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echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

Flipperwaldt posted:

From just that description, I'm gonna say you might have owned a MiniLab MK I. Absolutely awful and not representative of later Arturia hardware, I'm told.

yep that was it

that’s good tho, to know others would be better

Cheese Thief posted:

The HS was the premium synth I went with because it was under $1000. Looks great, I never connected with it and went to sell it. It's a bad sign when I'm more excited about loading sysex files onto the DX7. There is a knob per parameter d-tronics dx7 controller available right now that would be way too extra but it's so unique.

I had the original which was 3k nzd and I liked it a lot but ended up using it mostly as a midi controller for arturia’s synth app on DAW and so I sold it, but then got the itch and got the explorer for 1/3 the cost of the original and for the money I think the explorer is incredible

but it is true when I have the HS midiing the pro-800 and have both plugged in, and fade one in and one out, while both just playing basic saw waves, there is significant sound difference and the pro-800 is so much nicer


I think if you didn’t know better someone would get incredible value out of the HS, and it does a lot of stuff well. just don’t open it up too much imo


wish ASM would make a true HS2 rather than rehashes of the original. there is so much that’s good, the UI is really so good at getting so much control under such little menu diving


anyway tho, the limitations of the pro-800 is a benefit tho, it’s actually forcing me to get better at playing because it sounds so nice but rewards better playing and better music over making a new patch


and still stuck between a world where I love actually playing the keys and the music, but also wanting to sequence, and all without a DAW. wish I could test a keystep pro

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Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.

echinopsis posted:

anyone used a keystep pro?

are they also ok as just a midi keyboard? the sequencing and etc seem good but if I got one I’d be using it as my sole keyboard (limited space)
yes it's fine for a small velocity sensitive keyboard but if you'e not going to use the sequencer and all the CV I/O there's cheaper options out there. Do you want something with non-full-size keys? For a sole keyboard I think I'd personally want at least 5 octaves. I can't play piano for poo poo, still have a full size 88 key Nektar.

quote:

I have a circuit tracks and theoretically it can do the sequencing and also drums but I just struggle with the workflow of making something more than a bar or two long.
I find the KSP sequencer fine for sketches and doing bloopy performative things; it's also totally fine for fairly long sequences that can be chained. The flipside is that an SQ64 is still like $100 and then that puts all your sequencing in one place and lets you worry about just getting a good keybed.

quote:

also read some large post on reddit about the hydrasynth from an experienced player who’s had one for a while. the good the neutral and the bad. there’s a lot of good but in the bad was “sound”, as in at the very end of the day it doesn’t sound amazing. and with the filter low it’s good but don’t love the high end
What were they, and what are you, using for monitors and comparing it against? I don't have any complaints with the sound design and I think the layout is amazing and helped me learn more than a lot of other things I've done in the past couple years. But, sure, it's not an Iridium, shocking that something 4x as expensive has a wider range of things it can do. It will be interested to see the comparison between the explorer and the new Iridium Core (which might finally put a waldorf thing in my price range?) Pro-800 has been on an off my list but I think I'd find the limitations annoying.


Spiggy posted:

I had a Beatstep Pro for a while and it was garbage for CV unless you rolled back the firmware, but it was great to use for CV and felt solid. I don't know if Arturia has the firmware problems for the Keystep but it seems pretty well liked in the local modular community.

when was this? I had zero problems with CV on either the 2017 firmware, or the latest when I updated it earlier this year. I didn't try anything in between.

Spiggy
Apr 26, 2008

Not a cop

Cabbages and Kings posted:

when was this? I had zero problems with CV on either the 2017 firmware, or the latest when I updated it earlier this year. I didn't try anything in between.

Earlier this year. Supposedly rolling back the firmware or the software would help but I'm bad with money and bought an Oxi One instead.

withak
Jan 15, 2003


Fun Shoe

Cabbages and Kings posted:

I find the KSP sequencer fine for sketches and doing bloopy performative things; it's also totally fine for fairly long sequences that can be chained. The flipside is that an SQ64 is still like $100 and then that puts all your sequencing in one place and lets you worry about just getting a good keybed.

