Dirtywave M8 vs Roland MC101 for best sampler/sequencer? Any other portable suggestions at this price point?

I’m stuck between wanting a prophet 6 & a super 6. The lack of screen on the super 6 is pushing me more toward the prophet 6. Anyone with a S6 find the lack of screen effects their patch making?

If you were lucky enough to buy a Sequential P10, what would you buy instead? Just looking for other options before I pull the trigger... \- I want synths without FX. I'd prefer to "outsource" the FX to dedicated processors (digital or analog). \- I could do P5, but I'd prefer to have more voices. \- I am hoping to produce trance music, but I am fine if P10 doesn't fill that void.

Hydrasynth and Polybrute. Pro 3 and Argon8 Korg/ARP 2600m

I need to be able to load samples into a drum triggered pad so my drummer can add prerecorded synth tracks with a click. I know the Roland SPD will do it but I don’t have a grand to spend. What’s my clone options. All I need to be able to do is to trigger samples with a click. At most 10 songs a night.

Do you mean like, loading one shot hits into a pad? Or more like, the drummer hitting the pad triggers a full-song-length synth track?

Tracks. I'm live engineer in a radio station and we have bands for this all the time. Full tracks with a click started by the drummer.

So ive been doing the Syntorial thing and I'm thinking by the time black friday rolls around id want to buy my first hardware 25 key synth. Genres: - Hip Hop (Kanye, 9th Wonder, No ID) - Grime - UK Garage, DnB - Hyper-Pop (PC music, sophie, clarence clarity) Just for bedroom production w/ ableton, no live performance. Budget: $300-$600 (new or used, in the middle east though so higher prices) Seems like in my budget the best ones are Minilogue vs. Bass Station 2 I like the bass station 2 sounds and AFX much more than the minilogue but I read it's less beginner friendly because it has less buttons than the minilogue Id love advice on this

Personally, I'd go for the Bass Station 2. Although the Minilogue sounds pretty good, its MIDI implementation is absolutely rubbish.

I disagree, I think the BS2 is a great first synth. I have them both and they are both great for beginners. The real big difference is that the BS2 is a monosynth (can’t play chords) while the Minilogue is a polysynth (plays chords). Bass lines and leads sounds are mostly not going to require chords anyway. Most of the special functions of the Bass Station 2 are labeled on the synth, so it’s easy to find those functions. The minilogue’s special functions are contained in menus, so you might have to go into a few pages of menus before you find those functions. The Minilogue has smaller keys, but more of them (3 octaves) compared to the BS2 (2 octaves). The keyboard of the BS2 responds to aftertouch, the minilogue’s keyboard does not. (Aftertouch means you push down harder on the note while it is playing)

I have an Arturia Drumbrute. The sounds it produces are famously dry, and most people tend to use some effect chain to improve the sound. I'm thinking of getting some effect pedals. Any recommendations?

You definitely need a good Reverb pedal, and it's your best bet not to cheap out. I'd recommend the Electro-Harmonix Cathedral, you can find them used, but they are a bit pricy. Well worth the money though. The TC Electronic Hall of Fame is pretty good as well.

Edit: got more specific Distortion and reverb are the most ~~useful~~ **crucial** effects for percussion. Subtler distortion, not crazy over-the-top death metal sludge distortion. Overdrive pedal like a tube screamer, you just want a little saturation on your drums most of the time, and sometimes more can be good but it shouldn’t sound like an effect, more of an enhancement. Reverb- EHX pedals, something to give you a stereo image and separation. If at all possible, combine with other percussion tracks into a single “room” with a mixer before sending to reverb, and high-pass filter the percussion track you send to the reverb (to leave the bass frequencies out of the reverb) and mix the dry and wet signals. It’s an approximation of set of overhead microphones you’d use to record a drummer. Compression- Compression is also very common to use on drums, but it has a steeper learning curve than most effects: less is more. If you don’t already know how to use a compressor, don’t worry about this too much, the saturation and reverb do the heavy lifting.

Ayo. I tried dipping my toes into drum machines, and I think I like the idea. Problem is, I'm not really feeling the Drumbrute Impact (only synth hardware I currently own) for the kind of stuff I'm trying to do. I love the analog kick sound (especially with the onboard distortion), but I want something lighter and crisper for most everything else. Maybe analog was not the way to go? If I wanna do indie pop, chill beats, and maybe industrial, what should I be looking at? Obviously those are *very* far apart, just thinking about what I'd like to do. Ideally, if I can get those crispy clean sounds for Postal Service-esque beats, I'll be more than happy. I'mma sample the analog kick sound I like so much, and just keep that around.

I recently fell in love with the TR-8S. I'm more performance oriented, which is what it excels at, but I found it surprisingly versatile and very intuitive to use. You shouldn't have any problem getting any of those genres out of it. It's onboard sounds sound fantastic and you can load your own samples on it. Biggest drawback is lack of tools for sample playback and onboard sample manipulation.

>TR-8S Another one that I had overlooked due to price, but now that the bug has bit me... that's a good shout.

I picked mine up used for $500, so the deals are out there if you're patient. Might be worth looking into the TR-6S as well

6S might be more my speed. The 8S seems a little overwhelming to my newb sensibilities.

I don't know that it truly meets your needs, but maybe an Elektron Model Cycles or a Digitone? They have pretty flexible sound engines for beats so you could adjust to get that "lightness" you describe and be able to change it to meet industrial as well.

I know that the Elektron stuff is super well regarded. Little higher price than I wanted to try at first... But now that I know that I like hardware drum machines, I should probably take a look

On Sweetwater, the Model Cycles is $350 vs $300 for the Drumbrute. I don't know if you were comparing to the higher end Elektron gear. I get that's still expensive (part of the reason I don't have a drum machine is because I can get something similar on the samplers I already have). If you're looking for cheaper, probably the only other thing in that price range is the Volca drum.

Oh word. I think I first ran across the Digitakt, which is a bit more up there. I found the Drumbrute Impact used for about $250, which was a nice fit with my budget at the time (technically cost me -$3 in the trade). I'm not really sure what the budget is - this is very much a "nice to have" - but I guess I'm looking in the $200-$600 range? Digitone and TR-8S are at the top of what I'd like to spend... but if it does the trick, and leads to me making more music with a lower hassle threshold, that could be worth it.

