Recommend me a real analog synth

[pschelfh]

The virus can't compete with the warmness of analogue.

Except for the Andromeda which doesn't measure up to either the moog or the dave smith synths (both the prophet & polyevolver)

If you want bread n butter tones then moog is what your after.

But if you like your virus and like your fs1r then you like routing, so in that case the polyevolver looks like a healthy option!

I'm talking from experience as I have a virus c, a polyevolver, and a fs1r. I've also demoed the andromeda & voyager.

I have no experience of the prophet(the new one anyway)

That's why I want to test them live first. Those demo mp3's can be very decieving. From listening to them I got the idea that the Andromeda sounded the 'smoothest', Moog has its own character and the Evolver sounded more agressive, like the Virus.

Peter.

[cub005]

<I'm not that sure weather "real" analog will be that different from "virtual" analog to justify spending $3000 on it, just for the peace of mind having it labelled "real". >

I'd differ with this almost 100% . I've owned my share of viruses , nords and an1xers, and replacing my VA setup with the A6 made the biggest difference to my sound and the way I developed ideas in it for about six years. VAs will do a lot of things for you, but they won't give you that certain tone and presence that can help you run with ideas and develop things from the sound upward. I've tried out the P8, and liked it a lot ; the dark fuzzy tone may complement your virus/990 setup pretty well , and take you in a new direction, while the pad-strong Andromeda could add even more dimensions to the pad machine you already have ( jd-990).

[Ph-J]

Problem is that no store in Belgium has any of these in stock, so I'll have to order them before I can play them myself.

Have you tried Orbit in Brussels ?
Up to not so long ago, they had an Andromeda available for demo-ing.
You could also plan a little trip to Köln and try them all at MusicStore..?

[pschelfh]

Problem is that no store in Belgium has any of these in stock, so I'll have to order them before I can play them myself.

Have you tried Orbit in Brussels ?
Up to not so long ago, they had an Andromeda available for demo-ing.
You could also plan a little trip to Köln and try them all at MusicStore..?

Yep, I plan to go to Germany to try them (maybe Thomann is closer?).

But I normaly buy at Key Music in Brussels. I've already bought that much gear there that I now get a discount of 10 to 20% on everything I buy !

Peter.

[suthnear]

I had a voyager for over a year before I sold it out of sheer frustration at not being able to get decent analogue sounds out of it. I found it flaccid, lumpy and lifeless. It sounded more like a middling VA than a top flight analogue monosynth. I really, really wanted to like it because it integrated so well with my modular synthesizer and was so great to play. But the sound was just mediocre to my ears: none of the sparkle or beef I associate with a decent analogue. As a minimoog replacement, any one of minimax, minimonsta and minimoogV will do better. Really.

There are lots of nice modern analogues about, but the new moogs aren't among them. Macbeth, studio electronics, jomox or cwejman all make very nice integrated units and there's always eurorack if you're feeling frisky

[erminardi]

Roland JX3P or JX8P!
Cheap & powerful

[pschelfh]

Problem is that no store in Belgium has any of these in stock, so I'll have to order them before I can play them myself.

Have you tried Orbit in Brussels ?
Up to not so long ago, they had an Andromeda available for demo-ing.
You could also plan a little trip to Köln and try them all at MusicStore..?

Thanks for the tip about Orbit in Brussels, they indeed have the Dave Smith Evolver synths + some other analogs.

I think it will be a Poly Evolver, it seems to have a unique sound character (a cross between digital and analog).

Not sure about keyboard or rack yet though, the keyboard is more than double the price here in Belgium !

Peter.

[aMUSEd]

Personally I like the Andromeda best. I have demo'd the Voyager and was very disappointed by it; weaker sounds than the Minimax I already have (and I can get poly and unison with that) and the build quality was not that good either (esp the horrible rubbery XY pad). Don't think the Pro 8 is a patch on the Pro 5 either. The Andromeda makes beautiful sounds.

