Synth: Clavia Nord Lead 2 Rack, Hexfix93’s take.

February 3rd, 2010 by Hexfix93

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Click here for VAC’s Nord Lead 2 Rack Demo mp3.
Warning, the nord lead presets suck! they suck! So do not judge the synth by those. What can I say. I’m back to digital. Not to software, I still think software sucks and sounds no where near as good as latency free, hands on real knob controls, and dedicated hardware that is not sharing its processing power with a stupid bloated inefficient operating system like osx or windows. The above demo is live through a mackie onyx, with a little bit of large chamber verb from the lexicon pcm 96. Recorded into logic 8 via an Apogee Duet. I love it. No joke. This is what I was after the whole time, I used to have a nord lead 1 expanded, and I loved it and used it all over calling of the dead and fun with knives. It would give me super aggressive leads and I could tweak the hell out of it and make it sound really mean and evil and pissed like a hissing spitting grinding angry machine. My modular did get me there with a slightly fatter sound with unstable unmusical oscillators(What makes me prefer the nord to the modular, FM, musical FM that stays in tune, could not get that out of an analog, this is how you get super mean sounds that stay musical, digital does this way better). Out of the virus a, and jp8080, and an1x that I have, this is the synth that delivers on the angry leads and arps. The nord 2 has distortion which I actually really like, it gives the filter a little more bite and its subtle. I love the filters on this, they remind me of CEM filters, but not really. They have their own sound. Made more for tweety type sounds. Great for bips and bleeps and modular sounding stuff, they are very musical and have a great color, this synth jumps out of the mix and can sit nice too. Another reason that I went back to the nord was fast responsive midi, the jupiter 8 was so bad with midi, with the encore kit it would drop notes and hang and all kinds of things. The nord is super tight with midi. My modular while it was exotic and unique, the oscillators where just not stable enough and scale good enough to be really musical. The nord gets me there on most fronts. Sure, it is not as fat as analog, but it layers with other sounds way better than my analogs did. I prefer the VAs for complex layered sounds, more room to work with.

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What really sets this apart from other synths is the fact that it hardly aliases. So when you start playing notes up high on the keyboard, the sound stays together and doesn’t lose its fullness and turn into un-pleasant distortion like the Virus A thru TI still to this day does. The jp8080 also aliases really bad when you play it up high to the point that I never play it up high. The new nord lead 2x, well I have mess around with it at the store and think it sounds like it lost some of its quality, the sound is fainter and not as present. The nord lead 3 sounds plain ugly, thin and gross like a software synth. The nord 1 as they age get gritty because the dac’s get uncalibrated and end up sounding like a sid station. I find the nord lead 2 to actually deliver all the sounds my jupiter 8, 6, and modular gave me with a slight digital sheen, granted, it’s not as lush as analog. Doesn’t matter much in the mix. I find I can get it to sit perfectly, and with a little eq I can do what I want with it. There are no effects either, but who cares, buy some outboard fx because they sound better than internal most all the time. 16 voices of polyphony, 4 timbers, can layer 4 sounds together to make huge sounds. Unison is good, I love the portamento. The arp kind of sucks because you cannot sync it to midi clock or manually edit the tempo time in bpm. There are no names for patches, only numbers, and when you install a memory card and get 4 banks of 100, finding the sound without names is tedious. If you have a daw, you can send it arp lines no problem so no big deal. This is not the ultimate bass synth, in fact I think the virus does bass a lot better and why people flock to it over the nord lead. It is why I find the virus and nord Compliment each other well. One cannot replace the other. This is a lead synth, that can do good pads, strings, sound fx, arps, and leads. Easy to edit, way easier to make sounds with over the jp8080 and virus a. The interface is better. I don’t hear any stepping when I tweak the knobs either. I like the notch, band pass, and high pass filters on this way more than the an1x, jp8080, and virus multimode filters. The low pass is kind of boring and under whelming though. I give the other synths the edge on low pass filters. This is a tweakers wet dream. I give this a 7.5 out of 10.


I am now adding new articles weekly on the media blog, Reviews, and shining the spotlight on things I like. VAC writes all of these reviews and articles..
NEW ARTICLES: Games: Ps3: MAG. Hexfix93’s take. , Music: Ananda Shake: Inside The Sound, Hexfix93’s take. , TV: Burn Notice, Hexfix93’s take. , Models: Brandi the Muse. , Dannie Flesher Co founder of WAX TRAX Dies :( , Hey japan, Wake up, 360 people don’t buy your , Religion: WOW this sums it up well. …….

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Category: 08-Synth Reviews! | 2 Comments »

More Stuff For Sale on Ebay! Fireface, Pod xt, Spider Valve Amp, 1202vlzpro.

January 30th, 2010 by Hexfix93

Anyone who buys these who knows who vac is, when you buy it, ask seller a question to include autographed cd of The Art of Breaking Apart, and a post and you shall receive it in the shipment. Click on images below.

