What new gear [equipment] did you get today?

[abasio]

ofcourse, still have to unpack my stuff, just moved back home

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!

[devious]

I figured I talked a lot about what I was going to get, so...well, here's what is on the way here [being shipped]:

 

 

A revision 3.2 Prophet 5 with factory fitted MIDI. Is my spoiled replacement for the Roland MKS-80

 

 

A Juno 60! I liked the Juno 106 but cannot stand to even worry to think about voice chip failures. After much research, the Juno 60 will be a fair replacement with a dcb->midi converter box. The Juno 60 is said to be more fat, which is cool.

 

 

An Alpha Juno 2. A replacement for the MKS-50. Except this is the keyboard version with a few modifications such as a memory cartridge addition and such. Still requires a PG-300 to edit though, which I sold with the MKS-50 so I have to find a new one. I really love the sounds of this. It's been used a lot in trance, I know that much...and it's an excellent board for the price.

 

And I am waiting to receive my Genelec 1029A's too. All should be received by the end of this week, beginning of next. Woot!

 

-d

[devious]

On the way....

 

 

The most horrible thing is, well, not really, I have to sell my Oberheim MC 3000d midi controller [one just sold for on ebay for 600 dollars plus shipping, so I put mine up for 600 with free shipping man I got a good deal on that thing].

 

I guess I'm craving a modular now. Always have, but they were always costly. This was less than 1000 dollars and is in most excellent condition. A few things need to be done to it to make it a five vco, but there are three vco's in it already. I've been mastering my soldering technique lately with vintage buys and am realizing it's best to buy used non working stuff for awesome prices hehe.

 

So what now? To learn the real hard truth behind synthesis, woot.

 

Aaron

[acidkills]

Devious I can only say u are pretty hooked.. Looks like u got addicted.. U bastard

 

 

I just bought a pair of omnitronic direct drive turntables, used.. And got bunch of minimal records with them so I must spin techno now for some time.. Im planning serato next, then I can mix whatever I want, these records I have now are just for gettin into mixing after a long break.. I just hope they last for a year until I get some skills and then Ill probably go for technics..

[devious]

Devious I can only say u are pretty hooked.. Looks like u got addicted.. U bastard

 

 

I just bought a pair of omnitronic direct drive turntables, used.. And got bunch of minimal records with them so I must spin techno now for some time.. Im planning serato next, then I can mix whatever I want, these records I have now are just for gettin into mixing after a long break.. I just hope they last for a year until I get some skills and then Ill probably go for technics..

Strangely, I never saw this until freewheelin posted! Heehee. I am hooked. That modular above was uberly gay though. It's definitely a piece in synthesizer history, beyond that though, for usability, it was awfully lame. It's gone and been shipped to the UK for somebody else's hatred [haha, the guy who got it hates it as much as me for the same very reasons! ]

 

On any note... I haven't added anything here for awhile cause I get stuff all of the time...but I don't keep it! I do have a Doepfer MS-404 on the way....it's on the shipping truck now, should be here Monday! :-D I do plan on keeping that because I need to have some rack synths. I'm running out of space.

 

Otherwise, I received an electric piano the other day, stripped it down of the keys, they fit my prophet 5....desoldered 90% of the electronics, inventoried that, removed the jwires too [desoldered them, work in my p5 again..] and well...I got a package with some parts for restoring the Prophet 5 today...

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Can you see the difference? :-D

 

-d

[devious]

And a picture of my recent project [This is a synthesizer manufactured in Italy in 1978. It's a DCO synth. It's pretty much like a Roland Juno 6/60 [notice I did not say 106? ] I like its style, it looks nearly militarized. It has a built in case, it angles up with the controls, and...well, I am waiting for my parts from Australia and I am hoping that ....that is all that is wrong with it [it's problem rests within the power supply!]

 

 

I only post pictures because...they're fun to look at. I took a photo of WHAT NOT to do with a synthesizer, too, hahaha [DON'T ASK WHICH ONE THIS IS, IT'S FROM THE 80's though and are quite popular pieces of plastic]

 

 

=]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

 

I am really bored tonight and realized I have a phone camera since I now have two Sony DSC-?? digital cameras sitting in a drawer in piles like that synth above. They were bought brand new and one was mine and Malick's fault boty to destroy, the other one that I purchased just last August to replace the one we broke for AUM Festival and such.........just took a shit like 1 month after I got it, and now..................well, blah

 

I should go check out a datingservice.com site. I think I'm lonely hahaha!

