U-he Diva VST ONLY v1.1 Mac OSX-iND: A Comprehensive Review and Comparison with Other Plugins
U-he Diva VST ONLY v1.1 Mac OSX-iND: A Review
If you are looking for a synthesizer plugin that can recreate the sound of various analog synthesizers with high fidelity and flexibility, you might want to check out U-he Diva. In this review, we will take a closer look at what U-he Diva is, what it does, and what it offers. We will also compare it to other similar plugins on the market and give you our honest opinion on whether it is worth getting or not.
U-he Diva VST ONLY v1.1 Mac OSX-iND
Introduction
U-he Diva is a virtual analog synthesizer plugin that emulates the sound of some of the most iconic monophonic and polyphonic synthesizers from the past five decades. It was developed by u-he, a German company that specializes in creating high-quality software instruments and effects.
Analog synthesizers are electronic musical instruments that use analog circuits to generate and shape sound waves. They have been widely used in various genres of music since the 1960s, such as rock, pop, electronic, ambient, etc. Analog synthesizers are known for their warm, rich, organic, and expressive sound quality, as well as their unique character and quirks.
However However, analog synthesizers also have some drawbacks, such as high cost, limited availability, maintenance issues, tuning instability, etc. That's why many musicians and producers opt for digital alternatives, such as software plugins, that can emulate the sound of analog synthesizers without the hassle.
U-he Diva is one of the most popular and acclaimed plugins that can do just that. It uses a technique called "component modeling" to simulate the behavior of each individual component of an analog synthesizer, such as oscillators, filters, envelopes, etc. This way, it can capture the nuances and imperfections that give analog synthesizers their unique charm and personality.
U-he Diva also allows you to mix and match different components from different synthesizer models, giving you the freedom to create your own custom hybrid sounds. You can choose from five oscillator models, five filter models, four envelope models, two LFO models, and three effects models. You can also adjust various parameters, such as tuning, drift, saturation, feedback, etc., to fine-tune your sound.
Features
U-he Diva has a lot of features that make it a powerful and versatile synthesizer plugin. Let's take a look at some of the main ones and how they work.
Oscillators
The oscillators are the sound generators of a synthesizer. They produce basic waveforms, such as sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, etc., that can be further shaped by other components. U-he Diva offers five oscillator models that are based on different analog synthesizers:
Triple VCO: This model is inspired by the Roland Jupiter-6 and Jupiter-8 synthesizers. It has three oscillators that can be detuned and synced for rich and complex sounds. It also has a sub-oscillator and a noise generator for extra depth and texture.
Dual VCO: This model is inspired by the Roland Juno-60 and Juno-106 synthesizers. It has two oscillators that can be detuned and synced for warm and fat sounds. It also has a sub-oscillator and a noise generator for extra punch and grit.
Dual VCO Eco: This model is a simplified version of the Dual VCO model. It has less CPU usage but also less sonic detail. It is suitable for simple sounds or when you need to save some CPU power.
Digital: This model is inspired by the PPG Wave 2.2 synthesizer. It has two oscillators that use wavetables instead of waveforms for more complex and evolving sounds. It also has a sub-oscillator and a noise generator for extra body and character.
Uhbik: This model is inspired by the u-he Uhbik effects plugin suite. It has two oscillators that use granular synthesis instead of waveforms for more experimental and glitchy sounds. It also has a sub-oscillator and a noise generator for extra edge and chaos.
You can choose any of these oscillator models for each of the two oscillator slots in U-he Diva. You can also adjust the volume, pan, octave, semitone, fine tune, pulse width, phase offset, sync mode, drift amount, saturation level, feedback amount, and stereo spread of each oscillator.
Filters
The filters are the sound shapers of a synthesizer. They cut off or boost certain frequencies of the sound wave, changing its timbre and tone. U-he Diva offers five filter models that are based on different analog synthesizers:
Ladder: This model is inspired by the Moog Minimoog synthesizer. It is a 24 dB/octave low-pass filter with a smooth and warm sound. It also has a self-oscillation feature that allows it to produce a sine wave when the resonance is turned up.