Line 6 Spider-Bogner Valve 112 Guitar Amp
line6spiderLine 6 Spider-Bogner Valve 112 Guitar Amp

Fireface 800:
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Fireface 800 CLICK ME

Pod XT by Line 6 Guitar fx
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Pod XT by Line 6 Guitar fx

Mackie 1202 Vlz Pro Analog Mixer
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Mackie 1202 Vlz Pro Analog Mixer

Category: 02-VAC NEWS | 1 Comment »

Haiti Relief!

January 14th, 2010 by Hexfix93

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Terrible news. I generally am a misanthrope, but I get so angry when I see the poor being victims over and over again. This moved me. I ask you, please donate to the red cross. Click Here to donate to the red cross. Or volunteer! Do something to help these poor people. I donated. I might even do some volunteer work.

Category: 02-VAC NEWS | 11 Comments »

News + Caustic Disco EP, New Video.

January 8th, 2010 by Hexfix93

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Yes the first single in support of “The Art of Breaking Apart” is finally out both in europe, and in america. Digital only, so through the metropolis web site only. I cant find it on Itunes or Amazon yet. Click here to buy and listen to Caustic Disco EP for North America. Click here to buy and listen to Caustic Disco for Europe. Remixes from Mindless Faith, Kalte Farben, Distorted Retrospect and more. Plus some bonus tracks, alternate mix of killed in space, and two toxic coma tracks mental itch, and zombie sex(the best party song ever made). So go check it out, and buy it. If you decided to pirate it like so many do, please donate money to me so you don’t have to feel guilty about steeling from me. Thanks. :) Also, Krztov did a free demo mix of the song, you can download it here http://www.velvetacidchrist.com/causticdiscoinferno-v2.mp3.

Below is the second video off the LP “The Art of Breaking Apart”. I really like how I blended the acoustic guitar into this brutal psy trance track. This is one of my favorite songs on the LP and it really features my modular and my future retro revolution. To me this is one of the best sounding things I have ever made from a production stand point. Hope you enjoy.

News: Doing a lot of pre production for the new LP I am working on, organizing and arranging my synth sounds and patch presets. Setting up my drum kits, wiring up the mixer, getting everything labeled. I am nervous to start working again, I have some songs already written, just not recorded or produced. I have 2 guitar tracks. I want to remake some songs from Oblivion Interface. Namely Fried and Cease to Understand. I will never again make long lps, I will do lps that are 8 to 9 tracks long MAX from here on out, and try to make the songs way better, quality not quantity. I plan to do 2 singles for each lp I do. So maybe I will include one single on the LP as a ltd edition in the future. So I am already underway. I think the art of breaking apart has done well. I hope it sells better. I am also looking for a live band now. VAC is now 100% a solo project. I am looking for people who can play guitar and keyboards and drum pads live though, I am on the look out, must be in Colorado. I will not play with people who do not know how to play, so I must find WEIRD talented people for the job. I also plan to do some more synth reviews for this site. I will post some in the near future.

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I love my new set up, Mopho, Trinity, Virus A, Nord Lead 2, Jp-8080, AN1x(master controller, love it), Emu e6400 ultra, Logic 8, ksp8 fx, Distressors x2, Pcm96, Amt8, Apogee Duet, + Komplete Software(will barely use it, i’m a hardware freak). I’m no longer an analog snob. I want to use thinner sounds, and layer more, make more complex mixes. I find this easier to do with the old virtual analogs, the first generation ones I find sound the best. No more track by track recording. I will run it all live like I did in the old days. This gear set up is pretty close to what I had during the calling of the dead and fun with knives era of my career. I hope the fast work flow and sounds will allow for a more up beat and aggressive sound like I had back then. Time will tell. I have way better drum production this time. I hope it pays off. I will keep you up to date.

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Pirates who like vac and want to pay the artist directly, Please Donate to VAC. Those who love EDT and think its good, please donate to us. Click the Donate Button Below.



I am now adding new articles weekly on the media blog, Reviews, and shining the spotlight on things I like. VAC writes all of these reviews and articles..
NEW ARTICLES: The Best LP, Movie, TV of 2009 by Hexfix93, Best Games of 2009, sony ps3, psp. by Hexfix93 , Interview: Mindless Faith by Hexfix93 , Music review: Front Line Assembly: Caustic Grip. by Hexfix93 , Games: PS3: Socom DLC: Cold Front and 1.60. by Hexfix93 , Model: Diabolica Robotica. , Games: Ps3: Modern Warfare 2, Hexfix93’s take. , Art: Comedian: Maria Bamford. , ART: I-NetGraFX Daniel Kvasznicza …….

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Category: 02-VAC NEWS, 21-VAC Videos | 14 Comments »

VAC Newz, nov 23rd, 2k9.

