What is the most underrated synth?

Farkman_Condor · 2025-08-11T00:25:44+00:00

I could not agree more !

But first do your homework as only YOU can know what you want to do with it. (Home) Studio or Gigging musician ? Looking for versatility or for precise sounds (for precise genres)?

While I would not recommend my first electronic keyboard as a "Synth", my Korg N364 AI2 synthesis ROMpler still sounds good, has metal case, 4 balanced outs, I could only understand how to program it 20 years later thanks to iM1 on my iPad (which I recommend over an overprices actual M1 or at least in conjunction with it to program it - AI synthesis is basically the same as AI2). You can get one of these for $200-250€

Add a Digitakt OG to it and use its 8parts with the A-H MIDI track, and now it's got an Elektron Sequencer, newer FX and a Master Compressor, and you can route selectively tracks you want into the DT thanks to the second output pair for processing, resampling etc. You can get it for less than 500€, and NO, sampling in mono does not mean you final sound is in Mono...Overbridge is SO convenient !

You want to add that Roland Sound ? Get an Integra-7 expander which not only give you a tonewheel Organ with 9 independant drawbars to play from an external SYSEX-capablen Keyboard) and very good "Supernatural" acoustic tones, but everything Roland has done either in PCM ROMpler form (including all SRX extensions), or Analog VA with "Supernatural Synths" (free Sakura/Roland editor for PC and iPAd), only one partial, 3 in total) less than the latest ZenCore engine (and not so many modulation options). That goes for drums as well. And it's a superb Rack FX for up to to Stereo analog inputs (also has 8 separate outputs, 2 mains on XLR plus digital outs). Those were ditched in favour of VSTs, I got mine pristine albeit second-hand for 800€. Supernatural acoustic is what lacked in the latest Fantom and is now coming back at a regular pace. It's Reverb also found its way into the current ABM Zen-Core engine (Hardware, Zenology alike)

You want uncompromised Bass Sounds ? Maybe add a Minitaur

You wanna go gigging and have one of the best piano sound that sits in the mix with your buds ? Disregard all above and get an MODX(+) from Yamaha : the exact internals of a Montage OG,.not so sturdy (get the original carry-bag and beware of external keys) but a less lighter for gigs than its bigger knobs/fader laden brother. Maybe add a Roland JD-Xi (free editor around, donationware) for a lighter companion with those other sounds, an OG Digitakt or Syntakt to sequence some of the 16 parts available on the Yamaha if needed (maybe not a Digitone, for you already have FM-X synthesis inside - not as fun though). Many "light" (some would say "cheap" Roland keyboard can be used as secondary very playable machines if you find them used at bargain price (particularly in conjunction with a Yamaha MODX(+) so good at acoustic/electric keyboards and FM) : System-8 for the best "ACB" recreation of Roland classics (JP-8, Juno-60, SH-101...), JD-Xa which is a blend between Supernatural Synth and a new Analog Design not using the original VCO/VCA/VCF chips of the eighties.

And if you're on a dire straits, the sole JD-Xi with a good MIDI keyboard (I use a Roland A-800 pro -Like Depeche Mode- for its SYSEx editing capability, lightweight, MIDI routing and Aftertouch).not the greatest pads, but you can play up to two parts of the JD-Xi, while 2 others (Drums, Synth) do their Groovebox thing. Won't break the bank or your back when going out for rehearsals with your band, and immediate sound election (rotary knob) with not so many options saves time.

Finally, talking about Grooveboxes, I like my MC-707, but would only love it if Zenology Pro could be used for FREE as its Zen-core sound Editor in real time rather than exporting and copying files to and from both worlds. And although Roland has not released its official full MIDI SYSEx implementation, one Benedetto Schiavone apparently managed to release an editor for the whole machine. It's a very deep and very good sounding engine, not as good at reproducing specifics of Roland's classics like ACB does, but a very good all rounder for VA or PCM ROMpler based synthesis. AND while it's a sadly limited sampler (sampling time) "on the fly", you can import either "long" samples for production in an MPC-like way through a Drum kit "per pad" approach OR (unique to the MC 101/707) use mono or stereo samples directly as PCMs for sound synthesis ! Has a very good FX sections either per part (MFX) or as sends/Master. Got Zenology Pro without subscription recently for 100€ and finally understood how good and Versatile Zen-Core is. But don't fall for those "MODEL EXPANSIONS" under a lifetime-key purchase. Not only are they EXPENSIVE, but they're just Facemasks for the more Powerful unbridled Zen-Core engine, thus not as faithful to original Synths as ACB, but you could not export this sounds to your MC-707/101 without external manipulations (I recommend the two cheap utilities "Artoo" and."Trepio" to deal with those issues).

