I got the Deepmind 12. It's very flexible, almost too flexible, I haven't explored much of the menu diving functionality even after a few years. I got it as the demos I heard had the classic Roland sound, and it was one of the synths that sounded most like a Jupiter-8. It also can make the absolute fattest pads, which is in the end what I mostly use it for. 😀The fact that you have a lot of flexibility in how many voices you want, and exactly how much of different types of random detune you want is very useful there. What impressed me most is that the digital effects isn't just "bolted on", but that you actually can modify effect parameters with LFO's and envelopes. Biggest drawback is the fan, which honestly isn't a big issue. So, basically, if you already have good analog polysynths, you don't need it. If you don't, it's probably the most bang for buck analog polysynth out there.
I got one too and another downside is that the on-board patches don’t really show off the warm sounds it is capable of. You do have to program or buy other patches. Yes, it is the case that sometimes it feels too flexible - there are 4 effects engines that can be routed in various ways - some people complain about the internal effects, but that can be completely bypassed- it can do Juno 106 sounds and much more.
@@andreievkalupniek5717 Oh, yeah, the factory sounds are all designed to show off all the crazy stuff you can do, instead of having actual useful sounds.
What do you mean the biggest drawback is the fan?? The noise? If you are unaware you can go into the menu and turn the fan up or down or off. Its one of the greatest synths ever made.
Great video and topic! I have a lot of synths, old and new, but (given your topic) I absolutely love my Alesis Micron. It's a programmer's dream, in terms of the engine, and sounds incredible. I actually think the interface is very a clever bit of design and you can get something special out of it very quickly. It's also highly portable and builds in extensive multitimbrality (8 part), drum programming, sequencing and arp programming.
I love the System 8. I had the three original boutiques (Juno, Jupiter and JX3p). Sold the boutiques and got the System8 (Which was way cheaper then) and it has stayed with me ever since. It is a fantastic machine. I really want to try the Deepmind myself.
Hi - I've owned a few of these, and have demos of some of them on my channel (under the Keyboard Demos playlist): Wavestation - just great. Demo on my channel. Roland D70 (came out after the D50 btw) - great performance synth, great for live work. It had some great piano and organ sounds, much better than the U220. Demo on my channel. JD-08 is the boutique reissue of the JD-800, which I owned for many years (I now have the JD-08 which, imho, is a passable copy of the original). Demo of the JD-800 on my channel. AN1X - difficult to program, but sounds great. Deepmind 12 - based, apparently, on the Juno 106. Very different sounds. Owned it but let it go. Roland System 8 - owned but let go cos I have the Jupiter XM and a load of soft synths that do the same thing. Demo on my channel. Minifreak - is just great. Plan to dem it sometime. Great video, a trip down memory lane for me!
I had a Juno 60 that I had to leave behind in Karlstad when I moved back to England in 1992. I had space to back my DX-7 though. Wish it was the other way round 😢
The AN1x was a synth that helped reignite the demand for direct control of parameters (= knobs for each function) rather than menu diving, and the search for good analog sounds. It came out alongside the original Nord Lead 1, and the Korg Prophecy, followed soon after, as well as the Roland JP8000. the Korg MS2000 followed soon and it was probably around 1997 when things really started taking off... Some of these early ones currently have obtained legendary status (JP8000 being one, I owned one , it was very nice, but I'm not sure it is as good as people claim.. I sold it 7 years ago, had I waited, I could have had more money for it, but that's usually how the story goes...)
I was given my first synth in 1997 at age 17, the Alesis QS6. I chose it based on it being the only one on the market costing less than $1,000.000 USD at the time, but I lost interest in its sounds after a short time. Had I been more discerning, the AN1x would probably have been the one I chose.
I love my Virus TI2 not cheap but nothing can touch it for 16 part multi-timbral, best effects, many synth models, knobs/buttons and best arp in synth history.
The Roland D-70 was originally called the U-50. The waveforms are compatible with the U-20, but the D-70 adds filters, waveform manipulation and layering. Apart from the 15KHz frequency range, a D-70 can sound quite good. But D-70s tend to break down a lot. Especially with the keys. When the D-70 first came out I wasn't impressed. The JV-80 came out about a year later and sound lots more impressive.
I didn’t even know before that Roland collaborated with the Studio Electronics staff in the design of a Boutique module. That’s fascinating. The B2600 fascinates me. However, I keep falling back on some of the anti-Behringer sentiments I’ve been coming across. For ten years, from 2005 to 2015, One model that I had from Korg was the 05RW module. It was given to me by a friend who then asked for it back. For the first half of that stretch of time, that module was where I turned for digital sounds. Even though I’ve got other synthesizers that fill its void, I still miss it and wouldn’t mind if another fell in my lap.
As I have a Korg M1 .. great old gem 😃 Regarding Behringer sentiments … I really don’t care about their clone business as long as it doesn’t affect another company’s daily business today,but when they make clones of gear sold today I just can’t justify it.
That’s understandable, @@synthfellow. One reason why I am glad that I chose the Korg version of the Odyssey over the Behringer version has to do with how neither one has onboard patch memory but the one from Behringer has that sequencer which might function perfectly well but that I consider deadweight. If they had to add anything, patch memory may have been what helped me make a different choice for a monophonic synthesizer.
