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Just got the Xerxes synth, from Black Corporation. Lovely multimode filter & chorus. I can't say whether it sounds precisely like a Synthex, having not experienced one of those - but it certainly can get very close to the classic JMJ-style sounds.

Did anyone see them at NAMM?

Tom F.

"It is what it is."

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Being old and screwed up my back yet again decided to get a small MIDI controller so I can play in at my desk in a office chair that reclines or in my adjustable bed in my lap so I can play (with computer or tablet) in any position. Wanting light weight and not to deep so fit on my desk with computer I was checking out the M-Audio Keystation 49 and the Roland A49BK Controller. Talking to my SW sales guy I decided to get the Roland A49 suppose to have better keyboard and I like it has a octave switch. So now can play piano or when under the weather use my tablet and MIDI keyboard.

 

Now to find some piano sound app for my iPad.

 

 

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Just got the Xerxes synth, from Black Corporation. Lovely multimode filter & chorus. I can't say whether it sounds precisely like a Synthex, having not experienced one of those - but it certainly can get very close to the classic JMJ-style sounds.

Did anyone see them at NAMM?

 

Don"t believe they were there this year (or last). Would love to hear some sound clips when you get a chance. Congrats!

 

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ARP Avatar fixer-upper, about to go through a restoration and a radical transformation

 

  • remove the useless guitar interface circuit boards, convert to a proper "Odyssey module" (including re-routing the S&H Mixer to modulations)
  • new caps, trimpots
  • correct design error in 4075 VCF
  • replace bad slidepots with CMS Mega Lumina slidepot upgrade
  • add bypass for HPF
  • add Kenton MIDI retrofit
  • add vibrato LFO (frees stock LFO for other duties)
  • add Ian Fritz"s AD/AR circuit (stock Avatar AR is AR only)
  • add octave buttons for VCOs
  • add several well known Odyssey modifications (LFO free run, single/multiple trigger, range selection for ADSR/AR (normal, slow, turbo speeds), etc)
  • add voltage & lag processors from the 2600
  • re-purpose the orphaned guitar controls for other functions
  • add clone of 4023 VCF & switch to change filter modes
  • add I/O patchpoints
  • add clone ARP sequencer, expand to 16/2 or 32/1 (!!!)

 

It will take a while but this thing will be a beast. I always wanted a fully patchable ARP and this was a good candidate. The power supply is heftier than that in the Odyssey and with the removal of the guitar interface circuit boards there will be plenty of reserve current for new additions. There's a lot of empty space inside for adding controls jacks and circuit boards.

 

http://www.analoguediehard.com/studio/keyboards/arp_avatar/avatar-2223xxxx-arrived-2.jpg

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Man, I miss my MIDIBoard! Ended up trading it for a Keystation 88es 10 years ago because I was gigging with it, and it was just too heavy. It also had a major buffering issue where if I played too many thick chords or arpeggios, it would freeze up. I miss that keybed, though.

 

Hardware

Yamaha MODX7, DX7, PSR-530, SY77/Korg TR-Rack, 01/W Pro X, Trinity Pro X, Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1, VFX-SD

Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Roland RD-1000/Arturia Keylab MKII 61

 

Software

Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 4/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX/Roland Cloud

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Some time ago an aunt of my wife offered me her old Pizzini accordion that was send for repair. It was in a box for years and it needed some care. I payed 300 euros for the repair. The technician told me that these older models are rare to find and very expensive so i guess 300 is not a big deal... And it's true that Its a very sweet sounding instrument with 5 registers and 90 basses. Plus, the black keys are... red! Very funky sparkling red (as the colour of the accordion itself).

 

These days I have more and more l8ve for accordions, piano, organ, melodica and everything acoustic

Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands
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Markyboard, I"m looking fwd to your review and comparison with your Mini. I have a '74 Mini that won"t ever be sold, have owned a The Source and Voyager - the '74 stayed. What are you running through the Speakeasy? I have the stereo vers but is seeing little use lately.
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Markyboard, I"m looking fwd to your review and comparison with your Mini. I have a '74 Mini that won"t ever be sold, have owned a The Source and Voyager - the '74 stayed. What are you running through the Speakeasy? I have the stereo vers but is seeing little use lately.

 

If I had to describe the difference I'd say the Matriarch has a bit more focused sound where the mini is a little broader. Also the mini is fuzzier and fluffier in the top end compared to the Matriarch using the LP filters. Haven't gotten to the hi pass or different filter configs yet. I'm keeping the mixer levels low for this comparison as once you start to overdrive them the differences become much more apparent and the Matriarch takes on an unmistakable motherly quality :hand: .

