Jun Murakami App Factory

This chapter covers settings that affect not the sound itself, but CPU load, audio quality, and display. It deals with settings that influence how heavy the plugin runs—such as Oversampling and Polyphony—the two volume controls, Master Volume and Patch Volume, and display-related items such as UI resizing and the hint language.

These settings are gathered in the control row along the bottom of the screen. Detailed, item-by-item explanations of each Tone and Effects parameter are consolidated in → Chapter 7 "Tone Parameter Reference" and → Chapter 9 "Effects", so this chapter explains only the overall, performance-related settings.

12.1 Oversampling

Oversampling is a setting that computes the internal DSP at a higher multiple than the actual output sample rate. Raising the multiple reduces the aliasing (foldback noise) produced by nonlinear processing such as Cross Mod (XMOD), Hard Sync, and Distortion, resulting in a cleaner sound. In exchange, the amount of computation increases, and CPU load grows roughly in proportion to the multiple.

The actual MKS-80 uses analog circuitry, so the very concept of a "sample rate" does not apply. Oversampling is a modern quality setting added to approximate that analog smoothness in the digital domain.

At any multiple, the fundamental character of the tone does not change. The difference is most noticeable in sounds with a lot of high harmonics, such as sounds with deep Cross Mod or Hard Sync, or sounds passed through Distortion. If you feel an unpleasant roughness in the high end on such sounds, raising the multiple can help. Conversely, on sounds with gentle waveforms (such as soft Pads), the difference is hard to tell, so leaving it Off is often sufficient.

12.2 Polyphony

Polyphony is the upper limit on the number of voices that can sound simultaneously. The actual MKS-80 has 8 voices, but Synth-80 can be expanded to suit modern usage.

This setting not only makes notes less likely to cut off when you stack chords, but also affects the number of stacked voices in Unison (the UNI 1 / UNI 2 of ASSIGN MODE). Unison stacks as many voices as the Polyphony setting, so setting it to 24 gives a thicker unison that stacks up to 24 voices on a single note.

Raising Polyphony increases the voices per note and per section, so CPU load increases proportionally. If the actual 8 voices are enough, leaving it at 8 is the lightest setting.

12.3 Master Volume and Patch Volume

Synth-80 has two places to adjust volume: Patch Volume and Master Volume. The names are similar, but they differ in their position within the signal flow and in whether they are saved.

The signal flow is as follows.

effects → Patch Volume → Master Volume → out

In other words, after passing through the effects, the volume is first trimmed by Patch Volume, and then it passes through Master Volume to become the final output.

Patch Volume

Patch Volume is a volume trim saved together with that Patch (±12 dB). It is meant to even out the volume variation between sounds; setting it here makes volume steps less likely when you switch Patches. Because Patch Volume is saved with the Patch, the same value is reproduced the next time you load that Patch.

Master Volume

Master Volume is the fader for the final output. It is not saved with the Patch; it works as a global volume trim (an overall output adjustment). Because the Master Volume value does not change no matter which Patch you load, you can decide "how loud to play the whole thing right now" independently of the Patch.

Master Volume has a level meter so you can check the level of the signal actually being output. While watching the meter, adjust it so the output stays within a range that does not distort (does not clip).

Summary of when to use which

When in doubt, remember "Patch Volume for the volume balance of each sound, Master Volume for the overall output level" and you can tell them apart.

12.4 UI Resizing and Saving the Window Size

The Synth-80 screen can be resized by dragging the resize grip at the bottom right. Adjust it when the display is too small to read or when you want to use more screen space.

The changed window size is saved and is carried over the next time you launch a new instance. This save is reflected across plugin formats (VST3 / AU / AAX / CLAP / Standalone) and operating systems (Windows / macOS), so even if you open it in a different DAW or a different format, it opens at the size you last used.

12.5 Hint Language

The display language of the parameter hints (explanatory popovers) can be switched between English (Eng) and Japanese (Jp) in the HINT field along the bottom of the screen. The switch takes effect immediately, and the selected language is saved locally, so it is retained even after restarting or reopening the session.

Switching the hint language and how to read the hints themselves are explained in detail in → Chapter 3 "Basic Operation".

12.6 Adjusting When the CPU Is Heavy

When Synth-80 feels heavy inside your DAW, reviewing the settings in the following order lets you reduce the load while minimizing the impact on the sound.

1. Lower Oversampling: Lower it in the order 4x → 2x → Off. CPU load is roughly proportional to the multiple, so this is the most effective. For sounds without deep nonlinear processing, the audible difference is often small even when lowered.
2. Lower Polyphony: Lower it to the number of simultaneous notes you need. If the actual 8 voices are enough, setting it to 8 is the lightest. For sounds that do not make heavy use of Unison, lowering it rarely causes problems.
3. Reduce heavy effects: Reducing high-load effects within the Effect Chain, such as Reverb (or turning a slot Off), is effective. For each effect, see → Chapter 9 "Effects".