UVI Synth Anthology 4, the virtual synth instrument, enters the dual-layer game with an all-new engine, MPE support, and more sounds.
The French company UVI, an Image Line company, deals primarily with sampling in its products. The flagship product is Falcon 2, a multi-engine Synthesizer with various synthesis options, granular sampling, and more. They constantly fill it with new sound expansions.
Also, with synth sounds. One of their highlights is the Synth Anthology bundle, a sample-based virtual synth instrument with thousands of ready-to-use sounds. The last update was in 2020. Today, Synth Anthology 4 is here and the “Synthesizer Tour De Force” goes in the next round. Of course, with more sounds but also with major engine additions.
UVI Synth Anthology 4
UVI continues its virtual instrument, where they left off the last one. It is again based on multi-sampled content from analog and digital hardware synthesizers.
In total, it offers authentic hardware sounds of 200 synthesizers, ranging from hardware legends like the ARP 2600, and Oberheim SEM… but also modern synths like the Novation Peak, Moog Matriarch, Arturia Polybrute and more.
The sampling process remains the same. For Synth Anthology 4, the developers have also designed new sounds on the hardware synths and multi-sampled them (no factory presets) for the Falcon 2-powered engine. It comes with 38,071 samples and 20.42 GB of content.
Impressive: UVI has created over 4000 presets and layers that you can explore immediately. These are available in a new integrated browser supported by a new smart suggestion engine for quickly finding varying but related sounds.
New Dual Engine
The highlight of the new Synth Anthology 4 is the new engine. Where SA 3 had access to one layer with an SUb oscillator, Synth Anthology 4 now has two fully editable layers. So two times SA in one instrument
A large number of features are available for each layer, with which you can design your own sounds. It starts with selecting the sound source and continues with settings for the ADSR envelope and pitch. Additionally, you can work with unison, and for additional sound shaping, there is also a multimode filter.
Then, also new in Synth Anthology 4 is the per-layer effect section, including waveshaper, flanger, chorus, phaser, and EQ. Plus, you get per-layer sends: Sparkverb, convolution reverb, delay, and feedback, and finishes with a trio of bus effects, including compressor, EQ, and a maximizer.
Also part of the new engine is a revised modulation section. It features fully tweakable LFOs and step modulators with a wide range of assignable targets – each with its own parameter-based modulation editor.
Further, you can explore a new expanded arpeggiator/phraser, giving you instant melodies. There are also five main-page macro effects and deep mod-wheel integration. Another major addition is the native MPE support.
First Impression
There are several companies that offer similar products. I can think of Syntronik 2 from IK Multimedia, who have recently released a lot of new content and have expanded the engine. With Synth Anthology 4, UVI is now catching up or passing thanks to dual-engine, more flexibility, and sounds. It’s an excellent update for this popular library of ready-to-use synth sounds.
UVI Synth Anthology 4 is available now with a special introductory price of $89 / 89€, and upgrade pricing of $49 / 49€ for owners of any previous version (regularly $149 / 149€). Special offers are available through September 18, 2023.
It runs as a virtual instrument inside UVI Falcon 2 or in the free UVI Workstation plugin, available in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugins on macOS (Intel + native Apple Silicon) and Windows. Registration requires a free iLok software account or iLok keys, which gives you up to 3 computer authorizations.
More information here: UVI
