I would buy this simply on the quality of the demo, let alone the amazing sound of the unit. Amazing how hard it is to find good demos of "mojo" gear. Great job.
All the examples were really cool, but the very last one did it for me! I am def. gonna get into the 500 series hype and this box will be on my to buy list!
Every time Elysia released a great new equipment I think they can't outdo this and I get pleasantly surprised by the next great piece! one suggestion folks, maybe have colored knobs, colored logo backlight or something else to set the different models apart. right now all your 500 modules look almost the same from a distance.
Thanks so much for your positive comments - much appreciated! We agree that the modules look quite similar from a distance, but presenting the logo disc in different colors doesn't really feel right either. But fair enough, we'll keep it in mind ;-)
I love it. I have the Plugin Alliance version, and it sounds great, unique and distinct from everything else I own, but hardware always sounds dimensional and layered to me. The flat sound of plugins just can't get close to an actual discrete component circuit affecting electrical signals. I plan on getting the rack version this year. I know for a fact that when we hear hardware, we experience something else unidentifiable in our "visual hearing" that software just doesn't trigger. Be it a big or small difference between hardware and their software counterparts, it's important to me.
Honest question Elysia, if I buy this and an Nvelope, are they going to have the same color face or not? In this video, his two units are not the same color at all...
I'm thinking that a 6 slot lunchbox with the nvelope, karacter and xpressor would be the ultimate stereo processor chain. Just set them up in series as a 2-channel unit and fire whatever source needs the love into it from the DAW. Drum overheads feeling limp? Run them through and fold it back to a new stereo track. Guitars. Keys. Stereo mix.... it's like Sriracha - you can put it on anything.
Thanks for the video! Only one (maybe stupid) question. Let's take last audio sample as example - M/S processing is provided by Karakter or you doing it outside the box and sending only center/mid-side to the unit or?
All M/S processing is done with the integrated Mid/Side matrix of the karacter. That's the cool thing about it: You don't need any external M/S setup or equipment at all.
Beautiful! Thanks for your reply! And matrix can be activated if stereo signal arriving to the device and only "left on" switcher is active? (sorry, just need little more info how it works and how easy it can be achieved). And last question - am i right, whole signal path is 100% analog?
+jeff „jeffbwack“ wackenthal Hey Jeff, thank you very much for your kind comments. While the karacter and the mpressor do very different things, they are both amazing gor sure ;-)
+DoVin Too Well, mainly a saturator, but with an integrated unique filter network, and some of the results of its processing can certainly be called compressed in their own way ;-)
+AMADEUZ Connected This would only make sense if you have any issues with your rack (e.g. power supply noise). The audio PCBS both for the 500 series and the rack versions are identical.
+Carlin Lemon Good idea for sure. We actually could not cover everything in the first run, but we're working on more sound examples to be released on our website soon.
@@elysia-audio You guys should consider reaching out to White Sea to do a "how to set up your first piece of analogue gear" video. I would love to see the karacter (White sea has one already) used in a master chain with DAW plugins.
What's the difference between this box and a fuzz pedal? I see no difference really, especially when it comes to guitar. A fuzz pedal would do exactly the same thing.. and in some cases, far better.
The karacter 500 is not especially designed for guitar, but for the demands in the music studio. From very subtle settings to extreme distortions a lot is possible in a very high quality. Guitar effects are not used in mastering because the quality, noise and level do not meet the requirements.
@@elysia-audio - You're not getting the point. The actual character of the "karacter" sounds like a fuzz box. At least, that's what I'm hearing in this video. It sounds like fuzzy distortion, not "high quality" at all. It sounds like low quality to my ears. The only analogy I could really find is a guitar fuzz box. "Quality" my ass.
ShadowⓋ you’re wrong. It’s class A, mastering-grade distortion. You can not use a pedal to do any of this..it will sound like a pedal. And a lot of complicated routing and waste of time. This here is hi-fi, holographic and very 3D. No noise, dry/wet with mid side options. You should try it on mixanalog.com before you talk shit.. it’s great for subtle dirt and also raising RMS.
@@thefastaction8717 - Nonsense. Any idiot can clearly hear this sounds like an ordinary fuzz box. Holographic 3D?! Hahaha.. you've got to be joking man.
@@elysia-audio True, but I'm amazed at how the Karacter can thicken and add 'squelch' to a boring digital sound. The synths in particular came alive with its application.
You think so? Well, you will get class-A Hardware with Saturation, Distortion and Filter. What do expect to pay for this kind of analog sound processor?
