Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) MX4 MultiSynth Software Instrument (Macintosh)

No longer available at zZounds
Multi-architecture synthesis engine; unlimited voices, polyphony, and instantiations; sample-accurate playback.

Meet the new instrument plug-in powerhouse for your studio. Inspired by legendary subtractive synthesizers, MX4 combines several core synthesis techniques in a unified, hybrid synthesis engine that delivers fresh and vintage sounds alike. As you explore its many banks and hundreds of presets, you'll soon rely on MX4 as your 'go-to' instrument. Fat basses, nasty leads, analog pads, vintage electronica - it's all at your fingertips and conveniently saved with your host application projects for instant recall.

Tweaking sounds is fast and easy with clearly presented controls in one window - but with a depth and sophistication true synth programmers will appreciate. Create your music with pristine 32-bit sound quality, unlimited voices and unlimited polyphony (as much as your host computer allows). MX4's flexible programming and advanced modulation architecture provide the intimacy of a vintage synth, the flexibility of a modular synth, and the innovation of a virtual synth.

Features
Multi-architecture synthesis engine - wavetable, frequency modulation (FM), amplitude modulation (AM) & analog emulation.

Unlimited voices, polyphony, and instantiations (as many as your host computer allows).

Sample-accurate playback (with host applications that support this OS X feature).

Plug-in convenience - all settings are saved with host software projects for instant recall.

Modulatable effects - built-in chorus and delay effects are integrated into MX4's modulation architecture and are saved read more as part of the patch.

Three wavetable oscillators - choose from dozens of wavetables or create your own.

Audio input - process any audio signal with MX4's flexible synthesis engine in real time.

Modulatable waveform symmetry - create and automate dynamic changes in harmonics.

Oscillator sync - create hard sync effects, just like the legendary Sequential Circuits Prophet Five and other classic polysynths.

Frequency modulation (FM) - oscillator 3 serves as an FM source for oscillator 1, oscillator 2 and the filters.

Two resonant multimode filters - use low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch filters with 4 slope settings for a total of 16 different filter types. Create a wide variety of vintage keyboard sounds. Or stack both filters for 48dB per octave.

Variable Filter Topology - use 14 different filter and distortion configurations to produce over 3,000 different filter topologies, before you even begin tweaking filter parameters.

Six variable waveshape LFOs - each includes adjustable symmetry, rate delay, fade & phase.

Four DADSHR envelopes. Envelope time segments adjustable from 0 to 20 seconds.

Modulation sources - all continuously variable parameters, including LFOs and envelopes, can be modulated by many sources, including track automation, MIDI controllers, LFOs & envelopes. Simply choose a source from a menu and then option-click the MX4 knob or fader that you wish to control with it.

Open modulation architecture - each source can modulate an unlimited number of parameters simultaneously, providing the highest degree of programming flexibility possible. Conversely, any parameter can be simultaneously modulated by multiple sources.
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iLok compatible

Plug-in formats
MAS (OS X)

RTAS (OS X)

Audio Units (OS X)

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 617-576-2760

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. (7 ratings)
Submitted June 28, 2006 by a customer from yahoo.com

"Beautiful MX4"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I wouldn't want to replace it, because every thing has its own characteristic, and if you can't appreciate that then you shouldn't be creating music!

Sound
I have a large handful of v-instruments, and this one by far kicks the s*** out of them all. I don't understand why people had he audacity to give it bad marks without explaining why. I guess just a bunch of idiots that don't know how to use it. The sounds are cleaner and more controllable than, Sample Tank, impOSCar, and even most sounds that I hear from Reason.

Features
I love the layout. You have an a/b button to revert back to hear the original sound, which most v-instruments have, but they could have not put it on it, and that would have sucked. They make it way easy to save your sounds that you've created. adjusting the filters are very smooth, you don't get stepping while you adjust them. Honestly, if you know nothing about these kind of instruments, you wont have a problem having extreme fun with it.

Ease of Use
Even if you take a sound that already sounds great, play with it until you don't know what your doing any more, and a/b it. Thats it. You've started with a rockin sound, and you most likely have a sound that is totally different, but still sounds amazing.

Quality
The MX4 in comparison to Motu's Mach 5 is a big difference. I have had NO problems with any nob button or anything read more on the MX4. On the other hand, the Mach 5 is a different story. There are a lot of buttons and things that don't work properly, like the scroll bar doesn't work half the time, and also the in and out point markers in the edit window is VERY fussy when you try to adjust them, (so that you can sample a piece of audio, and have it start or end in a particular point.)

Value
I can say that it is worth the money, especially if you are using it to score short films, commercials, or corporate videos, but if you are buying to have fun with it, or using it for you and your buddies band, it is a little pricey, but not to bad.

Manufacturer Support
I have dealt with Motu on numerous occasions, and if you can get someone on the phone they are very helpful, and nice. But trying to get through is a joke sometimes. You have to call a long distance # (thank god for cell phones, and free long distance) and when you do call, its always busy.

The Wow Factor
Ever since I first saw it, about 6 months ago I have wanted it VERY badly, but I have to buy other things for the studio before I can buy it.

Musical Background:
Recording engineer, picture scorer, and hobbyist

Musical Style:
Everything that I can create
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