Artiphon

Really, just stop it, Artiphon. Give us the option of choosing what we want or don't, and let us decline without being nagged.

The last straw was the Hand Pan preset (the other previous stuff I've just ignored) -  it's just bad, really bad and un-useable. At very least give us the option of deleting it if we don't want it ( properly, not just hiding it from the app gui).

I would have put this as a polite request to ask if it is possible to delete presets - but I know what the answer will be ( assuming I get one).

Actually, I feel disappointed, and cannot be  as polite as David.  Something is deeply wrong.

I really like the idea, I like the form factor of the device, and really would like to see Orba 2 successful.

However,  currently it underdelivers seriously.

After a whole year after release, it seems like there is no development of the device or software anymore. 

Connection stability still not existing, android app is buggy as hell, to the point when attempts to jam with friends turn into embarrassment each time, like "please wait guys, I have to restart orba2 and the app and reconnect",.  It still feels like an early access game, not a finished product.

Bugs reported  9 months ago are still in place.

There is even no  OrbaSynth for Orba2  that Orba1 had, for the synth based presets, that's a huge step back. Meanwhile, device potential just screams for having a preset editor not just for synth presets, but for the sample presets as well. 

 With an editor there already could be tons of user generated presets and endless possibilities for the owners.   Instead focus obviously  had shifted from engineering to  marketing,  everything is happening during last half a year - are  these "colabs" with some musicians I never heard about, causing undeletable and barely usable content added to our devices.  

And the worst of all - there is no communication, forum is dead, there is no feedback, no roadmap, nothing, just a disappointing and annoying wall of silence. Who knows, maybe Artiphon is filing for bankruptcy, or maybe there are some great changes behind the corner - how can we guess when nobody tells us. Trust is really affected by this.  Even this super polite and valuable post from David still got no answer. 

All the activity on the forum  is David and Subskybox trying to compensate  absence of functionality which should be there on release,  by tinkering with xml's and risking their devices to be  bricked. And users asking questions with no answers in most cases.

Feels like a great wasted potential for the device which could be so much better.

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Therefore, to conclude.  I really believe that everybody including Artiphon would benefit from the following: 

1) Please start communicating with us, the users, and share the roadmap. 

2) Polish software stability issues, so we could really recommend Orba2 to our friends.

3) Bring us and official possibility to create our own presets, instead of forcefully pushing content we did not ask for.

I  really want Orba2 a brighter future, but it would not happen if nothing is going to change.

@Ignis32

My comments were tempered by the understanding that Artiphon seem to think the Orba is just a glorified toy - whereas we see it as much better than that. I feel as it is it doesn't justify it's price point - but it could.

A big problem with that, is that people get tired of their toys and move on to other things. So it is, to my mind, a poor business attitude and pandering to popular mediocrity rather than true creativity.

As you say the provision of an Orbasynth app for the Orba 2 would be a massive help (I've said this before), but so would helping us with more information. I'm crying out for anything that will help me use gestures better - but to do that we need to understand the ModSource and Seekers settings better as how they will play out rely on each other and the other patch settings. We can do little more than tinker and hope.

A long while ago I said here that if we can create good presets that will feed into social media presence positively both for us and Artiphon. It's just simple good sense.

It is sad about the lack of feedback on the forum. I do what I do for myself  mostly so I will pursue the aims I still have in mind, but I'm happy to share what I do, and feedback, even bad feedback encourages (sometimes, even inspires,) my efforts.

I would add, that by working on what they Orba 2 can really do they can learn what they should aim for for the future products.

I could rant on about this stuff for hours - but I won't.