Please sell me a SQ64 for $100.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

Cabbages and Kings posted:


What were they, and what are you, using for monitors and comparing it against? I don't have any complaints with the sound design and I think the layout is amazing and helped me learn more than a lot of other things I've done in the past couple years. But, sure, it's not an Iridium, shocking that something 4x as expensive has a wider range of things it can do. It will be interested to see the comparison between the explorer and the new Iridium Core (which might finally put a waldorf thing in my price range?) Pro-800 has been on an off my list but I think I'd find the limitations annoying.

https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/s/MXTsHnxZJS

A Hydrasynth review: The One-Eyed King

I've had a Hydrasynth for about a year and a half, the original keyboard version.
It has been used extensively as my main poly and sound design tool, complemented by an analog mono on the side.
Throughout this time I developed many positive and negative feelings about it. When we look online, this device is showered with love, for good reason.
I wish to present a bit of a pragmatic look into it from the perspective of someone who used it extensively for many different purposes, and has nothing to gain from reviewing it.
This is not meant to be an extensive description of the product. There's plenty of that online. If you're a prospective buyer and want to know everything about it, look one of those up first, then come back and read this.

Some of these observations will be objective, some very subjective. Keep that in mind.
Don't be hurt. Don't take it personal. It's just a synth. Lets all be friends.



First lets go through the best things about the beloved device.
\- It has a fantastic interface, I don't think anyone can argue with that. It was clearly designed by someone who knows synthesizers and uses them, and wanted to build something they would enjoy to use. It has so much functionality and yet everything is easily accessible and easily understandable. That's no small feat, and the paramount reason (in my opinion) for the success of this synthesizer.
\- The sheer amount of modulation is staggering for a synth at any price point. You get 5 envelope gens and 5 LFOs, all extremely full featured and versatile. And you get 32 slots of mod matrix that can themselves be modulated. It's crazy good.
\- The macros. Extremely useful feature, especially because they're also a modulation target.
\- It's great to have that many filter types for filter 1. I'm not drooling over how they sound, but they're very usable and there's a ton of models. And it's not just a gimmick, I actually do use many of them according to need. I love the versatility. I'm not crazy about filter 2.
\- Most of it feels very robust and well built. Most of it. More on that later.
\- The arpeggiator is perfectly serviceable. Not sure you could ask much more from one.
\- The small things. All the options you get on the voice menu, all the little QoL parameters in each module. It's all very well thought out. There was a lot of love put into this thing.
\- The updates. They crammed more and more and more features into it. It's pretty epic.



Now the not so great. That stuff that isn't a deal breaker, but could be a lot better.
\- No sequencer. Let's get this one out of the way. It's a glaring omission, it should have one. But they did try to make up for it with the "step mode" on those epic LFOs. That does effectively give you a five lane very versatile sequencer that can modulate anything you want... at the cost of your LFOs. Is it a perfect solution? No, not at all.
\- The oscillator section is generally underwhelming. Why is oscillator 3 not full featured? Mutants and wavetables are more thoroughly discussed further down.
\- Mutants are by-and-large not as useful and one would think at first. I find myself using the FM mutant a lot and Wave Stack (in limited amounts, always sounds trashy from very early in the pot). PWM and Osc sync too, but those shouldn't even be mutants in the first place (imo). They should be parameters on each oscillator. It doesn't make sense to me for oscillator sync to share a slot with stuff like FM. Does anyone really use any of the other mutants all that often? Maybe a squeeze once in a while? Does anyone else think PW-ASM is a big convoluted nothingburger? Maybe it's just me.
\- The expression strip disappoints. Feels cheap. Needs pressure yet offers a ton of friction. The finger doesn't slide well on it, it's uncomfortable to play. I bet I could light a match on it. Not a huge deal breaker, but I don't love it.
\- The FX section is as bland and unremarkable as they come. I don't buy a synth for the FX section, but it's there and it's on the crappy side. It's very fun to be able to modulate delay and overdrive parameters though. Very very fun.