Cascade: This model is inspired by the Roland SH-101 synthesizer. It is a 24 dB/octave low-pass filter with a bright and snappy sound. It also has a self-oscillation feature that allows it to produce a triangle wave when the resonance is turned up.
Multimode: This model is inspired by the Oberheim SEM synthesizer. It is a 12 dB/octave filter with four modes: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and notch. It has a smooth and creamy sound with a wide range of possibilities.
Bite: This model is inspired by the Korg MS-20 synthesizer. It is a 12 dB/octave filter with two modes: low-pass and high-pass. It has a dirty and aggressive sound with a lot of distortion and resonance.
Uhbie: This model is inspired by the u-he Uhbik effects plugin suite. It is a 12 dB/octave filter with six modes: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch, peak, and formant. It has a clean and transparent sound with a lot of modulation options.
You can choose any of these filter models for the filter slot in U-he Diva. You can also adjust the cutoff frequency, resonance, envelope amount, keyboard tracking, velocity sensitivity, drive level, feedback amount, and stereo spread of the filter.
Envelopes
The envelopes are the sound controllers of a synthesizer. They determine how the sound changes over time, such as its attack, decay, sustain, and release. U-he Diva offers four envelope models that are based on different analog synthesizers:
ADSR: This model is inspired by the Roland Jupiter-6 and Jupiter-8 synthesizers. It is a standard four-stage envelope with attack, decay, sustain, and release parameters. It has a fast and snappy response that is suitable for percussive sounds.
ADS(R): This model is inspired by the Roland Juno-60 and Juno-106 synthesizers. It is a simplified three-stage envelope with attack, decay, and sustain parameters. The release parameter is fixed to the same value as the decay parameter. It has a smooth and natural response that is suitable for pad sounds.
ADSR 2: This model is inspired by the Oberheim SEM synthesizer. It is a four-stage envelope with attack, decay, sustain, and release parameters. It also has an extra parameter called "hold" that determines how long the envelope stays at the maximum level before decaying. It has a slow and gentle response that is suitable for ambient sounds.
ADSR 3: This model is inspired by the Korg MS-20 synthesizer. It is a four-stage envelope with attack, decay, sustain, and release parameters. It also has an extra parameter called "delay" that determines how long the envelope waits before starting to attack. It has a fast and aggressive response that is suitable for lead sounds.
You can choose any of these envelope models for each of the three envelope slots in U-he Diva. You can also adjust the level, time, curve, velocity sensitivity, and modulation amount of each envelope stage.
Modulation
The modulation is the sound movement of a synthesizer. It allows you to change the sound parameters over time using various sources and destinations. U-he Diva offers two LFO models and a modulation matrix that are based on different analog synthesizers:
LFO 1: This model is inspired by the Roland Jupiter-6 and Jupiter-8 synthesizers. It is a low-frequency oscillator that can produce four waveforms: sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square. It can modulate various parameters such as pitch, filter cutoff, pulse width, etc.
LFO 2: This model is inspired by the Korg MS-20 synthesizer. It is a low-frequency oscillator that can produce two waveforms: triangle and square. It can modulate various parameters such as pitch, filter cutoff, pulse width, etc.
Modulation matrix: This model is inspired by the Oberheim SEM synthesizer. It is a matrix that allows you to assign any of the modulation sources (LFO 1, LFO 2 , envelope 1, envelope 2, envelope 3, keyboard, velocity, aftertouch, mod wheel, and breath) to any of the modulation destinations (pitch A, pitch B, filter cutoff, filter resonance, pulse width A, pulse width B, volume A, volume B, pan A, pan B, feedback, cross mod, ring mod, and noise color). You can also adjust the modulation amount and polarity for each assignment.
You can choose any of these LFO models for each of the two LFO slots in U-he Diva. You can also adjust the rate, phase, delay, fade in, key sync, tempo sync, retrigger mode, and modulation amount of each LFO. You can also access the modulation matrix from the main panel and create up to 12 modulation assignments.