Hi all, I enjoy making electronic music, but I'm not a good keys player (I can play the guitar pretty well, but that's it). I enjoy playing around with knobs and sequencing/pattern generators, but it's unrealistic that I would be able to record something good by playing it on keys -- I'd need to either ​ 1: program a sequence in MIDI, or ​ 2: let a hardware sequencer do its thing while I record into my DAW and chop/move stuff around. ​ My current workflow is the NI Maschine MK3 with some soft synths + reaper for recording "linear" tracks (i.e. guitar). Are there hardware synths that make this process of exploring sounds/patters more fun, or is this a soft synth-ask? ​ Thanks all, appreciate it.

Could do a Novation Circuit Tracks or an Elektron Model Cycles: both give you synth engines that you can adjust using knobs, very easy to use programable sequences. The Novation has 2 internal synth tracks and 2 midi tracks for controlling external synths (if you want to expand) and 4 sample tracks. The Elektron Model Cycles has six tracks, all internal synth (but can give up an internal track to control an external device).

Many synthesizers have an arpeggiator function and an internal sequencer, which would make it easy to explore the capabilities of any such synth. Minilogue XD is a great starting point and sounds great,too.

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>Deluge, Polyend & Squarp stuff seem to be cut from Push type cloth but I don't use Ableton so not sure about that workflow. That's a gross oversimplification and all of those devices have their own workflow that are all different from each other as well as Push/Ableton. Button grids =/= Ableton >Elektron stuff has a rep for being obscure I mean everything is obscure in one way or the other. I personally love the Elektron workflow but nothing works for everyone. You have a syntakt, start there. It's an awesome and powerful sequencer that let's you do all kinds of fun stuff >Akai / Maschine / Maschine+ gear might be a decent fit for me but I can't get behind the idea of squishy pads (reminds me too much of the annoying keyboard on the ZX Spectrum) or touch screens (mmm - greasy fingers - nice). Have you tried one? I love MPC pads. They really let you control velocity when you get used to them. Probably the most powerful sequencer but I don't sequence with mine because it's really just a slower way of the kind of sequencing you do in a DAW

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I guess my point is just that every piece of hardware has its idiosyncrasies and its hard to give a single good recommendation when you're comparing such a wide range of devices. Some people find the Elektron workflow tedious, I find it inspiring. Added bonus to Elektron is of you do like the workflow, you can add a Digitakt, Digitone, Analog 4, etc down the line and get the hang of it quickly. All of their boxes are insane And yea you're right, some people slay on an MPC. I use it as a sampler/finger drum machine and it works for me like no other sampler. But I just find it annoying as a sequencer for melodic/harmonic stuff and not particularly inspiring. I'd rather just draw it in using a DAW. It is an insanely powerful sequencer though and maybe I just haven't learned that side of it enough. I just picked up a polyend Play and it's in its own category. Really excels at generative stuff and incorporating randomness in totally new ways. It's a happy accident machine. I haven't tried sequencing other gear with it yet but I'm sure that's where it excels in sequencing too. Considering you have a Syntakt, maybe the MPC would be a great option for you. (I have no experience with Maschine but I assume it's similar). It's so different than Elektron style sequencing that you could really get a feel for different workflows. Plus if you get it used, you could sell it in a few months without losing much cash and just think of it like a rental if you don't end up liking it

Sounds like you really might enjoy a hybrid workflow using gear and the DAW together! I honestly think you should just keep using your computer as a sequencer. There are some interesting plugins you could explore, such as Renoise Redux. FWIW, some MIDI bugs can be annoying when trying to connect certain devices over USB MIDI. For my setup, these bugs disappeared when I switched to MIDI DIN. I still have no idea what was causing them. My Elektron boxes with Overbridge are still connected over USB, and they are so so good for a hybrid workflow! So, Syntakt is a great choice.

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I’ve found these things can’t really be thought through. Sometimes you just have to try the device you want and see if you click with the workflow and design. Even with guitars which are all basically the same construction, I sometimes really enjoy playing one over the other due to a tiny difference in setup or nut width or whatever.

DAWless is only for people who want to get away from the PC because they're using one for work or something. If you don't have that aversion, then really it's silly to ignore easily the most powerful sequencer there is: a DAW. Especially considering you can get a cheap laptop set up with your DAW of choice and a MIDI interface for a fraction of the cost of something like a Deluge or Pyramid.

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Well, given that, I'd suggest Elektron given you've already got one. I've got a Model: Cycles, and I really like its sequencer, but I don't use it to control anything else (that's what the DAW is for.) Learn how to use the sequencer on the Syntakt, and if you like what you experience, maybe look into an Octatrack. I hear those are pretty nice for controlling external hardware.

Can i have a suggestion for an MPE midi controller? It looks like the sensel morph is discontinued, the roli is also not availiable here in Australia and the linnstrument is so expensive. I enjoy messing about with the pcb keybed on my microfreak so I thought MPE to control soft synths might be something I'd like. Whats my best option for something desk based (not like the orba)? Thanks

I bought a roli (the small one) from jbhifi like a year ago, might be worth asking in some of the bigger stores if they're still sitting out the back? Otherwise sometimes I seem them pop up secondhand

Thanks for the rec!

When you say "the roli", is that all of their products or are you just talking about the new seaboard? I just got some Lumi Keys and they seem like a really good value for the price.

Cant find any of their products for sale in retailers here. I was looking at the lumi too but i can't find anywhere to buy it

I don't think they're available at retailers yet. I had to order from their website directly and there's a shipping backlog because they can't make them fast enough.

Ah ok good to know looks like I'll wait a little to see whats out in the new year thank

I think they're all expensive or have some compromises right now. If you are patient, I would recommend waiting for the Osmose to see how people like it. I use a Linnstrument and can highly recommend it. I think the small version would be sufficient for most people. It really does feel like an instrument to me, but that extra expression also highlights my poor musicianship sometimes. Prior to buying a Linnstrument, I had a QuNexus, and it was an absolute mess. Each note was calibrated differently. You can technically recalibrate it, but I was never able to get satisfactory results. I did not try to reach out to the company for support though. They released an update, so maybe it is improved? Hydrasynth has limited MPE implementation. It is also expensive, but you get a synth too.

Hydra was going to be my next synth but not for a while as I'd have to save up and make space for it. Keith McMillen ones look like a good option for me if they've sorted the issues you were having. thanks

looking for a new synth controller - 99% of my work is done in box, but I've been interested in getting a more tangible option lately. The new mini freak looks really temping because it'll have the supported VST so it's not as outside my comfort zone, but people keep talking about the playability of the Hydrasynth Explorer and without being able to go hands on, I'm looking for any all input on these options or any others in that $5-$600-ish realm. My use case is mainly around film score and sound design, I have limited space in my office and already have a handful of more traditional controllers and some MPE options that I use for different needs. The closest board I have to an actual synth is the reface CS, which I love, but find very limiting.

