MFB DOMINION X === Anyone got it?

[supamonsta]

Hi,

just discovered the mfb dominion X :



here are the specs:

* Programmable Analogue Synthesizer
* 3 VCOs with wave shaping and ring modulation
* Dual-Sync and Dual-FM features
* 6-fold multimode-filter including 3 low pass configurations with 12/18/24 dB
* patch-section for external CV/Gate-control
* Velocity routing matrix with 11 destinations
* 3 LFOs with 2 LFOS offering one-shot-modes and reset


Seems really few people got it so far, no real review available on the web

I loved my mfb synth II, and I had to sell it (dumbness), it had a huge sound and 3 osc with all params directly accessible from pots. The build quality was totally weak, cheap plastic, parts... and the midi implementation sucked hugely (midi sync really floppy... was not able to automate anything with live...)

but it's the best hands-on synth I ever had, and amazing for huge basses and fat layered sounds. (I have owned and/or used a virus Ti, DSI evolver, mfb synth 2, roland juno alpha 2, microkorg, alesis ion, dsi tetra and mophokeys...).


I'm now really interested by this new MFB unit, but I won't jump that quick because it's 780 euros and I want to see it reviewed before I spend that money. My main concern is the build quality, and possible noise in the outputs (mb synth 2 was a bit gritty...)

I'm ready to ditch the tetra for that synth, if it's up to its price...

so ,

anyone here who's got it?

wanna share your opinion?


Cheers

[mauronedj]

I think that the difference between this and the Voyager is the Filter, they can't emulate the ladder moog resonance very well in all MFB synth, but the other things are so pretty, it's a modern analog synth...

For this price no one can beat it, but instead of this I'm going to a Studio Electronics SE-1 or SE-1x, used obviously, and get this fat and beautyful filter (and the Obhereim gentle filter too).

I think this is a good choice, see some video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAC4F6AasR8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80SzZCHzEeY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBp2ZdqG08c

Mauro.

[Datendisco]

I've got mine for about 2 month now. I bought this synth in addition to my microkorg and the ableton suite synth to have an additional more rough sound for basses. The building quality is ok. First I was little disappointed by the quality of the knobs - they feel a little bit whacky - but I'm getting used to it.

Besides that: The sound is absolut worth the money and the synth has a great flexibility in making different sounds. From fat basses to lead-synth it's all possible and extremly sounding well. Right now I'm waiting for the new filter to come; it should sound a little more soft than the filter which is in there now. But even if the new filter won't come soon the current filter sounds good enough for me.

Would I buy it again? For sure! It fits very well in my equipment/sound, is not too big for my "little" studio and not too expensive.

[supamonsta]

instead of this I'm going to a Studio Electronics SE-1 or SE-1x,

did you see their last unit, the boomstar? seems interesting also, but not for my needs

I'm definitely looking for a replacement for the mfb synth 2 that I sold some years ago, but with better build quality and midi implementation. (the voyager is far beyond my money capabilities, even the rack unit...)

@Datendisco:

thanks for your input. I'm used to crappy mfb pots, my mfb synth 2 was at least 3rd hand when I bought it, and I got used to it too. I'm sure a brand new one with better parts as the dominion will also fit

I have some more questions for you : how is the midi communication working? did you try record and play automations in live clips? (the synth 2 was unusable, when I recorded, say, a cutoff sweep, the midi clip showed some random spikes/automations in more than a dozen of CCs... and no one was able to replicate the cutoff sweep back when playing the clip... lol)
how's the synchronisation? not too loose I hope? (I had to recaliber the audiofiles recorded from the mfb synth 2 at each take, to remove some silence at the beginning of the recorded clips...) I also remember having the synth 2 "oopsing" (forgetting) some midi notes at times for no reason...

But again, I loved that shit synth for its huge sound and direct handling, the 3 osc for fat layers, the analog tuning (lots of funky times when the oscillators get warm and all is detuned... lol lol again)

I'd like the dominion, for its price, to be really much more reliable than its older blue plastic brother in the midi department...


anyway, I'm more and more attracted, I think I'll sell the tetra, but I'll keep the mopho keyboard for its pretty yellow color


cheeeers

[Datendisco]

how is the midi communication working? did you try record and play automations in live clips? (...)
how's the synchronisation? not too loose I hope? (..) I also remember having the synth 2 "oopsing" (forgetting) some midi notes at times for no reason...

Mini-Out seems not to be implemented (yet?). I just tried to record some of the parameters, but no midi signals are coming in. Midi-In as in playing notes is working as it should. The other parameters (filter-cutoff e.g. ) don't seem to work right now and there is no documentation in the "manual". I'm using just the midi-in to play my sequences and record my filter sweeps and other stuff to audio.