Here's a couple that I think fit the category: - the VOLCA DRUM is more powerful and flexible than you may imagine - goes way beyond just being a glitchy drum machine. it's spectacular, and possible to spend hours exploring it's depths... - the SONICWARE TEXTURE LAB is superb - worth getting your hands on for it's huge cinematic sounds, ambient drones and mashed up samples. Not expensive. (MiniBrute is great, except for the sticky knob problem! Really puts me off touching mine, which is a shame... Also the Roland S-1 is pretty wonderful, loads of sweet spots, even if a little fiddly with the tiny controls. And I say that as a long-time SH-101 owner)
Loved my An1x back in the old days! haha. One of my worst gear regrets was selling that one back in the late 2000's where we all thought hardware was out of style and we all went streamlined with software synths. smh
I had an AN1x at one point, and definitely regret selling it. Despite being a very early example of analog modeling synth, it sounded incredible. It also worked great as a MIDI controller with an excellent synth-action keybed and the knobs being assignable.
Great topic. The one that keeps getting away for me is the Malekko Manther. I got one used in the USA from Perfect Circut. It got busted in the mail and I have not been able to find another affordable one since...
I had the AN1X as my first virtual analog . It had awesome sequences and arpeggio. That was why it was making it so musical. Great midi controller. I did have to use an editor because it was kind of hard to program (the matrix). I really do miss it and the bass on that is solid. Much more brassy than the glassy bass of Roland JP8000.
I got the SY99 in the studio and it's a wonderful synth but I actually use it mainly as a master keyboard controller. I'm more intrigued by the SY22 than the SY35 actually. I had a SY55 at one time but traded it for a JX3P ;) ... Thank you for watching and commenting. Btw ... Pro800 has been on my radar for a long time. Can't say why I missed that one in the video ;)
I keep an eye on Kijiji for bargains. I picked up a Model D going cheap a couple of weeks ago. I didn't want to pay full price for a synth that's not particularly versatile compared to my Neutron but makes better bass sounds. I also bought a U-220 to lay an old ghost to rest (I bought a Proteus/1 and regretted not saving more for the better Roland). $60 to resolve that was a small price to pay considering I'm no longer a ROMpler enthusiast! As for what to buy next, that will depend on what comes available but there's no synth I'm particularly hungry for.
@@synthfellow I've actually come to terms with the Proteus/1 over the years despite only keeping it to remind me to never settle for less (and that really paid off with the Roland AE-30 wind synth). Most of the same grumbles would have emerged had I bought the U-220 but the Roland does have several great sounds that the E-mu lacks. Programmable synths are definitely more my kind of instrument than ROMplers because I'm very fussy and "its close" isn't good enough. I have to get in there and make the patch do what I want. My mistake was expecting more good sounds instead of 80% meh - "realistic" sounds like solo violins are particularly naff. At least the U-220's saxophone is cartoony enough to use because of its obvious fakeness. So, I've learnt to focus on the good sounds and ignore the ones that hurt my teeth! 😀
I agree ... i like the proteus mostly because it contains the samples from Emulator 3 library. And that It sounds kind of dated and 80's. And I like the "do not settle for less" approach unless it ruins you on the way ;)
I’ve done ambient shows with just the Microfreak and some FX pedals (including a looper). The G1X Four streamlines all that nonsense and lets you save FX routings. Amazing choruses, phasers, and flangers, with a phenomenal hall reverb under “HD HALL”. The Microfreak, meanwhile, is an entire modular synthesizer compressed into something you can slip into your backpack for travel on an airline. Gorgeous engines, good filter, and this overbearing sense of joie de vivre about the thing. It’s just happy to explore with you.
Microfreak is a good little inexpensive synth for sound experimenting. Among things added in latest firmware update is ability to add samples into it indirectly ( add them into the free Arturia software on your computer and then plug in MF and load them in ). It has a sequencer and of course arpeggiator.
I have the SE-02. It's great, but not recommended for beginners. It was the second synth I bought and it was well beyond my understanding, I've learned a lot over the year and a half or so I've had it but I still do a lot of guess work when I'm making patches. My go-to for bass sounds.
I have (together with a Model-D from behringer) a Deepmind 12. Its a nice synth, but it is very hard to create new sounds (compared to the easy sound-design of the Model-D).
Used to be an all analog kind of guy but... Digital has become so unbelievably good that I find it difficult to advocate analog (expensive) gear any longer. Wouldn't mind a MiniMoog 😅 VA like Nord A1 or KingKorg are stunning in my opinion.
Yesh, wouldn't mind a real Minimoog either but i have the Behringer Poly-D now and it's basically as close as i ever get and now i don't wanna miss the fourth oscillator anymore. And yes the King Korg is definitely worthy of anyone's attention.