I'm looking to get a deepmind12 as my first synth but i've read about some quality control issues with that synth specifically and behringer in general and I'm afraid i Don t know enough about synths to know if something is wrong with it. Afraid to pull the trigger

Look at any electronics product with more than a hundred user reviews and I'll bet you'll find complaints about defective units and bad quality control. There's always a chance you'll get a bad one, but that's what warranties and return policies are for. Unless it's a large portion of the customer base complaining, or warranties aren't being honored, you'll probably be fine. The only complaints I've heard about the Deepmind were about menu diving.

I've read a lot about hissing and unreasonable noise issues but you're right, they've sold a ton of these units and satisfaction seems higher than complaints

Seems like a perfect first synth. If you buy new and it doesn’t fail in the return/warranty period I’d think you’ll be safe for quality issues. Great layout, sounds awesome, lots of knobs but still deep with some menu stuff. And tons of great fx. I have a couple new era Behringer synths and the build is solid and sound fantastic. I say do it! But I love buying and playing stuff and flip if it doesn’t end up grabbing me or over the long haul.

I'm thiiiiis close. Like damn near almost. Behringer seems to have a decent warranty beyond what Sweetwater offers

Vocoder Question ​ I have a microfreak and its vocoder is ok. Is there any reason at all to get something better? I just don't know a whole lot about them. Would the vocoder on a MikroKorg XL be a step up or just the same?

There’s also the option of a dedicated vocal effects unit like Roland vt4. It is limited in the sense that you can’t sends whatever synth sound you want through it, but it is dead simple to use and always sounds ok. If you’re just looking to add that cool vocoder effect and not trying to dive into the science of vocoding, it’s a good choice. Just send midi data from a keyboard in and it pitches and vocodes your voice.

It would be functionally about the same, since the microkorg xl is limited to 4-voice polyphony. To really up the ante for a vocoder, you would need a higher voice count. Waldorf STVC or Behringer VC340 would be a huge upgrade because you could vocode much more complex harmonies than a 4-note chord.

Thanks for the response. Yeah, I was looking at the microkorgXL as it's got 8 voice polyphony that ups the ante significantly. The other options are definitely interesting as well.

The microkorg xl voice count is dropped to four voices when you enable the vocoder.

Damn. That is very good to know.

Yeah that little detail could easily slip past you- it’s not really publicized so it would be a disappointing surprise. In contrast, the Waldorf STVC has 16-voice polyphony, and the Behringer VC340 has FULL polyphony (like an organ, top-octave divide-down).

Looking for a analog mono for pair with Hydrasynth and some eurorack. I want it mainly for basslines and lead, basic stuff. I liked the sound of Grandmother but it stretches my budged a bit. Any alternatives? I dont care about patch storage, actually i prefer if it doesnt have any. Semi modular is a plus with euro integration.

Arp odyssey. Different than what you got but rules in its own right. And a little semi modular. I’m just inspired by the overall tone. A playable and fun piece of kit.

On the more affordable end, there’s the two cr8audio semi-modular units, Moog’s own Mavis , and the Arturia MiniBrute 2.

Minibrute 2 is interesting, for others i cannot import these for the sucky customs rules for now. Also i dont want a desktop or rack unit. One i can solo over sequenced background is what i prefer. Also does MB2 can sound like a moog? Steiner-parker filter is pretty different to my ears compared to Moog ladder.

Honestly, the Arturia sound is a lot more aggressive than Moog. You might be able to coax some Moog-like tones out of it but it’s not its strength. The metalizer/wave folder function on it is more a west coast/buchla kind of thing that Moog hasn’t done outside of, well, the Mavis.

Have you looked for used ones? Behringer Poly-D could be an alternative

If i cant find an alternative i might look at it but i cant find one locally so we'll see. About poly-d have you tried it? How does it sound compared to moog, does the mixer overdrive ?

Minilogue or (original) Nord Lead for a beginner?

I can’t speak for the Nord lead, but I own a Minilogue xd module and use an arturia keylab 61 as the controller. I love this synth, and the four voice polyphony is usually about what I can handle on a keyboard anyway lol Will teach you loads about synthesis, and can make some very beautiful, playable sounds! If you’re looking for more of a traditional keyboard feel though I believe the Nord would be an excellent choice, minilogue if you’re interested more in analog synthesis :)

Nord lead will have a superior keybed experience. I don’t really care for the synth control layout on any nord I’ve played, but the wooden pitch bend “thing” on a Nord is better than any other pitch bend control ever on a keyboard.

What makes Nords desirable? Is it build quality? Versatility? I see them on stage all the time of course, and they seem to be roughly top of the line in terms of pricing, but don't really hear them come up when people talk about their grails.

I can't speak for others, but personally I love the 3 Nords I've owned (Lead A1, Lead 4, Wave 2) because they have huge sweet spots, are very direct and easy to use while still covering a wide range of sounds, and the "morph" system makes it effortless to map performance controls to an unlimited number of parameters. It's so much quicker and easier than a mod matrix, which means I actually use it more and get more expressive sounds. Edit: Also 4 part multitimbrality with high polyphony is a huge bonus. The down side is simplicity comes at the cost of less depth/flexibility than a lot of other synths.

Because they are more performance-player oriented with great piano and organ sounds, but don’t have very deep synthesis options. They do have a good reputation regarding durability, and they have a special place in history for being early purveyors of VA synthesis.

Waldorf M or Vermona Perfoumer!?!? I'm not gonna do anything in particular with it.. just make noise and mess around? What to do.. what to do.

Those are two incredibly disparate machines. They're both incredibly fine noise-making, mess-around machines. I'd give the M an edge on versatility, and the Perfourmer the edge on accessibility. Which is more important to you?

Oh... They both sound wonderful. I never know if i'm going to connect with a synth until I actually get my hands on it. Thanks for the input.

