First hardware synth advice (< $1000): Argon8 vs DeepMind 6 vs Wavestate

[LoveEnigma18]

Korg minilogue xd indeed looks worthy and probably the cheapest option for me. Will explore it more.

[WatchTheGuitar]

Have you already got a MIDI controller keyboard you are happy with or would you ideally like the hardware synth to include a good keyboard too? All adds up and even affects the shipping costs.

Edit: The Minilogue XD is pretty great, especially now people have started creating their own downloadable oscillators and stuff.

[LoveEnigma18]

Have you already got a MIDI controller keyboard you are happy with or would you ideally like the hardware synth to include a good keyboard too? All adds up and even affects the shipping costs.

Edit: The Minilogue XD is pretty great, especially now people have started creating their own downloadable oscillators and stuff.

Yeah, I have Arturia KeyLab MK2 61, and I am happy with it. I get your point, but I don't fancy myself being comfortable with a desktop module. I might not need the keyboard, but since it being my first one, it will be more convenient and I will be more excited for one with keys. So, what I can do is choose a 37-key one over a 49/61-key one, for example.

Listening to Minilogue XD right now, sounds awesome.

So far, these are my options now:
- Behringer DeepMind 6
- Modal Electronics ARGON8
- Korg minilogue xd
- Korg Wavestate

[lfm]

Listening to Minilogue XD right now, sounds awesome.

It's great - but avoided mentioning due to being mini keys, not full size.
But if runnings from another full size keyboard no problem, I guess.

Prologue 8 though is a notch up on price tag - but have incredible sound and abilities too.

[LoveEnigma18]

Listening to Minilogue XD right now, sounds awesome.

It's great - but avoided mentioning due to being mini keys, not full size.
But if runnings from another full size keyboard no problem, I guess.

Prologue 8 though is a notch up on price tag - but have incredible sound and abilities too.

Ah, I didn't pay attention to its keys. A little disappointing.
To use my Arturia KeyLab as a keyboard for it, I would need a "MIDI OUT to MIDI IN patch cable", right?

Yeah, I saw Prologue 8, but it's double the price here. Looks great indeed.

[LoveEnigma18]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

[roman.i]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

I have the regular D, it's quite limiting and also doesn't have presets. If you want a semi modular for fun, Neutron is a better choice.
By the way, do you find useful all the controls on Keylab? I'm torn between getting a simple keyboard like Roland A49 or Keylab MK2 49.

[lfm]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

It's great, but a mono synth in real.
If using 4 voices you only have one envelope that share those.
So nothing like a 4 voice poly synth and taking chords and stuff.

[WatchTheGuitar]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

I have the regular D, it's quite limiting and also doesn't have presets. If you want a semi modular for fun, Neutron is a better choice.
By the way, do you find useful all the controls on Keylab? I'm torn between getting a simple keyboard like Roland A49 or Keylab MK2 49.

I have the Keylab 88 and the controls are wonderful with Analog Lab because everything pre-maps.
Even outside of that I've never wished I had fewer controls, they map to all sorts of useful things. The only thing I could have lived without are the drum pads as I never use them and without those I could fit a number of wider desktop hardware modules on top of the keyboard. As it is there's just enough room for my Boog Model D, but not enough for something like the desktop versions of the Deepmind or Minilogue XD.

[LoveEnigma18]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

It's great, but a mono synth in real.
If using 4 voices you only have one envelope that share those.
So nothing like a 4 voice poly synth and taking chords and stuff.

Yeah, that's true. But it does sound awesome. Anyway, it seems that it is not available for purchase in my country. Would prefer other options first.

[LoveEnigma18]

Behringer PolyD is incredible too! Anyone?
Man, my choices are slowly increasing along with confusion.

I have the regular D, it's quite limiting and also doesn't have presets. If you want a semi modular for fun, Neutron is a better choice.
By the way, do you find useful all the controls on Keylab? I'm torn between getting a simple keyboard like Roland A49 or Keylab MK2 49.

Okay, good to know about the limitations - one important part of posting this topic.

I would go with KeyLab MK2. The controls on KeyLab are indeed useful and they are plenty. I am using it with FL Studio, so have a workaround set up in "user" mode to control Analog Lab 4 and Pigments via Bome MIDI Translator and loopMIDI in the path. Typically (in standalone mode and other DAWs), you would control them directly via the Analog Lab mode where everything maps to the AL4 software. The DAW mode is also quite useful.

Also, depending on where you live, you might get V Collection for free (not sure if they are still running this country-specific offer). But regardless, you will get full version of Analog Lab 4 software and Piano V instrument, which makes it a no-brainer in my opinion.

Overall, KeyLab offers tons of controls and flexibility.

My only gripe is the quality of knobs (and sliders to some extent) - they certainly should have been better for the price. Buttons are clicky, but so are they in almost all the controllers. The layout could have been better with knobs/faders on left and drum pads on right. Drum pads are not even necessary for me, since I have Maschine Mikro MK3. However, drum pads can be MIDI-mapped too.

Hope it helps.

[LoveEnigma18]

Argon8 just got a nice update (V2)

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2020/ ... equencing/

If you like the sound of wavetable that may be the way to go.

Personally I think VSTs do a good job with WT (Rapid, Serum, Massive X etc) and I only have hardware 'analog' synths as getting a smooth analog sound eats a lot of CPU. I have a DM12 and highly recommend it, lots of hands on 'what you see is what you get' controls (after all, this is what hardware is about. If you are looking at a small screen and menu diving you may as well be on a laptop!)

In general, I do agree with you regarding VSTs and WT. But there is something about Argon8 I can't get over. The new update looks nice indeed. And he looks and layout, ah, so beautiful.

But DeepMind is in strong consideration. I am loving the audio demos.

If anyone has any idea, which of these 4 synths (Argon8/DeepMind/Wavestate/Minilogue xd) offers most diversity in terms of sounds and also saving custom sounds?

I don't want to get stuck with limited sounds, both from creation and save/recall point of view.

[WatchTheGuitar]

As I mentioned before the Minilogue XD opens up the custom oscillator ecosystem and there are a load available even if you didn't want to create your own.

[LoveEnigma18]

As I mentioned before the Minilogue XD opens up the custom oscillator ecosystem and there are a load available even if you didn't want to create your own.

Okay, thanks again for reminding me of that.

Unless something else pops up by the time I eventually get to buying one, it will be one of these four.

[pekbro]

My only gripe is the quality of knobs (and sliders to some extent) - they certainly should have been better

I think you've hit the main problem with some of these manufacturers right there,
you get what you pay for typically, ime...