Domu
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West Yorks, UK

On a massive synth kick today, set everything up in mah front room and it got me wondering about you chip guys;

What synths you rocking? Whats ur fave? (that you use) What do you lust after most?
What do you reckon are the most effective/desirable synths cost to feature wise? (outside of kits like Shruthi/ Sammich


Im owning a microkorg, yamaha dx100 x2 , FB01, and Roland V synth, and gotta say, despite the v-synth being a beast, the DX100s are so badass they kick it into a cocked hat.

I think I could live on a desert island indefinitely with a way to power a DX100 + GP2x+ piggy and midi interface and a multi track tape recorder. smile

Lazerbeat
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Tokyo, Japan

I wrote a love letter to my DX11 a while back

http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/7419/ … re-is-why/

I also have a MidiboxSID/MidiboxFM/Shruthi1 combo which takes care of all my synth needs pretty well. My go to recommendation for basically anything though is the Alesis Micron, only thing I eve regret selling. It is tiny but beats with the heart of an absolute monster.

Downstate
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shanghai

i dont have much at all. the fb01 i got for a tenner is pretty well used from time to time.
Id say the jv1080 is worth the hundred quid i paid for it too. its got a lot of shit sounds - but its got some of those classic warp chimes / bread n butter sounds that are so useable. It definately benefits from a delay pedal or something of that  nature - i definately get alot of use from it for leads and the occasional pad.
Next week im picking up a Roland JP3X - which seems pretty sweet to me for under 300 quid. Seems perfectly capable of Juno sounds, and got them nice filters. I really have always wanted a real synth to play. The menu editing doesn't put me off too much having been using soft synths forever im pretty used to that.
Next on my list would have to be the Acidlabs 808 clone. man i must have bumped that thing for like 30 minutes continously on my pilgrimage to THAT SYNTH PLACE in Harajuku : )

Jellica
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England

the only serious synth i have a yamaha cs1x that i have long term borrowed from a friend that never uses it.

it's ok, i just really dislike impenetrable menu driven synths, although its easier to use than the fucking microkorg.

my favorates are ones that might be considered toys: yamaha pss-470 and korg monotribe, the yamaha is a simple FM synth with a few bits you can edit and the korg is really wonderful, especially when pulse syncd to the gameboy and using a looping delay pedal or something.

i think i might get the ms20mini when that is out smile

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

I would love to visit that place downstate!
and yeah, you want a bcr2000 for programming that JP3X dude, check youtube! Fuck the £250+ for the official one! keep it on the quiet too haha.
Not got into using my FB01 yet for lack of a decent programming software, and never bothered looking into dumping sysex from the DX's, though I will be doing that today methinks to give those DX100 patches some multitimbral outing.

Lazerbeat: DX11? only one ive not looked into! awesome, will enjoy checking that out.
And sammich fm/ SID/ shruthi sounds real nice. I got a sammichSID kit unbuilt and sold a shruthi kit to KeFF which I kinda regret but needed the cash. The DX100 covers much of the same 4op FM base of the sammichFM without some of the additional midibox tricks. I really wanted one, but with me not even being solid enough to build the SID, the surface mount involved with the FM scared me off it! smile

totally considering looking into how to make analogue modules for a 3/4 voice DIY drum synth..
mmm



+looks like the common thread here is yamaha FM so far. How about we share some patches or something? Then again i dont know if DX11 is 4op or 6 op, if its 4 we should totally do some patch collab work, or make a few FM trax together

(I love both your guys music, though ive heard very little of yours lazerbeat, outside the odd track and your video of sammichSID, FB01 and piggy to midi)

XyNo
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Joliette, QC, Canada

I like my MS2000r ! Sounds like the Microkorg but you don't need to break your mind with these 2 unintuitive big knobs !!!

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

jellica: yeah man those editable 2op yamahas are great, I have a pss680 which is what got me into needing a DX baaad. Then i went mad and bought three!

Monotribe is high on my list to get hold of. I was about to trade for one recently but it fell through sad
Really need me some acid box. Monotribe modded with bass drum decay + MC202 would be an absolute dream come true


Xyno: yeah man the microkorg has a decent sound, and is nice an small, but programming it is not fun. and this is from someone who really doesnt mind the DX programming, which is so often labelled shit or unintuitive. Its not at all, if you like, ya know... learn about/ understand how FM works!
MS2000r look so great with that sound engine plus a load of lovely knobs smile

Last edited by Domu (Mar 29, 2013 2:05 pm)

herr_prof
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Shruthi-1 cem

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

dual SVF/ digital board all day long big_smile

kitsch
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matt's mind

i'm a huge fan of the old soviet era synths.  polivoks, formanta, aelita etc...

built in radio factories, really unique sounds.  built like tanks too (but still the post can utterly destroy them).  way overpriced once everyone else caught on to them as well, sucks now...

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

definately! always wanted me a Jen Sx5000. I held off a bit too long then prices went insane.

Would love to actually use a polivoks or something similar!

What synths do you own Kitsch?

*You HAVE one? Siiick*

Last edited by Domu (Mar 29, 2013 2:31 pm)

Downstate
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shanghai

uh p - p - p - polivoks !!!

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

wow had no idea any of the DX series had the TX81z waveforms like the DX11!

bet thats fun! i need me a TX bad (or a yamaha fsr-01 mmmm )

Last edited by Domu (Mar 29, 2013 2:34 pm)

Downstate
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shanghai
Domu wrote:

and yeah, you want a bcr2000 for programming that JP3X dude, check youtube!

hmm i dont see that as an option because the JP3X doesnt have midi ? ?  I do plan on getting it midified though  - but yeah fuck paying for the programmer than the synth lol

Domu
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West Yorks, UK

huh?! maybe I am thinking of the wrong synth? sure it was a JP3X. unless the guy in the vid had a midi modded one, but I cant see how a bcr2000 would be able to program it via sysex even.

Hmm.

kitsch
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matt's mind

soviet stuff:
faemi-1m
formanta mini
ritm-2
junost-21
polivoks

not quite synths (soviet still)
kvintet
notka
pif

not all of them are in full working condition wink  the ritm-2 is pretty fucked actually which is too bad because its arguably as impressive as a polivoks.  i've managed to get basic waveform generation to work again but thats about it for now.    pretty easy to repair apart from the ICs and soviet-style proprietary stuff.  the audio in/out jacks are much different, for example (5-pin din for audio).  and, no factory midi or anything.   but got them all for pretty cheap so can't complain really.  even broken soviet synths (or toy keyboards) are ridiculously priced now.

the east german 'vermona' is my all time favorite though.