e-mertz

Hey all, I really enjoyed this thread from the start. The podcast made me look up and research much more one the topic. Tomorrow I'm hosting a kind of parody show mixed with dj-set, which is part of my monthly broadcast Caffeine Radio. Will be aired tomorrow 23rd from 17:00-19:00 CET on operator-radio.com and archived here. Thought you folks might wanna give it a listen!

Haha yeah, by looking on the message history on another board I found out about me rejecting a jx-3p for 350 EUR as too expensive around the same period. My sequential sixtrak I also sold for 450 back then which I highly regret. The NL1 & 2 where quite ok on the second hand market, but now they're also starting to count as 'vintage' ?

I'm wondering if I should get a nord lead 2 again. It was my second synthesizer ever after yamaha cs-5. I remember being so disappointed by the sound, found it way too clean and boring. Fast forward 12 years later I would go for one again, I'd probably know much better what to use it for. Also I hear that the NL1 sounds better, much rawer in sound due to using converters with a lower bitrate apparently.

If second hand counts to rate the price - I'd go for a Korg Minilogue. They go as low as 350 on the local market here. Other options: Zynthian - very obscure opensource raspberry pi synth. I use the zynaddsubfx engine only and it sounds terrific. While making patches is possible, it's very limiting and not too much fun I have to say. Modal Skulpt - Haven't gotten it yet but it sounds absolutely beast. 169 EUR at Gear4Music. Microfreak - Never was a big fan of it's sound character, but it is a lot of fun to edit and play for a very very cheap price. I used the have reface cs. Can't say why, but I never got friends with it. The engine totally lacks character for me.

Hey all, I'm in the market for an affordable hardware granular synth and wonder how well norns shield does fit the bill? I saw that there are already existing granular engines, but it looked like they all required mononome arc or grid. I'm looking more for something that can be played with keyboard. +1 if it has portamento/glide.

I think I like this one most of my own. Didn't have a drum-machine at the time which made me make much more ambient and sample based stuff.

Good thought. Having some nice pads now in my 1010 blackbox.

Any users of the ELZ_1 around? The price of it dropped to 411,-€ which sounds like a steal for a truly original synth. Midi implementation is quite poor, but seems like they're working on it.

Increasing rental prices all over the world and lack of space therefore? ? Must admit I also don't see the need to make it even tinier than their previous model. But well, it has advantages and disadvantages to have small gear.

---- Talking about GAS - New Micromonsta 2 has arrived :0

The BCR2000 (the one with knobs, no faders) are great because of being endless and having led-rings. Quality-wise of course it's still Behringer. Bonus with those is you can turn it into a very dope sequencer if they lost their purpose as controllers - https://zaqaudio.com/ .

Only had 1, the Yamaha Rm1x. Not sure I'm planning to buy a groove-box so soon again. Always felt I lacked a certain overview on things, would accidentally turn knobs on the wrong track etc. I heard the Deluge also suffers from that classic groove-box-phenomen of just being way too much things packed into one box. The MC-707 looks like the best balance of features vs hands on in the whole evolution so far. Also interested in the polyend tracker, which has almost the feel of a hardware daw to it.

True was wrong on that. Guess another thing that set's the korg apart is the amazing sequencer that is also on de xd. One of the best for achieving quick results, pretty sure it's superior to the other two. Anyway 2020 seems like a great year for improved fm synths!

I think they're both great. On the operator-side Korg one looks like an fm synth+ with seemingly endless sound design possibilities. That might be as well it's pitfall though. FM-synthesis is unpredictable enough already with just 4 operators IMO, which makes the Mega look more like a winner with it's great overview. However, the korg has filters and effects, something I'd definitely miss if I get the Mega. Or the preenfm3 ?

Word. Wanted to fund but ain't got no credit-card. The buzzzy by the same developer is also a cool instrument that I might wanna get my hands on. Waiting for the crisis to end and the money to flow again ...

ooooooooooooooh thanks! Preenfm2 was on my list but it might be too complex with it's 6 operators 28 (?) algorithms operated from a small led-screen. This looks like a step up! I think it all depends on how you use it in which workflow. I'm not expressing that wish from assumption. I have a Zynthian, which is a great sounding multi-timbral synth but there are just a lot of things you can't edit for the plugins I use, including enevelopes. Hence I'm looking for a replacement. For the workflow I have, combining an Alesis mmt-8 and an Arturia Keystep, a multi-timbral synth is great. It's like having a tape recorder for midi and switching a channel on the keystep is done super-easy. I don't have to get into a new interface constantly with different functionalities and oddities of a different synth. It's all physically centered in one device. Last but not least the synthesizer interface itself is also an important factor. The synths that handle it best, like the digitone or the nord lead 3 with encoders and very clear display of what's going on are for the moment not in my price range. Here's a track I made only on the Zynthian using an MMT8 and keystep to record. Great to have one synth do all that. Oh and Pametex' tracks where all made with only a nord lead 1, 808 and an MMT8 :)) @TubularCorporation@Taupe Beats@chim thanks for your recommendations

I want !multi-timbral! though I appreciate the tip and think it's a sweet synth edit: ok realized the ms-2000 is bi-timbral. Would rather have 4 parts tho :))

What I thought Yeah, Nord lead is on the candidate list. Already decided that I'm gonna look at a second hand Virus. Had a nord lead 2 back in the days and hated it. But it was my 2nd synth ever and I think I had very little idea what you could really get out of it.

Thanks for the tip. I understood it's mono-timbral. Might still consider it.

I wanna get a new simple yet multi-timbral polysynth. Something lush & digital sounding. Has to be knobby/slidery. And not be above 500 Eur. Anyone has ideas?

I guess I would have to listen to his other stuff more thoroughly. It's definitely very well produced, just not my coup of tea.

Gave it a brief listen. I have "U'll Be The King Of The Stars" on vinyl and it's one of my fave records. Everything that came after didn't live up to that record including this new album. Still it's already better than "2 the sky". And the rest of his other aliases I think just isn't my ting.

That first one is quality stuff for sure!

Good atmosphere. Somewhat enjoyed that the breaks came in rather late. Might have worked being a minute shorter I feel, there's a sense of having "discovered" everything after 5 minutes. Could be personal though.