Rhodes release a V8 sample based plugin

[doctoremmet]

Remarkably, I have not been able to locate an actual webpage yet.

This was posted on VI-C;

The V8 and V8 Pro software will be available to buy after the close of the competition on 1st March. The pricing is as follows:

Rhodes V8 - £149.95 / $179.95 / €169.95
Rhodes V8 Pro - £249.95 / $299.95 / €274.95

Rhodes V8 Specifications​


Hyper-Real reproduction of the Rhodes MK8 electric piano.

30,000 samples across 100 velocity layers.
Presets: load, save and recall entire instrument setups.
Profiles: get the sound of older Rhodes models and artists' pianos.
Preamp section with Volume, diode-based Drive and Low/High shelf gains.
Pan dial for square wave panning modulation, Depth and Rate (syncable).
Tuning control to fine-tune pitch globally.
Alter and balance Mechanical Noise (hammers, dampers, cabinet sound).
Global Timbre Shift control to emulate different pickup positioning.
Velocity Curve and Depth to alter response to input note strength.
Customise Pedal Noise Level and Init Velocity.
VST2/VST3/AU/AAX instrument plugin for Mac and PC.

Rhodes V8 Pro Specifications​

The V8 Pro has all the features of the V8, plus the following.:

Profiles are user editable and saveable.
EQ Mid Band with Gain and Frequency controls.
Envelope control from MK8 modulates mid band Frequency with amplitude.
Full Vari-Pan circuit extending into audio rate for ring modulation effects.
Choice of four waveshapes for Vari-Pan, plus Slew and Smooth modifiers.
FX section from MK8 FX model, featuring Compressor, Chorus, Phaser and Delay.
VCA compressor with Amount, Makeup and Threshold.
BBD stereo Chorus with syncable Rate, Depth, plus Delay, Phase & Spread.
VCA stereo Phaser with syncable Rate, Depth, plus Phase, Resonance & Spread.
Delay (BBD) with syncable Time, Feedback, Mix, Tap Tempo, plus Ping Pong, Jitter & Spread.
Setup page offers per-note editing of Timbre, Damping, Tuning and Level.
Four-band Profile EQ affects overall instrument sound and character, can be saved within a Profile and switched without affecting front panel control settings.
Amp/Cab simulation with choice of four classic options for Rhodes amping.
Microphone simulation with realistic studio and stage pairings.

System Requirements​

macOS: Catalina - Monterey (12.5); Intel and M1 supported, Rosetta and native
Windows: Windows 10 and 11
RAM: 8GB minimum
Free Disk Space: 25GB minimum

[Piet De Ridder]

Potentially interesting, but it is to be hoped, for Rhodes’s sake, that it is capable of a better sound that what is heard in this presentation, because that all sounded a bit flat and dull and in no way beyond the capabilities of other fine virtual Rhodesoids to me. But perhaps forthcoming demonstration material will do better at revealing the full power and beauty of the V8 (Pro). Based solely on this video, I can’t say I’m excited.

At the announced price, the V8 is also not going to be the easiest product to market, it seems to me. The Pro version, I mean. Who is it for? Rhodes purists will scoff at a software version of the sacred Rhodes sound anyway, and I very much doubt if a non-purist will be prepared to pay close to 300$ for a virtual Rhodes if he or she can buy, say, the VTines (an excellent emulation, most people agree, which also includes excellent FX) for half the price.

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[Lawrence]

For myself and a host of other unfortunates who dragged a Stage or a Suitcase to gig after gig, there are a lot of great emulations these days. Not sure this is the killer app from the demos so far, but I’m reasonably happy with Neo Soul and a few others.

[Mike Greene]

The Pro version, I mean. Who is it for? Rhodes purists will scoff at a software version of the sacred Rhodes sound anyway, and I very much doubt if a non-purist will be prepared to pay close to 300$ for a virtual Rhodes

My understanding is that the Pro version includes the same software as the regular version, but they also give you some felt to shove under they keys, so you can duplicate that authentic Rhodes action.

[Ashermusic]

I just played the trial version for quite a while. Back in the '70's era I owned a silver top suitcase that I played 5-6 nights a week and have played a lot of different Rhodes. This one is quite nice but not significantly better than Acousticsamples V-Tines or NeoSoul Keys, so at that price point I wouldn't spring for it.

[Joe_D]

My understanding is that the Pro version includes the same software as the regular version, but they also give you some felt to shove under they keys, so you can duplicate that authentic Rhodes action.

I hope there's eventually also a deluxe version with a cigar burn on the top and cigarette ash burns on the keys….

(I've had the pictured MkI for more than 40 years at this point. It had the burns when I got it.)

[Mikeybabes]

Perhaps they should add a slider that goes from “Studio use only” to “Heavily gigged and transported by roadies smoking weed”

[RobS]

what I don't hear in the examples is both the sweet, bell-like tone of pianissimo playing and the bark when keys are being hit hard. Dynamics, in a word.

[doctoremmet]

I have demo’d this plugin and I do hear plenty of dynamics to be honest.

For those interested, the plugin is released today and UJAM offer a promo code UJAMV8PRO which brings the intro price of the Pro version down to $179 / EUR 169. Expires March 12.

[Piet De Ridder]

After watching the video below, I have to retract much of my lukewarm first reaction:

[Ashermusic]

I played it yesterday and compared it to both Acousticsamples V-Tines and NeoSoul Keys 2.

I just don’t hear it as sounding any more like the Rhodes I played 5-6 nights a week for years than either of those. If I didn’t have them maybe I would consider buying this one .