Tone2 have pumped up their killer synth for another bout but can this Gladiator still deliver a knock-out blow?There's an old adage that you're surely familiar with - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. This concept is sometimes ignored by companies that rework and revamp their products to the point where they bear scant resemblance to the original article. Still, other developers charge upgrade fees for little more than a new coat of paint and a few bug fixes. Tone2 have struck a near-perfect balance with the v2 update of their popular Gladiator synthesiser, though. It offers enough fixes and additions to tease open the wallets of hesitant buyers, but retains everything we liked so much about the original.
Enter the arena
If you don't already know, Gladiator is a cross-platform synthesiser for PC and Mac in both VST and AU formats. It makes use of Tone2's HCM synthesis, which essentially breaks a sound down into a collection of harmonic snapshots called a morphtable. We liked the approach before, and our opinion hasn't diminished with their second shot.
At first glance, it would seem that little has changed. However, a closer look reveals significant alterations, with more changes and additions hiding among its numerous menus.
Among the most obvious of the new tools are a quartet of pan knobs in the Mix section and a massively overhauled Osc 5 module (the Sample/Noise oscillator) that now offers Semi and Fine tune controls in addition to the original's Octave knob. Tone2 have added another 25 waveforms to Osc 5 as well, and you can now use it as a sub-oscillator to give your patches some extra grunt.
The old EQ section has been reduced in size (but not functionality), making room for a dedicated Feedback delay module to morph echoes and filter delay effects. Thankfully, the feedback can be tied to incoming MIDI controller messages for real-time control, or modulated by a source selected in the matrix.
A welcome inclusion is the 24dB Moog-style low-pass filter, which sounds excellent and is handy for adding vintage character. Less obvious changes include new Quality Modes (Ultra and Linear), increased polyphony (256 voices) and an additional 6657 waveforms. You can now toggle between LFOs 1 and 2 with one button. Ditto for a pair of new Aux Envelopes. There are half a dozen new Unison modes and new effects, including phaser, flanger and reverb. In fact, there are many more tweaks and enhancements than we can't possibly go into.
Clearly, Tone2 have pulled out all of the stops. They've improved the presets, the synthesis engine and the sound quality. For example, the glitches that occurred when changing presets in version one have been significantly reduced, though not removed entirely.
Gladiator was already a winner, but v2 simply exudes quality. And, considering the depth of malleability, it's remarkably easy to program. If you're looking for rich, evocative sounds, it's well worth €149, and owners of Gladiator 1 would be nuts not to upgrade for €69.
Contact: tone2@tone2.com
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The big tease
Tone2 are savvy chaps - they know that many users will be buying Gladiator 2 solely for the presets, with no intention of diving into the murky depths of programming. To that end, both versions of Gladiator have a faux expansion slot. Clicking this takes you to the Tone2 site, where you can, in theory, purchase expansion packs for your instrument. None were available at the time of writing, so we can't comment on them, but presumably it'll be a painless process.
Annoyingly, some of Gladiator 2's so-called new features are more tantalising than they are tweakable. Peppered throughout the interface are buttons that promise sonic delights such as vocoder effects, resynthesis and the ability to load waveforms into Osc 5. However, clicking these brings up an explanation about said function - it's only available as part of an expansion. We feel that's a bit much for an instrument that's already been paid for.
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System requirements
(PC) 900MHz CPU, 192MB RAM, 90MB _ HD space, Windows XP/Vista， VSThost
(MAC)700MHz CPU, 192MB RAM,OS X_ 10.3, 90MB HD space, AU/VST host
Test system
(MAC) 2.16GHZ iMac, 1 GB RAM, OS X 10.4.11, Cubase 4, Logic Pro 8, Live 7
Alternatively
Devine Machine Krishna Synth cmi15» 7/10 » €199
Modulations and resynthesis offer a path to sonic nirvana
Camel Audio Alchemy N/A»N/A»£179
A potpourri of unusual synthesis technologies
Verdict
FOR
- Knockout sound
- An arsenal of new waveforms
- Punchy new Moog-style filter
- Action-packed effects
- Powerful new presets
AGAINST
- Glitches when changing patch
- Some features sold separately!
Tone2 have turned their prize-fighter into a world-beater, though some functions are only available with expansions
MARK: 9/10
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