Hei fra Norge ;) I think there is something beautiful about using cheap stuff... a lot of these synths were state of the art at the time and a LOT of great music was made on them. Some of my feelings.. I had a Wavestation back in 90s and loved it but the backlight went and it was a pain to replace it. Probably wavestate is a better bet overall as it has lots more sounds (even your own samples) and filters but agree the Wavestation is great. D70 has processot issues if too much modulation was happening I seem to recall... I don't think it's as good as the D50. I have an ARP2600 and it is great.. you can get lost in it.. easily! A lot of fun! System 8 would be a great one to have... pity it has no aftertouch however but lots of classics don't have that either. I recall those Bit99 and Bit01 machines... they were the entry point for many of my age.. Back in 1980s/90s I had the same mentality.. buy the old stuff.. so I had a Fender Rhodes, Solina, SH09, Korg PE1000 for next to nothing... I made a lot of nice music on that stuff..
Hi Norge :) I think you're exactly at my point... The thing is, you don't need expensive gear to make great music. I got plenty of synths and drum machines to make music but there are still many of them out there that might trigger an creative process more than the gear I have.. I guess it is some kind of GAS .. ;)
I love the Roland SE-02! It’s a minimoog with presets. Over 300 presets. Great filter and oscillators. The JD09 is great sounding, but the UI is cramped. The JX08 is *a lot* of fun. The Behringer Pro-800 is a workhorse for me.
And one reason to get one is the preset function... without the hassle of dialing everything in everytime you need to change sound. JX-08 ... I got the JX-10 in the studio and it's a wonderful analog synth. Behringer Pro-800 .. should be in my list already. Missed that one when I made the video, then again.. there are MANY other synths that triggers my interest ;)...
I think the SE-02 knobs are so small they remind me of the tiny sliders of the JD-08, not that they lack resolution but it feels like you break it everytime you turn the oscillator waveforms. And it sounds not exactly like a Moog. But I would not part from it anyway. The overdrive is something special.
@@FredF78 I have thought about replacing the knobs on the SE-02. Not only do they not inspire confidence, they are, to my fingers, very slippery. Can't really do much about the sliders on the JD-08 (sadly), but the pots on that unit feel more solid than the ones on the SE-02. The presets on the SE-02 are really welcome too as is the on-board delay.
Affordable synths for you to consider: . Sonicware Ambient 0 . Sonicware Liven Texture (goes extremely welk with the Ambient 0 and is also a granular fx for other synths) . IK multimedia Uno Pro X . Behringer Kobol . Behringer Pro-1 . Behringer Pro 800 (for the price, buy 2) . the soon to be released Behringer Grind . Behringer DM12 (have one, pretty dope) . ASM Hydrasynth keyboard
I want a TD-3, even though I already own a Roland t-8 and don't listen to acid. Here's why: more hands on controls, the od and filter just sounds better when I hear demos, and lots of ins and outs (you can plug the headphone out into the filter in for example).
@@synthfellow The thing is the controls are all very interactive. You keep tweaking because there's so much variety. A simple bassline can sound like 20 different ones.
D70 came after the D50. By that point ROM prices were lower so the D70 ditched the synthesis part of the D50 and used longer samples. Some people love it, some hate it. The D70 then was used as the starting point for the JD800. JD800/JD08 is not VA. There is no analogue style subtractive synthesis in the JD and JV range, they're all ROMplers. The V-Synth is where you go if you want samples and synthesis.
I think the D70 has an interesting story and sort of defines the times and the accelerating speed of things being developed. Here's a link to "Vintage Synth Explorer" about the D70. Apparantly It was apparently supposed to be named U50 but somewere along the way Roland decided to change It's course...
I have a D70, it has nothing to do with the U-20, it was made to compete with the M1. Way after the D-50. What I can tell you, is the BEST sounding Roland synth just below the JD-990. I am not kidding. It has nothing to do with the U series, nor with the JV series and nothing with the D 50. It is its own thing. Sounds gorgeous! The only chronic problem is the keybed, is a disaster. The problem is that the cables that come from the board to the keybed, go to both sides of the keybed and they make a loop. That loop is a different material like a very thing fiberglass or nacar. That thing breaks in the extremes and is a massive pain to fix. All of a sudden your keys are not working. Is like having Lamborghini with bicycle tires. But the sound is amazing! The strings are amazing! They are raw, like the JD-990. It has character, it has low end.
@@centurio7019 well, I stand corrected 🤗. I think it has got an interesting story that I want to dig into. And get my hands on if I can. Thanks for your comment.
@@synthfellow Not at all. I had 4 D70s, cannibalizing ones to fix the others, any of them had U anything on them. I can open that synth, fix anything g and put it back together in 15 minutes, I know them back and forth after fixing the keybed so many times. I ended up with two, changed the LCD for a new LED on both, gave one to my best friend and now his has the keyboard problem. But we were both amazed on how good the sound is. It has a choir voice that sounds like the M1 or Proteus, it does not sound Roland at all. That synth came before the JV-80 and the JV-80 sounds like a toy. Actually, the drum set of the D70 sounds industrial, like the drums of Phill Collins with gated reverb, sounds like a good R8. I think the low popularity was because 76 keys, too long for casual use and the navigation is not THAT bad, the problem is the actual buttons on top make no sense, the ENTER button is the last button on the right of the entire keyboard, things like that. But for example, the 4 sliders can control external midi controls, you can assign them. Either the JV series or the JD-800 can do that. It was a very good professional synth. I have mine and I love it. I have the D70, D50, Virus Ti2, EmaxII, Quasimidi Raven, AN1X, JD-800 as controllers, and I have a bunch of other modules.