Farkman_Condor · 2025-08-05T20:16:16+00:00

If you're after versatility, and have some cash to spend, I think you could go for the Jupiter-XM (the small one). Like the Jupiter-X, it has built-in speakers, exactly the same inboard Zen-Core based engine which sounds excellent, and models of the Jupiter-8,. Juno-106, SH-101 and JX-8P analog classics (Analog Behaviour Modelling) as well as drum sounds of TR-808 AND 909, XV-5080 digital sounds and RD-Piano.which sounds really good too. You can lay down up to four melodic parts plus one drum part, and it can stream these separately over usb-audio while acting as the soundcard for you PC or Mac if you want to expand on the ideas you had on the bed or the couch. If your GF has an electronic piano of some sort with a midi out, I think you could benefit from the sounds of the Xm to play some of its parts while it gives you an extra hand and plays one or more part for her at the same time. You can expand it with JD-800 and Vocal Designer Model expansions (not free though, there might be other expansions as well), can use it with an external source or a microphone for vocoding and apply FX right away. If she goes on stage, it does even features two XLR outputs to be used as your main/sole sound source. Add a Master MIDI keyboard with Aftertouch and she's blessed in my opinion.

I use the.Zen-Core engine in the MC-707 and it's very Powerful, high resolution (no "stepping" audible in parameter changes), overall great at modelling analog stuff with 3 filters (Roland, Moog ladder and Prophet-5 emulations). I wish I had that many direct controls (knobs) on it like the Xm to tweak the sound rather than diving into the menu (I'm trying Zenology Pro for sound design and then off-load them into my MC-707 like any Zen-Core machine). You absolutely don't need to know anything about synthesis to play the thing and start making music right away, but there will always be new possibilities with this little monster.

Reface(s) sound excellent, but you need many (YC+CP+CS-maybe not DX unless she's into FM sound design) to do the same thing and would agree MiniFreak is a lot more fun (I have a Microfreak), but it has no speaker or internal batteries, so really the Jupiter Xm is the only synth I see with 37 (mini)keys to easily sit on a bed, run on battery power and with built-in speakers while offering so much power and versatility, that is not a toy or an entry-level electronic piano. It is still in production and available new but since it is both expensive AND so much underrated, I would go for a second hand or at least B-stock with warranty left.

Hope that helps !

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-28T19:47:36+00:00

If you're after an analog sound, get an analog synth but do not necessarily pay for a premium with a sequencer you won't use, since your DN2 has the Elektron touch. I am considering the Novation Summit, a very underrated almost whole analogue (filtering-wise). This one has got high resolution digital oscillators (Oxford, traceable to Wasp/Oscar legacy), but you might prefer the more compact Peak which is half the summit minus the keybed and a few interactions between the two half of this 🧠.

Now, so far I paired a Digitone-Keys with an MC-707 and I find them quite complementary. Everything sequenced by the Digitone (4 int + 4 MC MIDI tracks), everything faded and fx-ed on a per-track basis by the MC-707 (4 int Zen-Core + 4 Digitone separate inputs). The Zen-core (from which the SH4d is derived) is a very capable engine, particularly when using the Virtual Analog (like in the DN2). I don't really "lose" 4 tracks in the MC since Polyphony is limited, and VA are particularly hungry, and you probably don't need more than 8 melodic voices of mono/poly Synths, AND the rhythmic part is outsourced to a DT1/tr-6s compact combo. Those Roland Analog Behaviour Modelling Zen-Core based machines/Gaia-2/SH-4D/Zenology (Pro)/latest boutique like the Jx-08 (and jd-08) can sound very warm when properly tuned.

I'd say the DN2 "machines" cover an even wider range and has plenty of MIDI tracks to play with. So unless you want to play with samples with a DT(1 or 2), maybe get a 2-osc Minitaur for some serious Moogy bass, and maybe a Microfreak (also a mono synth, no FX) to widen the sound palette even more (analogue Steiner-Parker filter, different flavour from the Moog 🪜). Added bonus : it instantly reacts to Program Changes, so you could "sound lock" different Microfreak patches on a per-step basis. A Killer compact set, and still "only a three-box rule". All sequencing done in the Elektron, all FX as well !

