Does anybody know what is the difference between advanced wave memory and awm2? I need to know this.

AWM and AWM2 are just marketing terms for Yamaha’s implementation of sample-based subtractive synthesis.

Why does the difference matter to you?

Well, they are not just “marketing” terms - unless that means they are terms that are used to explain a very technical subject to the consumer masses… Then yes I guess they are ... Because the truly technical explanation would probably be lost on most end users.

In layman’s terms:
AWM is Advanced Wave Memory - which is a Yamaha proprietary method of storing PCM samples.
AWM2 is the second generation Advanced Wave Memory. You’ll find this on units that require more complex manipulation of data… Has special filters available.

In general the technology has a lot to do with why the Yamaha sample based instruments sound the way they do… If that is ‘marketing’, then I guess so, but it is patented and many, many folks do hear that difference.

The difference does matter to me because i am a costumer and i want to know what technology i buy with my hard earned money.Well, what is the difference between the two of them? maybe awm2 has 16-bit samples and awm has only 8-bit or 10-12? maybe awm has 16 bit and awm2 has 24 bit? maybe awm has 44.1 khz samples and awm2 has 48khz? or is there another type of difference? I have the right to know because i pay for this technology and i want to know what i pay for.Is it so bad?

I think I answered you.

We all know that the Big Three use data compression on their core ROM libraries (which is why their specs read, “when converted to 16-bit linear,” rather than specifying a raw megabyte size.) The way I was told, AWM uses a constant algorithm to encode the wave information. AWM2, on the other hand, allows the programmer (sound designer) to roughly optimize the compression for a given sample. For example, a triangle lead may be able to suffer much more compression (due to the fact that it has very little bandwidth and harmonics) when compared with a steel-string guitar, or harpsichord, both of which contain a great deal of non-static harmonics.

bytexion - 23 May 2011 10:11 AM

We all know that the Big Three use data compression on their core ROM libraries (which is why their specs read, “when converted to 16-bit linear,” rather than specifying a raw megabyte size.) The way I was told, AWM uses a constant algorithm to encode the wave information. AWM2, on the other hand, allows the programmer (sound designer) to roughly optimize the compression for a given sample. For example, a triangle lead may be able to suffer much more compression (due to the fact that it has very little bandwidth and harmonics) when compared with a steel-string guitar, or harpsichord, both of which contain a great deal of non-static harmonics.

If you’re going to quote verbatim, you might want to provide some attribution. The above was from a post by “Cruel Hoax” in the following thread:
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/archive/index.php/t-1538988.html

Faethon - 23 May 2011 09:13 AM

The difference does matter to me because i am a costumer and i want to know what technology i buy with my hard earned money.Well, what is the difference between the two of them? maybe awm2 has 16-bit samples and awm has only 8-bit or 10-12? maybe awm has 16 bit and awm2 has 24 bit? maybe awm has 44.1 khz samples and awm2 has 48khz? or is there another type of difference? I have the right to know because i pay for this technology and i want to know what i pay for.Is it so bad?

It sounds good. That’s all that should matter. You don’t listen with your eyes, do you? Specs do not matter. Only whether it sounds good.

If you don’t like the sound, then don’t buy it. Simple.

DavePolich - 23 May 2011 01:26 PM

Faethon - 23 May 2011 09:13 AM

The difference does matter to me because i am a costumer and i want to know what technology i buy with my hard earned money.Well, what is the difference between the two of them? maybe awm2 has 16-bit samples and awm has only 8-bit or 10-12? maybe awm has 16 bit and awm2 has 24 bit? maybe awm has 44.1 khz samples and awm2 has 48khz? or is there another type of difference? I have the right to know because i pay for this technology and i want to know what i pay for.Is it so bad?

It sounds good. That’s all that should matter. You don’t listen with your eyes, do you? Specs do not matter. Only whether it sounds good.

If you don’t like the sound, then don’t buy it. Simple.

Of course the sound matter the most,but you dont see the knowledge with your eyes but you have the knowledge with your brain in your brain.If specs did not matter then no manufacturer would try to improve their technology.If AWM is worst than AWM2 then it does matter BIG TIME because i want the best sound i can get and if i know the difference then it helps understand many things.Sound matters the most but technology (specs) gives the sound so it matters the most. ;)

I don’t understand why you’re flaming faethon for his question. He’s going to spend 4000$ and he want to know what technology he’s going to buy. That’s all.

And ... does it help to know what’s under the hood?
I agree with those who depend on hearing.
Expensive words and terms don’t change the reality.

;JOOP!

If you are not interested in the difference, so you must not Comment about this here. Some buy a car before it is red, others do it depends on what kind of engine your car has. Of course, the sound of synth that are most important. But it might be interesting to know the difference between AWM and AWM2, perhaps Especially if you want to know the potential of synthesizers. And choose between the Yamaha / Korg / Roland workstations.

This feels almost like nobody knows or nobody wants to tell, because it is an old technology. This is nothing that I care about because I think it sounds good, but it would be interesting to know how Motif is built.

I don’t believe you.