mooghead Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Hi guys...what do you think about it? I have the money, I have playing skills...but with sinthesis I'm not that good and I don't really see myself with the programming cap... So, is it too much for me? I want a sinth (RA or VA) that can last: at the moment I think only the Voyager and the Andy can really pass the test of time, or the Q plus. The Q plus cost too much, the Voyager is great but I'd like to play chords as well and is $ 800 more expensive than the Andy...so do you think is it suitable for a fusion/progressive rock environment? Multi operation: a sound on local keyboard and one on a master...is it possible? Marino's comments really welcome...ciao! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 If the Ion's aliasing problem gets fixed, I would definitely consider it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooghead Posted October 28, 2003 Author Share Posted October 28, 2003 That's an idea...also because I would spend € 900,00 instead € 2.700,00...1/3 of the sum. I just don't want to find myself in the situation of out-growing my instrument and selling it in 2/3 years because it gets obsolete. It happened with my romplers and will happen again... An Ion would even be much easier to carry around... Good point though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Originally posted by mooghead: An Ion would even be much easier to carry around......but nowhere near as much fun. In all seriousness, either one would be a fine learning tool. BTW, I'm supposed to get new software in my Ion that fixes the anti-aliasing problem. I'll report back... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 The Ion (or any VA for that matter) will not quickly expire the way a rompler will. There are plenty of VAs out there besides the Ion, it just depends what you're willing to spend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooghead Posted October 28, 2003 Author Share Posted October 28, 2003 I played with the Nord Lead 3 and liked it a lot. I have a Nord Electro 73 and I must say that I'm a Clavia fan...great interfaces, no effects, great basic sound, portability, gorgeous look... The NL3 with its led-knobs would a good sinthesis class. And it shouldn't get obsolete...not until the NL4 comes out :-) Thanks for suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 The NL3 has to be the most user-friendly and easy to understand synth there is. Being able to see the multiple paramaters change and how they affect the sound in real time is amazing. It is definitely a great synth to learn synthesis on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Andrea, what can I say... The Andromeda is not so hard to grasp. Many of the principal functions are on the front panel. On the other hand, if you want to delve really deep, things like the tracking generators and individual response curves for every envelope segment *can* be a bit overwhelming if you don't have much experience. Theoretically speaking, maybe if I were you I would consider a Ion or other decent VA, and I would spend a few months sharpening your teeth on analog programming. A Ion has most of its functions very clearly laid out on the front panel. Plus, it's much less expensive, MUCH lighter, and sounds good. Later, you can always upgrade - the used market for an Ion should hold for a few years I think. *Pratically* speaking, however, the only wise thing to do is to spend as much time as possible with each machine before committing yourself. The sound of the Ion could not appeal to you. Personally, for example, I think the Ion is a good VA, but not so spectacular to convince me to replace my AN1x with one. Sorry if I can be of little help... But as always in synths, the only thing which counts is if you *like* the sound. Speaking of which... What's the lowest price you've seen in Italy for an Andromeda? Carlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Tim- Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 If you don't want to put on the programmer's cap, I wouldn't consider the A6 for a first synth. It's not that it doesn't come with good sounds or that you couldn't dial up some of your own. I find that when I get lost (in a good way) in the A6 it's because I'm getting into some deep programming (well, deep for me at least). The fun I have with the A6 is all of that tweaking to come up with really cool sounds. I also have a Nord Lead 3 and love it because it's just so easy to use. I saw a used one at Guitar Center for $800 last week. I also played with the ION and really liked it. My opinion is that you don't need to spend the big bucks on an A6 to get good sounds, learn a few skills and have some fun. When I say this, remember, I absolutely love my A6 and I'll never sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthetic Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Andromeda would be a great synth to learn how to program. Instant gratification, turn the knob and you understand what "resonance" or "attack" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I would suggest an analog. I think they will hold value better. How do you make an Andromeda or Voyager obsolete? The MiniMoog is still good if you can find one that works. What does a Prophet 5 in good condition sell for now? Hmmm. I take that back. You probably would not want to carry it around. Maybe get a prophet five AND something like an Ion or Nord. The combo may be cheaper than an Andromeda. