IK MUltimedia UNO Synth

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

That said, after watching the superbooth videos, if I never hear "Uno Synth 5" again, it'll be too soon

If I were a betting man, I'd bet a lot on the fact that there are a couple of people here who might say the same. I think Erik and Enrico in Berlin have done a great job at tirelessly giving similar presentations and sound demos with a smile.

[BONES]

I look at the spec for the range of sounds I can get out of the thing - and I look at price to determine the value of what it offers. The UNO offers an unusually wide range of sound design options at this price.

No, it doesn't. I paid less for my second-hand Rocket and it runs rings around this, despite the seemingly limited nature of the Rocket's features and parameters. And you can buy a brand new Rocket for maybe $40 more than this if you simply have to have something brand new.

You too are not comparing apples to apples on price and spec - just dismissing a reasonable request and throwing in your subjective opinion on what's "better".

Spec means nothing if the basic building blocks aren't there. You can have 10 oscillators but if they sound like krap, every sound you make will sound like krap, too.

I brought analog into it for the context of comparison as that is clearly a selling point and it was part of the request for comparison.

You played to people's biases. Bravo!

I care if it's analog in as much as I care what it sounds like - and I generally prefer the sound of real analog to VA.

Why? What quantifiable, objective reasoning is there behind this preference?

I don't expect someone who goes to the trouble of highlighting "anal" in "analogue" to share or even respect that opinion, but that reflects on you.

Yes, on my almost 40 years of buying and using synthesisers. i.e. It reflects on my far greater experience (and my objectivity). When better synths came along, absolutely every synth player on the planet was more than happy to throw away their analogue synths and not look back. So what, exactly, is it that you think you know that none of the rest of us did? Because I've got a good range of analogue, digital and virtual synths and I don't hear anything that makes one intrinsically better than any of the others. It's all in your head. I could parade 1,000 sounds past you, made with any of them, and you would never, ever be able to pick one type from the other, except through sheer, blind luck.

[BONES]

I don't like it when sites automatically pick my price due to my IP address. One should be able to check the prices on other continents as well. Buying from the wrong continent is not possible, anyway.

Yeah, NI do that and it's a rip-off because they are not paying the taxes in Australia that they add to the price. Of course, they also sell them through shops here, and those guys definitely have to pay the taxes, so I imagine NI don't want to undercut their retailers, lest they lose those outlets. So I buy from the local shop whenever I can.

[BONES]

That's a wide palette of sounds right there - so I'm happy to stand my comment that it's an unusually wide range of sound design options at this price-point.

No, it's a quite narrow range of sound design options with a few minor variations. I'd much prefer cross-mod options to a full ADSR envelope and an oscillator with more than just the same old saw, sine and triangle waveforms.

Unless you want to point me to all the other synths at this price that offer the same (or close) - which we've established you don't.

What are you talking about? I pointed out that you can buy any number of used synths at this price point that will do far more but you dismissed that out of hand. A Novation K Station, for example can be had for around $200 and is about a million times more synth for the money. You can demo the V-Station VSTi if you don't believe me.

Just saying it don't make it so.

Pot.


Kettle.


Black.

If you can't get a wide range of sounds out of something with this spec, then there's something wrong.

Just going by the demos it is obvious to everyone (but you) that you can't get a wide range of sounds out of this synth. It's just too bog-standard, there is nothing in it to expand the sound design possibilities at all. How often, for example, is a high-pass or band-pass filter useful? I mean, I use them fairly regularly but mostly in conjunction with other forms of synthesis, like FM or Phase Distortion. And it's all just 2-pole, so the filter is also fairly restricted. You can get all that from a quick glance at the spec sheet, I don't know why it's not obvious to you, the great spec reader.

[OneOfManyPauls]

@BONES - Yeah, but look at the spec and it only costs $199

2 x continuously variable VCOs both with saw/tri/pulse + separate white noise + LP/BP/HP 2 pole resonant filter with drive + 2 x full ADSR (filt env routable to waveshape/pwm according to Erik) + 7 shape multi-target LFO (inc down ramp and S&H - independently routable to each VCO shape according to Erik) + 10 pattern Arp + 16 step x 20 parameter sequencer + delay

[SLiC]

You can get as wide a palette of sounds from the UNO as just about any classic 2 oscillator analog synth....probably more with the continuously variable wave shape and 20 P locks....there are always limitations on analog synths, limited LFOs on moogs for examples, simple second oscillators on Juno’s...people manage...