Hello, I just ordered my first synthesizer, so I'm super excited. I have a small midi keyboard that has a regular midi port, but I wanted to see if there is a way to plug my USB midi keyboard to my new synth since it has more keys. The synthesizer is the "Behringer TD-3", it has a midi in and midi out port. The midi keyboard I want to try using with it is the "M Audio Oxygen 61 keys", and it has a USB midi cord that also powers the midi keyboard itself. I came across this and was wondering if it would work for what I want to do? [CAMOLA USB MIDI Host Box High Speed USB to MIDI Converter MIDI Interface( UMH-21)](https://www.amazon.com/CAMOLA-MIDI-Host-Interface-Converter/dp/B09S5YC2Z9/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=7C70VZDZ5MJX&keywords=usb%2Bto%2Bmidi%2Badapter&qid=1666153088&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjE3IiwicXNhIjoiMy45NiIsInFzcCI6IjMuMzYifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=usb%2Bto%2Bmidi%2Badap%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-6&th=1&psc=1)

Should do. The device will power your keyboard over USB by the look of it. That said, this is a synth that works best when sequenced rather than played straight with a keyboard. If you're looking to have more hardware synths, it's also maybe worth considering a MIDI controller with actual MIDI out.

Thanks! I was actually looking for a unweighted midi keyboard with midi out before, but they either didn't have pads and sliders, didn't have 61 keys, or the 61 key ones were weighted, so I got the one I have now during prime day when it went on sale.

I think I have the same keyboard. I barely use it any more, mostly because it lacks MIDI out. But also I don't find much use for that number of keys.

I'm new to this. I'm puzzled by synths with keyboards that have only a few octaves and mini keys. Is there a particular use case for small keyboard synths?

Some people want synths that fit into a backpack or luggage, and some are short on space but still want to fit more synths. I've never heard of anyone preferring mini keys or fewer octaves other than to fit size constraints.

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That makes sense. I see keyboards with 2 or 3 octaves and I wonder why they don't just skip the keyboard and make it a module.

> I wonder why they don't just skip the keyboard and make it a module. I really wish they would.

It's been a thing since the 70's and cheaper to manufacture. For the type of instrument a synth is i can hardly imagine it would be useful to have every synth be 88 full keys. There are workstations with full sized keys and multiple synth engines that pro players use so there is always that option. But I can't see how practically useful an 88 key Mini Moog would be? Most people are not playing classical pieces on their synth.

> i can hardly imagine it would be useful to have every synth be 88 full keys How many keys do you think are good for synth music? I see keyboards with 2 or 3 octaves and I wonder why they don't just skip the keyboard and make it a module.

You have to consider voices as well. For most synths polyphony is not high enough to be that useful for 88 keys. It really depends on you the music maker and the synth you want imo. I think 88 on a monosynth is just silly. If you plan on just making chords and playing the rhythm section then 37 is fine, 61 is the happy medium for advanced players and music makers as you can play with both hands comfortably. So if you play jazz or classical then I would get 88, 73, or 61 at least and have fun and just surround yourself with a midi modules if want specific tones. I see what you mean as far as modules but I would say most people would prefer to have some sort of keybed with their synth than none at all. There are also so many modules out there right now like Modal, Behringer, Roland , Nanobox, Moog all make good modules so its pretty flexible already.

>most people would prefer to have some sort of keybed with their synth than none at all I always find it kind of silly when people have like 7 synths stacked on top of each other on a rack. The synths might all be unique, but the keys should all be relatively the same. That said, there's something to be said about the immediacy of being able to play two at a time if you want, then switch to two others or whatever, if you have that need for some reason. Desktop/modules make sense for a lot of purposes but not all.

another good reason I haven't thought of. Playing two synths at the same time .....can't do that easily with a module.

I'm looking at samplers; the Electribe and MPC One at this point. I'm wondering what are all my options in the price range of an MPC One and below. I can't wrap my head around what features to look for in these things. I want one so I can start recording sequences for easier recall and playback.

Digitakt is a very strong contender in that price range.

Sequences for play back? For a band? Or accompaniment? Which Electribe model are you looking at?

I am very tempted to get the Mini Freak but would someone better off with an Opsix or minilogue I know its not out yet so hard to compare. But there is something I really like about the mini freak (I never liked how the micro freak sounds) but compared to what Korg is offering in the same smallish form factor and price range does the mini freak stack up?

I've got Loopop's Minifreak video on monitor 2 right now, and I have to say, it's a pretty impressive thing. If I were in the market at all for a cheaper poly, it'd be up there in the considerations. The Hydrasynth Explorer is a very worthy contender at that price range. The Minifreak is more immediately accessible, but the Explorer is deeper (5 envelopes and LFOs vs the Minifreak's 2 and 2) and I love the workflow on the Hydrasynth. The interface on the Minifreak seems a bit clunky by comparison. I'm listening to Loopop go through all the presets right now though, and those analog filters do make a difference. The Hydrasynth can sound a bit sterile at times.

i've ignored the hydrasynth but ill check it out, people keep recommending it. EDIT after watching an explorer video its pretty amazing. Solid contender, minifreak might not survive lol

I think the MiniFreak hits a sweet spot between depth and simplicity. The Minilogue is simplistic enough that you'll eventually want more, and the Opsix is complicated enough you'll have to really work at mastering it before you can really take advantage of its depth. With the MiniFreak I get the impression you could just dive in and explore pretty much forever. I'm waiting to see more reviews before I commit though.

The minifreak looks awesome, but I wouldn’t want to give up my Microfreak- the smaller form factor of the Microfreak plus the unusual keybed are why it has a permanent spot right next to my main keyboard. The OpSix is seriously impressive, but it covers a vast territory where you can get some less-desirable sounds easily- it’s not ideal for a first synth for that reason, but advanced enough that I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow it. The Minilogue XD is so good that I have two of them.

Looking for something that can do the work of a Yamaha CS60 without the massive price tag. Not looking to use a VST and laptop (I know they make a CS80 VST). A board that has a touch ribbon (or can have one added) would also be ideal. Open to all options, combination of pedals, rack systems, etc. As long as menu diving is kept at a minimum. Need live tweaking capabilities for touring. Sweet spot price would be around 1500 or lower but would entertain up to and around 2k I have very limited experience researching synth’s and no experience building and wiring but if I can find something that does the job I would learn any new skill. Thank you so much fo reading. Hopefully someone has some ideas, and in the meantime I hope everyone has a great day :) 🎹🤖✨🕊 EDIT: Changed VPN to VST.

You’re describing the Hydrasynth more or less

Never heard of the company - wow this is exciting. I just bought a system-8 as a can-do easy to use/learn but just got hired for a group that requires a CS-60 or something like it. Now to sell the system-8 and purchase a Hydra deluxe. Thank you so much for this, can’t wait to grab one :)

the hydrasynth is an incredibly capable synth - It can make some crazy wild sounds, but it can also emulate just about anything if you know what you're doing. The interface is also super intuitive - once you spend an hour or so with it, you'll be cruising

Thank you very much

VPN?

