I have both. If I don´t have much time and energy for experimenting and just need to get the things done, the BigSky is my choice, nice presets and booom. However, the Nightsky gives you another level of tweaking possibilities, experimenting, filtering, basically another synth in your chain.
Intreat the nightsky like a new instrument but for me it is the shining star on my pedalboard, it gets involved probably way to often and it even sneaked in surprisingly as my reverb of choice gor bass guitar recording - bc of glimmer making it stand out very well
an 8 hour video of that melody would be great, so nice, both units sound beautiful, great demo, now I know them and I'm looking forward to getting some of them, beautiful and musical reverbs ❤
Great video! You talk and we can hear the pedals work at the same time. So many videos are just people talking and you don't hear the fucking sounds for like 20 minutes!! this is nice as you're explaining what you're doing but we can also hear the wonderful sounds!
Some great examples Yuki. I wonder if Strymon are giving us a clue in the names of each unit? The NightSky sounds darker to me, more dangerous, wilder. The BigSky is brighter, more benign, fair-weather, placid, cleaner but beautiful. I'm still going to keep my BigSky even though I own a NightSky as I feel it still gives me more options owning both. I also have the Ventris which is of a similar high standard, an EQD Afterneath, EHX Cathedral, Hardwire Supernatural ambient reverb, and a Zoom MS-70cdr and a couple of old 12 bit Boss RRV-10s, if wish to go crunchier and lower-fi. Many thanks, very watchable. Subbed for more sonic joy.
@@Subtronik No tongue in cheek like Neil from the Young Ones. Drugs other than alcohol never really appealed and It's either beer money or synth money so I rarely drink these days.
@@willp3754 excellent point. I’m running a Behringer Pro~1 (left input) and Moog Mavis (right input) into a BigSky and really wouldn’t want it to be output that way in stereo 🧐
Great demo and video, thank you! Your jams are why I subscribed to your channel, but this little tutorial/demo is very useful and informative. 3 years ago I decided that effects was half of sound design, with the other half synthesizer, and wanted effects devices with a lot of control. I think of the NighSky as this type of effect, control and designable like a synth. Currently I have three ZoomCDR's which are great linear design effects, but for really big effects where the effect takes 90% of the stage, I am considering the NightSky. (NOTE: I am also adding to synth design a stereo field control when possible by panning oscillators, this is very rare in synths and layering synths is the only way to achieve this otherwise, but the beauty of the stereo field opens up immensely when combing stereo field synth with effects, sometimes adding stereo effects sometimes mono effects to the field). I have found that making monaural synths stereo with effects is getting predictable and boring, and so for the next few years will be focusing on synth sound design with true stereo.
Great video again, I love my Ventris. It's very complex and dual functionality, for me, makes it far more usable. I sold my Big Sky, whilst a great reverb it did sound a bit sterile to my ears. The only thing I wish the Ventris had was a stereo spread function like the Walrus Audio R1. That is also another great reverb!
Sir, you have cornered and perfected the market on expanding the knowledge base of using synthesizers with effects for a growing audience! I have noticed you commenting on stereo pedals summing to mono and I’m not totally sure I follow this concept. Through headphones, every demo you post in stereo sounds mindblowingly good. What stereo reverb/delay pedals do you know of or recommend that do not sum to mono? I would definitely be interested in a side-by-side demo if you have not already made one.
I will try and make a video of it in the future. It would be very hard to explain without hearing examples. Lots of delays are true stereo. Most reverbs sum to mono in the wet side of the signal path. They keep the stereo on the dry side and then add a new generated stereo signal. The ua golden, the hall algorithm on the space, and the walrus r1 are all true stereo and do not sum to mono. The major issues arise when summing to mono if you want to keep the stereo image from a pedal before them in a signal chain in stereo when being reverberated. It’s usually not a big issue unless and effect before your reverb uses phase inversion to create its stereo image. Most analog stereo chorus pedals that are not dry / wet output use phase inversion as an example. So if you place lets say the mxr m134 before a nightsky the chorus effect gets removed in the reverb / wet side of the signal.