Effects
The effects are the sound enhancers of a synthesizer. They add extra depth, dimension, and character to the sound using various processing techniques. U-he Diva offers three effects models that are based on different analog synthesizers:
Chorus: This model is inspired by the Roland Juno-60 and Juno-106 synthesizers. It is a stereo chorus effect that creates a lush and wide sound by adding subtle pitch and time variations to the original signal. It has two modes: I and II. Mode I is a mild chorus effect that adds some movement and shimmer to the sound. Mode II is a deep chorus effect that adds some detune and swirl to the sound.
Phaser: This model is inspired by the Roland Jupiter-6 synthesizer. It is a stereo phaser effect that creates a sweeping and swirling sound by adding phase shifts to the original signal. It has two modes: 8-stage and 12-stage. The 8-stage mode is a smooth and subtle phaser effect that adds some color and warmth to the sound. The 12-stage mode is a rich and complex phaser effect that adds some depth and movement to the sound.
Plate: This model is inspired by the EMT 140 plate reverb unit. It is a stereo reverb effect that creates a spacious and natural sound by simulating the reflections of sound waves on a metal plate. It has two modes: bright and dark. The bright mode is a clear and crisp reverb effect that adds some sparkle and air to the sound. The dark mode is a warm and smooth reverb effect that adds some body and ambience to the sound.
You can choose any of these effects models for each of the three effects slots in U-he Diva. You can also adjust the mix level, tone level, speed level, depth level, feedback level, pre-delay level, decay level, damping level, width level, and modulation amount of each effect.
Pros and cons
U-he Diva is a great synthesizer plugin that has many pros and cons. Here are some of them:
Pros
Sound quality: U-he Diva has an amazing sound quality that rivals or even surpasses some of the real analog synthesizers it emulates. It sounds warm warm, rich, organic, and expressive, with a lot of detail and character. It can produce a wide range of sounds, from classic to modern, from simple to complex, from smooth to gritty.
Flexibility: U-he Diva has a lot of flexibility that allows you to customize and tweak your sound to your liking. You can mix and match different components from different synthesizer models, creating your own hybrid sounds. You can also adjust various parameters, such as tuning, drift, saturation, feedback, etc., to fine-tune your sound. You can also use the modulation matrix to create dynamic and expressive sounds.
Authenticity: U-he Diva has a lot of authenticity that makes it feel like a real analog synthesizer. It uses component modeling to simulate the behavior of each individual component of an analog synthesizer, capturing the nuances and imperfections that give analog synthesizers their unique charm and personality. It also has a realistic user interface that resembles the original hardware, with knobs, switches, sliders, etc.
Cons
CPU usage: U-he Diva has a high CPU usage that can cause some performance issues on some computers. It uses a lot of processing power to achieve its high sound quality and accuracy. It also has a "divine" mode that increases the CPU usage even more, but also improves the sound quality even more. You may need to lower the quality settings or freeze or bounce some tracks to reduce the CPU load.
Learning curve: U-he Diva has a steep learning curve that can be challenging for some users. It has a lot of features and options that can be overwhelming and confusing at first. It also requires some knowledge and experience with analog synthesizers to understand how they work and how to use them effectively. You may need to spend some time and effort to learn how to use U-he Diva and get the most out of it.
Compatibility: U-he Diva has some compatibility issues that can cause some problems on some systems. It is only available for Mac OS X 10.5 or later, and it only supports VST 2.4 format. It does not support AU or AAX formats, which are used by some popular DAWs such as Logic Pro or Pro Tools. You may need to use a third-party plugin host or wrapper to use U-he Diva on these DAWs.
Comparison
U-he Diva is not the only plugin that can emulate the sound of analog synthesizers. There are other similar plugins on the market that can do the same thing, such as Arturia V Collection, Native Instruments Monark, etc. How does U-he Diva compare to these plugins? Let's find out.