Now the bad. The stuff that ends up swept under the rug by most reviewers, but it's really important. These are the things you only usually discover when you buy it. Hang in there.
\- The sound. This one is the big doozy. We all know it, we choose to look the other way. On most situations (not all), the Hydrasynth sounds absolutely ghastly with wide open filters. The low end is ok, the mids are fine, but those high frequencies sound appalling. The filter resonance is less than stellar. And the wavetables are downright awful. Sure, Horizon is fine. But there's a million of them and the vast majority sound shrill and unappealing. Yes, you can filter everything and make it all go away. You can *make it* sound great. I know that, or I wouldn't have been using one for a year and a half. But a synth should not sound like this wide open. I'm sorry Glen.
\- Wavescan is super weird. When you modulate it with a slow sweep, it seems to increase the time it stays on each waveform a lot more than the in-between modulation, further making the wavetables even less useful. And wavescan is all you get. No other weird ways to manipulate the wavetable. Lets keep in mind, this is sold as a "wave morphing synth". Yet, for the ton of features this thing has, wave morphing seems implemented like an afterthought.
\- It gives you so much modulation, but it totally craps itself if you abuse it. What would make an analog go into uncharted crazy goodness, often makes the Hydrasynth fizzle into ugly white noise distortion. In fact, it's not just modulating stuff. Extreme settings on this synth are usually not a good idea. It's a digital synth... is it to be expected? Well...
\- It aliases. A lot. On a lot of places, especially mutants.
\- It clips internally. This one I noticed from the first day and I just can't let it go. If you push it and you're not constantly compensating with Amp Level, it **clips internally**. Ugly, nasty, digital clipping. It's not when it hits the interface, it's internal, before it hits the FX section. This is unacceptable AFAIC. Would it be that hard to give it some headroom to avoid this? Even emulate some saturation? Well maybe it would be, because of my next point.
\- I'm speculating a bit here, but the fact that it clips and aliases so much drives me to the inevitable conclusion that internally it runs at 16 bits with god knows what sampling frequency. Hopefully at least 44.1Khz, but considering the aliasing issues, I wouldn't bet the farm on that. This belief is cemented by the fact that nowhere in the documentation is internal bitrate or sample rate mentioned. It's the 2020s. A digital synth shouldn't run at 16 bits and crap sample rate. If there's anywhere where these things actually matter is in a digital synth. If anyone knows any definite facts about this, let me know.
\- The keybed is laughably awful. I've had dirt cheap midi controllers with better feeling keybeds. It's super plasticky, feels cheap, has sharp corners. It has awful and inconsistent velocity sensitivity. **It creaks**. On certain keys I can hear the drat springs. Yes, it has poly aftertouch and that's super fun, but I'm afraid to break the drat thing when I use it.



I apologize if I didn't get into all the positives and all the negatives. I'm sure there's a ton more that can be said. These are the things that stand out to me.



So let me draw some conclusions.

This is a synth full of victories and failures.
The Hydra is an extremely versatile and feature rich synth, yet the flaws do end up limiting its usability to a degree. It's a "wave shaping" synth, yet I end up using the VA base waveforms way more than the weird wave tables. Yes, it *has* FM, but it's very limited at that. Yes, amazing amount of modulation, but don't push it too far. A bit of a jack of all trades master of none situation. But that's what you pay for. With all of that said, make no mistake, this thing is *a lot* of synth for the money*.*

Clearly, the price point was **the** major factor that conditioned most of the limitations and problems. That's just hard reality. I don't think they could have made it much better and still sell it for the price that they did. They did increase prices substantially lately, which makes me a lot less comfortable with excusing the problems. And they did launch a Deluxe version, which by what I read, looks like didn't really address any of the major problems. I don't know that for a fact, I don't own a Deluxe.
The point still stands. If it had a premium keybed and a more powerful internal DSP that allowed them to fix most of the issues, it would have started much more expensive than it did. And would be even more expensive now.

So is the Hydrasynth worth it? Is it a good buy? Hell yea, what other 8 voice polysynth sound design powerhouse with an extremely accessible and fun user interface do you have at this price point?
There's Behringer. If you can live with yourself. I won't argue with your lifestyle choices.
There's the Korg stuff. Is it anywhere close to the Hydra's sophistication? We all know it isn't. It's a menu diving nightmare.
This thing is **fun** to use. Takes a day or two to start operating it like an extension of your brain. You can do so much with it. It's so well thought out. Downsides be damned, it's amazing value, even after the price hike. Get one!