Appreciate the reply. So in my case if I put the Nightsky at the end of my chain, the sum to mono aspect would not apply to pedals like the Meris Polymoon and Erica Synths Zen Delay, both of which I believe are true stereo delay pedals?
Wanted to thank you first for the time you invested for all of us to learn more about the b and n sky ! So beautifully put together ,, just wondering what’s the instrument on your right !?
I am back for another viewing of this vid almost a year later. Still as on point as ever! I have the OTO Machines BAM reverb at the end of my chain and haven’t tried this before, but considering the Night Sky as a mid chain reverb option. I know you mentioned the Ventris at the end of this vid and was curious if you’ve done much stacking of reverbs with synths or had a chance to do so specifically with the Night Sky and Ventris since making this video. I have not, but have had great success doing so with delays, chiefly the Polymoon and Erica Synths Zen Delay.
Thank you for this comparison. It was very useful for me. I have a question: they say Strymon makes one of the best reverbs on the market ... Maybe I have bad ears, I don't know why, but I have some much cheaper reverbs, which sound better to me, at least - I can say - stronger ... How is this possible???
Hmm interesting. You say they sum to mono but if you read tech spec you can read they support full stereo. I have Moog Matriarch which one of the most prominent features is stereo filter and stereo delay. If I’d put Nightsky after Matriarch I’d lose stereo filed generated by Moog?
Great video. I own the Nightsky and also love it on synths. My only gripe really has been that the LFO isnt syncable. I feel they missed the mark on that one especially since I believe this pedal was more geared towards the synth user. I did read it's possible to send an external CC midi message and sync say the cutoff that way. I have not tried it yet but might be a good workaround.
The lfo should be more advanced for midi / synth users for sure. They made the lfo more controllable in the starlab though. But I'm not interested in euro rack.
I don’t think that is true without external midi or an external foot switch. As far as I know you can’t do it in the pedal by itself. If you could show me in a video or something how to do it I will amend the video or comment the video with the info. Also you still do not have the new non held signal reverberated.
@@poeply that does not set the ability to latch, that just sets if you have a freeze or a hold. You sill need to hold the foot switch down to engage it and keep holding to keep it in hold or freeze mode.
dude i've owned the nightsky for a freakin year and I'm just now hearing about the alternate parameter functions? wtf. fucking strymon, print better manuals lol.
Yeah, the ui sucks and they should have made a page in the manual showing all the 2nd functions on one page like the did with v1 of the dig for example.
I have both. If I don´t have much time and energy for experimenting and just need to get the things done, the BigSky is my choice, nice presets and booom. However, the Nightsky gives you another level of tweaking possibilities, experimenting, filtering, basically another synth in your chain.
Intreat the nightsky like a new instrument but for me it is the shining star on my pedalboard, it gets involved probably way to often and it even sneaked in surprisingly as my reverb of choice gor bass guitar recording - bc of glimmer making it stand out very well
At 52 years of age, I find the UI on the Night Sky much easier to see and understand with its clearly labeled front panel than I do the Big Sky.
an 8 hour video of that melody would be great, so nice, both units sound beautiful, great demo, now I know them and I'm looking forward to getting some of them, beautiful and musical reverbs ❤
EXACTLY what I wanted to know! Thank You! Had a Big Sky already. Bought the NIGHT just now!
Great video! You talk and we can hear the pedals work at the same time. So many videos are just people talking and you don't hear the fucking sounds for like 20 minutes!! this is nice as you're explaining what you're doing but we can also hear the wonderful sounds!
