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 VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 388
Full Member
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OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 388 |
Looks like VSL have released a new piano in the Synchron Pianos series: Bluethner 1895The Lyrical Grand
Key Features
Refurbished 193 cm (6-foot-4) grand piano with patented Aliquot stringing
Glorious example of Blüthner’s legendary “golden toneâ€
Recorded at Stage B of Synchron Stage Vienna
Advanced Release Sample Technology
Multiple Microphone Positions – for a multitude of timbral variations
Pre-configured Main Presets: "Concert", "Intimate", "Player", "Pop", "Ambience", "Vintage"
FX Presets for enhanced, warped or mysterious piano sounds
Soft (una corda), sostenuto, sustain pedals
Half-pedalling and re-pedalling
Sympathetic resonance
Body resonance
This exceptional grand piano was built in 1895 by the famous Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik of Leipzig. It was acquired by Synchron Stage Vienna after having been lovingly restored by master piano builder Bernhard Balas from Vienna.
The 193 cm professional scale instrument is equipped with Blüthner’s specially developed and patented Aliquot system that uses additional dampened strings positioned above the conventional strings of the treble register, which are not struck by the hammers but resonate sympathetically. This fourth set of strings enhances the overtones, providing a velvety, organic shimmer and giving the instrument a particularly lyrical “singing†quality. In addition, the strings are unusually long and thin, stretched to an enormous string tension of 20 tons, which helps define the instrument’s specific sound. In combination with its soft hammers the Blüthner grand produces a clear, yet warm and soft timbre that is superior to many modern instruments in its variety of tonal colors.
Composers such as Debussy, Brahms, Mahler, Bartók, Liszt, Tchaikowsky, Shostakowitch and Rachmaninov created their works on a Blüthner grand. Famously, Paul McCartney played a Blüthner concert grand when recording “Let It Be†for the film of the same title in 1969.
Capturing the Golden Tone
Vienna Symphonic Library’s Blüthner 1895 grand piano was recorded at Stage B of Synchron Stage Vienna. This beautiful 69 m² (739 sq ft.) live room with a 3.5 to 4.5 m (11.5 – 14.75 ft) height features a controlled acoustic environment with less ambience than the large main hall (Stage A).
While beautifully restored, this Blüthner 1895 was recorded “as isâ€, with all the charm and peculiarities that give a seasoned instrument its character. Its virtual recreation is extremely versatile and well suited for soloists looking for a slightly different, personal piano sound. The Blüthner lends itself extremely well to song accompaniments and chamber music settings, as well as to pop songs and ballads where other concert grands sound too large and obtrusive. Presets like “Intimate†or “Vintage†bring out this special quality even more.
Sampling Precision
To capture the Blüthner 1895 with all its subtleties, our engineers developed a highly precise motion-control system based on a solenoid that controls a noise-free “robot fingerâ€. The micro-controller moves the finger with super-human precision, providing flexible curvatures for down-strokes and release movements, the latter corresponding with the preceding note length and various release speeds.
Piano Robot
8 Microphone Positions
In order to capture this beauty, our recording engineers used multiple high-end microphone arrays, affording an abundance of options for creating your individual sound.
Customize Your Personal Sound
In addition to the multitude of options from mixing various microphone signals, the Blüthner 1895 comes with the free Vienna Synchron Pianos Software that offers multiple options for shaping your sound and your playing experience. Hosting a high-performance playback engine, the software provides a full-blown mixer with a broad range of effects such as EQ, compressor, saturator, algorithmic reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, rotary, and many more. Change the volume of body resonances, sympathetic strings and pedal noises right in the main Play window. In the Edit window you may even adjust EQ, volume, tuning, dynamic range, etc. for each individual key! This comes as a surprise to me because I was under the assumption they would go for the Boesendorfer in the large hall next (the third grand piano that was seen in their comparison video on YouTube). Instead they go for this in a smaller hall. They also released a new bundle which includes the formerly released CFX and Steinway D along with the new Bluethner.
