Envelope Release time not accurate AND not working

Bug
1

Bug Description

This bug affects the envelopes for the amplifier and filter on the Play+. When setting an envelope Decay time to 0 (zero) and a Sustain > 0% the already set Release time is respected (but not accurate, see later in description). But when changing the Release time it immediately cuts of the Release time to 0 and does not respond anymore to Release time values.

What I mean with the release time is not accurate, is that setting a Release time to e.g. 10 seconds will not be 10 seconds, but much shorter. Release time >3 seconds seem to be off.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Set Synth 1 to VAP
  2. Select “Init patch” from Synth 1 menu → Init Patch Loaded
  3. Select “Edit patch” from Synth 1 menu
  4. Scroll down to “----- Amp Envelope -----” section
  5. Select “Release” and set release to 2.0 s (Optional for better indication of the problem, otherwise proceed to step 7)
  6. Click [Back]
  7. Select “Decay” and set Decay to 0.00 s
  8. Click [Back]
  9. Select “Sustain” and set Sustain to 100% (or any number >0%)
  10. Click [Back]
  11. Play a note using Piano Notes or Grid Notes to hear the sound (listen to release time!)
  12. Select “Release” and dial Release 0,1 up or 0,1 down (or any other amount)
  13. Play a note using Piano Notes or Grid Notes to hear the sound (Release is now cutoff!)
  14. Try to set Release time to any length < 10,0 s. The release time will not change but be cutoff.

This is also the case for the filter envelope Release time. Repeat all steps but in step 4 go to “----- Envelope 1 -----” instead of “----- Amp Envelope ------”

Occurrence / Frequency

Always

Found in Firmware

  • Version: 1.2.0
  • Build: 1928

Attachments

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2

No confirmation from the PolyEnd team? To bad, but the many bugs force me to return the Play + to the store

3

Give them some time, they repond to every report.

4

@m.polmans I tested it quickly and can confirm. It also happens on the tracker+

My observation is different though.
Its not the releasetime thats buggy, its the decay. If you set any decay above 0.00 release is longer the higher you set the value. You are right, you always have to wiggle the release time to make it happen.

Can you confirm?

Edit: also happens in all other synth engines.

5

@Patrick Yes, I can confirm.

Today I decide to send my PolyEnd Play+ back to the store. It’s a great machine, but to buggy for me. I also have the PolyEnd Synth and I just love that device!

If the FX engine on the PolyEnd Play+ would have been as good as on the PolyEnd Play I probaply would have kept the device, but the Reverb and Delay on the Play+ are just not suited for Berlin School music. It get’s to muddy in the lows and it doesn’t have enough parameters for me to tweak the FX to my likings.

I enjoy the sound sculpting on the PolyEnd Synth and the User Interface. The Arpeggio and the Sequencer limitations together with the soundscaping gives me the creative push I like to work with. It’s jut a lot of fun making music with the Synth. The Play+ was just not for me.

It would be nice if PolyEnd had a future roadmap or backlog with bugfixes and updates they are working on. Perhaps that would have kept me from returning the device.

1 Like
6

@m.polmans

Agreed, these are serious issues with a synth engine when the fundamental ADSR envelope doesn’t work correctly. This certainly seems to indicate inadequate testing during development and inadequate test methodologies in QA.

However, this is the first I’ve heard that the Play+ FX are supposedly different sounding than the Play FX. I would assume it’s the same FX code base and the mods have stated they are identical.

What makes you think the FX are different? Did you mean to compare the Play + FX and the Synth FX?