But you don't care for super elaborate sound design? Just want bread and butter synth sounds?
In that case, there are better options out there. A minifreak would probably serve you better.

The Hydrasynth isn't the best synth ever. It has glaring flaws. But they're flaws you'll gladly live with if you really want a ridiculously versatile, fun and powerful sound design poly at this price point.


You know what they say. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
The Hydrasynth serves a market that no one else is serving quite at the same level right now.

It's The One-Eyed King and it will reign supreme until someone has the decency and cojones of deposing it.


As for me? I'm gonna sell mine and get an Iridium. *Ta ta!*



quote:

pro-800

I wouldn’t say I am learning to love its limitations, but they are certainly driving my playing and sound in a different direction, a better one imo. when you have a good sound, it’s a joy to play. the filter sounds great, resonance doesn’t kill the bass, and the high end has this fizz/sparkle rather than being harsh. you could do anything synthwave etc on it

800peepee51doodoo
Mar 1, 2001

Volute the swarth, trawl betwixt phonotic
Scoff the festune

Spiggy posted:

I'm bad with money and bought an Oxi One instead.

Curious about this as I am also bad with money and have been eyeballing the Oxi One for a while now. How you liking it?

Spiggy
Apr 26, 2008

Not a cop

800peepee51doodoo posted:

Curious about this as I am also bad with money and have been eyeballing the Oxi One for a while now. How you liking it?

It's a good sequencer with some annoying but not deal-breaking quirks. It's a great vehicle for jamming between the grid layout and stochastic mode, and if you're more into songwriting than straight robot farts there's a pretty extensive project mode to figure out. The outbound LFOs are limited by the hardware and have a max voltage range of I think 8v and can only hit -3 to 5v with the offset at its lowest. It has a learning curve (I haven't even attempted seriously driving into matriceal mode) but a lot of the basic functions become second nature after spending enough time with the thing.

CatBlack
Sep 10, 2011

hello world

withak posted:

Please sell me a SQ64 for $100.

sell me 2 as well. I need 4

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.

withak posted:

Please sell me a SQ64 for $100.

:dogstare: I had no idea these had gone back up; they were 130 for so long I figured they never would.

Now I wish I'd bought about six of them.

I'd sell you mine at cost except it's more useful to me than the Beatstep Pro that I am trying to sell, with a Decksaver in original box, for $200. Mostly because the SQ64 is smaller and I am absolutely drowning in controllers.

if that sounds interesting it's in SA-Mart.

RocketMermaid
Mar 30, 2004

My pronouns are She/Heir.


As a KSP owner:

-They keybed is fine, not great. It's a bit small for my fat fingers.

-The MIDI/CV connectivity is great. Having four easily-switchable channels to work with is honestly really awesome.

-The sequencing and various secondary functions are super fiddly, and it's the one piece of equipment I had trouble with during a live performance.

-This thing is, electrically speaking, NOISY AS gently caress. I used to be able to hear its "Vegas Mode" as interference on my modular, and it seems to not close gates/envelopes all the way on many of my VCAs and envelope generators.

Overall, it's okay, but I wouldn't consider it a good foundation for live performance or anything.

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.


We were talking about the pains of being poly, right? What's so hard about this, only $1700 in modules for a basic generative 16-voice chord-based progression :laugh:

christ

4vox seems p fun

e: I will probably rerack 4vox as a "standalone synth" and it will end up being like $2500 because I'll jam Cosmix and something else on there :allears: On the other hand, sending each out individually to Ableton gives a lot of flexibility.

e2: christ this rack is dirty. CATS! :angry:

RocketMermaid posted:

As a KSP owner:
...
it seems to not close gates/envelopes all the way on many of my VCAs and envelope generators.

Some times this is resolvable by fiddling with the voltage output settings on the KSP, IIRC. I think it has both 5v and 10v modes?

I'm seriously tempted to sell the KSP into a 37-key SLMKIII but I'm concerned that scaling down to 1 set of CV outs would be bad. Being able to map the left and right half of KSP to different VCOs and then play one as notes and the other as an arp is :discourse:

Cabbages and VHS fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Oct 23, 2023

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light
Can anyone identify this organ?

This is from the 1969 movie "Hello Down There".