[kritikon]

Personally I think one of the biggest advantages a h/w synth has over any s/w or rack is the interface. I've never had a rack synth that I really enjoyed, although there are now some that at least have the full set of knobs and sliders etc. But there's something about actually playing a synth and its keyboard and tweaking knobs that gets you involved in the thing. I can't quite describe it, but a rack and/or s/w and a separate h/w controller disconnect you in some way. Personally I would never again buy a rack synth. If sound is the absolute and only criteria, then a rack might be for you. Otherwise, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about playing a proper synth with keys/controllers.

Maybe the biggest thing is that it simply gets you away from the computer screen? Go away from peering into a screen and I always find my musicality returns. Back to the screen and I get more wrapped up in other stuff - tweaking mixes, minutiae of sound, sequencing, song structure, whether the snare has 2dB of 800Hz too many - all that boring stuff. But I suppose any keyboard can do that for you - doesn't have to be analogue.

I dunno - what do 2nd hand Waldorf Waves go for nowadays (if you can even find them?). That'd be true analogue porn. From memory the Waves were DCOs of varying kinds, but VCFs?

[justin3am]

I dunno - what do 2nd hand Waldorf Waves go for nowadays (if you can even find them?). That'd be true analogue porn. From memory the Waves were DCOs of varying kinds, but VCFs?

$7k to $10k depending on the condition and who is selling. Wavetable synth with analog VCFs and crazy semi-modular routing options.

[deastman]

Except for the Andromeda which doesn't measure up to either the moog or the dave smith synths (both the prophet & polyevolver)

That is just about the funniest thing I've ever read. The Andromeda totally, TOTALLY blows those other synths out of the water, both in terms of flexibility and sheer sonic quality. I have an Andromeda, Poly Evolver Keyboard, and Virus A, to name just a few.

Obviously, Moogs have a very distinctive sound, as does the Evolver, but you will quickly find yourself limited to 'that sound'. The Andromeda, on the other hand, is an extremely versatile, all-around polysynth.

I also got to test out the Prophet 08 when Dave Smith brought one to the SF Bay Area Analogue Heaven gathering a few months ago. I was totally underwhelmed by it. It doesn't sound anywhere near as good as a Prophet 5, and internally shares most of its design with the Evolver series.

I do love my PEK for its own character, but if I could only choose one hardware synth, it would be the Andromeda.

[cub005]

personally I liked the PO8 a lot on my demo of it; its not a prophet 5 replica, as Dave Smith keeps on saying, almost more of a prophet/juno/evolver hybrid in its tone. I think I'll be adding one to my Andy soon.

[cub005]

personally I liked the PO8 a lot on my demo of it; its not meant as a prophet 5 replica, as Dave Smith keeps on saying, almost more of a prophet/juno/evolver hybrid in its tone. I think I'll be adding one to my Andy soon.

[Ph-J]

Thanks for the tip about Orbit in Brussels, they indeed have the Dave Smith Evolver synths + some other analogs.

I have a MEK, and hesitated some time between the desktop version and the kbd one.
I finally deciced for the keyboard version, to have immediate access to many parameters with little or no menu (matrix) diving.
Of course, the poly is much more expensive..
(but I plan to add the rack to expand my MEK someday)

[amiga909]

a real analogue for around 3000$, should be enough to get a dream machine!

if you could set some more specifications it would be easier to make suggestions, afaik you want:
age: > year 2000
price: == 3000$
circuit+synthesis design: "analoguish"
polyphoy: not monophonic?
exclusiveness: ? (you'd pay more to get something rare?)
modularity: ? (add components later?)

if you say polyphony+analogue+new is a must, there are less choices. modulars or semin-modulars are often monophonic (by design).

some impressions:
- Cwejman: played the S1 once and it is regarded by many as the best sounding analogue synth ever. monophonic and over the 3000$ mark thu.
- FutureRetro XS: yeah, its sound is really kewl. 1voice only...

new polysynths:
- Moog: wouldnt go for that one. way overpriced compared to other new analogues.
- Andromeda: analogue, loads of voices. only backside: not so rare and personally I didn't fall in love when I played it a few times
same for Prophet8 or Poly Evolver.
- Jomox Sunsyn: very very beautiful, 8voices, sadly around 3500$...
- Waldorf: also very considerable....
- Vermona and Studio Electronics also made some stuff..



ps: if you want the ultra-rarest synth:
http://www.sequencer.de/syns/waldorf/Mug.html