Rob Papen Instruments has released BIT-2, a major update to their analog modeling synth.
The update adds expanded oscillators, updated filters, enhanced arpeggiator/sequencer, effects & more.
Here’s what they have to say about what’s new in BIT-2:
“New additions to BIT-2 can be found in its Oscillators. Here you will find SuperSaw and SuperSquare waves, which are multiple Oscillators generated inside Oscillator 1 and/or 2. They give even more flexibility in creating sounds.
Kept from the previous version is the option to modulate Oscillator 2 by Oscillator 1 in several ways which expands the sound palette massively with Phase Modulation, Frequency Modulation, and Ring Modulation!
The two top-notch analogue modeled Filters are expanded in BIT-2 with new modes further enhancing its capabilities for sound shaping.
New inside BIT-2’s arpeggiator/sequencer is the option to dynamically change the start step and end step number, resulting in interesting real-time changing patterns! Another newly added feature is the ‘Magic’ parameter that allows you to alter the played arpeggiator/sequencer in a musical manner. The arpeggiator/sequencer can also work as a modulator and includes an additional free row that you can use to modulate other parts of BIT-2 by using the Modulation Matrix.
The AMP section of BIT-2 has been expanded with multiple distortion options and all are at a per ‘voice’ level, avoiding ugly sounds if you play chords.
An addition of a ‘Ribbon Controller’ found in the lowest section of BIT-2’s GUI allows you to change multiple parameters in a dynamic way using your mouse or an external MIDI controller.
Finally, the finishing touch for BIT-2 is of course the FX section. Some superb-sounding FX have been added and improved. Our top-notch Reverb is also included inside BIT-2 which means you won’t have to go outboard for adding reverb.
Pricing and Availability:
BIT-2 is available now with an intro price of $74 USD (normally $99). A demo version is also available.
I love Rob Papen and everything he has brought to virtual synth technology. Also, I really like Bit 2. However, like maybe the majority of “virtual analog” plugins, this doesn’t really capture the essence of “analog synthesizers”. However, I have found Bit 1 to be a great substitute for many “digital” plugins, and I really look forward to playing with its successor.
Excellent synth. Very underrated
doesn’t sound analog at all to me. sounds rather cheap. rather try u-he plugins.
Sounds fantastic, but no iOS support – sad. That’s one customer lost.
Almost every VA synth owes something to Wizoo/Steinberg’s XPhraze, which was the first softsynth I can recall that had all the goodies, including effects & WAV drop-in. It was truly ahead of its time & sadly never caught on. The makers turned a lot of it into Nexus, which is a big hit in Europe, bursting with add-on packs. Its a good synth, although its main drive is modifying the massive number of presets.
IMO, two or three VAs tend to cover the full range of why you’d want them. As with the Minimoog, there’s an inescapable basic design set required to go there. Then there’s Papen’s Blue 3, a colorful hybrid that has subtractive, FM and a sampling feature. It comes with 5000+ patches. There go your weekends for 6 months.
Was still running XPhraze on an old Dell desktop until it recently died, and agree, it was ahead of its time. One of my favs.