Need 1U Rack gear. What should I get?

[DrGonzo]

To my ears, the CEM-3389 filter/VCA used in the Sequential Prophet VS and MicroWave Rev A sounds nothing like the CEM-3396 used in the Oberheim Matrix-1000. The sound of the resonance in particular is night and day different. When turned up high, the resonance in the Matrix-1000 has a high pitched whistling quality and none of the silky richness of the filter resonance in the Prophet VS and MicroWave Rev A.

Never been a Waldorf guy but maybe that's the reason why I've always felt some attraction towards the first revision of the Microwave.

[Uncle E]

I love the sound of the filter in my MKS-70. I should get my MKS-80 rev 5 fixed. If it uses the same filter in the MKS-70, I might prefer my rev 5 to the rev 4.

It doesn't sound like the MKS-70. I agree with you, it'd be cool if it was an MKS-70 with VCO's but it's not. The Rev 4 is a little better, the Rev 5 is just slightly congested and muted sounding in comparison. It's not significant and neither one is on the level of a Jupiter 4, 6, or 8. I prefer the MKS-70 over both of them, at least it has character.

[Big Mouth Strikes Again]

The Rev 4 is a little better, the Rev 5 is just slightly congested and muted sounding in comparison. It's not significant and neither one is on the level of a Jupiter 4, 6, or 8. I prefer the MKS-70 over both of them, at least it has character.

As much as I like the sound of my MKS-70, I would consider it far inferior to the MKS-80 without the Vecoven mod.

[Uncle E]

The Vecoven mod is worth getting? I thought it only adds PWM since the MKS-70 doesn’t have the MIDI problems of the JX10.

[cryophonik]

Matrix-1000's will sell for $700-800 these days. That's still kind of a lot for a synth-on-a-chip but it's one of the best options, given the requirements of this thread.

I haven’t seen one go for that “cheap” in ages. The asking/going rate on Reverb and eBay has recently been as low as $900 for one in fair condition/some issues, but they’re mostly $1,200-1,800+, depending on condition, mods, seller’s cannabis intake, etc. There’s a local seller here that’s had a Kiwi-mod unit for sale for forever at a “discounted” price of $950 because one of the voices is not calibrating. Another guy here has two Tautek-modded versions in good condition for $1300 each. Then there’s a dude on Reverb asking $2800 for one in excellent condition. The thing is, most of them don’t appear to be selling, so maybe people are making realistic offers behind the scenes and the sellers are just being stubborn. But, I think it’s a case of sellers seeing the demand go up so they think the prices should skyrocket, not understanding that the only reason demand went up was because they were available at a relatively low cost.

[Big Mouth Strikes Again]

Then there’s a dude on Reverb asking $2800 for one in excellent condition.

I paid $250 for my Matrix-1000 about 30 years ago. I wouldn't pay much more than that even today.

$2,800 for a Matrix-1000 is completely insane. I'd rather buy a new music computer.

[cryophonik]

Then there’s a dude on Reverb asking $2800 for one in excellent condition.

I paid $250 for my Matrix-1000 about 30 years ago. I wouldn't pay much more than that even today.

$2,800 for a Matrix-1000 is completely insane. I'd rather buy a new music computer.

Hell, for that price you could buy a new computer AND a secondhand Rev2.

[Big Mouth Strikes Again]

The Vecoven mod is worth getting? I thought it only adds PWM since the MKS-70 doesn’t have the MIDI problems of the JX10.

The latest V4 Vecoven mod adds PWM, two additional super fast envelopes, an additional LFO, expanded storage, and compatibility with the awesome Retroaktiv programmer:

https://retroaktivsynthesizers.com/coll ... x-mks-70-t

None of this is cheap (especially the Retroaktiv programmer). But it does transform your JX-8P/JX-10/MKS-70 into a new synth.

[Uncle E]

I haven’t seen one go for that “cheap” in ages.

One sold for $700 on eBay in February. It took a little while to sell, too.

But, I think it’s a case of sellers seeing the demand go up so they think the prices should skyrocket, not understanding that the only reason demand went up was because they were available at a relatively low cost.

A lot of old synths are getting new life due to the various mods now available. Matrix-1000 likely benefits from this phenomenon. Personally, I wouldn't use a stock one at any cost but the Tauntek is what now makes it appealing to me.

[Uncle E]

The latest V4 Vecoven mod adds PWM, two additional super fast envelopes, an additional LFO, expanded storage, and compatibility with the awesome Retroaktiv programmer

Thanks! I didn't realize that about the envelopes.

[ghettosynth]

That's cool enough, for sure. I have to wonder though, if it's worth it over just buying a modern poly? The one thing I can see with the JX-10 is there just aren't very many 12 voice polys. That said, I'm not really a fan of the IR-3R05 used in all of the later Roland synths. It's so dark. It's interesting reading about Roland's take on filters from the era. It started with the state variable IR3109 in the Jupiter 6 and then went on to the IR3R05 (also a state variable). They thought that they were more precise. You have to remember though, at the time, analog was old and digital was the thing. The JX10 went head to head with the DX7.

[Uncle E]

It's a weird synth. The best reason to get a JX-10/MKS-70/JX-8P is for their weird and very specific character. It's no good at the analog sounds most people are after.

[Big Mouth Strikes Again]

That's cool enough, for sure. I have to wonder though, if it's worth it over just buying a modern poly? The one thing I can see with the JX-10 is there just aren't very many 12 voice polys. That said, I'm not really a fan of the IR-3R05 used in all of the later Roland synths. It's so dark. It's interesting reading about Roland's take on filters from the era. It started with the state variable IR3109 in the Jupiter 6 and then went on to the IR3R05 (also a state variable). They thought that they were more precise. You have to remember though, at the time, analog was old and digital was the thing. The JX10 went head to head with the DX7.

I think that's what makes the JX10 and MKS-70 so unique. They are the most digital sounding analog synths ever created. I'm sure at the time the JX10 still came up short against a DX-7. But by today's standards, the JX10 sounds SO much better than a DX-7.

I actually love the IR-3R05 filter in the JX10 and MKS-70. Filter sweeps sound really glassy and smooth. In the factory patches, the resonance is also used to create bright percussive transients that are layered with standard analog electric piano patches to create pseudo FM pianos. However, these JX pianos are much warmer and more interesting.

And then of course, the JX10 is a pad monster. IMO, it's worth having just for that reason alone.

[DrGonzo]

The thing is, most of them don’t appear to be selling, so maybe people are making realistic offers behind the scenes and the sellers are just being stubborn.

That's how they get free highlights from Reverb. Price something abnormally high, then drop the price considerably so it gets a big bump in the feed. Have it open for offers and the buyer leaves with the feeling they made the deal of the century.

/Carl

[pipodeclown]

FSR-1U is very powerful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj2dgbW5L10