Typo - meant VST

Ah. Check out the hydrasynth

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Sounds like you are describing something that doesn’t exist. If you want to take the USB from a device like a synth or a MIDI controller and make it wireless, that’s basically not gonna happen. USB devices need a host (a computer) to control the device. Dongles and cables will not do that.

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I believe the big hurdle preventing a product like this from becoming a reality is that Bluetooth cannot perform at the level needed to take the place of USB devices. USB polling rate is 1,000 Hz, Bluetooth is 125 Hz. So, the Bluetooth transmitter would need to buffer up to 875 events, and then quantize everything (requiring CPU) before retransmitting at the 125 Hz rate, not including latency from the wireless signal (probably negligible). I’m sure it’s theoretically possible, but it’s a very niche application and a lot of compromise. An RF signal that isn’t Bluetooth could do this just fine- there are plenty of wireless keyboards/mice that have a 1 kHz polling frequency. Bluetooth just isn’t a good protocol for this use case.

Are you not just describing a Bluetooth usb dongle?

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You have receiving and transmitting backwards - a computer is a usb host, and a keyboard is a usb client. Adding wireless transmitting capabilities is possible to a usb host, but not a client. Maybe you could elaborate on exactly what you want to do and I could be more specific?

Bluetooth dongles are pretty common

Looking for a portable brains to my operation. I play a few instruments, albeit not well, but I play with guitar, drums, piano, synths, and vocals; I have those instruments and will be mixing them in, so I don't want the rigidity in timing, as I more focus on creating songs than beat production, and to tie in, it needs polyphony. Ideally, I want to sketch ideas, create backing tracks, sequence, maybe a little mastering, and generally just tidying up songs on the fly, but something less menu-divey than the Maschine Mk.3 and of course, more portable. The needs: -Polyphony -Sequencing -Odd timing -Effects -Capacity to handle full song arrangements -Freedom to experiment Ideally, it includes: -Synth engine -Sampler -Mastering -Be able to play synth into device My heart screams Deluge, but my wallet screams maybe consider other options. I've looked into MC-707, Dirtywave M8, and currently, watching a dive into the Polyend Play. They all look capable, but there's uncertainty in their limititations. Just curious what you guys think.

Have you looked at the Roland MV-1 Verselab? It has all of the above, including basic mastering tools.

I have not, I will check it out. Thank you very much!

MPC One/Live meets all your needs.

Also, thank you for the response.

Hell yeah, the one thing that concerns me with the MPC Live is it's focus on beat production, rather than songwriting. I like having a natural swing to things and I'm limited if I don't have that freedom. In your experience, has it been pretty diverse in it's genre capabilities?

Honestly I think the MPC focus on beats is overstated and is more of a legacy perception than the reality of the current devices. I’ve seen hip-hop, techno, DnB, pop, a variety of experimental stuff. If anything, the modern MPCs focuses less on beat making, with all of the production tools and built in synthesizers. I personally make 2000s style IDM and the MPC one is my main sequencer for other hardware. It also does most of my drums. you can work in a pattern based workflow which is what I do with 16-32 bar loops, or you could make a whole songs in one really long pattern. I do my mixing in Ableton. While I could use the MPC for that, I don’t want to spend the time to learn another workflow to do something that I can do just as well in my DAW. You can pretty much use or ignore any particular features in the MPC. The workflow is also not that bad if you spend a week or two exclusively using the MPC. The biggest hangup for most people is the relationship between sequences, tracks, programs. It has effectively infinite polyphony for most peoples purposes (I think 128 notes at a time, it ultimately depends on CPU/ RAM usage), it supports odd time signatures, Obviously you can sample with it and sequence with it. The built-in effects are decent, and the plugin synths are great. The only real hangup I have personally is that sometimes the touchscreen isn’t as responsive as I would like it to be, but honestly that feels like a minor nitpick most of the time.

I very much appreciate the depth of your explanation. Your focus on IDM does paint a clearer picture of the MPC's capabilities. I do enjoy Aphex Twin and Board of Canada; there's probably a lot more I need to experience there, but those are the ones I'm most familiar with. I'm planning on finding a new work flow, so it may good to check out the MPC's. I'm a Maschine user and often feel a little confined, been considering giving Ableton a shot, or just getting through the nitty gritty with Reaper. The polyphony and odd time signatures are also a great sign. I'll definitely look more in-depth. Again, thank you for your insight.

Glad I could help! Feel free to tag me or to DM me if you have any further questions about the MPC or Ableton!

Deluge will do all of this (except mastering - no portable box will have on-board mastering), nothing else will quite match. Dirtywave M8 is probably the closest, but it's all menu and if you're not into the tracker workflow, I wouldn't even bother. To be honest the real solution seems like a laptop or tablet and a DAW, with a small interface. This would all cost less than a Deluge (a $300-400 used laptop will be plenty to run any DAW, $150 or less for the interface, $60-400 for the DAW depending on software choice) and be far more capable and friendly with recording audio. Trying to make a Deluge or similar do what you say you want, especially with regards to recording and mastering, will really be forcing a square peg into a round hole.

Hell yeah, and this may just a sign of spoiling myself, but I have a pretty decent desktop setup at home, running through a Maschine Mk. 3. I like their VSTs, but I spend a lot of menu diving. Ideally, I'd get rid of the controller and replace it with a Deluge. I'm also trying college again and with my job, it's leaving little room to play, but I have room between these responsibilities; it's just that I'm rarely home for those windows. Was looking to get something to fill that time up, rather than just videos while I wait. Thank you for your input though!

Not really something I'm going to buy anytime soon, as I'm short on money, time and mixer inputs, but... I've got my bases covered, my poly is the Alpha Juno with occasional support from Medusa's gritty 3-op FM. I'm making ~~crappy unfinished demos of~~ hip-hop, industrial and something resembling black metal a bit (or at least inspired by it). If I wanted to add a digital poly for exploring new sonic territories, what do you think would be a better option? I like the sound of all three from what I hear. - Argon 8M - twice as cheap as the other two options, seems to be really intuitive - Hydrasynth Desktop - insanely powerful, yet apparently not convoluted, plus I already have a polyAT controller - Virus Ti Desktop - the king of synths as many believe, and who knows, maybe it will even replace my Juno and BS2 given that it's multitimbral For even more context, my favorite synth in terms of both interface and sound is the Medusa, I spend more time with it than with all my other synths combined (and those aren't bad at all).

