Solaris and Silverdisc/Black Box

moosethree · Post by **moosethree** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:30 pm

Does Solaris and Silverdisc/Black Box cover the same ground or do they have a different sound or different processing or modulation that makes their sounds different. I don't want to purchase both if they don't each contribute something different to the mix.

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:53 pm

Very different beasts indeed. Both well worth the outlay.

moosethree · Post by **moosethree** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:39 am

what IS the discernable difference?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:39 am

Solaris features a more 'self-contained' approach, but can be extended ad infinitum via the RD system - and it integrates a big part of the SpaceF devices.

The Blackbox/Silverdisk is deeper modularized for customizing - it's structure is ideal for highly specialized setups.
I don't know it's current, but I'd even pay the package price for the Echo part alone...
and there's a ton of synth modules and filters additionally

Imho the Solaris is at least on par with a Virus TDM, go figure what John asks for it...

Imho both system have an excellent bang for the buck, it's really hard to prefer one over the other. Sound is excellent on both - but none has a specific flavour because they are (or can be) equally complex.

cheers, tom

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2006-04-13 08:41 ]</font>

moosethree · Post by **moosethree** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:50 am

what IS the discernable difference?

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:58 am

On 2006-04-13 08:50, moosethree wrote:
what IS the discernable difference?

The name, the interface and, because the vast complexity of the both synths, your ability to experiment...

Sorry, but your question sounds like: "how sounds the SFP synthesizer enviroment?"

moosethree · Post by **moosethree** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:44 am

yes the name is different, complexity and experimentation are how they are similar....I'm asking for discernible differences in sound, texture, fx or anything that would justify buying both of them......I detect discernible differences between Solaris and Dark Star though both of them can use RD modules....

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:21 am

Anyway U could try the demos, simply contact John Bowen for a (sadly, old) demo version of Solaris and download from SpaceF site the BLACKBOX-BIOSC-LBH-DEMOS.zip
...or take a coup of tea by one of PlanetZ Solaris/Blackbox owner

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:16 am

Well they're completely different things really. Solaris is a semi-modular synth that can accept Zarg's own RD modules as well as space f's Satellite modules.

space f's BlackBox is a collection of devices including (not a complete list): Synthetic DXD (semi-modular synth),Bi-Osc3 and An-Osc2 (smaller semi-modular synths), Echo34 (fantastic dubdelay, also semi-modular), Wax (wah pedal effect), various Little Big Harps (sequencer/arp thingies), OctaPitch (an audio LBH), Slapback (a slapback echo) and of course all the 'Satellite' modules with various oscillators and filters.

djmicron · Post by **djmicron** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:47 am

it could be a good compromise to use solaris and the biosc oscillators and filter package as rd modules, it's an endless creative environment.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:17 pm

On 2006-04-13 09:44, moosethree wrote:
...I'm asking for discernible differences in sound, texture, fx or anything that would justify buying both of them....

if you are able to describe the sound* of Solaris then I WILL buy you a SilverDisk

(10 different oscillators, 22 filter types, up to 4 of them active simultaneously, complex envelope and modulation routing...)
*general plattitudes like super, analog, outstanding etc don't count

cheers, Tom

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2006-04-13 13:32 ]</font>