You need to check out my friend gwem’s videos on TB-303 clones. He agrees that the Behringer clones are the ones to get; we (gwem and I) even have a friend in common who sold off his two (yes, two!) 303s and replaced them with Uli clones (and, presumably, enough cash to buy a decent car)…
@@tristen_grant we’ve all been there and sometime you need to sell old gear to pay for new stuff 😝. Crumar DS-2 isn’t in my know-about sphere but will look into it.
I still have a u220 the u20 rack version. For core bread & butter rompler sounds it was pretty good. Used it live a number of times, decent fidelity and reliable. Not really a proper synth like the D70/50 so not a straightforward comparison. The AN1X, which I also have, has acquired a cult like following over the years, for good reason. It sounds good with deep editing ability. Not exactly one knob per function, it still maintains decent performance controls though. Would liked to have had a Korg PolySix or one of the Juno’s - a little beyond my pocket at the time, so a Korg Poly800 it was.
Yeah ... and you loaded the presets with tape or, like i did, with iphone and a recording of that tape from RUclips :) ... I bough mine for approx. 100$ because "there are no sounds in it" :) ..
I haven't had the time to explore those yet.. I think they kind of suffer from the reputation of Roland Di and the earlier lines of Roland Juno D's. But i bet they are good! :)
I saw yesterday new Behringer K2. An improved version of Korg MS20. It seems terrific. and I own the original one... It adds PWM, I want to buy it only for that reason
The new version of the K2 also adds standard V/Oct compatibility, so you can patch it into your other gear. The lack of that feature in the original Behringer K2 prevented me from wanting one, but I'd like to have one of the new models now!
The D70 was almost going to be named the U50 as it contains the U20/U220 ROM with much more powerful super LA and DLM synthesis. It was released after the D50 in 1990 and was a poor seller for Roland. It sounds great but it's GUI is a nightmare to use! The JD800 is not A VA sybth but purely rompler based with real time parameter control. The AN1X was Yamaha's competition to be Roland JP8000 and Korg Z1. It sounded great but was poorly built 3ith a confusing GUI and a keyboard with a poor action.
Are you deleting my comments? I have twice posted a comment suggesting the Korg Trinity, and both times the comment disappeared. The first time, I thought it may have been the inclusion of two links. The second comment had no links, but that, too, has disappeared. I hope it is just YT being weird.
I can assure you I don’t delete comments unless they are really inappropriate. I would say Korg Trinity is really appropriate for the subject. 😀 Must be a YT demon deleting relevant posts .. or something like that. 😀
@@synthfellow Cool, I'm glad it is just gremlins. In that case, I will try posting the two links again. They are really great demos of what the Trinity can do, outside the normal 'bread and butter' sounds. Also, forget the rack version, it is hopeless for editing. ruclips.net/video/7rB_6FFCWJg/видео.html ruclips.net/video/ILTEGGiOPBU/видео.html
I have the AN1X, is probably the best sounding synth in my collection. Looks like a toy, but it is not. Sounds better than the Waldorf XT and Q. The dynamic and filters have no steps. Sounds 24 bit, very organic. Sounds alife. Sounds better than a Virus Ti2 or at least it can compete with it.
@@SPAZZOID100 Is plastic but sounds better like a Waldorf Q, I have all of them with me. The story is that Yamaha came out with the CS1 for "techno". Roland came up with the JP-8000 and took over the market. To get a share, Yamaha needed to release something quickly, they took the VL engine they had around and placed it in the only enclosure they had available... the CS1. So, is a VW Bettel with a Porsche 911 engine. It sounds better than the Virus Ti2, is the best sounding synth in my collection besides the JD-990. The problem is the enclosure, is a toy, no fun to navigate but once you play with one, you will see.
If you can listen analog synth sounds, or better yet real life sounds, trough your digital sound system. Then you can replicate analog sounds via digital technology. Which means, digital synths can replicate analog sounds. Some better than others, yes but sometimes you want digital synthesis. I own a jupiter xm, virtual analog and digital synth models with a good amount of built in effects. I could record an 80s cover with it and you wouldn't notice if it's analog or digital. Even the guys of the music shop I showed it too couldn't really tell the difference.
@@mikelarrutiromero9430 Digital sound system doesn't play audio but just a binary file. Play it on a analog amplifier and you will hear the best experience! Digital age was from 1984 with DX7 to 2004 with Motif. No more. If you play some music with Jupiter Xm and play the same chords with a analog synthsizer, you will hear the diference. Do it. Analog is organic sound, real audio. People pays thousand and thousand of dolars to have a digital synthsizer. That's a bad choice. The real sound is on another place.
@@user-JM1967 I've studied for electrician and learnt sound systems and communications. The basis is the same, the spund is produced by a membrane vibrating when excited with electricity. The movement of the membrane on the speakers is the same is not like listening to a orchestra live or on an mp3 file. If you can listen to the difference from an analog or sigital synth in a video, it means it can be replicated.
