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sunspot

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Posts posted by sunspot

    Behringer Pro 800

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    4 Benj for an 8 voice analog poly has never been offered before in the post-Covid 2020's, to my knowledge.  I hope the reviews are good.

     

    @ChazKeys:  Thanks for sharing your takes - I didn't hear your issue with Pro 1 but agree that Model D and Neutron are keepers.  I never owned an original Pro 1 so I have to defer to folks like Starsky Carr for A/B comparisons.

    RIP Gene Stopp

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    What is crazy is that I never knew about this part of his life.  To me he was the guy on the synth-DIY mailing list of the late 90's that created the ASM-1 analog synth PCB that you bought from him and then built yourself.  He was always helpful to me with my questions.

     

    God bless you Gene and rest in peace.  Thank you for what you did for fellow musicians and synth nerds like myself.

     

    • Like 1

    Solo gigs with just an iPad and a keyboard/MIDI controller? Is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 2/23/2023 at 10:06 PM, Reezekeys said:

     

    I'm really sorry, I was going by this post on Ben's Bargains - I just noticed it's a week old!

     

    https://bensbargains.com/bargain/apple-ipad-10-2-64gb-wi-fi-tablet-9th-gen-2021-847386/?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=dealpage&utm_campaign=deal

     

    When I went to the stores'web sites I saw the price had gone back up, as you noticed. I just marked it dead on Ben's.

     

    Well reeze I checked again today and Best Buy has the base model 9G back on sale for $250, just ordered one.  Amazon had them on sale as well but sold out of them already.  For those who value the onboard headphone jack, this is likely going to be the last Apple phone/tablet to ever have one folks.  Apple isn't in the business of adding back what they consider old, inferior technology.

    • Like 2

    Solo gigs with just an iPad and a keyboard/MIDI controller? Is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

    For USA folks, Best Buy and Target have the 9G at the lowest price I've seen yet, $250. That beats the deal I got this past December by $10. I like mine a lot, despite it being the lowest-spec'd iPad currently sold. It runs AUM holding multiple AUv3s and backing tracks, along with ForScore, at a low buffer with CPU to spare.

     

    I'm glad I have that headphone out, but summerinstereo already has a nice iPad that works great for music so I would just get a good dongle/adapter that passes power, USB and has an audio output -  done. As far as whether to get a keyboard with sounds or only a controller, that's just personal preference. I'm a controller person but I've been doing it this way, starting with a laptop, for over 15 years. My A800 is a fraction of the price of a hardware board, super light and portable, and gives me all the buttons, faders, knobs & pads to configure my rig exactly how I want it. The thing is, I enjoy getting under the hood to make a customized setup that does exactly what I need – but not everyone wants to get that deep into the minutiae of midi programming, and I can see folks wanting the fallback option of sounds in a keyboard.

    Reezekeys, thank you for the heads up on the 9G.  It really is depressing that the headphone jack is gone on iPad mini (I snagged a mini 5, the last that had one), iPad 10G, iPad Air, iPad Pro ("Pro" with no audio out, really??)

     

    However, I showed Best Buy and Target this morning both having the 64GB 9G at $320, not $250.  I'll keep my eyes peeled though, sounds like the 9G will be the last headphone jack-equipped one of them all.  SHAME.  SHAME.

    Studiologic Numa Compact 2x

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    21 hours ago, nadroj said:

    Update 2.0 for the Numa Compact 2/2x is now out, including much requested rotary updates! Will be interested to hear owner’s thoughts after the update.

     

    Wow sweet update!  So refreshing to see that StudioLogic hasn't cut bait yet on support and moved on to the next product.  For the $$$, I think it's a pretty nice lightweight 88 key noisemaker.  I like mine anyway.  Hope SL keeps up the good work.

    Let's talk modular synths

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    The modular rabbit hole.  A quest that can drive a soul to penniless madness.

     

    Eurorack/3.5 format is going to be your best bet to keep the cost down.  Here are my bang-for-buck suggestions for it, and the best part is that you don't have to buy a case for either of them:

     

    1.  Behringer Neutron - There is a wonderful assortment of patchability and functionality in this traditional East Coast-style analog synth.  Looks like it costs $350 new these days but I paid way less than that a few years ago after it was released.

    2.  Cre8audio West Pest - I don't have one of these or heard in person but if you want the West Coast oscillator/wavefolder sound this is only $250 new AND has a built-in sequencer with saveable presets.  I've been tempted to get one but I already have the Make Noise 0-coast that costs twice as much.

