RE: Eventide Orville Questions

[Vance Galloway <vanceg@earthlink.net>]

> I heard Orville kicks Kyma (in flexibility and DSP power). is this true,
> having in mind that Symbolic Sound's Kyma is expandable up to 28 DSPs?

>>I'm a Kyma owner so I'm quite familiar with it.  After reading the 
>Orville
>>manuals (all three including the programming manual), it's clear to me 
>that
>>Kyma
>>is quite a bit more powerful and flexible.

I am an owner of both units and I can say that, without a doubt, Kyma is
more powerful and more flexible than an Orville.  However, It's not all as
simple as just those two statements.  Without having to go into extended
discussion my thought is that the Kyma is much simpler to program complex
(or even simple) totally custom patches in.  Orville, frankly, is pretty
tough to program.  After all, the Kyma has a dedicated front end software
package.  This is the ONLY front end to Kyma.  Kyma also contains a much
larger and far, far more flexible set of primitive modules than Orville
does.  Kyma can also be more expensive, depending on the options/DSP cards
you get.
 
However, in the Orville you get a machine that has built in some great
algorithms.  I wouldn't want to try to make a realistic sounding reverb in
Kyma (even though it is totally possible) because I would be connecting
modules and testing filter coefficients forever and ever to get it to sound
right.  With the Orville, I pull up a reverb patch.
With Orville you also do not have to have a computer with you when you 
play.
You WILL need this if you use a Kyma.  There is NO way around it.  I use a
Mac G3 laptop for this purpose, though I have seen PC laptops doing the job
very nicely.

The Orville and Kyma are, in some ways, similar: they both allow the
connection of virtual DSP modules into larger patches in almost any
conceivable combination.  Kyma has more overall power and a more advanced
editing front end.  Orville have more advanced primitive modules from which
to build and can be quicker to get up and running on.  It is built more 
like
an effects box and is meant to travel like one and does not require a
computer.

I love, love LOVE the folks at both companies: Symbolic Sound (kyma) and
Eventide (orville) and think they both make amazing products.  Each one is
better for specific folks in specific situations.  Personally, I believe
that I could do more with programming patches for looping using the Kyma
than the Orville, BUT THIS IS JUST ME!!!!!  It may be that the Orville does
JUST what you want it to out of the box, or with MINIMAL programming and 
the
it would be a better choice because of not having to carry a computer
around.

It's odd for me to think of it as Kyma vs Orville because I use them both
and really don't think of one as overall "better" than the other.  If
someone wants to send me VERY specific questions about performing a 
specific
function on each unit, I will do my best to answer them, but I don't think 
I
could say any more about the generalities of which is "better".

Vance


-------------
Vance Galloway
Chief Engineer/Systems Designer
Sound Traffic Control - Audio Immersion Environments
vanceg@earthlink.net
www.soundtraffic.com
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