@@elysia-audio Expensive yes, Ive had the Elysia rack compressor and currently own a 500 series EQ - Very nice EQ with class A sound. The compressor I owned years ago is very OK, gives you a 'big image' however also pretty limited and a little uninspiring for rock music, great for everything else I imagine. If your looking for Karacter buy a used analogue console from the 80's / 90s for £200 or a couple of old Ibanez guitar pedals, and if your rich you could get the Analogue Heat . . far more useful.. Just my interpretation.
Honestly, this is the one 500 series unit from you guys that I will strongly disagree with regarding its existence. I can get double the amounts of tone and color by routing that all through multiple guitar pedals... less than half that price of $1000!! This is terribly overpriced. Of course it sounds awesome and is awesome, but totally impractical.
it seems that the Elysia guys might be some undergound house music heads.... love that they cover this stuff in their vids
I would buy this simply on the quality of the demo, let alone the amazing sound of the unit. Amazing how hard it is to find good demos of "mojo" gear. Great job.
You guys might have the best manufacturer made videos ever!
Really nice presentation. so helpful and on point. Every other manufactures should have learn from this, honestly.
Thank you very much for the nice comment. We are glad to hear this was helpful ;-)
I second that
All the examples were really cool, but the very last one did it for me! I am def. gonna get into the 500 series hype and this box will be on my to buy list!
Cool ;-) We're glad you liked it.
+1 on all these being amazing product videos. Shopping for gear would be so much easier if everyone took a page from your book.
Thanks so much for your kind comment. We're glad you liked the video ;-)
Every time Elysia released a great new equipment I think they can't outdo this and I get pleasantly surprised by the next great piece! one suggestion folks, maybe have colored knobs, colored logo backlight or something else to set the different models apart. right now all your 500 modules look almost the same from a distance.
Thanks so much for your positive comments - much appreciated! We agree that the modules look quite similar from a distance, but presenting the logo disc in different colors doesn't really feel right either. But fair enough, we'll keep it in mind ;-)
this is just amazing - eargasm 120%
TH-cam has been interesting this morning. Great job Elysia!
This is an extremely useful tool.
You know a piece of gear is good when it elicits a "Fucking hell!" from your subconscious. Would love one of these units!
+donkeyfacekilla1 Thanks so much for your nice comment!
I love it. I have the Plugin Alliance version, and it sounds great, unique and distinct from everything else I own, but hardware always sounds dimensional and layered to me. The flat sound of plugins just can't get close to an actual discrete component circuit affecting electrical signals. I plan on getting the rack version this year. I know for a fact that when we hear hardware, we experience something else unidentifiable in our "visual hearing" that software just doesn't trigger. Be it a big or small difference between hardware and their software counterparts, it's important to me.
Thank you the giant from Twin Peaks
Shade #5!!!! 👀🤜 Great stuff
Sickkkk !!!!! great video
Honest question Elysia, if I buy this and an Nvelope, are they going to have the same color face or not? In this video, his two units are not the same color at all...
Hi, yes you will get the same frontplate color. In the video it differs because we used b-stock.
@@elysia-audio Thank you! I just ordered it!
I'm thinking that a 6 slot lunchbox with the nvelope, karacter and xpressor would be the ultimate stereo processor chain. Just set them up in series as a 2-channel unit and fire whatever source needs the love into it from the DAW. Drum overheads feeling limp? Run them through and fold it back to a new stereo track. Guitars. Keys. Stereo mix.... it's like Sriracha - you can put it on anything.
Love it!!!!
Excellent video :)
Thanks so much! We're glad you like it.
sounds almost like "Hi, Tom from Malaysia" lol
+Yiperman He's actually from France, hehe ;-)
Wicked
+Mattlethew Thanks!
For comparison purposes it would have been better to adapt the volume of the two signals... Nevertheless the results sound nice!
How do you guys rank the plugin version from Plugin Alliance , the emulation of this one. ?
Round of applause, you guys did it again. Any 19" rack in the roadmap?
+Cliff G Thank you so much for your kind words! And yes, the rack version will be released on a beautiful day in Spring 2016 ;-)
I liked not only the features but I did not find in your description where could I buy it .
Hi, you can buy our gear here: www.elysia.com/online-store
Thanks for the video! Only one (maybe stupid) question. Let's take last audio sample as example - M/S processing is provided by Karakter or you doing it outside the box and sending only center/mid-side to the unit or?
All M/S processing is done with the integrated Mid/Side matrix of the karacter. That's the cool thing about it: You don't need any external M/S setup or equipment at all.