[mauronedj]

instead of this I'm going to a Studio Electronics SE-1 or SE-1x,

did you see their last unit, the boomstar? seems interesting also, but not for my needs

I'm definitely looking for a replacement for the mfb synth 2 that I sold some years ago, but with better build quality and midi implementation. (the voyager is far beyond my money capabilities, even the rack unit...)

Yeah, the boomstar synth are simply the same oscillator onboard with different filter modules (the black one has the 24DB LP moog filter as the SE-1) but thery are less flexible than this!
The SE-1 is like a Voyager whit 2 or 3 less feature, but it beat it's price (800 or 1000 used).
I think that I'm going to a new boomstar or a used SE-1 isntead of Dominion, I don't like it's filter really much, but I must admit that this little crappy box has it's carachter!

Go and try them, and buy the one more flexible and cheap, don't became a gearslutz and make music

[supamonsta]

don't became a gearslutz and make music

thanks mate, but that's definitely too late for me

Mini-Out seems not to be implemented (yet?). I just tried to record some of the parameters, but no midi signals are coming in. Midi-In as in playing notes is working as it should. The other parameters (filter-cutoff e.g. ) don't seem to work right now and there is no documentation in the "manual". I'm using just the midi-in to play my sequences and record my filter sweeps and other stuff to audio.

wow, glad you pointed this out... I thought midi implementation would be natural for a brand new mfb synth...
I could do without it at my times with the mfb synth 2, but I'd like the new one to be midi-ok...

they only mention midi here :

Variable filter modulations are possible via an invertible envelope, keyboard tracking, LFO, VCO, different MIDI controllers as well as by the use o the CV-input.

indeed, midi seems to be just a secondary quest in the game... hope they'll implement it furthermore?

I'll check furthermore, anyway, I'm not buying a new synth right now, I got some music to make (arrangement and mixdowning of selected tracks for a vinyle release...)


thanks a lot

[mauronedj]

don't became a gearslutz and make music

thanks mate, but that's definitely too late for me

Azz
I'm glad to see other people like me, in one month I've produced 3 song and 50 patch for the Diva, Blofeld, Arturia's synth and other hardware stuff...DAAAAMN I'm losing my musician focus

[supamonsta]

at least, you DID produce 3 songs

I lost a big bit of mojo somewhere between the mpc2500, the maschine, some softsynths, the DSI's and lots of midi controllers... I bought and sold lots of shit! I'm now finding the mojo back piece by piece with the help of a musical partner... and reducing the setup to its essential core (live, controllers, one or 2 synths) but I still have some huge stuff sitting in the dust (jomox t resonator, dsi tetra, juno 2, machinedrum + minicontrol, midi controllers, dj controller, softwares... lol)

gearslutism can really be destructive, or is it just a side effect of other life random parameters??


cheers

[mauronedj]

gearslutism can really be destructive, or is it just a side effect of other life random parameters??

Who know

let me return to my little detuning hard ladder 24DB filter rapid attack slow decaying patch

I think I'm going to buy some Prophet, a TB and a TR, a little 106, one more little moog and a poor MS20...then I can rest in peace

[supamonsta]

http://greatsynthesizers.com/en/test/mf ... ar-effect/

here's the only one review I found on this little big synth

I don't know if it's really objective... but it tends to push the "add to basket" button...


our 2 tracks are gone to mastering,

I believe I'm now allowed to buy it?

[supamonsta]

ok got mine

so far great sounds and I def. love the layout,

I'm home with a synth this simple and also deep

sounds fat and 3 osc detune mayhem is orgasm time for me


problem is

as always, I want the last up to date gear and I contacted mfb to be able to install the last firmware

so I go with my old sysex librarian, dump the file and BAM

"ERROR PLESE INSTALL OS" is now displayed by the dominion.

I tried with different dump speed settings, no matter it's the same

unit is stuck and now unusable

I just tried with elektron C6 and it's the same

unit's dead

FFS

shit

kill me

[supamonsta]

I got an answer from mfb

it's a midi file and not a sysex

so I have to send this .mid file into the unit

but how can I do this on mac os X lion ?

I tried opening the mid file with live but no luck...

I'm stuck, little apps like midi dump are too old to run on lion..


any advice??

would be really appreciated

[Datendisco]

as always, I want the last up to date gear and I contacted mfb to be able to install the last firmware

so I go with my old sysex librarian, dump the file and BAM

"ERROR PLESE INSTALL OS" is now displayed by the dominion.

Welcome to my world... Same happend to me. I tried different things but didn't get it running again. Maybe it's an OSX problem? I send mine back to mfb and they will reinstall the OS. The support is pretty good so I hope to have mine back next week.

[supamonsta]

oh god...

nice not to be alone, but wow