The Synth Thread...

[mackerelmint]

The *ahem* Zoom MS-70 CDR.

I swear that's the greatest single pedal ever made. There are plenty of youtube videos of people running synths through them to wonderful effect.

[eggwheat]

I have mixed feelings about the Dave Smith OB-6.

How come?

6 voices instead of 8, and some architectural differences. The panning is there, but no layering and the modulation isn't as robust without that second LFO. There's also the cem/sem difference and different/limited filtering comparatively. also that clone that some kid made and has been trying to bring to market, but that's not an option yet.

So, the behringer is currently the most attractive hardware option.

Right, yeh I didn't think about the 6 voice thing. I'm with you. 8 voices is much nicer. However I do like the basic tone of the OB6..I think I prefer it over the new P6.

I've not owned an OBXa but I have owned a couple OBX's and Xpanders in my time...For me the OBX tone is king, but the synth is very limited..not many options on there. The Xpander is tone isn't as good..too buzzsaw like...but the world is your oyster option with the mod matrix and 15 filter types and 5 LFO's etc.. so I always dreamt of a combination of the two; the tone of the OBX combined with the utility of the Xpander.

[mackerelmint]

Right. 6 is sort of adequate, but two more really makes a difference. When I had my matrix 1000, apart from it being a wildebeest to try to program, I'd run out of voices before I did fingers. I want 8!

[Zork]

I think I might get me a Blofeld Keyboard to complement my Sub37. But have you any recommendations in the 500€ range used for a nice versatile poly synth? Needs to be either a very small desktop unit or has to have a nice keybed. Also I don't like fiddly tiny knobs like the Roland boutique series, so these are out.

[StevenO]

I already told Mike about this, but I have been not really enjoying my Moog Prodigy for awhile... Pretty much ever since I got it, it always sounded harsh and too "raw" sounding. Not particularly musical in any case.

Now, silly me, I had been running it primarily into guitar and bass amps and often both at the same time. At my old place, I had no room to set up my recording setup so there was no using a mixer or any kind of monitor. Welp, my new place has that. So I'm now playing my synths through an interface/mixer and monitors, and holy moly does everything sound better.

Seems like such an obvious thing, but yeah...

[DWO]

Moog have released a new synth:

I got one of these a month ago and it is a wonderful instrument. I can't play it very well but I have a good time noodling with it.

[Shadoweclipse13]

How does it feel cabinet-/case-wise? I've been interested, but I was worried they would feel cheap and plastic-y.

[StevenO]

I actually feel like the newest Moogs feel sturdier than a lot of the older stuff. I kind of hate when an instrument has any kind of wiggle or play in the knobs and switches or if the keys make a ka-chunk when you play them. The new Moogs don't have that, and I see that as a plus.

[Telliot]

I already told Mike about this, but I have been not really enjoying my Moog Prodigy for awhile... Pretty much ever since I got it, it always sounded harsh and too "raw" sounding. Not particularly musical in any case.

Now, silly me, I had been running it primarily into guitar and bass amps and often both at the same time. At my old place, I had no room to set up my recording setup so there was no using a mixer or any kind of monitor. Welp, my new place has that. So I'm now playing my synths through an interface/mixer and monitors, and holy moly does everything sound better.

Seems like such an obvious thing, but yeah...

Now you get it.

[DWO]

How does it feel cabinet-/case-wise? I've been interested, but I was worried they would feel cheap and plastic-y.

It all feels like a very well made instrument, except for the sustain fader. That is slightly loose feeling.

The cabinet and case are nice. The keyboard is top notch.

I think that it is a good deal for what you get.

[Shadoweclipse13]

I actually feel like the newest Moogs feel sturdier than a lot of the older stuff. I kind of hate when an instrument has any kind of wiggle or play in the knobs and switches or if the keys make a ka-chunk when you play them. The new Moogs don't have that, and I see that as a plus.

Nice. That's good to know!

It all feels like a very well made instrument, except for the sustain fader. That is slightly loose feeling.

The cabinet and case are nice. The keyboard is top notch.

I think that it is a good deal for what you get.

And honestly, that could just be a single fader on yours, not the rest. Thanks for the feedback. I've been kinda considering one of the Grandmothers for a few...

[DWO]

I actually feel like the newest Moogs feel sturdier than a lot of the older stuff. I kind of hate when an instrument has any kind of wiggle or play in the knobs and switches or if the keys make a ka-chunk when you play them. The new Moogs don't have that, and I see that as a plus.

Nice. That's good to know!

It all feels like a very well made instrument, except for the sustain fader. That is slightly loose feeling.

The cabinet and case are nice. The keyboard is top notch.

I think that it is a good deal for what you get.

And honestly, that could just be a single fader on yours, not the rest. Thanks for the feedback. I've been kinda considering one of the Grandmothers for a few...

I don’t think you will regret getting a granny. It is a well designed instrument and a lot of fun to play. Kudos to the designers.

[Shadoweclipse13]

I had a Mother-32 about a year or so back, and I didn't like that it didn't have a keybed, and pretty much had to be programmed to play. The Grandmother looks and sounds incredible from what I've heard so far.

[StevenO]

I have to say, I've now had my Behringer Model D for a few months and it's really, really amazing. I love the sound and functionality of it. Lately what I've been doing is I'll create a sequence for it with my Keystep, which is synced by my Korg Electribe 2 playing a rhythm. The Korg is then run via midi into my little Roland SH-01a that has another sequence programmed to run on top of the Model D sequence. I'll use my Moog Prodigy for quick little melody lines over top of it or wide oscillator sync sweeps and then I'll use my Juno for huge, long release chord stabs to create beds or swells over it all.

It's honestly a really beautiful set up I have currently. I'll have to post a picture when I get a chance. All of this is running through an audio interface with the monitor out running, stereo, into my TC Hall of Fame on the lush Church setting.

It's really beautiful and so much fun. Expensive fun, but fun nonetheless.

Now... For some reason, I still want a Moog Mother 32 to add to the mix. WHY?

[OffYourFace]

Now... For some reason, I still want a Moog Mother 32 to add to the mix. WHY?

Ehh.. get something else. Not only does it have one VCO, it also only has one EG. Your Roland boutique SH-101 thing can do similar stuff but not the semi-modular functions. I'd save up and get a small Eurorack setup if you want something in that realm.

TBH, I kinda want something digital like an Access Virus B or C desktop unit. I'm just really into metallic sounds atm,