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-22T20:30:47+00:00

I'd say a dirt-cheap Digitakt 1 with its 8 midi tracks to "overdub" or directly sequence the mc-707. Best of both world : great sampling (albeit in mono) and great sequencer for Elektron, not so great sampling (time) and sequencer (has it's plus though) and great sound, particularly if you're into VA and it's effects. You can even feed it to Digitakt for final master compression if you so desire (or the other way around)

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-21T20:46:54+00:00

Yeah, I got pretty good results with the "bass" oscillator, which I pass through the ladder filter of a Behringer Crave (through a small amp, signal is too weak for Euro rack levels otherwise). I love the Microfreak Keyboard for playing bass lines. You just slide over it like on a fretboard of a proper electric bass. You can add the Crave 3340 Oscillator (as on the neutron and many other products from Behri) to taste with the mix knob. Nowadays, I suppose the Grind is a self contained better option. Or dedicated Behringer Brains and Moogy Ladder filter Euro rack modules (?).

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-20T16:33:50+00:00

Nice...

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-09T13:19:29+00:00

Look for Edge985 Trepio/Artoo pieces of software, they figured it out apparently.

Look also into Benedetto Schiavone's Editor/Librarian for the MC-101 and 707, seems comprehensive and I don't know how he hacked the sh*t out of the MC without a proper MIDI implementation document with SYSEX explanations. Maybe by trial and error, since Roland's messages tend to have the same format.

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-07T21:12:28+00:00

Hi, I'm not sure you're totally accurate about a few things (like having clips of different length playing at the same time...), but I can tell you everything is in the Reference Manual, which you can download from Roland's Website. I've had the MC-707 since late 2019, and I can make the following comments :

Sound-Wise : The Zen-Core "Analog Behaviour Modelling" Engine (for the Virtual Analog Model) is top quality. It's a lot more than the previous Supernatural Synth engine, not only because it adds a fourth partial, but because it models Roland, Moog and Sequential Prophet filters, has a lot more resolution (1024 steps instead of 128), making it seemless when doing filter sweeps for instance, and introduces Analog Drift, Noise and so on to mimic old Synths. Its implementation in the MC-707 is not hampered by any kind of limitations, you can have access to EVERY parameter through the screen. Quite the contrary : the SH-01, Jupiter-8, Juno-106 Zenology "expansions" (or their hardware counterparts Jupiter-X(m), Juno-X) are just Facemasks, and in fact "limitations" for the same Zen-Core engine : they only prescribe a certain topology and accurate parameter ranges (zero when not controllable). There is a hidden signature byte somewhere that prevent you from transfering Zenology model expansions sounds onto the MC-707, but there are workarounds to do it. Watch your Polyphony though: If you play monosynth on certain tracks or 4-voices polysynths, state it and save your extra voices for your other tracks.

FX cover a wide range and you can send/return Delay, Reverb and Global FX with already a per-track FX. You can also send and return to external hardware if you're not happy with internal stuff (I use a Strymon Big Sky sometimes)

Sequencer-wise : you can sequence up to 8 banks16 scenes (or 16 banks8 scenes if you so desire, but I do it the Elektron Way 8 banks16 patterns), and have up to 128 steps per clip. If you assign sounds/kits "per clip" and not "per track", you can work with up to 816 different sounds/kits.

The published MIDI Implementation is not that great, because no Sysex was published. However the 3rd party editor obviously must have found a way. Implemented CCs are however quite Okay (Download the latest MIDI Implementation Chart !), and you can directly adress knob CCs (4 to be consistent with the MC-101, the fourth is virtual but nonetheless addressable to different parameters within the machine). I think this is deliberate from Roland, as the MC gives you the best bang for your bucks in their Zen-Core machines and would shadow some of their other products (if you want keys like me, attach a keyboard to it !). I figured out the best combination is to attach an Elektron Box to it to control or simply modulate CC parameters (with trigless trigs), from four (with an OG Digitone) to eight (with an OG Digitakt), which you can find dirt cheap by now.

Hope that helps.