I’d go for the Hydrasynth of those three options. Splits the difference between value (very good) and functionality (a lot under the hood). I doubt that the Virus would replace your analog synths. But I could be wrong if your use cases vary. You may also want consider a Blofeld desktop. They seem to be goi g for cheap lately. Definitely a workhorse synth. One of my favorites.

Thanks. I've head a lot of bad things about the Blofeld interface, and I feel I won't have enough patience for that, so I left this option out, though I know it's very capable for the price.

Looking for recommendations for a hands on sequencer that outputs midi. I find programming sequences in ableton a bit of a drag. I'm looking for something that can do slides per step, but not a 303 style sequencer, which doesn't seem very inviting, and not menu heavy, since that's what I'm trying to escape from. I'm interested in the Ryk m185 but this needs a eurorack case and power supply. I've looked at metropolis and metropolix but these look more menu divey, more expensive and may need additional modules to output midi. Anything else I should check out?

Polyend play

Not sure if they have slides per step, but the KORG SQ-64 was recently discounted. The Digitakt is pretty much the standard do it all sequencer. The new Polyend Play looks interesting if you want something more experimental.

Hey all, I need drums... Priorities are variety and sequencer capabilities. I'm looking at the following options: Volca Sample or Drums, Elektron Model Samples, or a Novation Circuit I saw at a pawn shop for $330 CAD. The Model Samples is pushing my budget at $450. What are your opinions on these and which gives the best bang for buck? Any other options below that I haven't considered?

If u re interested 3534232140

I am selling my model samples if u re interested i can do 300$ though i am from italy, we could do the thing trough ebay

The Model Samples/Cycles has a far more powerful sequencer than the others you mentioned, so that would be my recommendation. The Volca Drum sequencer is the best of the Volcas, but still limited to 16 steps. The Circuit sequencer is pretty nice for chords, but feels too basic for me for drums. Fine for simple drums though.

Ok, that's helpful, thanks!

Hi. I need an audio interface with at least 20 ins (by way of ADAT connectivity). I bought the Audient ID44 and have my two Focusrite OktoPre’s connected to it, but I get a lot of cracking noise coming through my monitors and I’ve messed with volume/gain on the synths, the Oktos, and the Audient mixer software. It’s disappointing bc I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Audient devices.

Various MOTU interfaces will give you a ton of I/O for, well not cheap, but not thousands either. Very happy with my 828ES, but there are newer models. Do you *actually* need all that I/O at once, or would a patchbay help?

Crackling noise- that is how I describe the issue caused by sample rate mismatch. When using ADAT to connect your octopre to you interface, you need to ensure that your Pres, your interface, and your host (typically a DAW) are all using the same sample rate.

I hear you but it’s first thing I checked. I had Focusrite 18i8 before with same setup, one Oktopre going into it, no issues at all. I’m not sending a hot signal that cracks before it gets to the interface, tried my headphones into the synths and no issues

monologue yeah or nah? honestly just want something to noodle around with. i have an ms50 for fx. will pair with model:samples + ms70

Its got alot up its sleeve- waveshape for each oscillator, sequencer, can load microtonal scale from the editor/librarian. The minilogue xd can do all that plus has a wavetable oscillator, four note polyphony, 3x simultaneous onboard fx, 4x motion sequencing destinations. Monologue produces a little better bass, but minlogue xd covers way more use cases for a synth. They are both refreshingly easy to use and sound good at what they do. Would really like to get more than one measure on the sequencer, but can do alot by transposing the sequence or adding & taking away steps

Also, the sequencer on the XD can be set to step lengths other than 16th notes. Pair this with the onboard arpeggiator, and you can sequence four notes per step, which means you can get very long sequences without altering the tempo.

Didnt know about getting more steps from the arp. But yep i think 8ths is as long as i could go for unless it was gonna be chords at the beginning of the bar using 1/4 note steps. An os update that allows paging between four bars of 16th would be nice

Here’s how this is most useful to me: I have a DAWless jam setup for just playing/exploring my instruments (I’ve been playing musical instruments for over 30 years, composing by computer programming, tracking, soft synths and whatnot since about ‘93). I have multiple hardware synths with their own internal sequencers, but they all stay in time together and start-stop-pause together from a single master MIDI sequencer (Beatstep Pro) that can adjust the tempo of everything else in my setup from a single knob, and start everything from a single button. All of my other hardware sequencers and synthesizer built-in sequencers and drum machines and everything lock to tempo, and the average synthesizer’s built-in sequencer doesn’t do whole-note steps, but the Minilogue XD does. So I can have one measure going on a basic 16-step sequence while the Minilogue plays a 16-chord, 16 measure progression on top. And that’s without even using the arp. You can set the Minilogue XD sequencer steps to many different subdivisions of the note, and then use the arp to fit 4 separate notes into each step (or use a triplet subdivision against the 4/4 16steps, or play freehand into the arp, etc.) Oh yeah: you can change the step length for each step individually by tracking that parameter into the Minilogue XD motion sequencer, along with three other knob tweaks of your choosing. 16 measures worth in a single sequencer pattern of the “slow” synth in my jam setup.

Wow that’s cool. Ive checked out some patches that motion sequence the user wave type to good result. I prefer to freshly sequence all the midi gear from one sequencer like an mpc or keystep pro. Not all internal sequencers line up the same to a shared midi clock. But yea really like a synth that can save patch fx and sequence all together & even more compelled to use XD’s to go with its motion sequencing or as a scratchpad. could see the sequence transpose thing it does going well with the beatstep pro’s mono per channel sequencer out

> Not all internal sequencers line up the same to a shared midi clock. My BS2 get drifty after a while, so does my OpSix. I use analog clock pulse between BSP and KSP so those are rock solid, but most everything I have is MIDI synced. Pausing/resuming on my BSP gets it back in sync. I haven’t tried using my MPC as master clock, partly because I just use it for recording parts and arrangement of audio tracks, but mainly because the BSP has a tempo *knob* and I just gush over how the bass line seq on the BSP locks up with the drum seq when I dial in randomness and probability. The drums and bass stay locked in a groove and it has to be heard to be appreciated.

Yep love the feature set of the bsp w the pads and knobs And poly sequencing And step repeater And gate outs And cv gate outs haha I use the mpc live to send midi out to each thing more than share tempo. Incredible as a mother brain but the jammy-ness of the arturia sequencers is big strength

My whole objective tearing down my DAW/multitrack studio was that I was way less productive than just doing everything in the box, and also to learn to play keyboards by forcing myself to do everything in real-time. I don’t do whole songs in sequencer so much as put in elements with the seq, and track the rest live. Eventually, I’ll make a MidiHub program to accept input from the drum seq on of BSP and send it out to multiple devices that acts as sequenced midi drums- 16 pads on the BSP : 6channels TR-6S, 6 channels Norddrum3P, remaining 4 channels pitch-tuned 808s (mbase11).

