Speak vs KO

Pocket Operators
#21
Small thing I just noticed about the Speak: "replaceable drum sounds with microtonic"
Yeah, just noticed the same. So you can upload PO-32 drumkits to the Speak? That's massive. I want one now.

Can you change the kits?

Seems almost too good to be true… Although the monophonic factor is pretty limiting.

#22

I went for the whole Metal Super Set, though I already have the TONIC. I would’ve ordered both K.O! and SPEAK including the CA-X cases anyway… and a cheap second TONIC might come in handy.

#23

FWIW I don’t think SPEAK is useable as a sampler for non speech sources - at least without some strange/interesting artifacts that is - it appears that it converts the incoming sample into a compressed format probably throwing a lot of the data away in the process, not to say it won’t be useful for non speech sampling but something to consider.

#24

BTW I ordered both, I think they look great and will provide good sample fodder.

#25
FWIW I don’t think SPEAK is useable as a sampler for non speech sources - at least without some strange/interesting artifacts that is - it appears that it converts the incoming sample into a compressed format probably throwing a lot of the data away in the process, not to say it won’t be useful for non speech sampling but something to consider.

Yeah, I’m counting on it being artifacty… I’m just curious as to whether the results will be interesting / usuable or just bad.

#26

I think it will definitely be interesting!

#27

The answer is always both :slight_smile:

#28
The answer is always both :)

Hahaaaa

#29

Although I don´t have the precise technical knowledge, voice appears to be a sum of complex waveforms - if the SPEAK can handle it, obviously in the robotic/“artifacty” way, I suppose it can also handle simpler waveforms (like synthetic drums), giving them a nice twist :slight_smile: So I´m talking about the PO-35 more like an experimental sampler than a vocoder.

#30

Will probably get both. I’d probably use the Speak to sample dogs, cats, etc.

Time to shop for a soft case that will fit 4 POs and their batteries. I’d tossed a PO into a backpack but the batteries easily got lost in there.

#31

My guess would be that if you feed the Speak something too short/simple (like a drum hit) it just might not have enough to work with and your synthesized output waveform wouldn’t sound drastically different from the original.

But this is pure speculation based on my vague notions of how the tech works. Guess I’ll find out whenever mine arrives:)

#32
I'd probably use the Speak to sample dogs, cats, etc.

Aha! “Yes, dear. Its a cat toy. Did you think I just bought another synth?”

#33

I would also choose Speak. The voice changing effects and the transpose/scale features are just amazing. Ok, it cannot slice like K.O. does, but it’s not a big deal to record those samples manually separately. And you can still set the start point of the sample in Speak.

#34

I ordered Speak first so that I can learn it fully and then will likely buy KO in a month or so. The entire metal series is pretty exciting imo.

#35

I went with The Speak pretty blindly. I’m not big into sampling / managing samples and grossly underutilize the ones I have. So while the KO looks like it could be fun, I’m much more into formants and speech synthesis and transformations lately.


Since the early rumors of The Speak, I expected it to be something like a speak’n’spell or the VO engine on the Monomachine: more direct synthesis, or just a way to assemble songs with pre-canned letters and vowels. I’m pleasantly surprised that it’s a vocal sampler/transformer.

I’ve already had fun pairing the Modor NF-1 (‘Noise and Formants’) with the PO-32. Should be even funner with Speak.
#36

Interesting. Sounds like I’d be interested in the Speak for a different reason to the KO… now after reading the thread, I’m glad I went with KO first though, I’ve been really craving a pocket sized sampler that I can use to make techno/IDM rhythms from field recordings, and this seems perfect, even with the limited sample time.

#37

Ordered Speak. I’ve always been into speech synthesis/vocoders and I really like the amount and set of features that TE have put into Speak. Looks a lot of fun and sounds great from what I’ve heard so far.

#38

…and, of course, not forgetting Magnus Lidstrom’s work on Speak


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D730KX75kHk
1 Like
#39

Yeah, the more I look into these lil guys, the lesser my chances arw of jumping off the hype train. I’m on board. Get me a first class cabin and a bottle of champers

#40

The Speak immediately appealed to me but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted the KO as welI. I’ll probably end up with the KO later on although I’m interested to see if the OP-Z has the functionality of the KO in it…