- It's likely that the majority of your instrument plug-in list is made up of emulations of or homages to classic synthesisers. Whether unaffordable, unstable, unreliable or unattainable, many classics and rarities have been immortalised in the form of digital replications. So when another vintage synth emulation-slash-sampler hits the market, it won't usually raise eyebrows.
It's a different story if it's coming from one of the world's best studios. Yoad Nevo's Nevo Sound facility in West London is home to both an incredible synth collection and a custom-made Neve console that's leant its sound and name to Waves' excellent Non-Linear Summing plug-in, amongst others. For Nevo Analogue Machines, he's taken a different approach, teaming up with Samplephonics to "create something as close to the analogue sound as possible, and keep it simple, functional, and straight to the point." Taking over 17,000 samples from Moog Minimoog, Roland JX-3P, SH-101, Oberheim Matrix 6R, Juno-106 and Korg MS10, Yoad made a comprehensive instrument from a slightly unconventional collection, with over 1,000 presets and some welcome new functions. I say "unconventional" because many of the synths—the Matrix 6R, JX-3P and Juno-106 in particular—aren't exactly rare or particularly expensive. (The first two can be picked up regularly for under £500.) Yoad has chosen synths not for their rarity or reputation, but for their sound.
Delivered through Kontakt (though also available for Logic's EXS24 and Reason's Refil), NAM's interface is a not-so-subtle homage to one of the synths in the pack's family, the Roland SH-101. The presets are split into two categories: Raw Analogue Machines and Creative Presets. The Raw selections are just that, with names like Strings, Bass 1, Octave Sequence and so on. It's in Creative Presets that the sounds are combined with extra functions like the arpeggiator, sequencer, chord device, effects and more to bring more experimental, out-there analogue sounds. It's also where you'll find Yoad's take on familiar sounds (Pacific State, Blue Monday, Julio Bass).
Once your chosen preset is loaded, control is based around the Synth knob—you use it to cycle through each synth's sampled waveform based on that preset. There's rarely anything subtle about the sound and timbre of each synth as you dial in the six classics, with each one bringing something unique while still retaining the style of the original preset. The Oberheim in particular stands out with its detuned, modulating nature, while the 101 brings its purer, denser tone to the wavetable. The Juno was particularly impressive, and in an A/B test with the original, the only sonic difference I could hear was that one was clearly recorded through a Neve desk. I could actually see myself reaching for this plug-in over my physical synth in some cases. A few of the presets also feature a Neve option, which has the preset's original waveform running through two channels of Yoad's custom Neve console, hard-panned and detuned slightly—a favourite trick of his. You can instantly hear why, with a rich, wide texture that goes beyond a traditional chorus effect to something deeper and crunchier.
The Creative Presets may sound more exotic, but it's in the more humble Raw Analogue Machines folder that this instrument really shines. Load any of the presets from this section and you have great analogue sound, no extra processing needed. Once you bring in some subtle chorusing and reverb to these perfectly recorded tones, or add some movement with the LFO, you're reminded why less is often more.
The plug-in offers perfectly recorded, multi-layered analogue goodness in a friendly interface at a very fair price—so what's the catch? Unfortunately there is a significant one. You're going to need the full version of Kontakt to run this instrument for any longer than the free Kontakt Player limit of 30 minutes. This is definitely NAM's biggest negative, and it means that unless you're already committed to the Kontakt format it's going to be tough for you to get the full potential from this instrument. While it will run in other platforms, it does so simply as a selection of multi-samples, meaning you will lose the sequencer, arp, chord device, chorus, reverb and delay functionality. Plus, the presets could be organised better. With 1,000 to choose from and only two categories, you're left to do a lot of scrolling if you're looking for something in particular.
All of that aside, Yoad Nevo has done an excellent job with this sample pack. His original premise of straight-to-the-point is exactly what's been achieved, whether you're looking for analogue-style bass, strings, leads, effects, pads or arpeggios. They're all here, and they all sound instantly impressive. Extra effort has clearly gone into the velocity multi-mapping, as the instrument is sensitive and very effective. The 101 is pure, the Moog is deep and the JX-3P is rich, while the Oberheim is round, the MS10 gritty and the Juno thick. Take those adjectives and spread them around a comprehensive collection of presets and Nevo Analogue Machines might be the only analogue sampler instrument you'll need. The lack of Kontakt Player support is a real shame, but if you've already invested in Kontakt as your main sampler or are happy loading it into EXS24 or Refil—and losing out on a number of its features—you'll find yourself returning to this instrument time and time again.
Ratings:
Cost: 4/5
Versatility: 3/5
Sound: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5