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dementia13 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Why get a Cadillac to learn how to drive, especially if you're not sure how deeply you want to get into it? If you're serious about wanting to learn, you probably can't do better than the A6, for the reasons Synthetic said. But you're a little unsure, so why not go for one of the excellent available cheaper models like the Ion, Nord, or a used AN1X? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markyboard Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 And now for a totally unbiased opinion. BUY ONE - BUY ONE - BUY ONE - YOU HAVE TO BE A @#$%EN IDIOT NOT TOO!!! THERE IS NOTHING EVEN CLOSE TO IT CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET - USED OR NEW!!! That felt GOOOOOD! Now back to our regularly scheduled forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prague Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Consider if you were buying a synth in 1973. Would you NOT buy a Mini or a 2600 and wait for an "easy" one to be invented? In 1973 the main choices were Moog, Arp, Hammond, Leslie, and Rhodes. What do most people cherish now? Moog, Arp, Hammond, Leslie, and Rhodes. I say get in on the ground floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolipsismX Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I was in a similar situation. I own a k2500xs and mostly learned sampling, but I had never owned or used a VA or analog synth. I basically had to choose between a NL3, or an andromeda. I knew the andromeda sounded better, but the NL3's learning curve seemed dramatically better. I ended up choosing the NL3 and now I'm considering buying an andromeda. Do I regret my decision? Well, yes and no. I often long for that fat analog sound, but at the same time, I know I wouldn't be able to master the andromeda if I bought it first. I mean, honestly, I haven't even mastered the NL3. But as far as VA synths are concerned, the NL3 is one of the best and I think if you bought it, you'd be more inclined to keep and buy an andromeda as well rather than trade it in for an andromeda. Not all synth parts need to be ultra fat, and for now, my temporary fix is to run the synth through a guitar amp or pod pro 6 which actually sounds pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooghead Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 Originally posted by marino: Andrea, Speaking of which... What's the lowest price you've seen in Italy for an Andromeda? Carlo 2.670,00 at luckymusic.com - Milano don't really know if it's the lowest price... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobro Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Go for it, how can you go wrong with a synth that for one thing will certainly hold its value longterm, looks like the Nautilus, sounds killer and always will regardless of trends and without the possibility of degenerating into a kind of "beta" of a newer synth like all VA's certainly will at this point in their developement ( )...look to the future, it has a way of happening in an inevitable kind of way. Well that's my opinion. -Bobro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Originally posted by mooghead: Originally posted by marino: Andrea, Speaking of which... What's the lowest price you've seen in Italy for an Andromeda? Carlo€ 2.670,00 at luckymusic.com - Milano don't really know if it's the lowest price...Lucky Music always has good prices. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooghead Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 Originally posted by marino: Originally posted by mooghead: Originally posted by marino: Andrea, Speaking of which... What's the lowest price you've seen in Italy for an Andromeda? Carlo€ 2.670,00 at luckymusic.com - Milano don't really know if it's the lowest price...Lucky Music always has good prices. Thank you!merula.com normally has even better prices...but their service is really really awful and I could elaborate: just avoid it unless you just need "product-price". Now I'm really thinking to the NL3, but if one of my two bands "die" and the first start again having 2 rehersals a week, I'll set up my full actual rig which is: -SL 880 controlling a CS6R with Piano PLG -Prophecy controlling poli-sinth sounds of the CS6R and its Virtual PLG -Electro 73 -Sl 161 controlling a Triton Rack or, in some cases, lower manual of the Electro. Good rig for an amateur...but hard to program and hard to move... That's where my idea comes from: I have the Electro 73 and the SL161, I could buy a good sinth and a P90...and there is my simpler effective rig! P90 for piano Electro 73 for hammond Sinth for sinth (!) SL161 to control other sinth sounds Much easier to program and transport... Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMeister Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Originally posted by SolipsismX: I own a k2500xs and mostly learned sampling, but I had never owned or used a VA or analog synth. Interesting. Kurzweil K2000 was actually one of the first VA synths. K2500 and K2600 expanded that potential even further. I've done literally thousands of analog style synth patches for K2x00, everything from synth basses to pads, comps, leads, electronic drums and FX. One advantage of analog style sounds on the Kurz is that it is very easy to layer them with other types of sounds (FM style, externally loaded sounds, internal ROM sounds, etc, etc). ~Peter Schouten Pyramid Sound Productions http://www.pyramid-sound.