 

-d

[Veracohr]

Not super-exciting, but today I got an M-Audio FireWire 410, firewire audio interface.

 

 

Another piece toward being able to play live. Not that I actually expect any clubs or anywhere would want me to play, but a man can dream, right? I was originally going to get the Focusrite Saffire, which has the exact same features (minus the optical S/PDIF). At that price range, I don't imagine there's a huge quality difference between manufacturers, but I thought Focusrite might have been a little better than M-Audio (not that I have a problem with M-Audio). But I changed my mind at the last minute because the M-Audio came with Ableton Live Lite 6, an EXTREMELY limited version of Live. Live is a program I've wanted to try for a long time, so I chose the M-Audio for it.

 

I got pretty frustrated after 4 or 5 re-installs in a row, with the interface still not being seen. But I went and downloaded an updated driver version and it worked fine. I think the one in the box was old enough that it didn't support Intel Macs.

 

Recorded a little bit of guitar, using the on-board preamp and then using the preamp on my mixer and going into the line input on the 410. The line input was way too hot, but I think that may have partly been from me using a balanced cable from my mixer, when the 410's line inputs are unbalanced. That's my only gripe with it so far, is that all the line inputs and outputs are unbalanced. I guess they had to cut corners somewhere--it otherwise seems to be a pretty solid piece of gear, and came with quite a bit of software (Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools M-Powered, and a collection of loops in Rex, Acid WAV and AIFF) for the price.

 

Oh yeah, and it has a power-on LED bright enough that I think it may have awoken some people in Siberia. Sorry, folks.

[devious]

Not super-exciting, but today I got an M-Audio FireWire 410, firewire audio interface.

 

 

Another piece toward being able to play live. Not that I actually expect any clubs or anywhere would want me to play, but a man can dream, right? I was originally going to get the Focusrite Saffire, which has the exact same features (minus the optical S/PDIF). At that price range, I don't imagine there's a huge quality difference between manufacturers, but I thought Focusrite might have been a little better than M-Audio (not that I have a problem with M-Audio). But I changed my mind at the last minute because the M-Audio came with Ableton Live Lite 6, an EXTREMELY limited version of Live. Live is a program I've wanted to try for a long time, so I chose the M-Audio for it.

 

I got pretty frustrated after 4 or 5 re-installs in a row, with the interface still not being seen. But I went and downloaded an updated driver version and it worked fine. I think the one in the box was old enough that it didn't support Intel Macs.

 

Recorded a little bit of guitar, using the on-board preamp and then using the preamp on my mixer and going into the line input on the 410. The line input was way too hot, but I think that may have partly been from me using a balanced cable from my mixer, when the 410's line inputs are unbalanced. That's my only gripe with it so far, is that all the line inputs and outputs are unbalanced. I guess they had to cut corners somewhere--it otherwise seems to be a pretty solid piece of gear, and came with quite a bit of software (Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools M-Powered, and a collection of loops in Rex, Acid WAV and AIFF) for the price.

 

Oh yeah, and it has a power-on LED bright enough that I think it may have awoken some people in Siberia. Sorry, folks.

Hey man, never lose hope. Keep practicing what you do and perhaps someday you just might play out. I know if you were local and you had any sort of performance level, there are many organizations who would let you play. Live shows are in demand here since there are so many DJs! The live aspect of electronic music in the states just blows, at least Midwest!

 

Orbital wasn't that great in their beginning, they practiced practiced practiced and they became big. They had a simple setup on stage [well complex, in terms of what people use today, aside from Jarre] and it worked wonders. I envied their setup, I am trying to keep my setup small and efficient too because I too one day wish to peform live, not even as a career, but because I find it amusing and fun.

