TRiP Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Greetings all,Looking to potentially replace a Moog Slim Phatty... has been causing many heart-aches as of late - MIDI trips, tuning issues...basically a tad' unreliable Haven't been keeping up to date with new desktop synths ... any sweeties out there in around the same price point or cheaper than said Phatty? Would be using it for lead lines...preferably would be analog, small in size (no bigger than the Slim) and have saveable presets any suggestions would be mighty fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Member Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I was just going to recommend the Moog Mother 32, but it's not what you're asking for. Knobby synth no bigger than the slim phatty is pretty hard to find. I'd probably go for the new Korg/arp oddysey desktop module if I was going to buy myself something neat, but it's much bigger and I don't think it has presets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRiP Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 I was just going to recommend the Moog Mother 32, but it's not what you're asking for. Knobby synth no bigger than the slim phatty is pretty hard to find. I'd probably go for the new Korg/arp oddysey desktop module if I was going to buy myself something neat, but it's much bigger and I don't think it has presets. Presets aren't the end of the world...just got spoiled with the Slim Phatty - used to get along fine with just a monotribe Arp isn't a bad shout! May investigate that bad boy was actually considering the Mother 32...but might not be much of a change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubularCorporation Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I was just going to recommend the Moog Mother 32, but it's not what you're asking for. Knobby synth no bigger than the slim phatty is pretty hard to find. I'd probably go for the new Korg/arp oddysey desktop module if I was going to buy myself something neat, but it's much bigger and I don't think it has presets. Yeah, no presets at all, it's basically an Odyssey clone with a Midi to CV converter built in, supposedly the only changes to the actual synth circuit were those necessary to replace some out of production ICs with modern equivalents). There's MIDI note in, MIDI note out and MIDI pitch bend in on the module version and other than that it's a pre-midi, 70s analog synth for all intents and purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubularCorporation Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 If you can find a well built one used I'm a big fan of the old Mutable Instruments Anushri. Made one 4 years ago and use it constantly. It's not an SH101 clone but it fills a similar niche. The built in drum machine seems gimmicky at first but it's actually really fun. I tend to use it as a MIDI drum module to blend in with other drum sounds. Open hardware and firmware, too, so there's still plenty of online support. No presets though. The digital controls save the last state when you power it down and support sysex dumps, but the actual synth itself is fully analog - apart from the secondary digital oscillator that you can use for things like simple 2-op FM or blend in with the analog signal path, which I actually really like doing - with fully analog controls. Only things you can save are the envelope, LFO, arpeggiator, sequencer and drum machine parameters, and again it's only the state when you turn it off that gets saved, unless you use sysex dumps. The acrylic cases were pretty terrible, though. Nice looking but there were some bad design choices that make them pretty flimsy (for example, on mine, the screws that hold the end pieces in place are actually a little too long for the notches in the panels, which I found out the hard way when I was assembling it - the case breaks before the screw is fully tightened. Even when you file them down to fit, the vents in the end panels take up so much surface area that you've got maybe 3mm of acrylic supporting all of the tension. Just leaving it on a desk is enough for it to end up cracking around the corners eventually, and good luck if you have to open it up very often. I've been in mine 3 times and was very careful about it but it's already nearly impossible to get it back together solidly. The synth itself is great though, sounds good, well laid out, compact, stable firmware for the digital parts, quality PCBs. As long as the builder was competent it should last a long time. Eventually I'll put mine in something more like this, but I want to look in to the modding/expansion options first. Anyway, very big fan with the caveats that the enclosure sucks and it was a kit so if the builder didn't know what they were doing it's probably not going to be as reliable as it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 anybody got the ns1nanosynth while we're talking about tiny synths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I just came in to mention the Odyssey desktop module as that's what I'm getting, but I see that's already covered. Interested to see what others come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRiP Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 The Anushri looks interesting, but might just have too much of a distinct sound... If that makes any sense, shall look into it further tho Was looking at the MS-20m desktop module earlier, didn't realise it was so expensive! Would have been perfect, but out of my price range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 i haven't used it but: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squee Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 How about the Roland System-1m? It's also semi modular Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Member Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 You can buy my Waldorf pulse 2, but it's not very knobby. I don't really like how it sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodorsbn Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 A good friend has owned both the Waldorf Blofeld and Pulse desktop units, and sold both of them after a while. I got to use them a bit, and they're pretty menu-divey, not as accessible for fun knobby tweaky time. Would not recommend for your case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
user Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Doepfer dark energy? Maybe too nichey though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Doepfer dark energy? Maybe too nichey though.It is quite knobby. Kind of limited, but it's really fun if you have other synths you can patch into it & vice versa. Trying to sell mine atm, so if anyone is interested, pm me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxien Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I've got an Evolver that sort of follows some of your requests, but they're a bit twitchy and not the most reliable. Also very heavy learning curve as in it's a matrix grid for programming. Great sounds are possible with it, though. Honestly I'd probably suggest Gocab's Pulse 2, been lusting after these for a while, I've just never but the bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubularCorporation Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 The Anushri looks interesting, but might just have too much of a distinct sound... If that makes any sense, shall look into it further tho Yeah, it's definitely got its own thing, almost like a combination between an SH101, an MS10 and a Wasp if that makes sense. The sound in the video I linked isn't the only thing it does, though, it can get quite smooth at low resonance. Anyway, I'm almost definitely getting an Odyssey module like so many other people, unless the price on an old poly I'm looking at stays in my budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRiP Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Thanks for the suggestions Out of aesthetic principal alone I almost want to ignore the Roland system 1-m but shall give it a proper investigation Not pushed on the Blofeld - would prefer a more powerful, knobby, monosynth Was never crazy about the Dark Energy's filter but will give it another look Was looking into this Lad here, seems pretty nice but shall keep looking http://www.dreadbox-fx.com/erebus/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubularCorporation Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Not to harp on it but just because the demos on youtube aren't very varied and mostly focus on its harsher side, here are some passable examples of what it sounds like with the resonance rolled back: Definitely has it's own identity though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCM Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I have owned a Blofeld, Dark Energy and Evolver...sold all of them. Blofeld was the most usable and has the best sound to my ears. Never really liked the Evolver's sound and hardly used it and the Dark Energy never sat in a mix well with other synths, also ended up never using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRiP Posted September 15, 2016 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 Not to harp on it but just because the demos on youtube aren't very varied and mostly focus on its harsher side, here are some passable examples of what it sounds like with the resonance rolled back: Definitely has it's own identity though. mmm does sound tasty indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Member Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I was thinking about getting an erebus as well a while back, but I never got round to do it. Looks really nice. Support the little guy innit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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