Last edited by Grazilerimba; 08/01/19 05:56 AM.
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710 |
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 63
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 63 |
Please somebody stop me from buying the standard bundle! ;p
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 515
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 515 |
Please somebody stop me from buying the standard bundle! ;p *waves Jedi hand* this is not the VST you are looking for...:) It does sound bloody good doesn't it - was looking at the requirements, 98GB of hard drive space for the full library half of that if you are fine with individual mics missing....I just cannot do it my lowly MacBook will be out of space! 
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710 |
I got a free voucher when I bought Synchron D, so it only cost me €16.  It was for the standard edition.
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319 |
Please somebody stop me from buying the standard bundle! ;p As the user of VSL CFX&D274, I can't help to get the full with €197 just now. Seems like they updated the Synchron Piano interface too. Maybe resampling Bosendofer coming soon. Terrible:(
CA98+ART RM5~~RME ADI2 DAC
VSL CFX&D274&Bluthner1895, Pianoteq7, Ivory2 ACD, Galaxy VintageD&StD, Bechstein DG, Embertone 1955Walker
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 63
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 63 |
Yeah, it’s great. I need to cut my credit card now, I don’t even have the machine to run the things! I mean technically I could but my piano and my PC are on different floors. I was planning on buying a fanless i7 NUC to run my PC VSTs and VSL ruined my plans...
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319 |
I got a free voucher when I bought Synchron D, so it only cost me €16. It was for the standard edition. Terrible, again Why is no voucher for me when I purchasd D
CA98+ART RM5~~RME ADI2 DAC
VSL CFX&D274&Bluthner1895, Pianoteq7, Ivory2 ACD, Galaxy VintageD&StD, Bechstein DG, Embertone 1955Walker
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 88
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 88 |
And they added Standalone app with their latest software update. Why is no voucher for me when I purchasd D me, too : (
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710 |
I got a free voucher when I bought Synchron D, so it only cost me €16. It was for the standard edition. Terrible, again Why is no voucher for me when I purchasd D At the time the Steinway was released, there was a promotion where you bought three you got one free (or something like that) so I bought three and used two towards the Steinway and had two left. I used the free one today for the Blüthner.
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 207
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 207 |
Interesting period piano - sweet and 'antique' tone.
I went to the Blüthner page on the VSL site, and the price for the full version is €290 (standard is €165).
On the bundle page (bundle of the three pianos, I have already two: CFX and D) the price is €197 (€116) for the full version. So I would get the Blüthner for that price.
I guess this means that if you already have the other two Synchron pianos, you get €93 off the already discounted introductory price.
Just a heads up for the people here that already own the two previous synchron pianos.
Yamaha C3M - Kawai Novus - VSL CFX & Steinway D - Garritan CFX - Pianoteq Pro - American Concert D - Ravenscroft 275
PC -> Sonarworks Reference 4 -> RME Babyface Pro -> Schiit Yggdrasil + Jotunheim -> Sennheiser HD650 & HD800
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,432
6000 Post Club Member
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6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,432 |
Very nice, intimate, lyrical, imperfect (in the good sense) sound. Listening to the demos I think I like this VSL the most but admittedly all the CFX and D demos contain too much reverb and I can’t hear the raw close sound.
My YouTube, My SoundcloudCurrently: Yamaha N1X, DIY hybrid controller -> Garritan CFX Previously: NU1X, ES7, MP6, CA63, RD-700SX, CDP-100, FP-5, P90, SP-200
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 12,949
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 12,949 |
The full version at 290 EUR is pretty steep. What's the difference between that and the "standard" version at 165 EUR?
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,710 |
The full version at 290 EUR is pretty steep. What's the difference between that and the "standard" version at 165 EUR? The standard version has fewer mic positions. I never bother with the full libraries, as I don't see any advantage in having more mic positions.
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 686
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 686 |
Interesting period piano - sweet and 'antique' tone.
I went to the Blüthner page on the VSL site, and the price for the full version is €290 (standard is €165).
