Having second thoughts on new synth purchase. Thoughts?

paulmapp8306

I have pre-orded an Argon8 Module - but Im having second thoughts....  I am a 100% live player here - its for a live rig.

I have an RD2000 and FA07 as keyboards, with a Peak as my traditional Synth along with a legend EXP for organs.   I want to add something else to complement these, and am looking at wavetable type synths.  I did look at a Minilogue XD, but the Peak does pretty much everything that does.

The exceptions are a programmable arpegiated, and Id like a step sequencer with mod lanes.

I have space restrictions though.... XD just wont fit - its too long.  The Argon 8 fits perfectly (ie it will slip between the peak and legend - and those 2 will sit at the edges of my shelf - perfect fit), and does have the programmable arp and sequencer.  BUT, its been delayed (obviously given corona virus and that its made in China) - and Ive been checking out Hydrasynth vids.

The Hydra does have downsides - its longer... I COULD make it fit though my Peak and EXP modules will overhand my top tier shelf a little (and the further the peak drifts to the side the harder it is to manipulate in real time).  It also lacks the sequencer - and modulation lanes.  Its also 50% more in terms of cost (though I could swing that).

BUT it also has some positives.  It has poly after touch pads.  Ive never played on pads (and it would feel weird) and probably wouldnt on the hydra - BUT it is an option I could use.  It does seem to have a LOT more flexibility in pure sound design though - with more oscillators,  envelopes, mutants etc.  3 Oscillators (though only 2 fully functional) - twin filters that would be handy.

Its REALLY hard to judge pure sound quality on vids though - and the nearest stockist of with synth is a long way form me - so distance selling regs is my fallback if I dont like what I choose

.Soooo... Do I cancel my pre-order and get the Hydra module - loosing the sequencer/animation lanes and larger size?  or stick with my first choice (admittedly before I knew much about the hydra - it just seemed to add the arp and sequencer with a different form of synthesis in the perfect sized box).

Thoughts??

paulmapp8306

OK - just watched a long vid on hydra.... Great synth BUT... the Arp doesnt have a programmable phrase mode... so I think Im better off with the Argon I originally went for..

Funkfingers

Only the usual suspects can answer this question. Might be better to PM both of them.

wolsnah

I thought the Argon 8 sounded a bit sterile, until I saw/heard this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE-x1wQxkR0

Now I want one

paulmapp8306

yeh... If you use a wavetable synth as a virtual analogue type synth it will sound sterile compared to analogue, or even a good quality true VA.  Its all about the motion within the wavetables rather than LFOs on filters and such.

What I wanted was a synth with programable arps, and preferably a step sequencer - which also offered sounds and styles I cant already get - and wavetables seem to offer the alternate sounds.  Argon has the other bits as well - which is why I pre-ordered one.

It doesnt offer the pure sound mangling options the Hydra does (fewer LFOs, Envelopes and Filters - fewer FX, smaller mod matrix) but it does offer other things - the animation lanes on the sequencer, that you can then use without any actual notes sequenced and apply the animation to whatever you play at the time for instance.

Some of these are nice as well - some I found a tad harsh, but others are great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgUKy2A5erw

GavRichList

Argon8 sounds really warm considering the type of synthesis it offers. It's a really nice synth. Very well made, very sensible UI, impressive all round. My only real complaint is the very low level audio output, and perhaps if I were wishing for things, a few more mod slots wouldnt go amiss. I'd say it was exceptional for the money though, all things considered.