synthetic Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 What are all of these software bugs and unfinished features? I've never run across any of them. I've programmed a lot of sounds and made a lot of music with mine, no complaints here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Array Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Originally posted by Dave Bryce: Originally posted by synthetic: Rumor has it that Andy has been discontinued,Not surprising. It only marginally fit into the Grand Plan of the pre-Numark Alesis - I can't see it fitting at all into the Grand Plan of the post-Numark Alesis. I'm actually surprised she lasted as long as she did. When I think of all the spin-off products we had designed for those chips, I get seriously depressed. I really wanted that five space rack version...the smaller eight voice keyboard version was pretty cool, too. dBGah! That IS depressing. At least the Andromeda made it to the market though. Is there really no chance that the current Alesis will do anything new with the Andromeda technology? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthguy Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 If the Andromeda really is being herded off to synth pasture, I'd hope that someone besides Bob Moog and Dave Smith would pick up the banner and keep an Andromeda-like instrument going. In fact, I'd pray that the people who started Ensoniq and some of the cast-offs of Kurzweil would re-form with synth renegades to start up another keyboard company. It's not necessarily a bad thing that the big synth companies are Korg, Roland and Yamaha with Kurzweil taking up the slack, but I still use my Ensoniq SD1, TS10 and Fizmo for their unique gutsy sound and delicious effects. This keyboard solo has obviously been tampered with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Sir Basil, please read my post above about the "rumor". There is no such rumor about the Andy being discontinued. However, we're doing a good job of starting one now! I don't know if Alesis is planning on dumping it, don't know how its been selling, but this whole thing started because GC had their floor models on clearance, that's all. It was a shame about Ensoniq going out of business back when. I've been sniffing around for a "spare" TS10, just in case. Finding one in good condition at a fair price can be a problem. There was one on Ebay a few months ago that was in mint shape and went for $375.00! I have to wait until I get $$$ before I can do anything other than sniff. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthetic Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Ensoniq hasn't done anything for the synth community except keep us from having polyphonic aftertouch on our synths with their patent. Shouldn't your patents be void if you go bankrupt? Whatever the story, I really doubt that Alesis has an active manufacturing line with Andromedas rolling out the door. I maintain that they have X number in the warehouse, they sell Y number a month, and they'll be gone soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analogaddict Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Originally posted by synthetic: What are all of these software bugs and unfinished features? I've never run across any of them. I've programmed a lot of sounds and made a lot of music with mine, no complaints here.No complaints here either, just a couple of strangely implemented features. Two short examples; transpose button only activates transpose, it does not shut it off - that has to be adjusted with a soft controller. The envelope attack delay stages aren´t completely functional, sometimes you can hear sound although there´s supposed to be none. You can´t select note priority in the fashion upper-lower-latest, which you might want to do if you, say, want to play a bass drone and a pad without splitting the keyboard. None of this is really all that important, and like you say it does not really matter in actual use. Still, it does work like this, and I figured I´d mention the good AND the "bad" things. If this were about a MiniMoog, I´d complain about the lack of LFOs and the three-stage envelopes! I´m deeply in love with the Andy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Synthetic: E-mu bought out Ensoniq, so I believe they got their patents in the sale, unless the former owners stipulated the patents didn't go along with the deal. Whatever the reason, too bad that there's not more poly aftertouch boards on the market. Interesting insight with Alesis and the Andromeda. Do you have any first hand info or are you just speculating based on your knowledge of trends in the industry? I'm curious how much long the Andy is going to be around. They could sell more of them if they lowered the price, but analog gear is expensive to produce, so no one in their right mind is going to sell something at a loss. Too bad, the Andy is a nice board. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Originally posted by Array: Is there really no chance that the current Alesis will do anything new with the Andromeda technology?Well, one should never say never... However... Most of the folks who made Andromeda tick have nothing to do with Alesis anymore. The main guy who wrote her code was actually contracted - he wasn't even an employee of the company. The majority of the folks who did the hardware are gone, too...have been for years. Same with the people who pushed to have her built and brought to market (myself included) and the folks who fought to make sure that she was done right (prominently incuding forum member Mike Peake) and had killer programs (including brother Pim and many other outstanding programmers). That's probably why nothing has happened with Andy since the turn of the century. Andy was an anomaly in that she didn't really fit the traditional Alesis mold. Most of the upper management at Alesis were very opposed to us building it, but we had Keith Barr (Alesis' co-founder and owner) on our side and Clan Synth (my nickname for the synth development group) was bringing in more than it's share of profits (due mostly to the QS8), so she was born. So, while I suppose that anything is possible, I'd be really surprised if we were to see anything else done with those chips...although I'd be totally psyched if they did... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analogaddict Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 IMO, the Andromeda put Alesis back on the map; sure the ADATS were great, but the rest of Alesis product line at the time was somewhat underwhelming... With the Andy they (you!) showed us customers that they were a serious company with enthusiastic ambitions. Since they already have the technology, I think it would be unwise of them not to make spinoff products; analog synths are alive and well and it would be nice if somebody can sell them at a lower price point... The Evolver is a great example of that. How about that 5 u rack; it could be 8-voice for starters with an 8-voice expansion board. Or perhaps a filter bank with the Andy filters and mixer. This is not nescessarily something that I believe will happen, but one can always dream, right?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Analog, I think we hashed this out on the now defunct Mfg. product thread. Its too expensive to put out analog stuff when compared to VA's. Most people want CHEAP, because they ARE cheap, or like me, unemployed. The Andy lists for 3495.00, I don't know what the dealer pays for it (if it follows the industry norm dealer discount), but they're still being advertised at MAP prices. 2999.00 for a 16 voice analog is a lot of Shekels. Probably could could get it down somewhat, but I doubt that Andy's are flying off the shelves at that price point. I'm hoping that DSI can come out with something I can afford to buy, and make it expandable as you mentioned. Something other than the current small screen rack model at 1495.00 retail. There's not a lot of discounting on DSI gear. You still need to get a controller for it and before you know it, you're up to close to what you can get an Andy for. (Decisions, decisions). Granted, there's nothing that sounds like the POLY in today's market. Having individual control and separate ARPS on each voice makes an excellent piece into today's "Me too" rompler market. Still got to be affordable. I wonder what the actual market is out there for analog and Analog/VA combo units when compared to other markets? Does it pay a Mfg. to put R&D money out and purchase analog components and put it on the market today? I have my doubts. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay da cop Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 I still use an Ensoniq SQ80, mostly for a controller (gotta love that polyphonic aftertouch). As so many modules and softsynths respond to it, I can't think of a better use for a real dinosaur with mediocre sounds. I have thousands of sounds for it, but I don;t use it much aside from the controller. I've seen ESQ1's sell for around $150. Who couldn't use this feature when there are so many great mod destinations and so few controllers to affect them? That (my SQ80) and my PC1600, and I have a killer setup for my "softies", with the exception of my B4 and ModularV (WOW!!!) These are run off of a Radium 61. I can't afford an Andy, but have been looking at the Ion or an older Virus myself, so this post caught my eye. I am attempting, in vain so far, to get my travelling rig down to just 2 keys. I don't have a lot of money (as you guessed I am a Police Officer), and I really don't want to sell off what I have since it works in my modest studio so well. I am looking at the S90/ES8, and one other board, so I look in hopes of gleaning insights from the members here. I hold most of you in very high regard. Thanks so much. Jay Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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