 

Anyways, I just bought a broke:

 

 

Been wantin one of these for awhile. One was for sale locally for 100 bucks in EXC condition but I missed it by like an hour a few months back

 

-d

[Veracohr]

A few days ago I got into a downloading frenzy, and went looking for a bunch of free softsynths. I got some, and last night I tried them out. One of them blew me away: http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/download.html

 

I'm not sure how to describe it. It's kind of hard at first, I'm still not used to it. I guess at its core it is a granular and wavetable synth with incredible modulating possibilities. Its got 6 LFOs, modulation matrix, 3 oscillators that can be chosen from synthesized or sampled (wavetable) waveforms. FM, ring modulation, something called "breeding", where you choose two different patches and hit the "breed" button, and it creates a Frankenstein hybrid monster of the two patches. The modulation envelopes can have from 4-9 points. It's got an extensive on-board mixer with delays.

 

If I ever actually figure out how to use the thing, I think it will be incredible. I can't believe this thing is free.

 

There was also another one that is intriguing. It's another that will take a little while to really figure out how to use it. It's called TripleCheese: http://www.u-he.com/TripleCheese/index.html

It's described as a "comb synthesizer".

[TRohr]

Just threw down on my first (serious) DJ rig.

 

DJM-500

2X CDJ-200's

2X Mackie SRM450's

Coffin Case

CD Case

 

And a great big stack of CD's from Saiko~. Next I am hoping to re-buy a KP3 and would like to look into buying a used fog machine and laser for use at home. On the production end.... I am still using my Axiom 49 with Fruity Loops and my Bose Tri-ports ^ ^;.

[devious]

 

I declare here now, I am absolutely done with POLYSYNTHS! I need to acquire a 101 now so I can say I have something roland [hah, sad I went from EVERYTHING roland to no roland! ] Monophonics to the GAS rescue [GAS stands for Gear Acquisition syndrome for those who don't know, and I have a lot of GAS ]

 

-d

[NEMO.BOFH]

Vera,

 

I bet you plugged the device in before you installed the drivers initially. I did EXACTLY the same thing when I bought my FW410

[Otto Matta]

Damn, devious. It's been a while since I looked at this thread. You've seen some amazing stuff come and go. You might want to consider using both the terms GAS and GADS (Gear Acquisition and Deployment Syndrome) as well. LOL.

 

Me, I'm itching to start a new track, and this time I want to get a few new VSTs for the purpose. Which means I'm about to submerge myself in a manic bubble of a search for the ones that speak to me, and will probably end up spending too much money on them. But that's part of the fun, is it not?

 

I'll be looking for:

 

- a subtractive synth or two with lots of breadth, warmth and solidity (and easy on the CPU)

- general sound effer-upper effects, glitchers, etc.

- something that I can put a voice through to create robotic/vocoded effects

 

Wish me luck this weekend.

[devious]

Damn, devious. It's been a while since I looked at this thread. You've seen some amazing stuff come and go. You might want to consider using both the terms GAS and GADS (Gear Acquisition and Deployment Syndrome) as well. LOL.

 

Me, I'm itching to start a new track, and this time I want to get a few new VSTs for the purpose. Which means I'm about to submerge myself in a manic bubble of a search for the ones that speak to me, and will probably end up spending too much money on them. But that's part of the fun, is it not?

 

I'll be looking for:

 

- a subtractive synth or two with lots of breadth, warmth and solidity (and easy on the CPU)

- general sound effer-upper effects, glitchers, etc.

- something that I can put a voice through to create robotic/vocoded effects

 

Wish me luck this weekend.

dude, simply get the damn arp odyssey gforce VST. To not have that and use VSTs is to be completely ill! And yes, GADS is a good one. I am kind of keeping what I have now. Really! I am working now so I won't have to trade off. Really though, I'm serious, I am done buying polyphonic gear. I need monophonics and effects and I still need a hardware midi device that'll keep me happy if/when I do play out ever..ya know? I won't use a computer for that, no way jose, but for composing yeah

 

But yeah I think it's the gforce arp odyssey. It's really good at what it does, if you can't afford the price of the real thing of course.

 

-d

[Veracohr]

Vera,

 

I bet you plugged the device in before you installed the drivers initially. I did EXACTLY the same thing when I bought my FW410

I say you nay, I did not. It was just a driver that didn't support my laptop.