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"Sometimes it's just nice to have a jam with something you are not used to." As a musician, that sense of discovery is what it is all about.
enjoyed your take on classic synths - i have a korg t3 that i like :)
Thank you!
I got the Deepmind 12. It's very flexible, almost too flexible, I haven't explored much of the menu diving functionality even after a few years. I got it as the demos I heard had the classic Roland sound, and it was one of the synths that sounded most like a Jupiter-8. It also can make the absolute fattest pads, which is in the end what I mostly use it for. 😀The fact that you have a lot of flexibility in how many voices you want, and exactly how much of different types of random detune you want is very useful there.
What impressed me most is that the digital effects isn't just "bolted on", but that you actually can modify effect parameters with LFO's and envelopes. Biggest drawback is the fan, which honestly isn't a big issue.
So, basically, if you already have good analog polysynths, you don't need it. If you don't, it's probably the most bang for buck analog polysynth out there.
Intrigued! 😀
I got one too and another downside is that the on-board patches don’t really show off the warm sounds it is capable of. You do have to program or buy other patches. Yes, it is the case that sometimes it feels too flexible - there are 4 effects engines that can be routed in various ways - some people complain about the internal effects, but that can be completely bypassed- it can do Juno 106 sounds and much more.
@@andreievkalupniek5717 Oh, yeah, the factory sounds are all designed to show off all the crazy stuff you can do, instead of having actual useful sounds.
What do you mean the biggest drawback is the fan?? The noise? If you are unaware you can go into the menu and turn the fan up or down or off.
Its one of the greatest synths ever made.
@@johnsmith-nd9yo Sure, but the fan is there for a reason. Less fan = more heat = shorter life.
Great video and topic! I have a lot of synths, old and new, but (given your topic) I absolutely love my Alesis Micron. It's a programmer's dream, in terms of the engine, and sounds incredible. I actually think the interface is very a clever bit of design and you can get something special out of it very quickly. It's also highly portable and builds in extensive multitimbrality (8 part), drum programming, sequencing and arp programming.
Alesis Micron is not known by me but I’ll check it out. :)
@@synthfellow this guy has made some great patches for it (worth checking out his other vids with it too): ruclips.net/video/43xd5xQbX3w/видео.html
Thank you! I will check it out :)
+1. Companion software with the Alesis Ion interface makes it much more enjoyable. Sonically, it punches way above its weight
I love the System 8. I had the three original boutiques (Juno, Jupiter and JX3p). Sold the boutiques and got the System8 (Which was way cheaper then) and it has stayed with me ever since. It is a fantastic machine. I really want to try the Deepmind myself.
Mm most people and RUclipsrs claim that the System 8 is a monster synth. Preferable over the Jupiter X … but I think Jupiter X is better looking 😝
The Arturia mini freak sounds very very interesting, for indescribable sounds❤️💚🎶
Hi - I've owned a few of these, and have demos of some of them on my channel (under the Keyboard Demos playlist):
Wavestation - just great. Demo on my channel.
Roland D70 (came out after the D50 btw) - great performance synth, great for live work. It had some great piano and organ sounds, much better than the U220. Demo on my channel.
JD-08 is the boutique reissue of the JD-800, which I owned for many years (I now have the JD-08 which, imho, is a passable copy of the original). Demo of the JD-800 on my channel.
AN1X - difficult to program, but sounds great.
Deepmind 12 - based, apparently, on the Juno 106. Very different sounds. Owned it but let it go.
Roland System 8 - owned but let go cos I have the Jupiter XM and a load of soft synths that do the same thing. Demo on my channel.
Minifreak - is just great. Plan to dem it sometime.
Great video, a trip down memory lane for me!
You got some great gear there :)
I had a Juno 60 that I had to leave behind in Karlstad when I moved back to England in 1992. I had space to back my DX-7 though.
Wish it was the other way round 😢
Mmm that’s kind of a bummer although the DX7 is a keeper too.
@@synthfellow Indeed. I still have it.
The Roland SE-02 is on my wishlist as well. I do have the DeepMind, the desktop module. Great synth.
The AN1x was a synth that helped reignite the demand for direct control of parameters (= knobs for each function) rather than menu diving, and the search for good analog sounds. It came out alongside the original Nord Lead 1, and the Korg Prophecy, followed soon after, as well as the Roland JP8000. the Korg MS2000 followed soon and it was probably around 1997 when things really started taking off... Some of these early ones currently have obtained legendary status (JP8000 being one, I owned one , it was very nice, but I'm not sure it is as good as people claim.. I sold it 7 years ago, had I waited, I could have had more money for it, but that's usually how the story goes...)
Ah the MS2000… another one of those intriguing synths. Thank you for the comment. 🤗
I was given my first synth in 1997 at age 17, the Alesis QS6. I chose it based on it being the only one on the market costing less than $1,000.000 USD at the time, but I lost interest in its sounds after a short time. Had I been more discerning, the AN1x would probably have been the one I chose.
I love my Virus TI2 not cheap but nothing can touch it for 16 part multi-timbral, best effects, many synth models, knobs/buttons and best arp in synth history.