The keyboard layout looks like a Gibson G101, but the body and controls don't match.

Achmed Jones
Oct 16, 2004



an organ from the 69 feature film "hello down there"

this has to be the set up to a joke.

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.

Mister Kingdom posted:

Can anyone identify this organ?

here's a tripod fan page for the songwriter who did the soundtrack to the movie

https://lpintop.tripod.com/jeffbarry/

that's all I've got.

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.
I lied, it's this, I think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yar8fis0SJ0

don't thank me too much, all I did was ask on a discord full of people who know wtf they're talking about

if you're near or willing to drive to "Litchfield, CT" you can buy one for $2150
https://reverb.com/item/68111411-elka-unicord-panther-300-late-60s-combo-organ

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.
"Hello Down There" (1969) appears to be some kind of underwater biodome scenario which also involves a bunch of teen rockers being in the biodome with one of their dads (underwater, as I said), and may or may not have a banger of a soundtrack.

It's available streaming in HD from Amazon for $2.04 which is a pretty weird amount but I guess I know what I'm doing tonight once I finish messing with 4vox :shrug:

I hope Mister Kingdom comes back to explain the significance of these things, as they have never posted in this thread before. Friggin drive by organ ID requests, what a world

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

Cabbages and Kings posted:

I lied, it's this, I think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yar8fis0SJ0

don't thank me too much, all I did was ask on a discord full of people who know wtf they're talking about

if you're near or willing to drive to "Litchfield, CT" you can buy one for $2150
https://reverb.com/item/68111411-elka-unicord-panther-300-late-60s-combo-organ

That's it. Thanks.

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

Cabbages and Kings posted:

"Hello Down There" (1969) appears to be some kind of underwater biodome scenario which also involves a bunch of teen rockers being in the biodome with one of their dads (underwater, as I said), and may or may not have a banger of a soundtrack.

It's available streaming in HD from Amazon for $2.04 which is a pretty weird amount but I guess I know what I'm doing tonight once I finish messing with 4vox :shrug:

I hope Mister Kingdom comes back to explain the significance of these things, as they have never posted in this thread before. Friggin drive by organ ID requests, what a world

For some reason, the movie popped into my head. I remember seeing it on a Saturday movie when I was a kid. It took me a week just to figure out the name. I found a copy online and watched it and realized all I remembered was the sub the family used to get in and out of the house. As for the organ, I have a fascination with combo organs like the Vox Continental.

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.

Mister Kingdom posted:

For some reason, the movie popped into my head. I remember seeing it on a Saturday movie when I was a kid. It took me a week just to figure out the name. I found a copy online and watched it and realized all I remembered was the sub the family used to get in and out of the house. As for the organ, I have a fascination with combo organs like the Vox Continental.

I noticed that there's a VST of this particular organ so you could emulate it with a computer for $100

generally, also -- organs of various kinds can often be had free/cheap. Not anything this nice, generally, but I have seen locally stuff that would likely sell to the right person for hundreds, as "free if you can cart it away".

I have yet to do this myself but I feel like if one of your goals is a cheap/free combo organ of SOME KIND, you can probably make it happen

thanks for turning me on to what appears to be a very bizarre movie

also, as for a week for the name -- was that "i spent 6 days wracking my brain, then posted in the Help Me Identify This Movie thread, and had an answer in six minutes", by chance? Only asking because I had a similar experience last year trying to figure out what the gently caress movie Smoking Aces was by title. My vague description of "action movie with a big shootout in a hotel among rival assassins, and then the end sequence is something in a locked room with bullet proof glass where a protagonist kills someone who really needs killin and then unloads his gun and waits for the cops to burst in" was enough to get an immediate ID.

that movie is pretty good, too

Cabbages and VHS fucked around with this message at 16:42 on Oct 24, 2023

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.


i object to some of the shortcuts taken in this movie


this young man is supposed to be swimming up to the surface with a recording of their killer song

but they put the tape in a thin plastic bag and then did not close or seal it in any way


on the other hand there are also actual seals in the movie and not the navy kind, and a decidely based funk soundtrack

e: also he rendevous with a surface boat with no GPS or sextant or anything. Boat driven by a drunk lady, no less. Who then looks at her bottle and says "they must be putting LSD in this stuff"

god i love late 60s/early 70s movies

edit: they just showed waveforms on a naval oscilloscope, I am maintaining that all of this is extremely on topic for this thread :colbert:

Cabbages and VHS fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Oct 24, 2023

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


I like the sound and UI of the SH-101 so I was considering getting an MS-1, but apparently they’re starting to phase it out in favor of a mk2? Is it still worth it or is there a better SH-101 clone out there?

