Let's talk less expensive but good hardware synths..

8O · Post by 8O » Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:13 am

heavensdaw wrote:Yeah.. the secondhand market is not only appealing but necessary too! I've been looking at modules too like the E-mu Orbits, Quasimidi Quasars etc.. but hmmm not so sure...

I've around 300 euros to play with.. so really not that much,

Should be ok... I picked up both my second-hand Waldorf synths (Pulse & Microwave XT) for around €300 each...

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 12:34 am

Closing in on a Korg Prophecy

Hd

admiralsnackbar · Post by **admiralsnackbar** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 12:59 am

Really like the Novation Novas. Bought one in 02,had to sell it in 05, had to buy another in 06. Also got a K-Station for gigging which I still have but don't use near as much anymore. The Nova is just more fun to tweak around with IMO.

arctic ranger · Post by **arctic ranger** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 2:57 am

heavensdaw wrote:Closing in on a Korg Prophecy

Hd

Wow! The prophecy is something I haven't heard of in ages. I bet you get some really good sounds out of it!
Not too long ago I picked up a ms2000 for 175 Canadian.

Been working out of town so haven't had much fun with it. Cant wait for a break with school to really try it out

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 5:43 am

heavensdaw wrote:Closing in on a Korg Prophecy

Hd

Great choice, I like mine in the Trinity and wish to own the real kybrd one day.

hmm..gassing for the Venom right now

nafe · Post by **nafe** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 7:16 am

Korg MS2000 are nice polyphonic virtual analogue synths for the price if you can find a 2nd hand one

aizo · Post by **aizo** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:49 am

Motherfucking JP-8000 or an 8080! Super saw is a beast! Some people don't like them, some do. The presets are 90's out but it's easy as he'll to tweak and make your own patches. If you're not that good with tweaking you can get the vengeance pack for it. It makes some seriously bad ass sounds. You can find either cheap as he'll on eBay

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 11:21 am

aizo wrote:Motherfucking JP-8000 or an 8080! Super saw is a beast! Some people don't like them, some do. The presets are 90's out but it's easy as he'll to tweak and make your own patches. If you're not that good with tweaking you can get the vengeance pack for it. It makes some seriously bad ass sounds. You can find either cheap as he'll on eBay

Haha was reading reading a loong thread last night about the 8000.. the ease of programing is what a lot of users really dig about the synth (something that the Prophecy certainly can't stand up to) and the sound of the 'Super saw beast' also of course!

OK still to 'pull the trigger'.. Prophecy users, is it that much of a ***** to program as I've read?

nafe wrote:Korg MS2000 are nice polyphonic virtual analogue synths for the price if you can find a 2nd hand one

This too would be a very good option!

crystalmsc wrote:hmm..gassing for the Venom right now

It's a sickness dude!

So still chewing it over but the KP is looking to b a very good option atm.. cheap to for 220 eurolitos!!

So yeah please keep the ideas and recommendations flowing guys. And esp any Prophecy users!

Peace

Hd

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 11:47 am

Just been offered a Roland JX8P with the PG800 controller for 300e.. The keyboard needs some tlc.. some of keys the guys say occasionally emit 'strange' noise and the synth has to be turned off.. I have no experience with synth maintenance but... I'm pretty diy savvy!

Ohhh Why do we do this to ourselves!

I must say, I originally wanted an 'analog' synth ... could this be it?? thoughts..

Hd

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:35 pm

MAJOR swing over to the roland!

Awesome *^&# http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDcu3sdgR1E

Hd

BTW Spoke to the guy selling about the keys getting 'stuck' .. notes 'sometimes' stay on (never ending sustain) very occasionally.. what could that be?

Anyway I will go and check it out (ONLY a 6 hr round trip!

)

peace!

evangelink · Post by **evangelink** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:59 pm

I really love my Roland Alpha Juno. And they can be picked up for £150.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaWQc9cBL74

Silverfish · Post by **Silverfish** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 5:19 pm

The JX8Ps are notorious for having sticky keys and non-functional aftertouch. Not to worry though- it's a fairly easy diy fix. Just search online for a tutorial on how to fix the aftertouch, and it'll show you how to clean the contact strip, take it apart, etc. I haven't done it myself yet, but my JX8P needs it too.

