Should the 128 Polyphony throw me off from getting the I7?

[mdef303]

I'm 99.9 percent sure I'm going to buy the i7, but there is one thing I want to clarify by current users of the I7. The 128 polyphony.. Is their a problem when layering sounds.. say a pad, string, and synth? Does one of the sounds cut off? Could you not layer up to 16 instruments? I'm mainly a studio user, and work with cubase. I would like to know if their is a problem when layering a sound.?

[SoundworldA.D.]

Unless you are layering a bunch of "one-tone" patches, you are not going to be using the I-7 for any massive 16 part magnum opuses mdef!

As usual with any synth, polyphony can be gobbled up pretty quickly when you start using patches that use several "tones." Although there is some IP that surrounds the BMT, we suspect that all of the articulations present in those great sounds may also contribute to less polyphony.

I tend to look at the Integra-7 for what it offers: the latest SuperNATURAL sounds, an XV-5080 sound engine, motional surround, all 12 SRX Expansion boards and pretty good effect units, all at a price point that is pretty spectacular when you compare it what the XV-5080 (WITHOUT any expansions) cost back in 2004.

Does it have limitations? Of course, but it is still a pretty heavy duty sound machine. You will have to decide if those limitations make it undesirable for your setup.

[mdef303]

Nice, thanks. I would only layer 2 maybe 3 sounds, if that. I'm pretty sure the I7 is capable of this, even at 128. Am I right? If I need anymore, I tend to add another track in cubase and layer it out in the sequencer anyways.

[Grammar Wombat]

Unless you are layering a bunch of "one-tone" patches, you are not going to be using the I-7 for any massive 16 part magnum opuses mdef!

Opuses?

I prefer the plural opera.

[SoundworldA.D.]

Opuses?

I prefer the plural opera.

Magnum Opera Grammar? Nah...just wouldn't have been the same. Of course "opera" is first after the pl in my Websters New World, but I preferred to opine with the Opus route.

And that's the scuttlebutt on that score! No...not THAT scuttlebutt that needs a dipper!

Look Grammar...the guard dog is now watching over FOUR of 'em! ;-)

Woof!!

[PauloF]

Nice, thanks. I would only layer 2 maybe 3 sounds, if that. I'm pretty sure the I7 is capable of this, even at 128. Am I right? If I need anymore, I tend to add another track in cubase and layer it out in the sequencer anyways.

Sure it will !!
Polyphony wise, look at integra as a Fantom X or a SonicCell, both 128 voice 16 Part Multitimbral too.

Even the 24 Voice V-Synth XT is capable of layering 2-3 Tones (I'm using that all the time) ;-)

[anotherscott]

Unless you are layering a bunch of "one-tone" patches, you are not going to be using the I-7 for any massive 16 part magnum opuses mdef!

I'm not sure I understand the opening "unless" in that statement. Just based on the architecture of the Integra, aren't all the sounds in the I-7 one-tone patches?

But in the case of synth tones, a single tone can have 4 partials, so that would eat up polyphony more quickly; and as you point out, acoustic tone "articulations" may be affecting polyphony as well, and if the acoustic tones are stereo, that would presumably drain polyphony further). I guess the worst case would be attempting to layer 16 4-partial tones, in which case I guess your polyphony would be down to 2!

[Leh173]

I wouldn't worry about it. The Fantom G has 128, and it's always been OK for me. It actually manages polyphony better than I expected... a far cry from my 28 or 32 voice modules which always ran out!

[SoundworldA.D.]

I'm not sure I understand the opening "unless" in that statement. Just based on the architecture of the Integra, aren't all the sounds in the I-7 one-tone patches?

Yeah a-scott, I was thinking of the XV-5080 (and 1080, and 2080 and JD-990) architecture where Roland referred to each sound in a "patch" as a tone instead of the old sampling terminology of "partials."

I suppose that's why I enclosed it in quotation marks, but didn't make it very clear. He asked if you could not layer up to 16 instruments at once and that was what my reply was aimed at.

Good luck finding 16 great sounding pad, string and synth one-partial tones!

[anotherscott]

Good luck finding 16 great sounding pad, string and synth one-partial tones!

I agree about synth tones. But I thought the SRX sounds only take one note of polyphony per key-strike (two for stereo sounds like piano), no?

I'd also still like to get more info about the polyphony of SN acoustic sounds and articulations... I've seen a couple of posts implying it goes more quickly than you'd expect, but no definitive information. I'm not disputing it, I just don't know. If anyone has some detail about this, please point me in the right direction...

[PauloF]

Good luck finding 16 great sounding pad, string and synth one-partial tones!

I agree about synth tones. But I thought the SRX sounds only take one note of polyphony per key-strike (two for stereo sounds like piano), no?

I'd also still like to get more info about the polyphony of SN acoustic sounds and articulations... I've seen a couple of posts implying it goes more quickly than you'd expect, but no definitive information. I'm not disputing it, I just don't know. If anyone has some detail about this, please point me in the right direction...

These are actually good points, Anotherscott !
Maybe some integra-7 owners can help to uncover

[Andy Keys]

According to their manuals, SRX sounds can use anywhere from 1-8 tones per note. Not sure if the Integra somehow reworks this, but I suspect not.

[anotherscott]

According to their manuals, SRX sounds can use anywhere from 1-8 tones per note. Not sure if the Integra somehow reworks this, but I suspect not.

Thanks for the correction.

[rolandvet]

The legacy XV and SRX patches have up to four partials (or 'tones') per patch. So, playing a triplet with a patch with four partials would take up 12 'voices' right there.

The new Supernatural Synth tones have up to three partials.

The Supernatural Acoustic tones have one tone. So, if you stick to the SN-A tones, you would be all right. The one song I've created with it so far has as many as eight parts playing at a time, with plenty of sustain, and I haven't had any dropped notes yet.