Oh, and any controller recs? Ideally standalone and I’d just control Volcas+TD-3+NTS-1 via MIDI/CC. Apparently the Launchkey is decent?

Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Oct 24, 2023

NC Wyeth Death Cult
Dec 30, 2005

He lost his life in Chadds Ford, he was dancing with a train.

Cabbages and Kings posted:



i object to some of the shortcuts taken in this movie


this young man is supposed to be swimming up to the surface with a recording of their killer song

but they put the tape in a thin plastic bag and then did not close or seal it in any way

Before spring reverb this is how they mixed wet for surf albums. HEYOOOOOOO!

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.

NC Wyeth Death Cult posted:

Before spring reverb this is how they mixed wet for surf albums. HEYOOOOOOO!

this movie has the most hilariously tongue-in-cheeck CSPAM ending ever and that's all I've got to say. Thoroughly enjoyed, 8/10, will watch again with my partner

CatBlack
Sep 10, 2011

hello world

Pollyanna posted:

I like the sound and UI of the SH-101 so I was considering getting an MS-1, but apparently they’re starting to phase it out in favor of a mk2? Is it still worth it or is there a better SH-101 clone out there?

Oh, and any controller recs? Ideally standalone and I’d just control Volcas+TD-3+NTS-1 via MIDI/CC. Apparently the Launchkey is decent?

if you dont mind tiny and digital, the roland aira compact s-1 is an awesome sh-101

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


That’s…not a bad idea, actually. I could splurge on a good controller with lotsa buttons and faders and have the S-1 as just a sound module. I’d miss the faders on the module itself, but maybe a good controller is a better investment.

toadee
Aug 16, 2003

North American Turtle Boy Love Association

Pollyanna posted:

I like the sound and UI of the SH-101 so I was considering getting an MS-1, but apparently they’re starting to phase it out in favor of a mk2? Is it still worth it or is there a better SH-101 clone out there?

Oh, and any controller recs? Ideally standalone and I’d just control Volcas+TD-3+NTS-1 via MIDI/CC. Apparently the Launchkey is decent?

For the sound itself, there's a few options:

1) MSW-810: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53qvBIdKPFM

This is a clone of the Roland CMU-810, which was a companion to the Roland CMU-800, which was a 606 + basic pulse wave synth mashed into a box that was to be controlled by an Apple II PC. The CMU-810 was the sound making guts of a 101/202, that was CV/Gate controlled by the CMU-800 controlled by the Apple II. Michigan Synth works makes a 1:1 copy of the CMU-810 sound bits, and CV/Gate, and offers a MIDI option as well

2) Intellijel Atlantis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKykTfsRXdE

Not even attempting to be a clone of a 101/202 voice, but basically covering the same exact stuff, just with a slightly different Oscillator and filter core circuit. It definitely has them feels, so much so that Aphex Twin used 4 of them on Syro.

3) A Roland MC-202, possibly modded later with a Tubbutech MC-2oh2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSmKMtTey4A

It's a lot cheaper than an SH-101, has 99% of the sound (lacks the noise circuit), but needs you to use it's arcane internal sequencer + din sync. Or mod it. The Tubbutech MC-2oh2 mod replaces the CPU, allows unquantized CV/Gate in (the stock 202 runs its CV/Gate through its CPU, which is like 2mhz or something. There are organic vegan crackers that could process audio faster, so it doesn't work for live CV/Gate applications), and a bunch of other improvements. Like MIDI, and oh it adds a drum machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHY1PrmfFmI

4) An SH-01a: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyLY1vadqDk

Roland Digital, but it sounds nice, has CV/Gate out and a nice arpeggiator that gives you the originals sequencer kind of feel

For the UI itself, like with the keybed and everything.....