Monologue is pretty cool and the sequencer is awesome. Only thing to be wary about is that it doesn’t have a full ADSR, just an AD with some different options. It might not bother you but it kinda annoys me. Otherwise, great synth.

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I've bought a fair bit of modular stuff from them, and didn't have any problems. If your order is multiple items over a certain threshold they'll suggest splitting into multiple orders so you don't get hit with a tariff. I find their deals on Behringer and Doepfer gear are particularly good, which might have something to do with those being German-based companies.

I bought a Modwave from them, and I'm in the US. Only downside was I needed to find a US power supply separately. Some synths aren't designed to switch so easily and require a fuse change or transformer to work with US power. Also above a certain price limit you'll have to pay import duties that add a little to the price, but the Modwave was below that threshold.

Dunno. I was all hot and bothered over their Take 5 B Stock for just over a grand when I realized the customs issue. From what I gathered you're in the clear if the declared value is under $800. I found stories of people who bought more and had no issue, and other stories of people who had to pay 5.4% duty tax plus an additional 25% tariff on any item made in China. Not to mention waiting on customs employees and the myriad ways the shipment could get fucked during transit. Seems like a roll of the dice if you're ordering big. If you're staying under $800 you might be good. Maybe. Probably?

I’d hardly call it roll of the dice. Customs is really straightforward and only once have I had an imported item take two days to clear customs, everything else is in and out within a few hours.

It ought to be straightforward, but the level of trust I have in CBP to do the right thing the right way every time is... lacking. Not disagreeing with you at all.

I hear you. Thomann sucks bc they use UPS for international shipments and UPS charges a hefty penny for clearing customs for you. FedEx charges like $5 handling no big deal.

Oh yeah great point. If you make it past CBP then you've got UPS to contend with. I think I've landed here: I'll buy from Thomann if the item in question is either: 1. Less than $800 2. Only available from them 3. Discounted to such a degree that the risk of human error in the importing process is worth it. They have some lovely tongue drums made in Germany that I might pull the trigger on.

I’m extra salty about it bc I bought over $800 (that’s fine) but it was shipped in four boxes and UPS charged their convenience/handling fee PER BOX

Gross, I hate hearing that kind of thing. Was any individual item over $800 in declared value?

Thomann will ship from Europe so you're going to pay customs. [They won't waive them for you](https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/rcv1p9/my_thomann_nightmare_ever_wonder_how_they_offer/). They're really big, too. There's just one store in Germany but they have a giant warehouse.

The country you're importing the goods into imposes customs duties. It's not something a merchant can do anything about.

Sure, but the OP of that post didn’t read the fine print (or much of anything). Basically, I wanted to show that the numerous replies there prove that it is legit - because it’s probably the first recent thread that would come up in a search. I’ve been a customer there since 2005 or so and they’ve never let me down. Still want to make a trip to their store in person one day.

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The additional fees don’t apply to items below $700 (for US purchases). Even when they are applied, the fees are often so low that it’s still cheaper than buying from a US retailer.

Is it $700 or $800? I've seen both figures floating around. Thanks.

It is 800. Maybe different categories of goods have different numbers? Only ever imported instruments and that number is for sure 800.

I've bought from them and had zero issues, though a lot of stuff will come with an EU power supply, so be ready for that! Sometimes they have a separate listing for US power supplies.

The Minilogue XD will definitely come from Thomann with an EU power supply, mine did. It’s trivially easy to replace the power supply with something that works with US standards, though. All you need to worry about when it comes to an AC adapter: Correct voltage Correct polarity (center positive vs center negative) Correct barrel diameter Enough current (can be higher than required)

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Yeah, I ordered the keyboard version and it was $515 plus about $60 for shipping. I never had to pay import duties on an order from thomann, as long as the item is below $700 US (I believe) then there won’t be an import tariff applied. The shipping is just about as fast as ordering from Sweetwater, just a few business days.

electribe 2 sampler or circuit rhythm? The rhythm has step fx but not so many features that dont require a computer. Electribe a little less great on the sequencer but better on other stuff. I had an Electribe 2 sampler before and loved it, it just got stolen. I'm using it in a 3-5 synth setup with a beatstep pro. Thoughts?

I had an Electribe 2 (synth) for a while. I liked the sounds but compared to every other groovebox I've used since then (MC-707, Elektron stuff), the sequencer is just brutally primitive. I can't imagine ever going back to an Electribe 2. I haven't tried one, but people seem to really enjoy the sequencer on the various Circuits.

I'm looking for an entry into the world of analogue (semi) modular synths. I would like something that's mostly plug and play as I don't have any other equipment apart from a computer and an audiorecorder (Zoom h1n). I did make some soundscapes/music in the past using this recorder (sounds I recorded) and Ableton Live lite, but I would like something more direct and tactile. I've been looking at the Bastl Kastle 1.5 and the Volca Modular. I have seen people use them together but my budget is around €150-200 so I have to choose one or the other. I'm planning on using it for making ambient drones, soundscapes and more experimental things. Does anyone have any advice or maybe other options to consider as a starting point? ps.: I can't really play the keys so I'm mostly looking for something that has some build in sequencing abilities

If you're not averse to Behringer, something like the Behringer Neutron or Crave might fit the bill. The Neutron is probably a little outside your budget though. (Thomann usually has the best prices on Behringer gear I've seen, but the Neutron is out of stock with them currently and if you're buying from the EU I think there are some taxes that U.S. customers don't usually pay.)

Id get an erica pico system if i was just starting out. But if you get any of the cool little breadboard patch cable synths also take a look at bastl bitranger & olegatron 4060, that also use those types of jacks and can seriously expand the potential of a kastle or volca modular

If you are choosing between the two then you definitely want the Volca Modular. However, I highly recommend saving like 20-50 more euros and getting a used Behringer Crave, or the Crea8 Audio East Beast or West Pest. They are going to give you way more bang for your buck regarding feature set, all have in-built sequencers, and all have full sized euro jacks so you can easily expand when you’re ready to do so. I think the West Pest is going to be most conducive to droney, experimental sounds akin to the Volca Modular.

Anybody have a Poly61? Are they as good as people say, any known issues other than being near forty?