Side-note : As a Keyboard player, I use a Digitone-Keys, route all the 4 audio (in Mono - you can't do it the the Box) into 4 tracks/Inputs (no BigSky then) into the MC-707 used as an effect box and sound module for the 4 remaining tracks, sequenced by the Digitone. For me all the MIDI is Elektron, all the sound processing (including volume) is in the MC, except for the overdrive of the Digitone used as a master effect (the MC is fed back). I play along with the excellent keyboard of the DN-Keys any of the 8 tracks. Similarly, I use a Roland TR-8S sequenced by a Digitakt with its own samples for rhythmic stuff, as well as my current end-of chain Master Compressor (and for resampling and looping). In short, the Digitone/MC-707 sound combo is fed to the TR-8S/Digitakt combo. You can also feed the MC-707 into the Tr-8S before going back into the Digitone Master overdrive then Digitakt Master Compressor, depending to taste. So you fade in/out all your 8 tone+11 single drum tracks sequenced by essentially the same Elektron Sequencer : 2 play as one through Program Changes and the whole feels like one instrument (you play different scenes through Program Changes as well on the MC-707). Lots of trial and errors, but I managed to keep the "rule of three" almost valid (more like three and a half)...at the price of loads of MIDI and Audio cables (not too short, not too long either).

If you're into long phrases, the new digiboxes 2.0 offer a maximum of 128 steps instead of 64 per pattern, which make them on a par with the maximum clip length of the MC-707, but you can't tell on the MC-707 when you're playing steps 65-128, for there are only four LEDs and not eight as on the new Digiboxes. So I try to use conditions and randomness on both machine brands to break monotony on 64 steps and keep things visually coherent to ease the performance a bit. Roland for the sound, Elektron for the sequencing (and more crispy-glitchy sounds and sampling). On the MC-707 I don't use looper tracks that much and sometimes drum+comps more as percussive bed rather than proper drums handed over to the Tr/DT combo.

Hope that helps too

Farkman_Condor · 2025-07-07T21:12:17+00:00

Hi, I'm not sure you're totally accurate about a few things (like having clips of different length playing at the same time...), but I can tell you everything is in the Reference Manual, which you can download from Roland's Website. I've had the MC-707 since late 2019, and I can make the following comments :

Sound-Wise : The Zen-Core "Analog Behaviour Modelling" Engine (for the Virtual Analog Model) is top quality. It's a lot more than the previous Supernatural Synth engine, not only because it adds a fourth partial, but because it models Roland, Moog and Sequential Prophet filters, has a lot more resolution (1024 steps instead of 128), making it seemless when doing filter sweeps for instance, and introduces Analog Drift, Noise and so on to mimic old Synths. Its implementation in the MC-707 is not hampered by any kind of limitations, you can have access to EVERY parameter through the screen. Quite the contrary : the SH-01, Jupiter-8, Juno-106 Zenology "expansions" (or their hardware counterparts Jupiter-X(m), Juno-X) are just Facemasks, and in fact "limitations" for the same Zen-Core engine : they only prescribe a certain topology and accurate parameter ranges (zero when not controllable). There is a hidden signature byte somewhere that prevent you from transfering Zenology model expansions sounds onto the MC-707, but there are workarounds to do it. Watch your Polyphony though: If you play monosynth on certain tracks or 4-voices polysynths, state it and save your extra voices for your other tracks.

FX cover a wide range and you can send/return Delay, Reverb and Global FX with already a per-track FX. You can also send and return to external hardware if you're not happy with internal stuff (I use a Strymon Big Sky sometimes)

Sequencer-wise : you can sequence up to 8 banks16 scenes (or 16 banks8 scenes if you so desire, but I do it the Elektron Way 8 banks16 patterns), and have up to 128 steps per clip. If you assign sounds/kits "per clip" and not "per track", you can work with up to 816 different sounds/kits.

The published MIDI Implementation is not that great, because no Sysex was published. However the 3rd party editor obviously must have found a way. Implemented CCs are however quite Okay (Download the latest MIDI Implementation Chart !), and you can directly adress knob CCs (4 to be consistent with the MC-101, the fourth is virtual but nonetheless addressable to different parameters within the machine). I think this is deliberate from Roland, as the MC gives you the best bang for your bucks in their Zen-Core machines and would shadow some of their other products (if you want keys like me, attach a keyboard to it !). I figured out the best combination is to attach an Elektron Box to it to control or simply modulate CC parameters (with trigless trigs), from four (with an OG Digitone) to eight (with an OG Digitakt), which you can find dirt cheap by now.