Similarities
U-he Diva shares some common features and characteristics with other plugins that can emulate the sound of analog synthesizers, such as:
Sound quality: All of these plugins have a high sound quality that can rival or even surpass some of the real analog synthesizers they emulate. They sound warm warm, rich, organic, and expressive, with a lot of detail and character. They can produce a wide range of sounds, from classic to modern, from simple to complex, from smooth to gritty.
Flexibility: All of these plugins have a lot of flexibility that allows you to customize and tweak your sound to your liking. You can mix and match different components from different synthesizer models, creating your own hybrid sounds. You can also adjust various parameters, such as tuning, drift, saturation, feedback, etc., to fine-tune your sound. You can also use the modulation matrix to create dynamic and expressive sounds.
Authenticity: All of these plugins have a lot of authenticity that makes them feel like real analog synthesizers. They use component modeling or circuit modeling to simulate the behavior of each individual component of an analog synthesizer, capturing the nuances and imperfections that give analog synthesizers their unique charm and personality. They also have realistic user interfaces that resemble the original hardware, with knobs, switches, sliders, etc.
Differences
U-he Diva also has some unique features and characteristics that set it apart from other plugins that can emulate the sound of analog synthesizers, such as:
Sound quality: U-he Diva has a higher sound quality than most of the other plugins. It uses a higher sampling rate and a higher oversampling rate to achieve a more accurate and detailed sound. It also has a "divine" mode that increases the sound quality even more, but also increases the CPU usage even more.
Flexibility: U-he Diva has more flexibility than most of the other plugins. It offers more component models and more parameter options than most of the other plugins. It also allows you to switch between different component models on the fly, without reloading the plugin or losing your settings.
Authenticity: U-he Diva has more authenticity than most of the other plugins. It emulates not only the sound but also the behavior of each individual component of an analog synthesizer, including the nonlinearities, instabilities, and interactions that give analog synthesizers their unique charm and personality. It also has a realistic user interface that mimics the original hardware, with realistic graphics, animations, and feedback.
Conclusion
U-he Diva is a fantastic synthesizer plugin that can recreate the sound of various analog synthesizers with high fidelity and flexibility. It is one of the best plugins on the market for anyone who loves the sound of analog synthesizers and wants to use them in their music production.
Summary
In this review, we have covered what U-he Diva is, what it does, and what it offers. We have also compared it to other similar plugins on the market and given you our honest opinion on whether it is worth getting or not. Here are the main points to remember from this review:
U-he Diva is a virtual analog synthesizer plugin that emulates the sound of some of the most iconic monophonic and polyphonic synthesizers from the past five decades.
U-he Diva uses component modeling to simulate the behavior of each individual component of an analog synthesizer, capturing the nuances and imperfections that give analog synthesizers their unique charm and personality.
U-he Diva allows you to mix and match different components from different synthesizer models, creating your own custom hybrid sounds. You can also adjust various parameters various parameters, such as tuning, drift, saturation, feedback, etc., to fine-tune your sound. You can also use the modulation matrix to create dynamic and expressive sounds.
U-he Diva has an amazing sound quality that rivals or even surpasses some of the real analog synthesizers it emulates. It sounds warm, rich, organic, and expressive, with a lot of detail and character. It can produce a wide range of sounds, from classic to modern, from simple to complex, from smooth to gritty.
U-he Diva has some drawbacks, such as high CPU usage, steep learning curve, and limited compatibility. It uses a lot of processing power to achieve its high sound quality and accuracy. It also requires some knowledge and experience with analog synthesizers to understand how they work and how to use them effectively. It is only available for Mac OS X 10.5 or later, and it only supports VST 2.4 format.
Recommendation
Based on our review, we highly recommend U-he Diva to anyone who loves the sound of analog synthesizers and wants to use them in their music production. It is one of the best plugins on the market for this purpose, and it offers a lot of value for its price. It is a powerful and versatile synthesizer plugin that can recreate the sound of various analog synthesizers with high fidelity and flexibility.
However, we also advise you to consider your needs and preferences before getting U-he Diva. It may not be the best option for you if you have a low-end computer, a different DAW, or a different musical style. You may also need to spend some t