most greedy VST

OVERALL OPINION

There are other great apps in komplete synth but it's still my prefered.
He excels in the registry sound design / industrial but allows a lot of things.

The resulting textures are always "beautiful" (even sips of distortion), less pushy than other VST and easily integrated.
And when looking for inspiration, we take a sound and we change with "mutate" and explores endless variations.

One of my favorite VST with Zebra2