Suggest analog synths

[Joxer the Mighty]

No mention of technosaurus up until your post. How about Doepfer? Probably the most affordable of the modulars.

[neverwhere2012]

i know it's DCO's, but roland JX8P's/JX3P's/JX-10's can be gotten off ebay on the cheap, often times in decent condition... the PG series controllers that control them generally a little more expensive... and even though it's DCO's, i absolutely love the sound of the old 80's roland DCO boards... the filters in the JX8/10 absolutely destroy. i have a JX8P and a JX-10 and i love both to death.

[fleetmouse]

Evolver owners - could you post mp3s of the smoothest creamiest analog sounds it's capable of? I want to hear particularly what it can do with high pitches - does it stay buttery or does it break up? I heard one patch that sounds fairly convincing - need more to make up my mind.

I'm thinking between the sound and the price I'm almost, almost sold. Someone push me over the edge.

[Joxer the Mighty]

Hey fleetmouse, there's a Vermona MARS up on ebay right now. That's another reasonably priced analog synth. You can hear lots of sound samples at www.vermona.com I've never tried one, but the mp3s sound pretty good.

The Evolver does sound killer, but I'm a bit put off by the matrix style GUI. I like to have plenty of knobs sliders.

[fleetmouse]

The MARS actually has fewer controls - it's a rackmount unit. And the demos don't do it for me. I think Reaktor sounds better. There was one sample I heard of the Evolver that had the kind of thick glossiness I heard in the Minimoog...

[ocp]

Here's an alternative to ebay: http://www.spheremusic.com/Index.asp?Origin=Vemia

[McLilith]

There was one sample I heard of the Evolver that had the kind of thick glossiness I heard in the Minimoog...

Which sample was that?

On the evolver demo page, the developer has a disclaimer that says something to the effect that the evolver can easily do more traditional analog sounds, but he had a personal preference for showcasing the more unusual timbres and effects that are possible. I believe he had gotten somewhat bored with the more traditional analog sounds. I mean, he's been listening to and building analog synths for several years now. It would seem natural to be less impressed with the same sounds you've heard for the past quarter century.


later,
McLilith

[McLilith]

Polarises I see for around $250-300.Way ahead of its time;it's multitimbral,has CV/gate inputs and outputs as well as MIDI,and everything has a cc assigned to it.I think Bluedad still has one in his closet if I remember
ew

I'm sorry, but the Chroma Polaris does not have CV inputs or outputs. I wish it did. In fact, I've been wondering lately how much trouble it would be to add that as a modification.

The only sets of inputs and outputs on the unit are for clock, tape recorder, and of course the Chroma computer interface.

If anyone has schematics for a CV in and out modification for the Polaris, please let me know.


later,
McLilith

[ew]

You're right,now that I think about it.I haven't had a Polaris for 12 years or so,and I was going from memory(which does flake out at times )If I remember,it does have a good number of options for clock,reading multiple sync implementations.
Thanks for catching that
ew

[paladium]

I started out in mid 80's and owned almost
every analog synth/type /model in existence, and i still have quiet a few.

FACT , NO and i say NO vsti will be able to
recreate the organic flaws of the analog circuitry
of real analog synths, power up an analog synth
and after 20 minutes it will sound ex, but the longer it stays on it will make more harmonic content,
the sound swirls in an organic way that no vsti can match, distortion is everywhere in real analog circuitry and all these flaws make the sound alive.



FACT , a real analog synth has presence, you feel it
with you in the room, all vsti's sound glassy
in comparison , like the sound comes from behind a towel.



FACT, a vsti never dies unless your pc gives up,
real analogs are expensive to keep running, and will eventually die, vsti's sound exactly the same , everytime ,everyday, ana analog will sound different
even with exactly the same patch from power up to power up.


FACT most analogs are around for 20 years and longer
and the best has past, a vsti has rocksolid performance.


SO the question is what to choose?
An analogue synth comes from the era before 1984,
Every more modern analogue (doepfer , analogue systems, moog voyager etc etc) are insuperior in quality and character of tone compared to
real discrete monosynths (1970/80 minimoogs , odysseys and even all microprocessor based polysynths)

So my advice is
Stay with vsti's unless you want to invest in a real
analog (and i mean pre 1984)

some hot ones to remember wich are still good value on 2ndhand markets are

Roland Jupiter 6 , bonedry flexible sound
(curtiss chip based and stable)

Sequential pro one
flexible and superior to the most minimoogs you will find, minimoogs are a bit overrrated because from serials 3000 upward they put octave buffer boards
in the mini's wich make them sound flat compared to the old ones, to check if you have a GOOD minimoog
it should have 6 instead of 9 calibration holes on the backpanel. The really old minis have a non
dented pitchbend and mod wheel , those are the ones to go for.

Roland juno 60
Not really analog (dco's only vca's and filter are analog) but a reall good and basic organic tone.

Oberheim obxa
Often overlooked analog polysynth
but its padsounds and brass/organ are matched
only by prophet 5 and memorymoog
still good value on secondhand market

Rhodes arp/chroma
basically a 16 voice polyphonic arp 2600 with memories, very charismatic tone, very flexible
with even parrallel filtering , multitimbral,
one of the best keyboards on any synth, but wheigs a ton. Together with my prophets prabably my favourite.


Hope this puts thing a bit more in perspective
Greetz

[nuffink]

FACT. That post contained none.

[endmusik]

please don't let this thread descend into a flamefest - it's nice to have this discussion going on

paladium - you have some strong opinions, and thanks for that. problem round these parts is, if you start identifying things as facts, people get their nipples in a twist

fleetmouse - I'll try and drum up some samples from the evolver today that show off that creamy monosynth sound

[deastman]

The problem with the original posters question is that it isn't specific enough.

New analog or old analog?
Mono or poly?
Modular or not?
Presets or not?
Leads, bass, pads, drums, sfx?

My first instinct is to suggest a Jupiter 6. Its a classic with a nice sound, patch memory, polyphonic, and can do a wide range of sounds.

Funny this should come up now. I've been neglecting my analog gear for years now, getting more and more VSTi-centric. I just picked up a Futureretro 777, and I decided to make a song using only analog gear. Well, I started with the 777, and before I knew it, I'd tracked every single part for the song using only the 777! When I finally get finished with arranging, I'll post the results on here.

[McLilith]

xoxos makes a good point too - can't go wrong with a mini modular! or check out:

http://www.macbethstudiosystems.com/

the M3X looks shit hot

It seems that company doesn't currently have a product for sale and are in between models at the moment. The M3X is totally sold out, as well as being phased out, and the M3X II isn't available yet, neither is their M5.


later,
McLilith

[fleetmouse]

There was one sample I heard of the Evolver that had the kind of thick glossiness I heard in the Minimoog...

Which sample was that?

Some of the sounds in mp3s here - don't remember by name, sorry:

http://www.trippler.net/music/DSI-Evolv ... olver.html

There are also some fairly harsh tones.