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02-15-2012 08:22 AM
What synthesizer should I buy and why?
I know that this is a dumb question and that there is no one but myself that can ultimately make a decision, but I need some help here.

I already have a DSI Tetra but find it a very tedious little machine because it's basically useless without the software editor.

I also have a JX-8P that I sometimes use for pads.

So I mostly use VST soft-synths.

I have two problems with my current setup. I'm a "tweaker" and rarely bounce and commit to things. I think a hardware synthesizer might help here.

Secondly, I'm really fed up with using the mouse for everything and wiring up my midi-keyboard for controlling parameters.

That said, I'm looking for a decent hardware synthesizer.

  • I don't care much for analogue, so it can be either analogue or digital. In fact I think I'd prefer a digital machine at the moment.
  • I make electronic music. The synthesizer should cover a wide range of sounds. I'd also like it to offer some interesting synthesis options.
  • It should have a decent interface to work with. If the synthesizer's interface is as reduced as the DSI Tetra's it will not interest me. I'm not against Desktop versions if they offer a good interface but would probably prefer a synthesizer with a keyboard.
  • It should work. This means it should have decent vendor support. I'm a little bit wary of buying 20 year old classics that might fall apart any given minute and where you have to pray to God before attempting to dump your patches or to update the OS. I'm also hesitant to buy a boutique synthesizer.

Considering all of this, what options do I have?

A Blofeld? Its interface doesn't look exciting at all. It's cheap tho.

Prophet 08. Since I already have a Tetra, this might be interesting because of the poly chain. Or it might not be interesting at all, because it will probably sound the same.

Poly Evolver Keyboard. I don't know, this might be too expensive for me.

John Bowen's Solaris - This looks very interesting. It's way over my budget tho.

Radikal Technologies Accelerator. I'm very interested in this synthesizer, but Jorg Schaaf's record when it comes to customer support is a bit... shaky. I also have no way to test this in person. But damn, it could be great.

A Virus TI2. Ok, do I really have to buy this? I personally have never had any desire to own a Virus.

NordLead 2X. Oldie, but Goldie?
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02-15-2012 08:57 AM
Out of all of those i would probably go for the poly evolver. I have the desktop evolver and loved it. The interface was a pain in the balls though.
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02-15-2012 09:00 AM
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Out of all of those i would probably go for the poly evolver. I have the desktop evolver and loved it. The interface was a pain in the balls though.
Thanks... If you have any more suggestions (outside the one's I've listed) I'd be more than thankful. I mean there are beasts like the Kurzweil PC3 that no one ever seems to talk about.
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02-15-2012 09:28 AM
for a wide range of sounds, i would have gone with the virus, i cant really think of any electronic music where the sounds it can produce would not be useful for.. but then i am not so familiar with some of those other synths when it comes to their sound abilities..

i liked the virus because the wide range of sounds, and because of that i rarely had to start from scratch when making a sound, i could take something that was close to how i wanted and then continue from there.. + the randomize button was very fun sometimes and could give some great stuff to continue to work with
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02-15-2012 09:29 AM
Why are you not interested in a Virus?

Alesis ION is also a very deep synth, with lots of different filters. Borrowed it for a while and really liked the sound. I think it can be had relatively cheap second hand.
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02-15-2012 10:10 AM
if you like tweaking and not committing, don't get hardwear imo.
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02-15-2012 10:21 AM
dune its the power of the virus ti in soft synth form
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02-15-2012 11:19 AM
Personally, I'm sick to death with midi controlled external equipment. Automation can be a chore. I'd be looking to the future and only really concidering anything with a usb/firewire interface for the day to day. Maybe also have a simple analog synth for sampling.
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02-15-2012 11:23 AM
what about a vostok.

they just look awesome

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02-15-2012 11:31 AM
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what about a vostok.

they just look awesome

sexy! ..and looks like advanced nipple torture equipment.. it not only makes you scream, it also records the scream and feed it back to you so you can hear yourself scream like a girl, which only furtherly humiliates you
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