 

Well I went to my local Banjo Center to get a PEK. They didn't have it in stock, though, so I ended up having to order it direct from DSI and have it shipped to me. I can't wait!

 

But while I was there I got to play around with their floor model as well as a Prophet-08 they had. Both of them had things happening with the sound that I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to stop. Like the Prophet had a mod evelope controlling the pitch, but I couldn't stop it! I wanted to ask Dude for a manual just so I could get a sound I wanted to hear. Same thing with the PEK -- there was shit happening with the sound that I just couldn't figure out how to stop. Must have an awfully big manual.

[snowball]

I say we ban devious for making everyone green with envy. well i dont know about everyone, he is making me look like a martian though.

[Otto Matta]

dude, simply get the damn arp odyssey gforce VST. To not have that and use VSTs is to be completely ill! And yes, GADS is a good one. I am kind of keeping what I have now. Really! I am working now so I won't have to trade off. Really though, I'm serious, I am done buying polyphonic gear. I need monophonics and effects and I still need a hardware midi device that'll keep me happy if/when I do play out ever..ya know? I won't use a computer for that, no way jose, but for composing yeah

 

But yeah I think it's the gforce arp odyssey. It's really good at what it does, if you can't afford the price of the real thing of course.

 

-d

I looked into it and the Oddity does look really cool, and relatively inexpensive. I also like the list of artists that used the original Arp like Hancock, Jarre, Kraftwerk, etc. The only thing that bothers me a little is that it's not polyphonic, but rather mono/duo. It's nice to have a monophonic synth, but that means I'm going to have to get another one that's polyphonic as well. I have been inspired now, thanks to you, to look into what Isao Tomita was using back in the late 70s for his creations. I absolutely love the sound of his stuff. My weekend of VST mania has begun. I shall return. Thanks, devious.

 

Edit: It wasn't hard to find out the info on Tomita. He was using Moog modular and a a whole assload of components.* Guess I won't be emulating his sound anytime soon. Modulars are fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

 

*The link is to the list of stuff he used for his first, and my favorite, album, called Snowflakes are Dancing, which is where he synthesized Debussy's piano preludes.

[Mike A]

I say we ban devious for making everyone green with envy. well i dont know about everyone, he is making me look like a martian though.

dunno

i dont need or want alll that gear actually

[acidkills]

My weekend of VST mania has begun. I shall return. Thanks, devious.

Just be sure to stay on a weekend.. I also had a "weekend VST mania" and I picked up that VST syndrom, now its almost two years and that VST weekend still didnt pass.. I have more than 20 gigs of VST.. Kinda collecting them..

[Otto Matta]

Just be sure to stay on a weekend.. I also had a "weekend VST mania" and I picked up that VST syndrom, now its almost two years and that VST weekend still didnt pass.. I have more than 20 gigs of VST.. Kinda collecting them..

I'm not worried. I went through a manic VST weekend a couple months ago and ended up with one (that I paid WAY too much for and can't use much because of its CPU load). I'm the kind of dude who likes to - no, needs to - keep things simple. I want to find what I need/like and get out. It's like buying shoes or jackets, or other functional items. I buy them and use them, and love them, until either they wear out or I outgrow them.

[devious]

I looked into it and the Oddity does look really cool, and relatively inexpensive. I also like the list of artists that used the original Arp like Hancock, Jarre, Kraftwerk, etc. The only thing that bothers me a little is that it's not polyphonic, but rather mono/duo. It's nice to have a monophonic synth, but that means I'm going to have to get another one that's polyphonic as well. I have been inspired now, thanks to you, to look into what Isao Tomita was using back in the late 70s for his creations. I absolutely love the sound of his stuff. My weekend of VST mania has begun. I shall return. Thanks, devious.

 

Edit: It wasn't hard to find out the info on Tomita. He was using Moog modular and a a whole assload of components.* Guess I won't be emulating his sound anytime soon. Modulars are fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

 

*The link is to the list of stuff he used for his first, and my favorite, album, called Snowflakes are Dancing, which is where he synthesized Debussy's piano preludes.