 

This is just a very quick impression in response to your question. I did a quick attempt at matching up both synths; first with a single osc pulse wave on each synth and then 2 osc set to pulse waves. I used a dc offset from my modular mixer to adjust the pw on the Matriarch. There is no on-board pw control knob but I just realized while writing this I could have used the on-board attenuator. The 2 synths are nearly indistinguishable in the mid-key range. The envelopes are different but otherwise they sound identical. The mini does spread out more as you go toward the lower notes.

 

I'll put together a quick demo next week. Promise minimum talking and you won't have to look at my muug.

 

The speakeasy is connected to 2 effect sends off my my Speck mixer so I can route anything to the 147s. Usually its Acoustic Samples B5 but I like running synths through them as well.

 

 

 

 

 

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Despite some really cool stuff at NAMM this year nothing changed my mind about this puppy which followed me home yesterday

 

:keynana:

 

I need to schedule a visit to Springfield. :cheers:

 

 

If there is room for one more person, let me know. :D:cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Despite some really cool stuff at NAMM this year nothing changed my mind about this puppy which followed me home yesterday

 

:keynana:

 

I need to schedule a visit to Springfield. :cheers:

 

 

If there is room for one more person, let me know. :D:cool:

 

Of course. What her name?

:cheers:

 

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Despite some really cool stuff at NAMM this year nothing changed my mind about this puppy which followed me home yesterday

 

:keynana:

 

I need to schedule a visit to Springfield. :cheers:

 

 

 

What this man said - great pickup markyboard :)

 

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Gizmotron 2.0. Still have to install it on Betty.

Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) :D

Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant

Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1

 

clicky!:  more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my bookmy music

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Alesis Vortex 2 and Alesis Control Hub (thx Another Scott - never heard of it til you mentioned it!)

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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I really wanted to like a couple of the new stage pianos... but I"ll just say that after a ton of research and hands-on demos, clearly the one that ticks ALL boxes is a Korg GrandStage 73. I"ll have it next week!

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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My well-worn PC3, just back from the shop, was pouring out a high noise floor (especially with unbalanced audio patch cords). So I gambled $15 US on this little gem, intended to help new televisions work with old stereo receivers:

http://www.airnetworking.com/Pictures/DtoA2.jpg

It works! Audio is clean as a whistle.

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

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Got an MS-20 Mini coming tomorrow. Can't wait till it gets here!

Hardware

Yamaha MODX7, DX7, PSR-530, SY77/Korg TR-Rack, 01/W Pro X, Trinity Pro X, Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1, VFX-SD

Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Roland RD-1000/Arturia Keylab MKII 61

 

Software

Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 4/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX/Roland Cloud

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  • 3 weeks later...
Used Kurzweil PC3 (76). Should be here by the end of the week, but I won"t be in the area to play it myself for two weeks.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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I just got a shipping confirmation, so I know it's real, but I bought another bass guitar. A Chinese knock off of a Fender Precision. I didn't need it, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

 

Exquisite Burning Fire 4 string

 

This will be a case of the strings will cost more than the instrument.

 

Jake

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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I didn't need it, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

 

Had to join you on this, Jake. Still can't understand this deal. Wondering if it's too good to be true. Even so...

Anyway, I'm just going to hang it on the wall. It should do that just fine.

 

:nopity:
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I didn't need it, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

 

Had to join you on this, Jake. Still can't understand this deal. Wondering if it's too good to be true. Even so...

Anyway, I'm just going to hang it on the wall. It should do that just fine.

 

Dave,

 

I found out about this over at Talk Bass...... at first I hesitated, but Ebay and my CC company will provide relief if it falls through. Even if it craps out I blew less on this than lunch at DD for the wife and me. I actually plan on de-fretting it to go with the Jazz I bought a few months ago. If it comes out nice I'll probably give it to that student I bought the Mustang for 2 years ago - she should be graduating next year and I know that she still plays.

 

Maybe wire it up as a lamp?

 

 

Jake

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

New K&M 18950 with assorted adapters and accessories, from Thomann. Would usually have ordered from the USA, but I didn"t want to pay another $150! Of course we will see whether I need to pay any additional fees for customs but it looks like people have had good luck previously.

 

K-M-18950.jpg

K-M-Bag.jpg

K-M-adapter.jpg

 

Two of these guys:

K-M-Universal-Attachment.jpg

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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