Also, that seems like a pretty decent price for the keyboard and the controller. Those controllers go for that much alone sometimes.

MacGuffin · Post by **MacGuffin** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 5:40 pm

MFB is good, for that price you could also get a novation bass-station

I found this project, it looks very interesting (I pledge 25$ to get a bare-bones kit!):

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/790 ... synth-kit/

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:44 pm

Silverfish wrote:The JX8Ps are notorious for having sticky keys and non-functional aftertouch. Not to worry though- it's a fairly easy diy fix. Just search online for a tutorial on how to fix the aftertouch, and it'll show you how to clean the contact strip, take it apart, etc. I haven't done it myself yet, but my JX8P needs it too.

Also, that seems like a pretty decent price for the keyboard and the controller. Those controllers go for that much alone sometimes.

Thanks for the feedback man.. I have just been over at gearslutz reading a thread were the 'stuck note' topic was being discussed..
From the thread

Are you sure it's a dodgy chip? A common fault of 'stuck notes' on the 8P can be solved by taking the keys out and cleaning the metal contacts (and rebending them so they are 'in spec' easy enough). I had a few 'stuck' notes and while recently fixing my aftertouch (works great after a clean btw) I cleaned all the brassy contacts and no stuck notes anymore!

It's because to stop a note playing the key system on the 8P need's it's contact to touch the top (velocity) tab again to signal 'return to released' but sometimes, even if they appear to touch, oxidisation can set in so you need to clean 'em up a bit - maybe with some very fine sand paper if they are really film covered. Anyway that worked for me. Of course it's possible you have a bad envelope/voice chip or something but I'd try this first it's an easy fix and I cleaned and regreased the keys too the whole synth felt like new afterwards and I can't keep off it now
i actually took the whole keyboard apart and did some cleaning and the aftertouch repair on it, so yeah...i don't think it's that. It's actually one of the DCO's getting stuck out of tune. I was speaking with a tech and he thinks that one of the divider chips might be going bad, which i have a new one on order. It only happens on voice 1, on one of the two DCOs. The one DCO seems to just be stuck at a certain tone and the other one will play the correct tone.

So it seems a good way to check to what degree the problem is, would be to try replicate the stuck note and see if it's on both voices.. (unless both chips are bad!)

The price with the PG800 is pretty damn gooood!
So yeah unless some other crazy deal comes along in the meantime, I'll be off on a mad JX8P synth hunt Tuesday!!

Btw... regarding the JX how 'bad' is the bass? bad,bad, or just plain crap? Any tips/tricks?

MacGuffin wrote:MFB is good, for that price you could also get a novation bass-station

I found this project, it looks very interesting (I pledge 25$ to get a bare-bones kit!):

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/790 ... synth-kit/

great idea there! not for me atm though, not enough spare time to build, nil experience either.. and right now trippin' on the analogico thang!

Cheers

Hd

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:54 am

little update... didn't get the JX8P (the guy 'flaked' on me

..

So now I'm looking at two (more) possibilities .. both mono, both analog, one a bit more expensive than the other... Both sound great!

Dsi Evolver and a Waldorf Pulse.. the Evolver is 400e and the Pulse 300e from what I can tell from the demos on youtube I think i prefer the sound of the Pulse.. but I do like the fact that that the Evolver has it's own sequencer, effects, and can also be used as an effect by plugging into the the unit with a sound module/instrument.. but I would do all sequencing/effecting in Live though. Like I said I have a mate with the Evolver but without know the Pulse I'm find it hard to be clear..

Any feedback or experience in either or both these synths please would be grand.

Cheers

Hd

Let's talk less expensive but good hardware synths..

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Re: Let's talk less expensive but good hardware synths..

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Re: Let's talk less expensive but good hardware synths..

Re: Let's talk less expensive but good hardware synths..

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