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peake Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 As noted above, the Andromeda UI was designed for a two-level effect (with a path running down the middle... NIH!) The major, instant-gratification parameters were provided knobs, and other funtions are typically no more than two button presses away. Each modulation path has an LED to indicate active status; it's simple to locate and disable them to see on a macro level what effect a mod path has on a sound, and since they are destination-oriented, are easy to locate (hear a filter effect? Check the filter Mods, etc.) The machine is deep, but a good place to learn programming. Find a sound that you like and compare the setup to other sounds, and see where the programmer was coming from, so to speak. If you are an absolute beginner, consider a Roland Juno 106, which has a very simple user interface. It's hard to go wrong from there, unless you really don't like its sound! (I don't remember offhand if it has MIDI though..) Give me the ANALOG and no one gets HURT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Originally posted by Shriek@pacificnet.net: If you are an absolute beginner, consider a Roland Juno 106, which has a very simple user interface. It's hard to go wrong from there, unless you really don't like its sound! (I don't remember offhand if it has MIDI though..)Yep. Juno-6: nothing. Juno-60: DCB. Juno-106: MIDI. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooghead Posted October 31, 2003 Author Share Posted October 31, 2003 Thanks for all the comments...I think I'm going to "settle" for my present set (which is more than enough for an amateur) or try again both the NL3 and the ION. It seems the Andy may be over my comprehension and rest un-used to its full potential in my hands Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan South Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 If you want to learn to program, AND if you have a computer, I would suggest a virtual instrument. For example, if you run Logic, you could use Emagic's ES2 synth program. It has a LOT of cool features. A Pro-53 from Native Instruments or a CS-80V from Arturia would be nice, also. And if you really want to dig deep, try Arturia's Moog Modular V or NI's FM7. Soft synths have some advantages. First, they only cost a couple hundred dollars/euros. Second, the graphical interface makes it easy to follow what's going on. Third, it's really easy to save LOTS of programs, so you can save many different versions for review in the future. Fourth, if you have a laptop, you can take them anywhere. Once you get comfortable with programming on a virtual instrument, you'll enjoy working with a sophisticated hardware instrument that much more. If, after using some soft synths, you find that you don't like programming after all, you will not have wasted a lot of money. The Black Knight always triumphs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 In fact, you don't need to spend any money to learn to program this way. Most virtual instruments can be had in demo or ripped form for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Originally posted by Sonic Jeebus: Most virtual instruments can be had in demo or ripped form for free.Ripped form sucks. I think using cracked software is stealing, period. I believe that you shouldn't steal other people's work unless you're okay with other people stealing yours. Honestly, soft synths cost so little (relative to hardware). If you can't afford to buy one, consider getting another hobby. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Originally posted by Dave Bryce: Honestly, soft synths cost so little (relative to hardware). If you can't afford to buy one, consider getting another hobby. dBI agree. But if he's not sure what he wants, and doesn't have any experience with virtual instruments, he still might find it hard to plunk down the cash without knowing what he's getting into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Originally posted by Sonic Jeebus: Originally posted by Dave Bryce: Honestly, soft synths cost so little (relative to hardware). If you can't afford to buy one, consider getting another hobby. dBI agree. But if he's not sure what he wants, and doesn't have any experience with virtual instruments, he still might find it hard to plunk down the cash without knowing what he's getting into.I'm afraid I disgree with you, Jeebus. That's still no justification to steal, IMO. Plenty of people manage to find a way to shop without ripping stuff off. Go to a music store. Download demo versions. Talk to other people. There are plenty of legal ways to shop. dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlingame2 Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Unfortunealtely marketing and manufacturing still haven`t kept in mind the esrtwhile playerwho does not want tons of extras that are not used often. At the other side of the synth there is not an answer, which is something the customer wants. Not to overstate the obvious and bludgeoned, but it took a really long time for companies to pay attention to incremental approaches that result in an instrument that may just motivate someone to buy these machines at stores without having to talk themselves in to why it was a good idea. Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markyboard Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I recommend if you're going to steal steal an Andromeda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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