Bro,

 

The Odyssey is a pimphax0riffic synth, and like me, we all could use more monophonics. Anyways, please note everybody, I am sitting on a lot of broken gear. I buy it broke and fix it :] and dress it up pretty heehee. It's not like I'm made of money, but after tax return time I'll be able to finish my studio to the point where I can stop buying gear which is exciting [one super eventide effects, and one keep me happy for eternity monophonic synth!].

 

Anyways, the moog modular is a good one, but I would not shell out that kind of cash for such a system today. Although, I do lust over an ARP 2500. I like the 2600, but the 2500 with the routing matrix is my cup of tea similar to an EMS Synthi 100. They look alike in very minor ways, and there's a Synthi 100 for sale in Europe right now for 70,000 Euros. Wish I had money to waste. I would be eternally satisfied. The bastard selling it has two!@#

 

I can't recommend any other VSTs. I've just heard that Odyssey one and it does an awesome job at emulating an analog for being a computer program. Of course it's not analog, but...it comes real effing close.

 

Anyways, back to synth repairs. The polysix arrived today. One bad voice, but got a complete makeover, cosmetically she's looking a 7 out of 10 which is pretty good compared to what it arrived like :-D and there are some dead keys...but I'm still trying to fix my son's cz-101, that thing is a nightmare to work on. :-/

 

[remove one pcb board, all the buttons fall out along with the contact strips! placement of them again when putting back together is going to be *difficult* to say the least]

 

-d

[Otto Matta]

Okay, so here's what I got so far:

 

1. GForce's polyphonic synth (similar to the mono/duo Oddity you recommended, devious), called the impOSCar. I loaded it in Cubase, made a simple arpeggio, put some effects on it and got an instant retro boner. I was slightly tempted by reFX's synths (Vanguard, etc.), but they all sounded a bit plastic, digital and overly trancy (but good for people making trance).

 

2. FXpansion's DR-008 Drum Sampler/Synth. Seemed like a no-brainer. I'm excited to dig into this one. The HALion in Cubase 4 has been very limited with drums.

 

3. KlangLabs Vokko vocoder. Slim pickin's with vocoders out there. I was curious about NI's vocoder, but I guess they don't make it anymore. Vokko was free.

 

I'll give that stuff a spin and see how it works.

[NEMO.BOFH]

Okay, so here's what I got so far:

 

1. GForce's polyphonic synth (similar to the mono/duo Oddity you recommended, devious), called the impOSCar. I loaded it in Cubase, made a simple arpeggio, put some effects on it and got an instant retro boner. I was slightly tempted by reFX's synths (Absynth, etc.), but they all sounded a bit plastic, digital and overly trancy (but good for people making trance).

 

2. FXpansion's DR-008 Drum Sampler/Synth. Seemed like a no-brainer. I'm excited to dig into this one. The HALion in Cubase 4 has been very limited with drums.

 

3. KlangLabs Vokko vocoder. Slim pickin's with vocoders out there. I was curious about NI's vocoder, but I guess they don't make it anymore. Vokko was free.

 

I'll give that stuff a spin and see how it works.

Nice, but a comment (a friendly one) Absynth is made by Native Instruments hehe reFX does make some cool twancy synths though

[devious]

Okay, so here's what I got so far:

 

1. GForce's polyphonic synth (similar to the mono/duo Oddity you recommended, devious), called the impOSCar. I loaded it in Cubase, made a simple arpeggio, put some effects on it and got an instant retro boner. I was slightly tempted by reFX's synths (Absynth, etc.), but they all sounded a bit plastic, digital and overly trancy (but good for people making trance).

 

2. FXpansion's DR-008 Drum Sampler/Synth. Seemed like a no-brainer. I'm excited to dig into this one. The HALion in Cubase 4 has been very limited with drums.

 

3. KlangLabs Vokko vocoder. Slim pickin's with vocoders out there. I was curious about NI's vocoder, but I guess they don't make it anymore. Vokko was free.

 

I'll give that stuff a spin and see how it works.

And when you're rich enough, you can buy me a real OSCar. That's one british company that did it right in the synth market.

 

-d

[NEMO.BOFH]

And when you're rich enough, you can buy me a real OSCar. That's one british company that did it right in the synth market.

 

-d

One of the best synths ive ever had in my studio I think. But they break very easy, so I would not recommend buying one.