November 24th, 2009 by Hexfix93

vac2k92
Positive: Rebuilding the studio is cool, I have discovered how to make my drums more smashing and big. Running live, I am getting way better results. I use my distressors on my alt out mix on my onyx mixer. Run them back in to one of the returns. It’s cool, I have my sampler(emu e6400 ultra) running into my ksp8(battery and kontakt is epic fail, i tried the same thing, but the hardware sampler breaths the magick into the samples that makes them work right, no wonder the chemical brother swears by these old emu samplers), I throw the drum room on the drums, and then run them through the distressor, HUGE!, Smash the hell out of them with the dist 3 setting on. FUCK. So pissed I didn’t have this shit when i made the last few records. I think my drums are going to be a lot better on the new lp. No promises, because any time I plan, things never come out the way I imagine them. Also, running my nord rack 2 into my ksp8 is a big fucking holy shit WOW from hell moment too. I thought the jupiter 8 was nifty. The nord lead, not as fat, thank goodness because I am sick to death of fat analogs that hog the mix, is really lush, and aggressive, and amazing sounding. What I missed about all these old VAs, they have more character than the new ones, but more than anything it is all the sounds respond to midi velocity, and after touch, so much more expressive than my mono synths when playing them, and this is why the old cotd and fwk sounded so cool, so much more expression in the sounds. I realize this now, on the old leads on those records, they are way more animated, and the mix was more busy thanks to the synths not being as fat, I could write more parts easier. Analog sounds better, digital performs and layers better. Digalog like tom shear says. No more analog snob here. I am still a hardware nazi though. :)

Tour: No more talking about live shows and tours unless I have something booked and ready to go, it seems that some fans are getting really angry about me mentioning tours and then never doing them. They are a bitch to set up, and it’s hard to get a band together. Plus i need hair and make up people to help us old farts not look so lame on stage. A ton of work needs to be done to get me out on the road. No more talk.

VAC LINKS: Seems a lot of people do like the new record, even though I seem to get a lot of negative shit for it by some people. Glad that some people like it. Click here for the Vermin Review. Vermin really appreciates it. Click here for a new Vampire Freaks VAC interview. Jet asked a lot of great questions :). Click here for the Sideline Magazine Review they seemed happy with it as well. Click here for the Philly Goth Industrial review They seemed really happy about it as well. Click here for the Fear Net Review Another glowing review :).

For Sale still: Future Retro Revolution = 525 + shipping. Roland sh2(old and a little beat up, but fully functional) with midi to cv kenton pro solo = 750. Novation remote 61 mk1 midi controller = 250. Roland s770 sampler with hd(missing one knob cover) 100. RME Fireface 800 firewire audio interface, mint = 1100. PS3 games for sale. Borderlands 39 plus shipping. Batman 39 plus shipping. Infamous 39 plus shipping. Will include an auto graphed cd of my new lp in the sale for a little extra. Plus shipping.

Pirates who like vac and want to pay the artist directly, Please Donate to VAC. Those who love EDT and think its good, please donate to us.



I am now adding new articles weekly on the media blog, Reviews, and shining the spotlight on things I like. VAC writes all of these reviews and articles..
NEW ARTICLES: Interview: Unter Null by Hexfix93, Music: My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult: Confessions of a Knife by Hexfix93 , Model: Donna-Malefica , Record Label: Hypnotic Dirge. Cool Music you should Check out …….

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Category: 02-VAC NEWS | 16 Comments »

For Sale. Gear.

November 17th, 2009 by Hexfix93

Future Retro Revolution = 525 + shipping.

Roland sh2(old and a little beat up, but fully functional) with midi to cv kenton pro solo = 750.

Roland s770 sampler with hd(missing one knob cover) 100.

RME Fireface 800 firewire audio interface, mint = 1100.

Category: 02-VAC NEWS | 8 Comments »

VAC News: Nov 15th.

November 15th, 2009 by Hexfix93

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NEWS: This is a new press photo promo picture, yay, me likes. So what is new? I am working on the next lp now. Going back to the old set up and the old mode of working. I wrote a really good insight on how VAC production works past and present Click Here to read VAC PRODUCTION PAST VS PRESENT. I am sick of the slow way of working. Going back to the fast way, buying back all the gear I used on calling of the dead, and fun with knives(emu e6400 ultra, jp-8080, virus a, trinity rack, nord lead 2 rack, yamaha an1x, mopho. I am selling a few synths, my, s770 sampler, roland sh-2, future retro revolution and my novation remote 61 mk1 keyboard controller. I am also selling my converters my Fireface 800(if you are interested in any of these, comment) I am re-making some old songs off of oblivion interface(the very first unreleased VAC LP), I have about 4 songs underway that are new. I know that I want to make a more harsh dance record, with varied elements. I am more angry than sad now. I hope I can get another LP finished over the winter. After the next lp, I think a greatest hits is in order. I really want to make a great lp that is more complex. My old gear will work I bet. Wish me luck.

This banner code is for the horizontal and verticle versions, please add these to your blogs, help me spread the word about the new lp and promote it, thanks:



I am now adding new articles weekly on the media blog, Reviews, and shining the spotlight on things I like. VAC writes all of these reviews and articles..
NEW ARTICLES: Interview: Assemblage 23, Music: Blonde Redhead: Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons , Art: Art: Seth Siro Anton, Music of the week: KryonikMessiah : This Is Industrial.

Category: 02-VAC NEWS | 18 Comments »

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