Mystified by Num 2.3

[joe]

I would have thought that two applications playing the same MIDI composition using the same plugins on the same computer would sound nearly identical, but this recent experience has me scratching my head.

I have a very simple composition in Num 2.3 that consists of 1 stack with 5 GateSeqs and 5 NoteGens that feed a single instance of an AU Synth (ACE) and then one AU FX (Aether). It sounds wonderful. The sound is cohesive, warm, and mellow without the slightest hint of abrasiveness.

But when I recreated the same composition in Logic Pro 9.1 using the identical setup as above, it sounds terrible! The sound is harsh and is not cohesive, and although it is not clipping, it has an abrasive quality, especially in the high end. I have verified output volume levels and they're virtually identical at the interface.

All of this is on the same computer (Mac Pro 2 x 3.2 GHz, 8GB RAM, OSX 10.6.3) and using the same Apogee Duet interface and speakers.

Is Numerology doing some voodoo that isn't immediately apparent (at least to me) or is this simply a difference in the audio engines? I thought they were both using CoreAudio, no?

Thanks in advance for helping me get my head around this one.

Joe

[jim]

Nothing immediately comes to mind. Both are using CoreAudio....

Cheers,
Jim

[joe]

Nothing immediately comes to mind. Both are using CoreAudio....

Cheers,
Jim

I wish you were here to hear it for yourself. It is not a small difference.

There are two settings in the Note Generator that I am not clear about; vel base and vel scale. Could these have anything to do with such differences.

Joe

[joe]

Well, as much as I might have wanted to learn that Numerology has a superior sound engine, let's just say that I have found the enemy and it is me.

FWIW, an F# in a C scale is really ugly. :eek:

[jim]

Gotta love those tritones... :)

Jim