) , so I couldn't fit in another synth without getting rid of something else. But I so wish I'd got rid of one of my Junos and bought a JP6 instead. At the time, I could have got one between 6-800 quid. 
God knows what they cost nowadays, and you just don't see them over here (and I'm not going to risk buying something like that sight unseen over the net...). I had the money at the time, no problems. Could have bought something even posher really...Anyway, there used to be 3 of us with a whole bunch of h/w that regularly got together. I had regular access to a JP6 - often it was left at my place, as I was the one with the space and the studio, so I got to keep the synths for relatively long periods. And I remember the JP6 extremely fondly. I remember it mostly for its lush pads - superb for the stringy type pads and the brassy type pads, but it always surprised me whenever I played around with the cross mod - it was capable of some quite raw sounds. There was something about it, the design and the feel of it, the layout, everything. It just felt smooth. It was a joy to play and a joy to program. It felt chunky and so intuitive. Whenever I had the 6, it became my bread and butter synth for almost all of the stock sounds. And it was a lead synth on many occasions. Not really as in-yer-face characterful as some of the others, but overall the most useable. I prefer it to the ProVs etc - something just clicked with Roland and the JP6 - they got everything right IMO.
Usually whenever I had the JP6, I had his Obie too - can't remember, but I think it was an OBXa - and TBH, I didn't much like it. I'm with you URS - many of the Obies are a bit on the bland side. OK synths if that's all you have, but not something I'd choose over again - an 8-voice obviously is a bit different, but their standard polysynths weren't anything amazing.
It depends on whether you're dead set on buying a poly or not. Personally I think over the years, I've had more fun out of the monos - some of those seem to have outright character, whereas most of the polysynths tend towards generic - they have to because of what their function is, I suppose.
In terms of monos - I like the CS series - only CS30 and above though - too basic at the bottom end.
I'll never get rid of my MS20, but TBH I preferred the MS10 - nowhere near as stable, but if the 10 were as stable as the 20, I'd have bought up several. That pulse wave was exquisitely reedy when you thin it down, and MS10s just pump out huge bass even when you tighten up the filter res higher up.
If you're not dead set on a poly, then maybe you'd consider an OSCar? In terms of character and overall flexibility, I think that would have to be my all time favourite. Not as screaming as things like the MS series or as weird as things like the VCS synths, but probably the most adaptable, yet still powerful synth I ever had the pleasure of having. So sad I don't have it now. of course there's impOSCar, and i think that's a fantastic VSTi, but there's nothing quite like a real OSCar under the fingers - chunky, invites you to twiddle knobs and experiment, and it cuts through any mix in almost any mode.
I think the happiest days with h/w were when I pared down all the toys and just made tunes with the the JP6, the OSCar and the MS10. A fantastic trio that gives strength, power, flexibility and screams like a triple bastard. I lost count of all the other synths, but those were the three. I had the OSCar for years and am happy to have had it and now not to have it. I loved the MS10 and am not sorry to have got rid of it, because its tuning was a real big issue on any long session. But I always regretted not buying up a JP6 and bringing it with me. I'd happily lose the ProOnes and the CSs, the TBs, the SHs, the OBs for a JP6. I actually maybe rate the JX8/10 sound as equivalent, but they just aren't as fun to use as the JP. It's not the fanciest, not the most flexible, not the dirtiest, but there's something about laying hands on a 6 that is extremely satisfying. I used to mainly use it in techno type stuff, but it sat very nicely in with the more ambient stuff, and worked well for dub etc, I found. It's a polysynth that is creamy enough to work in all styles, but raw enough to abuse when you need to. My tuppence is to forget the MKS80 and find a JP6...
Urs