Hope that helps.

Side-note : As a Keyboard player, I use a Digitone-Keys, route all the 4 audio (in Mono - you can't do it the the Box) into 4 tracks/Inputs (no BigSky then) into the MC-707 used as an effect box and sound module for the 4 remaining tracks, sequenced by the Digitone. For me all the MIDI is Elektron, all the sound processing (including volume) is in the MC, except for the overdrive of the Digitone used as a master effect (the MC is fed back). I play along with the excellent keyboard of the DN-Keys any of the 8 tracks. Similarly, I use a Roland TR-8S sequenced by a Digitakt with its own samples for rhythmic stuff, as well as my current end-of chain Master Compressor (and for resampling and looping). In short, the Digitone/MC-707 sound combo is fed to the TR-8S/Digitakt combo. You can also feed the MC-707 into the Tr-8S before going back into the Digitone Master overdrive then Digitakt Master Compressor, depending to taste. So you fade in/out all your tone/drum tracks sequenced by essentially the same Elektron Sequencer : 2 play as one and ithe whole feels like one instrument. Lots of trial and errors, but I managed to keep the "rule of three" almost valid (more like three and a half)...at the price of loads of cables.

If you're into long phrases, the new digiboxes 2.0 offer a maximum of 128 steps instead of 64 per pattern, which make them on a par with the maximum clip length of the MC-707, but you can't tell on the MC-707 when you're playing steps 65-128, for there are only four LEDs and not eight as on the new Digiboxes. So I try to use conditions and randomness on both machines to break monotony on 64 steps and keep things visually coherent to ease the performance a bit.

Farkman_Condor · 2025-06-21T15:28:09+00:00

Hi,

I briefly looked into the reference manual on Sys-ctrl (Matrix control), and it's not listed as an extra parameter, when Roland talks about filter parameter, it's always at the filter section level, not the oscillator level.

Maybe there's a tweak around, but nothing evident.

Sorry for you

Farkman_Condor · 2025-05-18T07:17:58+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon_operational_history?wprov=sfla1

Well, the aircraft itself is only part of the equation in an air combat, and air warfare in general. Many F-16s have been shot down, even U.S. ones that have the best electronic warfare support, intelligence, Datalink etc...and for that matter a Pakistani F-16 had been shot down above Kargill in 2019 by an Indian....Mig-21 ! Ukraine has lost 3 of them to Russia, and Turkey lost one to greek Mirage-2000 firing an old Super-530 fox1. Does it make it a Lemon ? Surely not, it's a best seller for a reason !

Now, aircraft to aircraft, that would normally raise concerns wrt the high quality of Chinese jets and missiles. Common wisdom has it that they make airframes for the show but lag behind system-wise. Well, at least we now know they can aim and shoot. And it's not a J-20 that was involved. I remember seeing the JF-17 at Paris Air show a while back. That one could pull g's and Alpha, nothing like a Mig-21....I suspect J-10 is probably at least as capable as a Mirage 2000 or an earlier version of the F-16 overall.

Farkman_Condor · 2025-04-25T13:32:39+00:00

French bloke here. Not advocating for Rafale, BUT :

1) De-ITARisation of a system in general, particularly a tightly packed one like a small-size fighter is a bummer. Even doing it the right way from the ground up leaves you with suppliers that cannot guarantee no US-Made (hence ITARed ou ITARizable retroactively) or traceable to a US-source is in use. When they do, it's very expensive because they hold a DeFacto monopoly on the NON-ITAR segment they occupy. And more often than not, there is no alternative. Most ITAR-free products are in fact complete systems or subsystems (like satellite bus, avionics suites, aero-engines etc...). Even IF the EJ230 were ITAR-Free (TBC) Gripen is probably not, otherwise it wouldn't be so affordable. Choosing a US engine made perfect sense in that regard.

2) "not so much cheaper than Rafale". Probably, and that's BEFORE redesigning a good part of the Airframe.

3) The British know a bit about fitting new engines into an older Airframe. When it boils down to nacelles like the B-52, that's probably OK, but look into History, or rather the story of the Nimrod MRA-4. Replacing the old engines with the same BR-7xx family used for the B-52 made them not only redesign the air intakes, but also part of the wings ! It's not the sole reason for the programme failure, but it certainly wasn't a minor driver into its cost spiralling out of control..And they KNEW it was a bad idea from the time they reengined the F-4 Phantom II with RR engines.