Yeah! Not inexpensive though, as you said! 🤗
The Roland D-70 was originally called the U-50. The waveforms are compatible with the U-20, but the D-70 adds filters, waveform manipulation and layering. Apart from the 15KHz frequency range, a D-70 can sound quite good. But D-70s tend to break down a lot. Especially with the keys. When the D-70 first came out I wasn't impressed. The JV-80 came out about a year later and sound lots more impressive.
Still an interesting story :)
I didn’t even know before that Roland collaborated with the Studio Electronics staff in the design of a Boutique module. That’s fascinating.
The B2600 fascinates me. However, I keep falling back on some of the anti-Behringer sentiments I’ve been coming across.
For ten years, from 2005 to 2015, One model that I had from Korg was the 05RW module. It was given to me by a friend who then asked for it back. For the first half of that stretch of time, that module was where I turned for digital sounds. Even though I’ve got other synthesizers that fill its void, I still miss it and wouldn’t mind if another fell in my lap.
As I have a Korg M1 .. great old gem 😃
Regarding Behringer sentiments … I really don’t care about their clone business as long as it doesn’t affect another company’s daily business today,but when they make clones of gear sold today I just can’t justify it.
That’s understandable, @@synthfellow. One reason why I am glad that I chose the Korg version of the Odyssey over the Behringer version has to do with how neither one has onboard patch memory but the one from Behringer has that sequencer which might function perfectly well but that I consider deadweight. If they had to add anything, patch memory may have been what helped me make a different choice for a monophonic synthesizer.
@@Shred_The_Weapon Patch memory is always a great usp:)
Here's a couple that I think fit the category:
- the VOLCA DRUM is more powerful and flexible than you may imagine - goes way beyond just being a glitchy drum machine. it's spectacular, and possible to spend hours exploring it's depths...
- the SONICWARE TEXTURE LAB is superb - worth getting your hands on for it's huge cinematic sounds, ambient drones and mashed up samples. Not expensive.
(MiniBrute is great, except for the sticky knob problem! Really puts me off touching mine, which is a shame... Also the Roland S-1 is pretty wonderful, loads of sweet spots, even if a little fiddly with the tiny controls. And I say that as a long-time SH-101 owner)
Thank you for great tips 🤗.
Cobalt s5 is my new suprise buy, such a lush little thing, from udo ❤
Not familiar with it but it looks nice :) .. what kind of music do you make?
I don't think it's Udo - it's Modal, who appear to have just today come back from the dead...
@@DiomedeGap I stand corrected, its good to see them risen from the dead haha, they make exceptional synths!
@@synthfellow from pretentious 80s to overproduced deephouse haha
Loved my An1x back in the old days! haha. One of my worst gear regrets was selling that one back in the late 2000's where we all thought hardware was out of style and we all went streamlined with software synths. smh
Many An1x owner tell the same story about sell regrets and going all in the box. 😳
I had an AN1x at one point, and definitely regret selling it. Despite being a very early example of analog modeling synth, it sounded incredible. It also worked great as a MIDI controller with an excellent synth-action keybed and the knobs being assignable.
The regrets of selling gear is a cross we all cary.
Great topic. The one that keeps getting away for me is the Malekko Manther. I got one used in the USA from Perfect Circut. It got busted in the mail and I have not been able to find another affordable one since...
I had the AN1X as my first virtual analog . It had awesome sequences and arpeggio. That was why it was making it so musical. Great midi controller. I did have to use an editor because it was kind of hard to program (the matrix). I really do miss it and the bass on that is solid. Much more brassy than the glassy bass of Roland JP8000.
Also have a look at the Behringer Pro 800, The Novation KS Rack, The Yamaha SY35 and the Yamaha SY77
I got the SY99 in the studio and it's a wonderful synth but I actually use it mainly as a master keyboard controller. I'm more intrigued by the SY22 than the SY35 actually. I had a SY55 at one time but traded it for a JX3P ;) ...
Thank you for watching and commenting.
Btw ... Pro800 has been on my radar for a long time. Can't say why I missed that one in the video ;)
The SE-02 is great, analog warm sound with patch memory.
Intrigued! 😀
I keep an eye on Kijiji for bargains. I picked up a Model D going cheap a couple of weeks ago. I didn't want to pay full price for a synth that's not particularly versatile compared to my Neutron but makes better bass sounds.
I also bought a U-220 to lay an old ghost to rest (I bought a Proteus/1 and regretted not saving more for the better Roland). $60 to resolve that was a small price to pay considering I'm no longer a ROMpler enthusiast!
As for what to buy next, that will depend on what comes available but there's no synth I'm particularly hungry for.
Haha I’ve got an Proteus/1 and like it a lot more than the U220. I got the Behringer Model D and that’s a keeper.
@@synthfellow I've actually come to terms with the Proteus/1 over the years despite only keeping it to remind me to never settle for less (and that really paid off with the Roland AE-30 wind synth). Most of the same grumbles would have emerged had I bought the U-220 but the Roland does have several great sounds that the E-mu lacks.
Programmable synths are definitely more my kind of instrument than ROMplers because I'm very fussy and "its close" isn't good enough. I have to get in there and make the patch do what I want.