On the bundle page (bundle of the three pianos, I have already two: CFX and D) the price is €197 (€116) for the full version. So I would get the Blüthner for that price.
I guess this means that if you already have the other two Synchron pianos, you get €93 off the already discounted introductory price.
Just a heads up for the people here that already own the two previous synchron pianos. Fabulous! I owe you a beer for that.
Broadwood, Yamaha U1; Kawai CA67; Pianoteq Std (D4, K2, Blüthner, Grotrian), Garritan CFX Full, Galaxy Vintage D, The Grandeur, Ravenscroft 275, Ivory II ACD, TrueKeys Italian, AS C7, Production Grand Compact, AK Studio Grand, AK Upright, Waves Grand Rhapsody; Sennheiser HD-600 and HD-650, O2 amp
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,296
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,296 |
...Just a heads up for the people here that already own the two previous synchron pianos. Fabulous! I owe you a beer for that. Me too. I didn't even notice that until you mentioned it. Good catch. God Bless, David
Yamaha AdvantGrand N1X
Duane Shinn - 52 Week Crash Course - Completed
Duane Shinn - Praise and Gospel Course - In Progress
Greg Howlett - Inspirational Improvisation - In Progress
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 319 |
Interesting period piano - sweet and 'antique' tone.
I went to the Blüthner page on the VSL site, and the price for the full version is €290 (standard is €165).
On the bundle page (bundle of the three pianos, I have already two: CFX and D) the price is €197 (€116) for the full version. So I would get the Blüthner for that price.
I guess this means that if you already have the other two Synchron pianos, you get €93 off the already discounted introductory price.
Just a heads up for the people here that already own the two previous synchron pianos. Although it's a discount for us, but I still think it should be more lower for old users with two others. It is time to open a new thread here for DP VSL users, talking and sharing.
CA98+ART RM5~~RME ADI2 DAC
VSL CFX&D274&Bluthner1895, Pianoteq7, Ivory2 ACD, Galaxy VintageD&StD, Bechstein DG, Embertone 1955Walker
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 686
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 686 |
Preliminary first impressions before I go to bed, after an initial play-through: it's pretty much what you'd expect, which is generally a good thing. No nasty surprises.
It's an 1895 vintage piano and it sounds like an 1895 vintage piano. It's clearly been properly restored and maintained, but that doesn't mean replaced with modern parts to make it sound new; it still sounds very much like a piano of that era. If that's what you're after, you'll love it. If you're after a modern piano sound, look elsewhere; this is not a cheap(er) alternative to the CFX or Steinway D. Having said that, the sound is fairly even all things considered, and surprisingly clean.
The closest VST I can think of in terms of sound is the NI Maverick, but there are two important differences. The Blüthner is a larger and much more resonant physical instrument than the Bechstein in the Maverick; from my perspective that's a good thing because it makes it suitable for a larger range of repertoire. Second is that it is somewhat higher on playability as well. It's not quite as good as the CFX or Steinway D in that respect, but that's inevitable given the source material. It is certainly the most playable period piano VST I've come across yet, which is great.
So it sounds and plays very much like it says: a period grand piano from the end of the 19th century, captured very well. Within it's niche, it's as good as they come at the moment. Just don't expect it to sound like a modern piano.
Broadwood, Yamaha U1; Kawai CA67; Pianoteq Std (D4, K2, Blüthner, Grotrian), Garritan CFX Full, Galaxy Vintage D, The Grandeur, Ravenscroft 275, Ivory II ACD, TrueKeys Italian, AS C7, Production Grand Compact, AK Studio Grand, AK Upright, Waves Grand Rhapsody; Sennheiser HD-600 and HD-650, O2 amp
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Re: VSL Synchron Bluethner 1895
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,689
2000 Post Club Member
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2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,689 |
Thank you so much for sharing your impressions on these VIs karvala. They are fun to read, educational, and useful for those of us considering new VSTs.
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Left hand
by BlackShadow2804 - 01/19/21 04:29 PM
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