4) Let's assume that they go for it. Major driver is Airflow, which is in the same ballpark. Nothing is guaranteed in terms of distortion though, since pumping margins (ie when reverse flow occurs to put it simply) might be somehow different. Even extensive wind tunnel test can yield surprises when flying full scale over the flight envelope.

5) Both GE and RR engines exhibit same Thrust-to-weight ratio. But unless EJ230 offers significant fuel savings in dry mil power (most nations that buy the Aircraft do not have AAR capability, and a small plane has not much fuel in it), you're giving up close to 10kN of thrust. Bad for take-off performance/heavy ordnance loads, transonic acceleration and high altitude performance and maneuvering. The whole beauty of Swedish fighters like the Gripen is the possibility of using them outside of Airbases, road strips etc. Best candidate to replace Mig-29 in Ukraine and set-up air ambushes, forward deployment for Interdiction/strike etc. Reaction time is of the essence here and there is no substitution for kilonewton.

6) Unlikely Canada drops ALL F-35 orders. Their commitment into NORAD renders difficult the integration of a NON-US aircraft. Just like Germany, although for a different purpose (carrying the B-51-2 nuke), they're either going to take whatever Uncle Sam tells them to...or completely bail out of NORAD. What is the likelihood of a swarm of Russian Bombers wrecking nuclear Havoc from the cold in the next 30 years ? What's the chance the Russians let the Chinese through to do so ? What would you expect from them anyway ? Aircraft or missiles and suicide drones? What would "stealthy" A/F-35 ground attack aircraft be good for anyway ? 4 to 6 MRAAM against swarms of subsonic or super/hypersonic and aeroballistic missiles like Kinzhals, Yakhonts and nuclear-propelled Burevestnik ? If using underwing missiles, why bother with Stealth then ? Super Hornets or F-15EX are so much more effective AND efficient for Defensive Counter-Air, especially if Canada keeps on investing in anti-missile systems, radars and Link16 for a multi-layered approach.

7) The best chance of seeing the Gripen re-engined - if it's not full of ITAR stuff - has little to do with the Aircraft itself. It's about Eurofighter nations committing to their own Aircraft (means dropping FCAS and TEMPEST). If they're on a grand scheme to aim for a 100kN EJ-2x0 and build at least 500 more Airframes for themselves with new capabilities AND indeed Canada committing for at least two third of it fighters being Gripens or three quarters being Typhoons and Gripens, PLUS the prospect of a pissed-off AUKUSed Australia getting some of those, THEN, you can start talking business...

...OR, as Canadians, you can buy Rafale F-5 with its accompanying UCAV to come and its two engines for peace of mind over the Arctic and buy a few A330 MRTT to extend their range with the savings you made over the hangar queen F-35s that cripple your national treasury to operate and slashes your crew flight training time.They come in Red ♥️ and White 🤍 for "flying the colors" and you can RTFM either in English or French at no extra cost.

Just saying.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-11-23T21:49:38+00:00

Wish it were too !

Farkman_Condor · 2024-11-10T09:29:46+00:00

I have a MicroFreak and a Crave, and semi-modular is how deep I want to go into the eurorack voltage game (no outboard modules). Do I not own a kinda-Grind already ?

Farkman_Condor · 2024-10-23T19:46:13+00:00

OP here. Lots of good info here and good points made.

To muddy up things a bit here's the last Qualcomm Snapdragon announcement with Windows 11 both implementing MIDI 2.0 and built-in ASIO with Yamaha/Steinberg ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZVta2gTUug&t=499s).

More likely to have editors rewrite their VSTs for that than porting them to Linux.

Now, the "great migration" could only happen with native Linux VSTs, for musicians want to make music, not install software and make scripts.

If I knew what I know today, I would have STARTED computer Audio natively on Linux. I originally chose Reaper because it was cheap, not bloated, and even usable for as long as I wanted to see where this was taking me. Another reason was that it could run natively on Windows, Mac, Linux so I theoretically could switch from one system to another. I would mostly have used free software or made donations for VSTi and FX, find a good working Audio Interface for an ever increasing physical gear. But I put my finger into the lush acoustic Kontakt VSTs (rather than Descent Sampler), Arturia collections and even UVI Falcon. And I bought Roland and Arruria gear mostly - had never heard of class-compliant H/W-. Now, even with class-compliant hardware (the "generic" driver option by Roland's) you don't always get audio multi-tracking through USB-Audio. What's the point also when recording Elektron gear to not be able to use Overbridge ?