Some great examples Yuki. I wonder if Strymon are giving us a clue in the names of each unit? The NightSky sounds darker to me, more dangerous, wilder. The BigSky is brighter, more benign, fair-weather, placid, cleaner but beautiful. I'm still going to keep my BigSky even though I own a NightSky as I feel it still gives me more options owning both. I also have the Ventris which is of a similar high standard, an EQD Afterneath, EHX Cathedral, Hardwire Supernatural ambient reverb, and a Zoom MS-70cdr and a couple of old 12 bit Boss RRV-10s, if wish to go crunchier and lower-fi. Many thanks, very watchable. Subbed for more sonic joy.
Were you stoned when you said all this? 😉
@@Subtronik No tongue in cheek like Neil from the Young Ones. Drugs other than alcohol never really appealed and It's either beer money or synth money so I rarely drink these days.
@@apislapis good show.
They sum to mono before the reverb... Mate that is a HUGE deal for synths ugh. Dealbreaker. Thanks for the heads up.
Don't nearly all reverb effects do that?
Oh wow....had no idea....what´s the point of having stereo in if it sums to mono before the reverb?!?!....wonder if the plugin does the same...
@@willp3754 excellent point. I’m running a Behringer Pro~1 (left input) and Moog Mavis (right input) into a BigSky and really wouldn’t want it to be output that way in stereo 🧐
The dry signal remains in stereo if I’m not mistaken. Or, in a DAW place the reverb in a send bus.
Use as send effect and then you dont get your whole signal converted back and forth either...
Great video! You really sold me on the Nightsky :)
Great demo and video, thank you! Your jams are why I subscribed to your channel, but this little tutorial/demo is very useful and informative. 3 years ago I decided that effects was half of sound design, with the other half synthesizer, and wanted effects devices with a lot of control. I think of the NighSky as this type of effect, control and designable like a synth. Currently I have three ZoomCDR's which are great linear design effects, but for really big effects where the effect takes 90% of the stage, I am considering the NightSky. (NOTE: I am also adding to synth design a stereo field control when possible by panning oscillators, this is very rare in synths and layering synths is the only way to achieve this otherwise, but the beauty of the stereo field opens up immensely when combing stereo field synth with effects, sometimes adding stereo effects sometimes mono effects to the field). I have found that making monaural synths stereo with effects is getting predictable and boring, and so for the next few years will be focusing on synth sound design with true stereo.
Great video again, I love my Ventris. It's very complex and dual functionality, for me, makes it far more usable. I sold my Big Sky, whilst a great reverb it did sound a bit sterile to my ears.
The only thing I wish the Ventris had was a stereo spread function like the Walrus Audio R1. That is also another great reverb!
Sir, you have cornered and perfected the market on expanding the knowledge base of using synthesizers with effects for a growing audience! I have noticed you commenting on stereo pedals summing to mono and I’m not totally sure I follow this concept. Through headphones, every demo you post in stereo sounds mindblowingly good. What stereo reverb/delay pedals do you know of or recommend that do not sum to mono? I would definitely be interested in a side-by-side demo if you have not already made one.
I will try and make a video of it in the future. It would be very hard to explain without hearing examples. Lots of delays are true stereo. Most reverbs sum to mono in the wet side of the signal path. They keep the stereo on the dry side and then add a new generated stereo signal. The ua golden, the hall algorithm on the space, and the walrus r1 are all true stereo and do not sum to mono. The major issues arise when summing to mono if you want to keep the stereo image from a pedal before them in a signal chain in stereo when being reverberated. It’s usually not a big issue unless and effect before your reverb uses phase inversion to create its stereo image. Most analog stereo chorus pedals that are not dry / wet output use phase inversion as an example. So if you place lets say the mxr m134 before a nightsky the chorus effect gets removed in the reverb / wet side of the signal.
Appreciate the reply. So in my case if I put the Nightsky at the end of my chain, the sum to mono aspect would not apply to pedals like the Meris Polymoon and Erica Synths Zen Delay, both of which I believe are true stereo delay pedals?
