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Your choice for 4-octave polysynth and why?


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Which 4-Octave Polysynth Would You Choose?  

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  1. 1. Which 4-Octave Polysynth Would You Choose?

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If you were in the market for a 4-octave polyphonic synth, which of these three recent entries would you choose: Roland JD-XA, Roland System-8, or Behringer Deepmind 12. Or would you choose something else (none of the above)? Why?

 

(If you won't consider any of them because they don't have 5-octave keyboards then please don't vote in the poll.)

 

 

 

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None of the above. Off the top of my head there are several synths I would lean towards over any in the poll.

 

Lead A1, Lead 4, OB6, Prophet 6, Prophet 08 (yes it is a 61 but a very compact 61.).

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I chose the fascinating Behringer from the menu, but in retrospect I would just as likely buy the Roland AX-synth again. It works fine as a stand-mounted board, runs on batteries if I want, and of course is wearable.

 

The other contender, disqualified due to keyboard length, is a Sledge, which is as interesting as the Behringer, in a different way.

-Tom Williams

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

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

 

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Just happened to stumble upon and play one of these bad boys they had at the Air B&B we stayed at Saturday night. Only it had no markings and I had no idea what it was until now. No matter, beautiful tones, a killer keybed. Blows away any other 4 octave keyboard on your list.

 

[video:youtube]

 

Well worth the 25 dol....oh, wait... sorry. I thought that was cents.

:keynana:

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I voted for the only one on the list that is available. What I find interesting is how many people voted for the one from a company known for substandard products. A good example that the power of pre-release hype can overcome years of negative experiences.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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While both the Prophet 6 and OB-6 would be great if I had the budget, I voted DM12 due to the combination of true analog, 12-voice, extensive modulation capabilities including effects, along with price.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I voted DM12 because I'll probably pick one up at some point. But honestly I'm more excited about the upcoming Sledge 2 Black, and will more likely treat myself to one as a Christmas present - assuming they are widely available by then. I live and breathe layers (and need enough polyphony to actually play layers), prefer five octaves, and am intrigued by it's visual statement for those few times when I play out.
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I hovered over the DM12 button, and the System-8 one a little longer, but I'd probably shell out the extra to get an OB6 or Prophet 12. It's going to be something I sit next to every day so it has to be something that wants to be played. As I think I said on the System-8 thread I don't get that vibe from the DM12 but the DSI gear has it in spades.

Cephid - Progressive Electro Rock

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While both the Prophet 6 and OB-6 would be great if I had the budget, I voted DM12 due to the combination of true analog, 12-voice, extensive modulation capabilities including effects, along with price.

 

Me too. To be honest though, I'm not going to buy anything for awhile, but the DM12 would be first on the list.

 

Then the OB6, Kronos, etc... :D

When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
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The best synth I've played for any length of time was a Virus (B). I know it's not "true analog", and it's 61 keys...but that thing was great. I could get any analog-y sound I liked from it very easily with all the knobs, and the key action was very nice (fatar tp-9 I think). $600 from ebay in very good condition...
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I picked the DM12, as it was on the list. Also really interested in the OB-6 and Prophet 6 like other folks, but the price differential is substantial.

 

Also, as previously mentioned, the Sledge seems like quite the bargain, and the 5-octave keybed makes it even better, IMHO.

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Strange that the 4 octave Nord and DSI instruments are not on the list. To be honest, if choosing only 1 synth below 5 octaves, I would go with the 3 octave Access Virus Dark Star.

I should explain why I didn't put others on the list. I'm interested, and I thought others might be too, whether or not these specific fairly recent entries to the market are having any impact on buying decisions. (Two aren't even available yet of course but people who know they are coming may choose to wait for them.) It's becoming a crowded field, evidently, as manufacturer after manufacturer put out products of this sort. The three I listed have generated a lot of buzz recently, not all of it positive, and there is some overlap in capabilities.

