i trust the live forum crew to recommend a synth!

[Machinate]

the only other synth I want, besides a Matrix 12, and a real Arp 2600.

ah. nice taste in synths
I only "need" one synth right now:


Click the pic for more info...

It'll do all those crazy vcs sounds (patchbay+joystick+sequencer), AND it has an MS-20 filter, which I love.

[husker]

Alesis Andromeda A6

all the rest are just toys.

[Machinesworking]

It'll do all those crazy vcs sounds (patchbay+joystick+sequencer), AND it has an MS-20 filter, which I love.

Man, I need to get a rich girlfriend who's afraid I'll leave her unless she buys me fancy synths to play with.......

[Johnisfaster]

I never liked the nord 3 cause the filters sucked to me but the nord 2 sounds fantastic. but the nord is only for certain people.

[hacktheplanet]

All the software heads are somewhat right. I agree that a VA synth is just a big dedicated computer. There are definitely some badass plugins out there that are valid hardware replacements, like the Korg Legacy Collection, the Novation V-Station, and that audiorealism 303 emulator for example. All those do an excellent job emulating their respective hardware counterparts.

However, there's something to be said for having a synthesizer in your studio that software and a controller just can't touch. For me it's more inspiring. Someone else might just be inspired by the ability to work anywhere they want with their software synthesizers. As for me, my creative space is in my room, staring at my iBook screen.

[hoffman2k]

All the software heads are somewhat right. I agree that a VA synth is just a big dedicated computer. There are definitely some badass plugins out there that are valid hardware replacements, like the Korg Legacy Collection, the Novation V-Station, and that audiorealism 303 emulator for example.

Wait till you heard Abl Pro

It almost handles like a real piece of hardware too. (apart from the cables. But i want a matrix anyway.....)
I know software cant match hardware from an elitist/purist point of view.
But thats a point of view from the day that plugins where made for money.
I'll take a plugin that is made with love, over a bastard synth from Roland anyday.
Simple examples are abl, abl pro, operator, automat, the arturia stuff..........
All great sounding synths that have a bunch of great people working on them.

hmmm... having a chat with the developer of one of those synths.....
....or dealing with NI customer support.... What to choose

If i ever go out to buy a piece of hardware again. It'll probably be a SIAC

[sweetjesus]

All the software heads are somewhat right. I agree that a VA synth is just a big dedicated computer. There are definitely some badass plugins out there that are valid hardware replacements, like the Korg Legacy Collection, the Novation V-Station, and that audiorealism 303 emulator for example.

Wait till you heard Abl Pro

It almost handles like a real piece of hardware too. (apart from the cables. But i want a matrix anyway.....)
I know software cant match hardware from an elitist/purist point of view.
But thats a point of view from the day that plugins where made for money.
I'll take a plugin that is made with love, over a bastard synth from Roland anyday.
Simple examples are abl, abl pro, operator, automat, the arturia stuff..........
All great sounding synths that have a bunch of great people working on them.

hmmm... having a chat with the developer of one of those synths.....
....or dealing with NI customer support.... What to choose

If i ever go out to buy a piece of hardware again. It'll probably be a SIAC

and ill take my a6 over your softsynth and RSI any day.

[Hedroom]

The Moog Voyager is overrated. Sure, it's fat but it's a monosynth - I mean you can make a mono synth out of a polysynth any day, so I don't see the money being worth it.

Respectfully disagree. nothing sounds like the filters on a real Moog, I own a memorymoog, and at some point I'll pick up a voyager for live shows. I've always been more of a synth player than a keyboard player, so the monophonic part doesn't bother me.
That said, the Andromeda is the only other synth I want, besides a Matrix 12, and a real Arp 2600.

It certainly is expensive in terms of it's functionality. However, it does sound amazing and to me that makes it worth it.

Consider it like buying an expensive car. No-one pretends it's not expensive and you know exactly what you're getting when you buy it but for some reason it just IS worth it!

[hoffman2k]

All the software heads are somewhat right. I agree that a VA synth is just a big dedicated computer. There are definitely some badass plugins out there that are valid hardware replacements, like the Korg Legacy Collection, the Novation V-Station, and that audiorealism 303 emulator for example.

Wait till you heard Abl Pro

It almost handles like a real piece of hardware too. (apart from the cables. But i want a matrix anyway.....)
I know software cant match hardware from an elitist/purist point of view.
But thats a point of view from the day that plugins where made for money.
I'll take a plugin that is made with love, over a bastard synth from Roland anyday.
Simple examples are abl, abl pro, operator, automat, the arturia stuff..........
All great sounding synths that have a bunch of great people working on them.

hmmm... having a chat with the developer of one of those synths.....
....or dealing with NI customer support.... What to choose

If i ever go out to buy a piece of hardware again. It'll probably be a SIAC

and ill take my a6 over your softsynth and RSI any day.