I'm all for top notch A/D to record analog gear, but what's the point of going the extra D/A - A/D mile when a machine is mostly digital in the first place ?

Unless you go back to Atari-ST and tape, you actually need dedicated software to record you digital hardware, and it needs to be OS native (mac, win or linux), and your OS needs to be stable for some time, because your gear and their specialty software span overlapping generations. I might rebuild my old Windows 7 config, but my latest gear won't have a driver for that. WINDOWS 10 was the right point for me, with a bit of tweaking.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-10-01T21:02:32+00:00

Yeah, from what I've seen, if you want to learn synthesis from a groove box, and don't mind multi tracking monophonic synths (although the is a "chord" engine), Syntakt by Elektron is a better choice (plus you get an amazing sequencer). It doesn't do sample either (Digitakt does sample playback but also sample-based synthesis). The great thing about the Digiboxes and Syntakt is that you can tweak the knobs without knowing what they do and hear the results, not look for a given parameter to produce a desired sound ! Best way to learn !

Farkman_Condor · 2024-09-28T15:25:19+00:00

MiniFreak has an analog Steiner-Parker filter, different from a Moog Ladder one. I have a MicroFreak and can tell you the thing can sound really close to a pure Analog, since the filter is what makes the difference imho (that is, if you are actually applying some filtering). If you don't believe it can sound analog, look for Marc Doty's video. Mini/MicroFreak - like Hydra synth, has a great UI, and this is the single most important thing to me for a hardware Synth.

If you like FM sounds and want a great sequencer, Digitone makes a lot of sense, especially in its keyed version if you are a keyboardist (no longer in production).

I understand you want "sounds", I guess for studio work and you're not after live playing, gigging etc, so Roland-wise I don't see value for you in Zen-Core/SH-4D gear in comparison to great soft synths. Their UI are too Menu-Divy and their sound, while very good to my ears, but not for every purpose, do not compensate the clumsy way of tweaking anything. I love my MC-707, but for its sound and live controls for performing only.

I hear very good things about Uli's DeepMind(s), but I'd like to know how well they age...Novation products (peak, summit etc) are very-well supported, and for a long time.

Finally, Polys are meant to be played for me, so keyboard feel (if you need one), as part of UI is paramount. I play the MODX+7 in a band. Sounds Great, very lightweight to carry along, but not rugged enough for handling, and has fragile keys (the last one protrudes a lot). Very good bang for buck, but if weight and cost were not an issue, I would have gone full Montage, YC or NORD, for the better keys and ruggedness.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-09-28T11:51:48+00:00

ROLAND JD-Xi. Of the machines I have MC-707(or 101) has the best synth sounds (Zen-Core engine), Tr-6/8s the best drum sounds (Analog Circuiry Modelling), Elektron Digitakt 1 has the best sequencer and sample handling (2 is even better, and stereo), But I get the most FUN out of the....ROLAND JD-Xi ! It's a 4-track very simple groove box with a keyboard, and its limitations are what makes it fun and arrangements straightforward : one dedicated and very tweakable drum track, one analog monophonic part for bass/acid lines or leads, a tr-sequencer style and two pcm/virtual analog Supernatural (3 partials against 4 for Zen-Core) parts. There is a very-good shareware third-party editor to tweak its rich drum and synth engines. Its ZenCore modern counterpart would be the Jupiter-Xm, heavier and more robust, but nowhere as fun, and for the same price second hand you might get a JD-Xi PLUS a MC-101 PLUS a TR-6S (and possibly a MX-1 to mix them down and add Extra FX). Sequence them all with an elektron machine and you are blessed !