     

    If you are interested in banana jack format instead of Eurorack, I like the Kilpatrick Phenol but it comes in at $800 new.  Unfortunately the banana jack stuff is typically more expensive than Eurorack, but this little guy has a wonderful array of flexibility and the banana format is a joy to use.

     

    I recommend checking out some youtube videos to hear sound samples.

     

    Hydra Synth Explorer

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Thanks brenner, this thread got hijacked about the versions other than the mini-key Explorer so I appreciate your thoughts on the keybed feel.  I wonder if it would pair well with an Arturia Keystep for a small backpackable two-tier setup?  I'm not a big minikey fan but I've owned a Keystep for a few years and it is servicable.  Preferable to me over the grid pad-based instruments like the Ableton Push.  Besides, Keith Emerson didn't seem to have any trouble playing the one on his GX-1.  😊

     

    The Explorer is on sale for $499 for Black Friday, so I'm tempted.  Did you decide to hang onto it, or move on?

    New OBERHEIM OB-X8 Announced!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    This may be of interest to any fellow OB-X8 users:

     

    I have no connection to this guy, never even chatted with him.  But I do follow his posts on another forum, and he has created a soundset of famous patches for it.  Between a Black Friday sale and a strong dollar-to-pound situation, I just bought it for $27.  It was a no-brainer for someone like me who is lazy/not-as-talented at replicating sounds from a synth-design standpoint.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to load it up tonight or sometime this weekend.

     

    http://www.lukeneptune.com/downloads/vintage-classic-for-the-ob-x8/

     

     

     

    • Like 1

    New OBERHEIM OB-X8 Announced!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    My initial observations:

     

    This thing is physically HUGE for a 5 octave, at least to me.  About 16.5" deep by 5" tall on the back edge.  Having to modify my 3 tier Quiklok Z Frankenstand to accommodate it as an upper tier keyboard.  (Middle tier really..my top tier is for mixer/laptop/etc)

     

    No famous hit song presets built-in, just the original synth presets...which for me was a bummer.  First thing I wanted to do after power up was play all the Prince and Van Halen Obie riffs I already knew.  Now I have to wait for an individual to create a soundset and buy it after it becomes available, and that sucks.  I managed to make a usable Split patch for 1984 (the VH album intro song).

     

    The good news...the keys/keybed feel great and the tone is heavenly...I'm in love.  ❤️.  25 years or so of poly analog gear lust finally fulfilled ☺️

    M2, M2 MacBook Air, M2 MacBook Pro, macOS Ventura

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Man Apple really dropped the ball on the 13" Pro refresh.  No MagSafe (which has saved my a$$ on numerous occasions), and no more onboard ports other than the 2 Thunderbolt and 3.5 jack.

     

    New Air - MagSafe, no fan, no Touchbar, 2 Thunderbolt ports/3.5 jack

     

    New 13" Pro - No MagSafe, fan, Touchbar, 2 Thunderbolt ports/3.5 jack

     

    I've never used a Mac equipped with a Touchbar so I have no attachment to it like some do.  MagSafe, I am definitely attached to (unless I tug on it too much ☺️).

     

    I'll take one M2 Air please, in that sweet looking Midnight finish...

    • Like 1

    The most useless, disappointing keyboard you ever bought?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 3/16/2022 at 1:09 AM, Synthaholic said:

    Useless: Sequential Six-Trak

     

    The Six-Trak did some things very well, like synth bass and MIDI implementation, but it was a one-trick (trik?) pony. Not a single lush sound to be found.

     

    It's amusing for me to hear you say that, because I bought a Six Trak for like $230 about 25 years ago, and man these days that thing has got some MO. JO.  Probably because all the capacitors are toast and need to be replaced, so the oscillators drift around, but in a good musical way.  After power up, I always have to run the manual tune procedure before playing it.  I'll be sad the day those caps finally give out and have to be replaced, then it will probably sound like your version was.  Long live analog!!!

    Behringer Skittles Synths?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Depends on what you find useful, or not.  We played Summer Madness at my wedding reception and I used a little Modal Electronics CraftSynth 2.0 for the signature synth riff.  Did I use my 88-key lower tier KB or my 61-key upper tier to play the riff?  Nope.  Used the little built-in touch keyboard, worked out great.

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