If i had the money.... no prob

[controlvoltage]

The other day I had some audio loops from my laptop running thru my Voyager's filters, and into an Audio track in Live running on my desktop PC. Live was also sending MIDI to the Voyager to automate the filter parameters... it was so sweet, my teeth are still hurting.

I would say that if you are the sort of person who mostly just plays the synth, without delving too deep into the programming or advanced functions, then don't get a Voyager unless you really do have a large gear budget...

but if you really get into the incredibly rich programming/live-tweaking possibilities the Voyager has to offer, then its value-for-money climbs into the stratosphere. Oh, you can use its 3D touch pad as a Midi controller, too... actually as multiple Midi controllers (1 CC# per axis) - that's in addition to the 30-odd knobs and multiple switches which all send MIDI also. Voyager makes a *dandy* control surface for computer...

OK enough rhapsodizing... just wanted to point out that the Voyager is much more than "just" a monosynth.

...I still want an Andromeda though!

[Angstrom]

Then ten years later they admitted it the theory and practice of encoding at 44.1 was shit all along..

In theory??? What theory are you talking about???

well more accurately I should say - "their implementation of the nyquist theory". Or the use of PCM and bandlimiting/multiplexing/dither.

The simplest proof they got it wrong it to do an A/B compare on a DVDA or an SACD of an album you own on CD. Before I tried this test I really thought that I wouldn't hear a difference - in fact the difference was totally obvious, it was like taking my fingers out of my ears.

PCM data conversion : http://www.mtsu.edu/~djbrown/Conversion.html

Merits of SACD : http://stereophile.com/features/374/

[Sales Dude McBoob]

Get something OLD! Man. I love my Korg Mono/Poly. The only thing bad about owning one real analog synth is... I only have one!

It's almost sad to hear people advise you not to buy a real synth and stay all soft. Most of us have soft sythns coming out of our ears, and they're great. But when you do a recording and you create a song with soft synths + other elements, and then you do a couple tracks with analog synths- the music just becomes more alive.

Some of the new synths are sort of cool. I just think there is a wealth of old stuff out there that is well worth tapping into. I tend to like old Korgs. There is so much cool stuff...

[noisetonepause]

1st gen S+S keyboards is the new black:)

[DeadlyKungFu]

...the theory and practice of encoding at 44.1 was shit all along..

In theory??? What theory are you talking about???

well more accurately I should say

Nice sites, good review for me, thanks! It's rare that people know Nyquist on these boards, my hat's off to you. I should try A/Bing a CD with an updated source, sounds like it would be ear opening!! From my experience the $ vs. fidelity ratio is an open ended topic, I've backed down to personal preference, use what makes you happy. It is an amazing experience to hear truly crisp audio, sadly most people never will (ahem, Bose!).

anyway... back on topic...

I own a Novation Nova laptop, total trance synth, not the fattest thing around but it's so easy to use, gobs of knobs up front, no buried menus.

The Yamaha An1X is an older synth that everyone raves about, great bang for the buck if you can find one.

It's not a synth, but the Shermann Filter bank is just about the sickest noise bender I've ever encountered, it can make a casio sound like the wrath of god. Pricey though.

I'm borrowing a Nord Lead 3 and am loving it, great layout and all those LEDs help track mod wheel tweaks, great fun!

Anyway, I'd recommend you check http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/ and start reading. I've found their reviews and current street market prices to be pretty accurate. Pick your price and go from there. Check out Roland, Novation, Waldorf, Korg, Clavia and Access to start.

[FaX-01]

If you're use too working with the JV may I suggest (if you already have a controller keyboard) that you track down a Yamaha CS6R or CS6X keyboard.
You can pick up the AN and DX PLG boards cheap.
This would give you a Rompler (with way better sounds than the JV) , a virtual analog (like an AN1X modelled loosely on a Prophet 5) and an FM board which is comparable too a DX7 on steroids as it has very good filters.
It shouldn't cost you too much either.
They sound exceptionally good.
Have a decent built in effects bus.
A phrase sampler with recycle style beat chopping.
Very good digital filters based on the Motif / A4000 and EX5/7 series samplers and workstations.
It comes with PC editing software for the AN and DX boards also I might add and can save patches/banks etc too smartmedia card.
This too me would be a good alround board for your specific needs.