Your favorite analogue synth.

jesso · Post by **jesso** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:54 am

Hey all,
Coming into some funds, and want to buy an analogue synth.
I love the sound of old synths, with lots of circuits and wires, but I dont want any of the hassle of looking after what is basically an antique.
Im thinking along the lines of a modern clone of say a moog... I know that creamware do that kind of thing.
I also have a micron which sounds pretty good, (I know its not analoge) but I want somthing dirtier.
I like my plugins, and I have a few goodies (quadra sid and zebra are my faves), but theres somthing really cool about an actual bit of outboard making strange noises.
Suggestions please.

theque · Post by **theque** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 3:18 am

i dont havo one but the dave smith evolver is a popularf choice. the studio elecronics stuff is also meant to be very nice.

roach808 · Post by **roach808** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:37 am

since somebody stole my Jupiter 6, I've been on the lookout for another one of those puppies ever since. Seriously, thats one of the best damn synth's ive ever owned.

btw, the arturia plug doesn't even come close....so i'm gonna nip that tangent right in the ass b4 somebody starts.

altho, i wouldn't mind owning a Korg MS-20 one of these days......or maybe a sequential circuits pro-one.

ShaneFontane · Post by **ShaneFontane** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:45 am

if you want real analog and not some crappy version of it... go Moog Voyager or invest within the Studio Electronics line... I personally have an Omega 8 6 voice and i have never heard anything like it before

kent_sandvik · Post by **kent_sandvik** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:04 am

roach808 wrote:since somebody stole my Jupiter 6, I've been on the lookout for another one of those puppies ever since. Seriously, thats one of the best damn synth's ive ever owned.

Yes, Jupiter-6 was my first love, back in 1982/83... You could still do magic with that synth. --Kent

pix · Post by **pix** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:14 am

jesso wrote:Hey all,
but I want somthing dirtier.
Suggestions please.

the moog LP is slowly growing on me. When I got it I actually had low expectations because I thought I'd get tired of it quickly because of the interface and simple arquitecture. But no, and I'm actually enjoying it more everytime I play with it. Nothing better to get groovy funky lines

The SE ATC1 is also a really cool synth, but I think that there's something special about playing synth lines in a kbd. Gives it that extra funk that sometimes you lose when sequencing everything.

So in that regard I really prefer keyboard versions of these. If you want vintage then you have a lot to choose from. New ones are a bit tricky though besides the moogs and the evolver. If you have the money you may consider asking Ken Macbeth about his latest project, a kbd version of the macbeth M3X.

the evolver is also an option but to be honest I didn't like the interface. I think the evolver is actually nice to have in VHS format. Makes even cooler to program those wacky sequences. But I won't praise the analog side of the evolver . I see it more of a digital synth with an analog filter. At least it's that sort of hybrid character that I think it makes it so special. But for analog mojo, the moogs beat it easily.

Synthbuilder · Post by **Synthbuilder** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:43 am

I know you said you didn't want an old synth, but the Roland SH-101 is very reliable and still sounds excellent.

Second hand Moog Voyagers are offering very good value for money at the moment [certainly in the UK]. It makes sense going for one of these rather than a new Little Phatty, although the LP does look fantastic.

There's always the modular route too. If you are in the US, you can't go far wrong with the starter systems offered by Synthesizers.com. In Europe, the smaller formats from Analogue Systems and Doepfer are good value for money, excellent sources of fun and infinitely expandable.

Tony

www.oakleysound.com/projects.htm <- Oakley DIY Modular
www.oakleysound.com/music.htm <- Electronic Music by Takla Makan

Brainstormer · Post by **Brainstormer** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:35 am

Can't think of many that are true analogue, but not much is these days, for real analogue, you need to be looking at pre-80's gear.

However, I reckon the Nord G2 modular has the most potential next to the Voyager.

jesso · Post by **jesso** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:11 am

Thanks everyone, very helpfull!
Im not that good with technical stuff, so not sure if a modular system is really up my street.
Plus id prefer to go the keyboard included route....
Ive had a play with the SH101, and they are really nice. Plus theres a couple on ebay for reasonable money.... a lot less than the moog LP!
The Roland would proberbly be a good place to start. Ive played The Little Phatty before, and couldnt get into it (only because I didnt have the time) they seem really well put together and look amazing.
Does anyone herer own a Nord and given the choice, would you choose one over the synths we're talking about?
Ive only played the one with the organ noises, but I believe they are the cats pjamas (although not analogue, and thus not in keeping with my original question).

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:12 am

The Arturia JP8V is a decent emulation of a Roland JP8 actually, of course, no softsynth is ever going to be as good as hardware but it does a great job for what it is, given that a JP8 will set you back 5-10k depending on condition on ebay as only 2000 were made as opposed to a couple of hundred dollars for the vsti.

Howard Jones, the legendary synth player/singer of 1980's fame is an avid JP8 user and fan also thinks the same and was not paid by arturia to say so.

Arturia's make some great emulations, their CS-80, Prophet V and moog modular are all good emulations.

As for hardware, an original JP8 would be dandy, as would an original ARP Odyssey 2600 whiteface model (creamware's DSB is also a great emulation), an original Prophet V or a GX-1 or CS80 Yamaha to name a few.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:13 am

got a voyager rack mount about a month ago and haven't been more satisfied.

had an andromeda a6 and well it was nice having analogue for poly but the moog rips it apart on a mono level.

i wouldnt mind a dave smith evolver or an omega something for some additional sounds.

the moogs really good for fatness.
when it comes to precision/technical synthesis it doesn't fare wo well... but that's not what people buy it for is it

J.Daniels · Post by **J.Daniels** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:13 am

I bought a second Moog opus 3 for dirt cheap off ebay.

It usually gets alot of flac for its limitations(obviously in comparison to its brothers), but to programme it is pure joy. And its diverse enough to create some serious solina-like strings to squelchy ultra analog bass's. Simple, full polyphony(due to its "divide down" architecture), looks sweet, dirt cheap, classic moog filter and heaps fun. Definately my favourite synth(if you couldnt tell...)

b0unce · Post by **b0unce** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:25 am

I'd hold off on this decision until the future retro XS is released, which is going to be soon very soon!

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... D15B00320A
http://www.future-retro.com/XS.html
http://www.future-retro.com/XSAUDIO.html

alongside the XS I'd be considering the rackmount voyager, mono-evolver keyboard (the desktop is the best value for money, but the interface could cramp your style)

or go retro with an sh101 which sounds lurrrrrrrrvly

Brainstormer · Post by **Brainstormer** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:42 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txSsUgO9pZo

booster69 · Post by **booster69** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 2:22 pm

I just recently got my hands on a Korg MS20, the real thing, not the Legacy version!! Great sound and lots of fun.
Also, being semi-modular means you get to play around with patch leads, always makes me feel a bit like a mad-professor!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKPfnB6pvv4

Your favorite analogue synth.

Your favorite analogue synth.

Re: Your favorite analogue synth.