If you want a small form factor pocket synths with a good sequencer this must be towards the top of any list, we are blessed with many other good alternatives that may suit YOU more, but that doesn’t diminish how good the UNO is for the cost, I could make a list of why the synth you have chosen that costs more is far more limited than the UNO, but what’s the point? Make music, be happy

[SLiC]

@BONES - Yeah, but look at the spec and it only costs $199

2 x continuously variable VCOs both with saw/tri/pulse + separate white noise + LP/BP/HP 2 pole resonant filter with drive + 2 x full ADSR (filt env routable to waveshape/pwm according to Erik) + 7 shape multi-target LFO (inc down ramp and S&H - independently routable to each VCO shape according to Erik) + 10 pattern Arp + 16 step x 20 parameter sequencer + delay

I have never seen a better specified synth for under 200 dollars, and despite all of the ‘for a bit you could get a....’ posts, no one has posted a better spec synth for under 200 dollars, surely IK deserve some credit for that!

PS - the ‘drive’ on the filter seems very powerful, more than just a boost, it will definitely add more colour.

[OneOfManyPauls]

I have never seen a better specified synth for under 200 dollars, and despite all of the ‘for a bit you could get a....’ posts, no one has posted a better spec synth for under 200 dollars, surely IK deserve some credit for that!.

except for a used waldorf rocket according to the-great-synth-arbiter

[SLiC]

I have never seen a better specified synth for under 200 dollars, and despite all of the ‘for a bit you could get a....’ posts, no one has posted a better spec synth for under 200 dollars, surely IK deserve some credit for that!.

except for a used waldorf rocket according to the-great-synth-arbiter

Yes, that one was left field (not portable/battery, no sequencer, p locks, digital osc, fixed attack.), there are lots of fair comparisons for the UNO (Monotribe, electribe, Notation circuit) all have pros and cons, we are fortunate to live in a world of choice! Analog generally will be more limited than digital synths, but if that’s the sound you want then you have another option, the minimoog was a very limited architecture synth, it did OK listen to the UNOs sound, if you like it buy it, if you dont don’t, the spec sheet (although impressive for the price) is less important than how it actually sounds. Full disclosure, I ordered one

[OneOfManyPauls]

This video shows sounds in a less-scripted manner (Les Sondiers - in French) . I'm really liking how the filter resonance doesn't kill the bottom end. Shame the entire thing seems to have been recorded with delay enabled.

[SLiC]

This video shows sounds in a less-scripted manner (Les Sondiers - in French) . I'm really liking how the filter resonance doesn't kill the bottom end. Shame the entire thing seems to have been recorded with delay enabled.

That's nice, I hear what seems to be a really nice resonant filter. This really could be the TB-303 of the future...arp is pretty cool as well. I wonder if IKM are working on a little 808/909 type thing with the same form factor to plug in top that line input

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

I also wonder about the quality. It is rather cheap for a synth made in the EU. Behringer stuff is made in a huge factory in Asia, if I am not mistaken. Otherwise it would probably cost 1.5 to 2 times as much.
Are the components (filter etc.) bought from the usual suppliers or made by IKM?
Just out of curiosity, where in Italy is the factory and how many employees does it have?

Sorry I missed this one for a bit... We source or build parts ourselves based on the feasibility of doing it either way, as would be expected. Our factory is in Modena right near our Italian headquarters, and I cannot disclose exactly how many employees. We are able to make a product that sells for such a great price point yet still make it in Italy due to the industrial design and automation in our high-tech manufacturing facilities. We are a company that invests back into the company - meaning that the success of other products helps us enter new territories for us like our first analog synth.

[Mushy Mushy]

Modena

Anywhere near Maranello?

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Modena

Anywhere near Maranello?

Just over 20km, I believe!

[Mushy Mushy]

Modena

Anywhere near Maranello?

Just over 20km, I believe!

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I know Modena is, I was asking about IK.