My mistake was expecting more good sounds instead of 80% meh - "realistic" sounds like solo violins are particularly naff. At least the U-220's saxophone is cartoony enough to use because of its obvious fakeness. So, I've learnt to focus on the good sounds and ignore the ones that hurt my teeth! 😀
I agree ... i like the proteus mostly because it contains the samples from Emulator 3 library. And that It sounds kind of dated and 80's. And I like the "do not settle for less" approach unless it ruins you on the way ;)
I’ve got a Behringer 303 and it’s lovely, same with the Microfreak. Get a Zoom G1X Four with your Microfreak they’ll be best pals.
I’ve done ambient shows with just the Microfreak and some FX pedals (including a looper). The G1X Four streamlines all that nonsense and lets you save FX routings. Amazing choruses, phasers, and flangers, with a phenomenal hall reverb under “HD HALL”. The Microfreak, meanwhile, is an entire modular synthesizer compressed into something you can slip into your backpack for travel on an airline. Gorgeous engines, good filter, and this overbearing sense of joie de vivre about the thing. It’s just happy to explore with you.
Microfreak is a good little inexpensive synth for sound experimenting. Among things added in latest firmware update is ability to add samples into it indirectly ( add them into the free Arturia software on your computer and then plug in MF and load them in ). It has a sequencer and of course arpeggiator.
@@treetopjones737 Thanks for the comment. Do the Mini and Microfreak share the same feature?
@@synthfellow Samples? No. Mini gets firmware updates, but I don't know if that's possible for that model.
I have the SE-02. It's great, but not recommended for beginners. It was the second synth I bought and it was well beyond my understanding, I've learned a lot over the year and a half or so I've had it but I still do a lot of guess work when I'm making patches. My go-to for bass sounds.
Maybe beginners should begin with a one oscillator synth like SH-01a or similar?
I have (together with a Model-D from behringer) a Deepmind 12.
Its a nice synth, but it is very hard to create new sounds (compared to the easy sound-design of the Model-D).
You mean it’s a steep learning curve?
Used to be an all analog kind of guy but...
Digital has become so unbelievably good that I find it difficult to advocate analog (expensive) gear any longer.
Wouldn't mind a MiniMoog 😅
VA like Nord A1 or KingKorg are stunning in my opinion.
Yesh, wouldn't mind a real Minimoog either but i have the Behringer Poly-D now and it's basically as close as i ever get and now i don't wanna miss the fourth oscillator anymore. And yes the King Korg is definitely worthy of anyone's attention.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 Kraftwerk is one of my fav bands and do own a KingKorg 🤠
Hei fra Norge ;)
I think there is something beautiful about using cheap stuff... a lot of these synths were state of the art at the time and a LOT of great music was made on them.
Some of my feelings..
I had a Wavestation back in 90s and loved it but the backlight went and it was a pain to replace it. Probably wavestate is a better bet overall as it has lots more sounds (even your own samples) and filters but agree the Wavestation is great.
D70 has processot issues if too much modulation was happening I seem to recall... I don't think it's as good as the D50.
I have an ARP2600 and it is great.. you can get lost in it.. easily! A lot of fun!
System 8 would be a great one to have... pity it has no aftertouch however but lots of classics don't have that either.
I recall those Bit99 and Bit01 machines... they were the entry point for many of my age..
Back in 1980s/90s I had the same mentality.. buy the old stuff.. so I had a Fender Rhodes, Solina, SH09, Korg PE1000 for next to nothing... I made a lot of nice music on that stuff..
Hi Norge :)
I think you're exactly at my point... The thing is, you don't need expensive gear to make great music. I got plenty of synths and drum machines to make music but there are still many of them out there that might trigger an creative process more than the gear I have.. I guess it is some kind of GAS .. ;)
Wow, just listened to a demo of the Crumar Bit99, that's a cool one.
Yeah! Isn’t it!? 😀
I love the Roland SE-02! It’s a minimoog with presets. Over 300 presets. Great filter and oscillators. The JD09 is great sounding, but the UI is cramped. The JX08 is *a lot* of fun. The Behringer Pro-800 is a workhorse for me.
And one reason to get one is the preset function... without the hassle of dialing everything in everytime you need to change sound. JX-08 ... I got the JX-10 in the studio and it's a wonderful analog synth. Behringer Pro-800 .. should be in my list already. Missed that one when I made the video, then again.. there are MANY other synths that triggers my interest ;)...
I think the SE-02 knobs are so small they remind me of the tiny sliders of the JD-08, not that they lack resolution but it feels like you break it everytime you turn the oscillator waveforms. And it sounds not exactly like a Moog. But I would not part from it anyway. The overdrive is something special.
@@FredF78 I have thought about replacing the knobs on the SE-02. Not only do they not inspire confidence, they are, to my fingers, very slippery. Can't really do much about the sliders on the JD-08 (sadly), but the pots on that unit feel more solid than the ones on the SE-02. The presets on the SE-02 are really welcome too as is the on-board delay.
Nice set :)
Thank you!