1) Dinsync RE-101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEgq7OjcTRU

It's a 1:1 copy of the 101, it's such a copy that Dinsync will use their pieces to repair your original 101. You can drop an original 101 CPU into it and the CPU will think its in a regular 101 and run it all the same etc. It's not cheap though, you could also just buy a 101.

2) Behringers MS-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k222_KjpKPs

It sounds... OK. It's one of the bigger misses I think Behringer has made on even just the sound of a vintage analog. The Mk2 will probably be a lot better in that respect, as it will probably use their new reproduction of the original BA662 opamp which was pretty essential to all the X0X machines' sound.

Thats really it for full copies I think? Superlative Instruments funded a Kickstarter in like 2019 to make the "Space Bee 01" but Im not sure if it ever got done/they will make more

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

echinopsis posted:

gently caress I am having a lot of fun with the pro-800

it just sounds so much like the sounds I used to hear in my childhood.

nostalgia ++


I would heartily suggest this as a first analog synth, for the price point it's an excellent device and the sound is just so good.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
the pro-800 and moog minitaur is what's making my sounds at the moment

if I can't make good sounds with those two things there is something wrong with me.

at the moment they are being controlled by a circuit tracks. need to download some better drum packs or something, the drum sounds are a bit lame, or at least unsuitable.


and should just persevere with the sequencing. and make myself actually make a song LMAO

snorch
Jul 27, 2009
If the new behringer minis had a digital filter per voice on top of their single analog filter they'd be an insta-buy, but alas the paraphony is a dealbreaker for me. Definitely curious about the Pro 800; currently my main synth is the An1x and it's supposedly heavily inspired by the P5 l, so it would be fun to do a shoot out between the two.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

echinopsis posted:

https://soundcloud.com/rodtronics/the-system

this is the sound of my synths. glorious if you ask me

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.
"Hello Down There" has a 22 year old Richard Dreyfus singing funk (vocal cords are oscillators)

CatBlack
Sep 10, 2011

hello world
i am gonna buy the behringer mini as part of my quest to buy every volca shaped object that is created

Boody
Aug 15, 2001

CatBlack posted:

i am gonna buy the behringer mini as part of my quest to buy every volca shaped object that is created

The mini makes the volca looks like a chunky beast.

Does anyone have a Crows Electromusic Ovum? - https://crowselectromusic.com/products/ovum/ I picked one up recently as have been working on something similar and finding it really enjoyable.

Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.
Gamechanger is making a eurorack plasma drive, pre-orders for the first 100 are up, it's like $400.

This is literally a thing I asked for. In this thread. Possibly on Twitter. I may have said I'd buy it if it existed.

Still paying the sax tax but maybe the second batch.

Achmed Jones
Oct 16, 2004



when you say 'the mini' do you mean this? https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BehrProVS--behringer-pro-vs-mini-hybrid-vector-synthesizer

Startyde
Apr 19, 2007

come post with us, forever and ever and ever

Cabbages and Kings posted:

Gamechanger is making a eurorack plasma drive, pre-orders for the first 100 are up, it's like $400.

I thought Erica dropped this like four years ago? Did it not release or is this different?

Boody
Aug 15, 2001

I hate the way Behringer pick names. I meant the jt-4000 which is tiny. The Pro Vs Mini has also been around in the UK for a few weeks but it's twice the price and is roughly volca/xbox controller size.

CatBlack
Sep 10, 2011

hello world
I'd be interested in the micro synths if they had midi in over trs. I dont want usb midi happening in my studio

Achmed Jones
Oct 16, 2004



that's cool as hell; for $50 i think i'll order one for little jones for christmas, unless y'all have a better rec for that

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Cabbages and VHS
Aug 25, 2004

Listen, I've been around a bit, you know, and I thought I'd seen some creepy things go on in the movie business, but I really have to say this is the most disgusting thing that's ever happened to me.
well I just bought a used Voco[R]dr for $275 used so I guess I'm gonna end up with a Flame rack. good for my GAS?

Startyde posted:

I thought Erica dropped this like four years ago? Did it not release or is this different?

sure did, I misspoke, they have now made a VCO plasma module. With MIDI?



The thing I'm waiting for is a euro Light pedal. PlasmaVCO seems cool.

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