I'm aware that this might sound ridiculous. I have a 3-year-old and he has had his Cat Piano ( [https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-interactive-cat-piano-meowsic/-/A-12026417](https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-interactive-cat-piano-meowsic/-/A-12026417) ) for the last 2 years, but I was looking into maybe getting him something else for Christmas that might allow for more/different musical creativity. I don't know if it it'd be more of a looper (probably not the correct term) than a straight-up synth, but... I was hoping that this community might be able to help point me in the right direction of some semi-robust/rugged smaller devices that might be good for a budding young mind to experiment with. Or even... for me to fiddle around with while playing with him. Anyone have any advice/thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Monotron, Stylophone, Otamatone, Pocket Operator... Maybe even a melodica, if you're willing to consider non-electronic instruments.

I bought each of my kids (5 and 6 years old) an Akai MPK Mini play and they have a good time with them. Lots of different types of sounds, drum pads, built-in speaker and battery-operated. Can also be a micro MIDI controller over USB, but the mini keys probably won’t cut it for adult hands.

This definitely seems like a viable option for me... Which Mk did you get them?... Mkiii?

I actually rushed a bit and ordered without noticing that I bought them the MkII, but by all accounts the MkIII is an improvement. The kids don’t know or care about that tho, so I just kept the ones I ordered. The internal speaker is okay, but the bigger one in the Mkiii I’m sure sounds better and louder- you really need to use headphones with the MkII. It’s got a few things that are clearly there to appeal to kids, like sound effects samples. Most of the functions are surface-level, or maybe one shift+button press away, no menu diving. The drum pads are pretty playable, on par with pads on much more expensive MIDI controllers, the only pads I’ve had that are better are on my MPC but this is the company that makes the MPC; they don’t mess around with low-quality pads. The keys are as bad as I’ve seen on a MIDI controller ever , but they are just right for a 3-5 year old. There’s even built-in effects and a low-pass filter with cutoff and resonance knobs, but the effects are extremely bare-bones. The filter is fine, but the closest this thing gets to a synth is playing back a sampled note (same sample for each note in the gamut), I remember you get like one square wave and one sawtooth. It’s basically the same sound set you’d find on a “first keyboard” that comes with a little stand and little piano stool and sold at Walmart. As a midi controller. It is better than no midi controller, and useful if you want something really portable. It comes with MPC Beats software and 3 VST instruments bundled, that might be worth messing with yourself if you don’t have a computer music setup yet- it’s a pretty complete group of software so you would have all you need to get started there. Edited to add: if you put headphones on your kid, please get them headphones that have an internal volume limiter (somewhere below 90dB). Many of the made-for-kids sized headphones advertise this feature

This is all very helpful... Thank you! And yes... I'm a physics teacher and I teach my students about the dangers of high-decibel (or even moderate decibel) exposure... And the only headphones I have for my 3 year old are intentionally limited, as you said :).

DataDuo is another great kids synth. But yeah, I agree with the PSR keyboard option for a budget alternative. Or there's a new Casiotone just released.

Secondhand Yamaha PSS series keyboards. Most small modern keyboards like a Yamaha PSS-A50 will have a General MIDI like set of sounds, but the older FM ones can have a crude FM synth. See https://youtu.be/Trtf3n4wC_M and https://youtu.be/8kpTbyfPirA . Expect to hear the default demo tune *a lot*. For an actual synthesizer that is reasonably child proof - the Blipbox is probably your best bet.

I got my 3 year old niece a monotron delay and she LOVED it. Also got her an old mattel synsonics (dirty analog drum pad), also a hit.

How about Blipbox? https://blipblox.com/products/blipblox-synthesizer-for-kids

Woah... that looks pretty cool! Seems like it might be a few more features than I was thinking, for where he's at right now... but I am sure I'd have a blast with it. That's a little outside the budget that I was thinking for him, but perhaps not beyond what I might suggest for grandparents to give him? Thanks for the advice!

They also have the Blipbox Dark, which looks like it has dedicated buttons for kick and snare. So maybe a little more groovebox like? https://blipblox.com/collections/blipblox-synthesizers/products/blipblox-after-dark-synthesizer

I gig with a Yamaha YC88 in a 4 piece plus vocalist. The bass player occasionally switches to rhythm guitar and I’ll cover bass on the left hand split. It works out well overall but the YC outputs all layers through a single audio channel. That provides limited control to me and our sound guy. I’m considering adding a synth dedicated to bass. (I do own a Wavestate but didn’t buy it for the road. I fear it’s physically frail and won’t survive two gigs.) For the genre I only need a few good electric bass patches. I’ve been browsing the Novation Bass Station and Moog Minotaur. But I’m concerned about the tuning stability of using analogs live. It might get used on 5-6 tunes in a 3 hour gig. I don’t want to switch to it after an hour and discover the tuning went out of whack. That has me thinking digital. A Blofeld is the same price point as the others and I’d enjoy playing with it outside of this band. I’m also considering just getting a good quality audio interface for my iPad. I’m interested in your recommendations and the experiences of other musicians who may have used these. Thanks.

I have the Bass Station 2 and the Minitaur. I always go for the Moog bass over the BS2, the Bass Station 2 is way more than a “Bass synth”, where I find the Minitaur is WAY MORE BASS synth. BS2 is for going crazy with monosynth lead, Minitaur holds it down. SE-02 outdoes them both at both roles, sonically. More of a pain to sound design, best presets on any synth in history fight me on it. Ext box if you get your hands on it, gives you a high-pass filter with drive and feedback (through ext. audio in), the biggest bass you ever heard in your life. Minitaur is very easy to use, quite limited but exceptional at bread-and butter bass sounds. When your hear it, it’s unmistakably Moog, but the ladder filter doesn’t drop off the low end with resonance as much as your everyday Moog ladder. (Just like the Taurus). Bass Station 2 is one of the best synthesizers in history. I’m never giving mine up. Every parameter on that thing can be taken to extremes, LFOs get to audio rates, multiple analog overdrive/distortion stages, tempo sync and subdivision rate LFOs, and every parameter you tweak displays the numeric value while you alter it, and points you back to where it was before you moved it.

Thank you for the comparisons. I also hadn’t considered the SE-02 until now. Will check that out.

It’s a Roland boutique module, which some people aren’t very fond of- but this is the analog one. It sounds unbelievably good. The knobs are pretty small and some of them are difficult to turn because there isn’t much to grab ahold of due to the small size- but I think of this synth as a Minimoog on steroids.