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Regarding the "crowded field", I would not consider real analog and VA to be the same field.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I voted DM12 because I'll probably pick one up at some point. But honestly I'm more excited about the upcoming Sledge 2 Black, and will more likely treat myself to one as a Christmas present - assuming they are widely available by then. I live and breathe layers (and need enough polyphony to actually play layers), prefer five octaves, and am intrigued by it's visual statement for those few times when I play out.

 

It's a beauty. Much better than Canary Yellow.

 

http://www.studiologic-music.com/products/sledge-black-edition/

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

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Regarding the "crowded field", I would not consider real analog and VA to be the same field.

 

Why not? And where do you draw the line? JD-XA has both analog and VA engines. Prophet 6 and OB-6 have analog synths paired with digital effects. My Virus does analog sounds better than my Prophet 08 which uses DCO's.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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If I had to pick 1 from that list that intrigues me, it's the System 8, so I voted for that one. The Behringer is also intriguing. I'm really not in the market since I have a Nord A1 and it ticks all the boxes for my VA needs.

Live: Nord Stage 3 Compact, Nord Wave 2, Viscount Legend

Toys: Korg Kronos 2 88, Roland Fantom 08, Nord Lead A1,Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP

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Regarding the "crowded field", I would not consider real analog and VA to be the same field.

 

Why not? And where do you draw the line? JD-XA has both analog and VA engines. Prophet 6 and OB-6 have analog synths paired with digital effects. My Virus does analog sounds better than my Prophet 08 which uses DCO's.

 

Maybe I'm a purist. Digital effects are different than digital synthesis, especially since they can be bypassed. Your opinion that the virus "does analog better" is just that....an opinion. I still separate analog from VA. They're different. Where do I draw the line? Are the waveforms generated by semiconductors or by software? Do the filters use semiconductors and capacitors, or software? Pretty straight forward line there. JDXa crosses over, so I would consider it in both categories.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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If I get another job I'm going to celebrate by picking up a poly. I have an empty 3rd tier. An option I was leaning toward was a Jupter 80 and a SP404SX to replace the FA-06 and it's sub par action. But I could keep the FA-06 for the sampler.

 

I really like a lot of the Nord Lead A1 sounds. It would quickly and easily add new colors to the palette.

 

If I wanted an advance modulation matrix I would get the mod matrix on the analog P08 driven by its 4 LFOs per voice. But I would need to add effects to the rig and I don't want to drag out my big rack.

 

Take the effects away from the Behringer I just don't think there is that much there. It is a really cool sound if you want that sound .... sort of like a super charged modern 106. Take away the old chorus from the 106 there wasn't much there either. Those synths seemed built on their effects sections to me.

 

The Sledge looks really cool but I have not heard a really good demo yet .... and I am easily impressed by YouTube stuff.

 

The Rolands well .... I have one of those in my rig now and I hate the action. Yeah I can play it. I solo on the darn thing .... a lot. But that still don't make it good.

 

The Lead A1 does sound nice.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Regarding the "crowded field", I would not consider real analog and VA to be the same field.

 

Why not? And where do you draw the line? JD-XA has both analog and VA engines. Prophet 6 and OB-6 have analog synths paired with digital effects. My Virus does analog sounds better than my Prophet 08 which uses DCO's.

 

Maybe I'm a purist. Digital effects are different than digital synthesis, especially since they can be bypassed. Your opinion that the virus "does analog better" is just that....an opinion. I still separate analog from VA. They're different. Where do I draw the line? Are the waveforms generated by semiconductors or by software? Do the filters use semiconductors and capacitors, or software? Pretty straight forward line there. JDXa crosses over, so I would consider it in both categories.

 

Gotcha. I guess that is where we differ. For most pads, leads, etc... I don't care if it starts with a circuit or a program, as long as it sounds good. It is all digital in the end. The exception for me is when I apply audio rate modulation. That tends to fall apart in digital processing which is why my modular only has analog oscillators, filters and amps. Other than that, my Virus TI sounds as good (IMHO) as my Prophet 6.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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It's not digital if it goes from the keyboard, through an amp, and out your speakers :)

 

I'm not recording.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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