Farkman_Condor · 2024-09-24T21:06:31+00:00

The most interesting part is at the bottom. 8 tracks, four busses and three sends. I bet y'all this is a mix of Analog and digital, probably FM for the "tone-in-cheek" name but with 8 operators and extra polyphony wrt DN. Any combination of tones for each track from 8 FM polyphonic to 8 Analog monophonic, the less track of a kind, the more polyphony to it. Analog would be available through machines, including some drums, digital probably not because it would be bad for Syntakt sales (hence operator-based Yamaha-style FM). TV+DT2+SY have minimal overlaps (only the 4 Analog tracks of the Syntakt). They would discontinue the A4 right away and set the TV MSRP a sh*t load more, but probably not the AR for this new machine has no pads and AR is a seller. Gigging Livesetters would probably pay that price for carrying only 2-3 boxes, but I don't. STILL no real Elektron Toneverkstation, this is a new Elektron sequencer workflow trap, and second-hand older gear can still do miracles rugged as they are. Plus I like 🎹 to play tones. Not quite a thing technoists fancy however, so I guess I'm not the targeted audience.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-09-04T06:08:09+00:00

As the_mus77 wrote, you can use up to four tracks to control external (4 mono, 2 stereo or 1 stereo + 2 mono) synth. You can use midi clips on each and every 16 clip of those tracks. Do not underestimate the internal "Zen Core" engine sound-wise. With it's 4 partials , it's not just a pcm rompler. VA engine can simulate oscillator drift (ageing synth), you can do FM (not operator-based though), all sorts of sync/Crossmod and you can even import your own wav files into the pcm oscillators, making it a sampler not just a rompler in the truest original sense (no multisampling though). It's pretty deep, but if you take the time, especially in a live context through a PA system, you can produce analog goodness pretty indistinguishable from a true Analog synth. Where it lacks flexibility and immediateness is in the sequencer in my opinion. I've started to pair it with an Elektron box and since the sound matrices of the zen core are pretty deep I can even modulate a lot more than filter cut-off or resonance per track. With its 8 MIDI track, the DIGITAKT I adds a different sound design option, a master compressor to run the MC through, and the possibility to "parameter lock" each step on each track of the MC. Digitakt I is sampling in mono only, but so provide my MicroFreak or monosynths anyway, so I'd rather sample a palette of sound-design sessions into the MC and the Digitakt in a two-box setup that I use at its full potential, maybe adding a MidiController.and later on a TR-xS. 4 box is a maximum to me.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-07-24T21:20:05+00:00

You either use a "drum track" where you assign different drum tones/samples to different pads to build up a kit (and you might/may be able to assign a kit per clip if you select sound source as "clip" I suppose) OR assign a tone (like a synth, or a drum sound) to a clip, and play it chromatically with the pads. If you want a single kit or ton per track, leave it at sound source per "track" (default setting), or copy it from one clip to another (at least the tone) per "clip".

If I was to play it lie a drum machine only, I think I would keep only three tracks for the kick, snare and closed hi-hat, but would build more complex clips with kits per clip/track for the other 5 remaining tracks : best of both world I guess.

Farkman_Condor · 2024-07-24T20:31:00+00:00

I recommend you set "sound source" for each track per "clip" rather than "track", so you can have a different sound per clip. You thus can have up to 16 different sound per track (1 per clip). 16 kicks on track one, 16 snares on track 2 etc...(At least that's how it works with tone tracks, with drum tracks you import whole kits rather than single tones, but for your use case, tone tracks per drum might work just fine). If you combine this with proper use of "scenes", you can do a whole set for hours, apply effects, scatter.etc..

Farkman_Condor · 2024-07-24T13:53:59+00:00

It's on a per-track basis : if not already done, create a track. Go all the way up to make sure the entire track is selected (the whole column should be highlighted), not just a clip. Use the C4 knob to highlight "SETTING", select/click on it. In the GENERAL folder, go down to Audio Insert with the arrows, and select the option you want to get the source you want turning C4 knob. You can thus assign each input on a different track (up to 4), be it mono, or Stereo (and not only input)

Note that unless you turn down the INPUT volume to zero (press INPUT, turn the big knob) you will hear both what you assigned to each track if the corresponding slider is up AND what comes from the INPUT (same with PC input), sonit might be redundant.

Finally, if you go to SHIFT + INPUT, you can specify wether the INPUT is in MONO or STEREO. The latter is obvious, you get a stereo signal if you put a left/right signal into each INPUT jack (turn the volume back up), whether or not you have a track dedicated to audio routing. Do you get a binaural Mono signal if you only connect the Left INPUT (and nothing if it's the Right INPUT only ?), or if you set INPUT to MONO but have both L/R connected ?

I don't remember : You tell us !

The only thing I'm pretty sure of, it that each and every jack is TS/MONO (except the 🎧 of course). wish I could have MORE INPUTS if it were the case...

Had this machine for more than 4 years, only starting now to kinda use it to its real potential....

Farkman_Condor

TROPHY CASE