@@scottsweatshirt9753 if it sounds fine then no issue, I have run the poly before the nightsky without issue.
Wanted to thank you first for the time you invested for all of us to learn more about the b and n sky ! So beautifully put together ,, just wondering what’s the instrument on your right !?
Thanks! The instrument is a Arturia Micro Freak.
Oh my God what a outearth feeling sounds
I am back for another viewing of this vid almost a year later. Still as on point as ever! I have the OTO Machines BAM reverb at the end of my chain and haven’t tried this before, but considering the Night Sky as a mid chain reverb option. I know you mentioned the Ventris at the end of this vid and was curious if you’ve done much stacking of reverbs with synths or had a chance to do so specifically with the Night Sky and Ventris since making this video. I have not, but have had great success doing so with delays, chiefly the Polymoon and Erica Synths Zen Delay.
I don't do reverb stacking all that often as it can get very muddy. But that is going to be one of my future videos and soon I hope.
Oh phew. Good. I was thinking of getting the Timeline though. I love the Volante
another awesome idea for a video. nice
Great demo, thanks, it look like it is the NightSky for me then :)
Are there any good reverb pedals that don’t sub to mono?
awesome, I've been meaning to get a Nightsky since it launched, just haven't gotten around to it
Thank you for this comparison. It was very useful for me. I have a question: they say Strymon makes one of the best reverbs on the market ... Maybe I have bad ears, I don't know why, but I have some much cheaper reverbs, which sound better to me, at least - I can say - stronger ... How is this possible???
What ever reverb you like the best is the best reverb for your needs.
Nightsky favorite for synth👍😊
Hmm interesting. You say they sum to mono but if you read tech spec you can read they support full stereo.
I have Moog Matriarch which one of the most prominent features is stereo filter and stereo delay. If I’d put Nightsky after Matriarch I’d lose stereo filed generated by Moog?
Would like to know this too ..
Great video. I own the Nightsky and also love it on synths. My only gripe really has been that the LFO isnt syncable. I feel they missed the mark on that one especially since I believe this pedal was more geared towards the synth user. I did read it's possible to send an external CC midi message and sync say the cutoff that way. I have not tried it yet but might be a good workaround.
The lfo should be more advanced for midi / synth users for sure. They made the lfo more controllable in the starlab though. But I'm not interested in euro rack.
write their support and report this as a request/feature (as i did), they may think about a firmware update (they wrote me back).
@@grizzliesa9853 Good thinking, will do.
So since I own a BigSky plus a Meris LVX, a NightSky would probably be redundant, right?
Most likely.
@@YukiTheSynthDragon thanks. Subbed.
nightsky is daker and has more body/mod, but little bit muddy . bigsky is brighter/fit well on the track but little bit lighter. Its on your taste
My choice is the Nightsky
Spring is lackluster on the big sky.
you know that you can set up BigSky in a way it works as latch, not as freeze? ;)
I don’t think that is true without external midi or an external foot switch. As far as I know you can’t do it in the pedal by itself. If you could show me in a video or something how to do it I will amend the video or comment the video with the info. Also you still do not have the new non held signal reverberated.
@@YukiTheSynthDragon just scroll thru the parameters with the values button and set hold to infinite (see pg. 7 of user manual)
@@poeply that does not set the ability to latch, that just sets if you have a freeze or a hold. You sill need to hold the foot switch down to engage it and keep holding to keep it in hold or freeze mode.
@@YukiTheSynthDragon ah, yes that's right!
Do you know if the new Mercury X reverb "sums to mono" like these?
It does
dude i've owned the nightsky for a freakin year and I'm just now hearing about the alternate parameter functions? wtf. fucking strymon, print better manuals lol.
Yeah, the ui sucks and they should have made a page in the manual showing all the 2nd functions on one page like the did with v1 of the dig for example.
@@YukiTheSynthDragon yeah there wasn't even a mention of those parameters anywhere. fuckin A