Help me - what synth do I want?

mattdavis

I might not browse Muffwiggler at work 

octatonic

mattdavis said:

I might not browse Muffwiggler at work 

or Gearslutz.
I know someone who was fired for accessing Gearslutz at work because his employer thought it was a porn site.

goldtop

+1 on the Minilogue (the new xd version is significantly more flexible). If you're tight for space, then one of the Roland boutique modules - JU-06, etc - might suit as they are one-knob-per-function, so easier to learn on than most.

paulmapp8306

so much stuff.

If a 4 octave board is OK then the Roland System 8 is practically 80s in a box.  Juno 60 and Jupiter 80 emulations on board, full of knobs.   Mod matrix is limited and keys as shrunk down a little - as Ias I say only 4 octaves but its a good board for 80s stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cITzKuI-LU

If you dont need real time control of all the knobs and such - and dont mind some menu pages to design sounds (proper controls just in menu pages rather than real knobs) then the roland FA is worth a look.  Again the 6 has shrunk keys, the 7 is a much better key bed (76 notes).  Given rolands announcement of new jupiters and a new fantom last week - they should be coming down in price a little and should be plenty on the used market.

If you want knobs and stuff, and dont want emulations but a real synth, the the DSi Rev 2 is great but expensive.  If you need cheaper, the Behringers Deep mind 12 is stonking for the price.  It is basically a Juno 60 - again though only 4 octaves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-kfYzn5VvQ&t=1504s

As a curve ball, If you dont mind a large physical keyboard - or the yellow look, then the studio logic sledge 2 ticks all your boxes.  5 Octaves, after touch, and basically an 80s synth with some added FX.  Still not up to the Rev 2 - BUT its the same kind of price as the DM12 - about 1/2 to 1/3 of the DSi.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP7KtfScv9M

 
Oh - If your talking DSi Rev 2 kind of money - notation Summit (basically 2 peaks in one box with a keyboard - Bi timbrel as well) is GREAT. I have a peak, and I think Octatonic does as well as a Rev 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YHZXq1c6tk
 

danishbacon

....just don't ask this guy


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XrPLBSlopQ

Funkfingers

That video resembles either a bigger version of the original London Synthesizer Centre shop in King’s Cross or a smaller version of one of Harry Seven’s gear hangars.

wave100

The 8 voice Rev 2 isn't outrageously expensive. I love mine.
;-)

paulmapp8306

indeed - I spent a LONG time choosing between the more wallet friendly Deep mind, the Rev-2 and Peak (Peak and Rev-2 were pretty much the same price then Peaks price dropped a little and that mind my mind up for me).  I ended up with the Peak and Im happy with that choice.  Ill have a DSi one day though.  If not a Rev-2 then something more spendy.

UnclePsychosis

I think you may want to check out the Yamaha Reface series, but for 80s probably the Reface DX in particular. 

octatonic

paulmapp8306 said:

indeed - I spent a LONG time choosing between the more wallet friendly Deep mind, the Rev-2 and Peak (Peak and Rev-2 were pretty much the same price then Peaks price dropped a little and that mind my mind up for me).  I ended up with the Peak and Im happy with that choice.  Ill have a DSi one day though.  If not a Rev-2 then something more spendy.

They pair well together, not a lot of overlap in terms of sound.

meltedbuzzbox

wave100 said:

The 8 voice Rev 2 isn't outrageously expensive. I love mine.
;-)

It's not cheap either to be fair.
I'm still not massively enamored with mine.
Its quick to sound harsh and the bass is lacking.
I think I would have been better off spending more on a prophet 6. 

The moog grandmother however rules. It's also duophonic as it will take a secondary input from cv allowing 2 notes to be played at once. With inbuilt reverb it can get pad like.
Total bass monster too

GavRichList

meltedbuzzbox said:

wave100 said:

The 8 voice Rev 2 isn't outrageously expensive. I love mine.
;-)

It's not cheap either to be fair.
I'm still not massively enamored with mine.
Its quick to sound harsh and the bass is lacking.
I think I would have been better off spending more on a prophet 6. 

The moog grandmother however rules. It's also duophonic as it will take a secondary input from cv allowing 2 notes to be played at once. With inbuilt reverb it can get pad like.
Total bass monster too

Are you able to individually control the gain for each oscillator? if so, try dialing back each oscillator. DSI allow for some interesting gain-staging in a lot of their synths, and the harshness can come from this. Dramatically effects the Prophet 6 too, if you crank it. 

meltedbuzzbox

GavRichList said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

wave100 said:

The 8 voice Rev 2 isn't outrageously expensive. I love mine.
;-)

It's not cheap either to be fair.
I'm still not massively enamored with mine.
Its quick to sound harsh and the bass is lacking.
I think I would have been better off spending more on a prophet 6. 

The moog grandmother however rules. It's also duophonic as it will take a secondary input from cv allowing 2 notes to be played at once. With inbuilt reverb it can get pad like.
Total bass monster too

Are you able to individually control the gain for each oscillator? if so, try dialing back each oscillator. DSI allow for some interesting gain-staging in a lot of their synths, and the harshness can come from this. Dramatically effects the Prophet 6 too, if you crank it. 

No gain controls on the top dials, unless it's a hidden option.
I'll show you one day.