2023: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2023)

[cryophonik]

I played with an SE-02 at the last LA synth club and was very impressed. moog sound isn't really my thing but it did sound very substantial and for such small controls, it didn't feel too cramped. Its a fun little box for sure!

Yeah, the controls aren't as cramped as I thought they'd be, and I'm a pretty big guy with big hands. I'm still planning to set up a template for it on my ReMote SL, so that will give me full-sized keys and bigger controls, but I don't really find these to be difficult to use. I think it helps that the knobs are pretty firm, rather than being loose, so I'm not finding myself inadvertently turning other knobs when I grab one.

Congrats and Welcome to the SE-02 Club
I noticed that mine likes to go out of tune at times but holding down the Transpose button and click the Value Knob makes it stay on track again.

Thanks for the tip! I was actually wondering about that, so good to know!

Is it on the latest firmware?
The latest Firmware add 128 extra sounds that can be reached by pushing the Bank A button once and while it is flashing you are on bank 4 (The new one).

Yes, it's the latest FW, but I wasn't aware of that, so I'll certainly check when I get home later today. I assume the new bank is more permanent factory presets, and not a user bank (i.e., rewritable)? Another user bank would be a very welcome addition, but I see that there is an editor/librarian available for $25, so that would help with patch storage/management. Do you happen to have it?

[D-Fusion]

I played with an SE-02 at the last LA synth club and was very impressed. moog sound isn't really my thing but it did sound very substantial and for such small controls, it didn't feel too cramped. Its a fun little box for sure!

Yeah, the controls aren't as cramped as I thought they'd be, and I'm a pretty big guy with big hands. I'm still planning to set up a template for it on my ReMote SL, so that will give me full-sized keys and bigger controls, but I don't really find these to be difficult to use. I think it helps that the knobs are pretty firm, rather than being loose, so I'm not finding myself inadvertently turning other knobs when I grab one.

Congrats and Welcome to the SE-02 Club
I noticed that mine likes to go out of tune at times but holding down the Transpose button and click the Value Knob makes it stay on track again.

Thanks for the tip! I was actually wondering about that, so good to know!

Is it on the latest firmware?
The latest Firmware add 128 extra sounds that can be reached by pushing the Bank A button once and while it is flashing you are on bank 4 (The new one).

Yes, it's the latest FW, but I wasn't aware of that, so I'll certainly check when I get home later today. I assume the new bank is more permanent factory presets, and not a user bank (i.e., rewritable)? Another user bank would be a very welcome addition, but I see that there is an editor/librarian available for $25, so that would help with patch storage/management. Do you happen to have it?

The extra Bank is a factory Bank so i don't think you can write to it and i haven't tested if it is possible.
I have the Studio electronics Editor but that one only work when you use USB Midi so i haven't bother to use it since i am using old school Midi din + if you add the editor in your Daw you have to add a extra midi Channel that send midi to the Editor or you won't get a sound

[cryophonik]

... if you add the editor in your Daw you have to add a extra midi Channel that send midi to the Editor or you won't get a sound

I think that should actually work for me, but I'll try it this weekend and see. Fingers crossed...

[T-CM11]

Arturia Polybrute
This thing is huge and heavy! I have to do some creative rearranging - My tiny studio is full now.

Congrats!!! I moved everything out of the way for my PB and made it the focal point of my studio.

Thanks! I think I'll be playing (/making sounds on) this thing for a while... in stead of actually making/finishing tracks.

Great built-in reverb btw. For this one, I don't need my Valhallas when I want to drown it in Reverb.

[rob_lee]

Coming from Signal Sounds in Glasgow this week.



I thought this would pair up nicely with my Erica Synths Bassline after watching this video on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0C4kFhc-QY&t=10s

[WatchTheGuitar]

Yes, bet that’d be fun. I’ve been running the Bassline from a combo of my Westlicht Performer sequencer providing random notes and gates from a Bastl Kompas. The Westlicht can also do slides which is fun.

Because I’ve only about twenty things that make drum/percussion sounds I ordered up one of these.


have the ADDAC 103 which is similar, but more for 808 style tom sounds than the 106’s noise based percussion and been having a blast teaming the 103 up with plugin effects, it works great with distortions from the Arturia Coldfire.

[lightsfadelow]

I think I'll buy one of these:

I would like to mix and match mics and preamps on the fly in my home project studio without pulling wires.

Not very sexy, but handy.

[Uncle E]

I got the Smpltrek. I thought my kids would have fun sampling and making music with it but it's too fiddly for them. They like Maschine better.

I also got AVTouchBar, which is the best $4.99 I've spent in a while:

[PieBerger]

I bought a second hand (unwanted Xmas present, so basically brand new!) Hydrasynth Explorer yesterday! I've been deliberating for a while, but after trying it out again twice in in the last two weeks in some local shops and finding a good deal, I decided to get one.

I like how it sounds, I like the workflow and as a bonus I have a CV keyboard now to drive my Eurorack, for those days when I just want to patch without turning on my PC!

[_leras]

and i need a decent chair.

Make this priority imo. If you need to sit down a lot a good chair makes it so much easier.

There are some companies in the UK that do refurbished office chairs.
i.e. https://corporatespec.com/

[DJ Warmonger]

Got a second 4K monitor with dual stand, as the company offered me 1000 USD for home office equipment. Now that's quite spectacular setup, and also useful.

Didn't make any music lately ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[D-Fusion]

Waiting for my Intel i5 13500 to arrive and on thursday i will receive a Roland mv-1

[Constructed Identity]

My new interface arrived today. It's great and all, but now I have figure out what do with it.

I had my screen on a metal monitor stand before with the old interface underneath it and now its legs will not quite reach around the Furman and the new interface.
Is there a desktop mini rack thing I can get to house these and then put my screen on top?
Any suggestions?

[McLilith]

My new interface arrived today. It's great and all, but now I have figure out what do with it.

I had my screen on a metal monitor stand before with the old interface underneath it and now its legs will not quite reach around the Furman and the new interface.
Is there a desktop mini rack thing I can get to house these and then put my screen on top?
Any suggestions?

One of the short 2-unit or 4-unit 19" rack cabinets on this page might be the sort of thing you're looking for?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search ... ck+cabinet
.

[elxsound]

My new interface arrived today. It's great and all, but now I have figure out what do with it.

I had my screen on a metal monitor stand before with the old interface underneath it and now its legs will not quite reach around the Furman and the new interface.
Is there a desktop mini rack thing I can get to house these and then put my screen on top?
Any suggestions?

One of the short 2-unit or 4-unit 19" rack cabinets on this page might be the sort of thing you're looking for?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search ... ck+cabinet
.

And for that same price, be sure to check out etsy for options. Lots to choose from if you’re searching for a 2U rack, but all seem to hover around the same price.