Beautiful! Thanks for your reply! And matrix can be activated if stereo signal arriving to the device and only "left on" switcher is active? (sorry, just need little more info how it works and how easy it can be achieved).
And last question - am i right, whole signal path is 100% analog?
The above is correct, and the signal path is 100 % discrete class-A analog indeed ;-)
And thanks again! Just ordered
Well, then it's now our time to say thank you! You're going to have a lot of fun with your karacter for sure...
I need it!!
+jeff „jeffbwack“ wackenthal Yes!!! ;-)
+jeff „jeffbwack“ wackenthal Hey Jeff, thank you very much for your kind comments. While the karacter and the mpressor do very different things, they are both amazing gor sure ;-)
You, my friends, have won youtube. Is it a filter, compressor, saturator?
Shut up and take my money.
+DoVin Too Well, mainly a saturator, but with an integrated unique filter network, and some of the results of its processing can certainly be called compressed in their own way ;-)
any sound difference between all your 500 series stuff vs the rack version?
I have a 500 series lunchbox but dont know if getting the rack is better.
+AMADEUZ Connected This would only make sense if you have any issues with your rack (e.g. power supply noise). The audio PCBS both for the 500 series and the rack versions are identical.
wow...
Vocal examples?
+Carlin Lemon Good idea for sure. We actually could not cover everything in the first run, but we're working on more sound examples to be released on our website soon.
+elysiaTV looking forward to it!
How does it differ from the rack version?
blue name The rack version has additional connectors for an external sidechain send and return.
the last 30 seconds has me googleing how to set analogue shit up.
We hope that you found our blogpost: www.elysia.com/18dbfs-is-the-new-0dbu/
@@elysia-audio You guys should consider reaching out to White Sea to do a "how to set up your first piece of analogue gear" video. I would love to see the karacter (White sea has one already) used in a master chain with DAW plugins.
What's the difference between this box and a fuzz pedal? I see no difference really, especially when it comes to guitar. A fuzz pedal would do exactly the same thing.. and in some cases, far better.
The karacter 500 is not especially designed for guitar, but for the demands in the music studio. From very subtle settings to extreme distortions a lot is possible in a very high quality. Guitar effects are not used in mastering because the quality, noise and level do not meet the requirements.
@@elysia-audio - You're not getting the point. The actual character of the "karacter" sounds like a fuzz box. At least, that's what I'm hearing in this video. It sounds like fuzzy distortion, not "high quality" at all. It sounds like low quality to my ears. The only analogy I could really find is a guitar fuzz box. "Quality" my ass.
ShadowⓋ you’re wrong. It’s class A, mastering-grade distortion. You can not use a pedal to do any of this..it will sound like a pedal. And a lot of complicated routing and waste of time. This here is hi-fi, holographic and very 3D. No noise, dry/wet with mid side options. You should try it on mixanalog.com before you talk shit.. it’s great for subtle dirt and also raising RMS.
@@thefastaction8717 - Nonsense. Any idiot can clearly hear this sounds like an ordinary fuzz box. Holographic 3D?! Hahaha.. you've got to be joking man.
ShadowⓋ what distortion is not fuzzy? But as I said, try for yourself. And how tf can you judge this accurately from a TH-cam demo?
4:48 May as well buy some VA synths, one of these guys and save a ton of money on procuring 'the real thing'
well, the real thing is the real thing! 😉
@@elysia-audio True, but I'm amazed at how the Karacter can thicken and add 'squelch' to a boring digital sound. The synths in particular came alive with its application.
OMG😭
Is this more of a tracking or a mixing tool?
Yes.
You guys have 1 video of this unit? When someone pays $1000, you should have a video for every $100.
Need
expensive for what it is
You think so? Well, you will get class-A Hardware with Saturation, Distortion and Filter. What do expect to pay for this kind of analog sound processor?
@@elysia-audio Expensive yes, Ive had the Elysia rack compressor and currently own a 500 series EQ - Very nice EQ with class A sound. The compressor I owned years ago is very OK, gives you a 'big image' however also pretty limited and a little uninspiring for rock music, great for everything else I imagine. If your looking for Karacter buy a used analogue console from the 80's / 90s for £200 or a couple of old Ibanez guitar pedals, and if your rich you could get the Analogue Heat . . far more useful.. Just my interpretation.
Honestly, this is the one 500 series unit from you guys that I will strongly disagree with regarding its existence. I can get double the amounts of tone and color by routing that all through multiple guitar pedals... less than half that price of $1000!! This is terribly overpriced. Of course it sounds awesome and is awesome, but totally impractical.