Affordable synths for you to consider:
. Sonicware Ambient 0
. Sonicware Liven Texture (goes extremely welk with the Ambient 0 and is also a granular fx for other synths)
. IK multimedia Uno Pro X
. Behringer Kobol
. Behringer Pro-1
. Behringer Pro 800 (for the price, buy 2)
. the soon to be released Behringer Grind
. Behringer DM12 (have one, pretty dope)
. ASM Hydrasynth keyboard
@@jumpingman8160I believe the Grind and Pro-800 are will be here soon.
@@synthfellow the pro 800 is great. Get 2 for true stereo goodness or to do bitimbral patches. PolySynths have never been so affordable.
I love the Sonicware Liven Series. Finally gave in to Dr. Endo and bought the ELZ-1 Play while they still had them in stock.
I want a TD-3, even though I already own a Roland t-8 and don't listen to acid. Here's why: more hands on controls, the od and filter just sounds better when I hear demos, and lots of ins and outs (you can plug the headphone out into the filter in for example).
The TD-3 … I don’t like the sound or style but somehow it intrigues me :)
@@synthfellow The thing is the controls are all very interactive. You keep tweaking because there's so much variety. A simple bassline can sound like 20 different ones.
@@alanredversangel I’m shure I will get one someday just to try it out.
@@synthfellow you say you make synthpop... well, Heaven17 & OrangeJuice both used the 303 for basslines in the early 80s
@@deegee8645 😀 never heard of them but will check them out now.
D70 came after the D50. By that point ROM prices were lower so the D70 ditched the synthesis part of the D50 and used longer samples. Some people love it, some hate it. The D70 then was used as the starting point for the JD800. JD800/JD08 is not VA. There is no analogue style subtractive synthesis in the JD and JV range, they're all ROMplers. The V-Synth is where you go if you want samples and synthesis.
I think the D70 has an interesting story and sort of defines the times and the accelerating speed of things being developed. Here's a link to "Vintage Synth Explorer" about the D70. Apparantly It was apparently supposed to be named U50 but somewere along the way Roland decided to change It's course...
I have a D70, it has nothing to do with the U-20, it was made to compete with the M1. Way after the D-50. What I can tell you, is the BEST sounding Roland synth just below the JD-990. I am not kidding. It has nothing to do with the U series, nor with the JV series and nothing with the D 50. It is its own thing. Sounds gorgeous! The only chronic problem is the keybed, is a disaster. The problem is that the cables that come from the board to the keybed, go to both sides of the keybed and they make a loop. That loop is a different material like a very thing fiberglass or nacar. That thing breaks in the extremes and is a massive pain to fix. All of a sudden your keys are not working. Is like having Lamborghini with bicycle tires. But the sound is amazing! The strings are amazing! They are raw, like the JD-990. It has character, it has low end.
… “and the D70”. But doesn’t it have U70 written somewhere on the PCB?? Or am I just fantascicing?
@@synthfellow you clearly disqualify yourself because of misinformation on such a unique synt...
@@centurio7019 well, I stand corrected 🤗. I think it has got an interesting story that I want to dig into. And get my hands on if I can. Thanks for your comment.
@@synthfellow Not at all. I had 4 D70s, cannibalizing ones to fix the others, any of them had U anything on them. I can open that synth, fix anything g and put it back together in 15 minutes, I know them back and forth after fixing the keybed so many times. I ended up with two, changed the LCD for a new LED on both, gave one to my best friend and now his has the keyboard problem. But we were both amazed on how good the sound is. It has a choir voice that sounds like the M1 or Proteus, it does not sound Roland at all. That synth came before the JV-80 and the JV-80 sounds like a toy. Actually, the drum set of the D70 sounds industrial, like the drums of Phill Collins with gated reverb, sounds like a good R8. I think the low popularity was because 76 keys, too long for casual use and the navigation is not THAT bad, the problem is the actual buttons on top make no sense, the ENTER button is the last button on the right of the entire keyboard, things like that. But for example, the 4 sliders can control external midi controls, you can assign them. Either the JV series or the JD-800 can do that. It was a very good professional synth. I have mine and I love it. I have the D70, D50, Virus Ti2, EmaxII, Quasimidi Raven, AN1X, JD-800 as controllers, and I have a bunch of other modules.
The D-70 was to be called the U-50. It was an improved version of the U-20, with a resonant filter.
You need to check out my friend gwem’s videos on TB-303 clones. He agrees that the Behringer clones are the ones to get; we (gwem and I) even have a friend in common who sold off his two (yes, two!) 303s and replaced them with Uli clones (and, presumably, enough cash to buy a decent car)…
Show me the way to his channel 😃
@@synthfellow ruclips.net/video/f8jR5gYkO84/видео.htmlsi=ajBGIgbWKH53KBgy
Found it!
I refuse to give Uli any money
@@JoshCarlsonftw that is ok 😀
not sure but in your list of powerful, and relatively cheap synths with a character all of it's own, don't overlook the Waldorf Blofeld..
I used to own a Crumar DS-2. I regret selling it but needed to money. :(
@@tristen_grant we’ve all been there and sometime you need to sell old gear to pay for new stuff 😝. Crumar DS-2 isn’t in my know-about sphere but will look into it.
Minifreak and Bass Station II🎉
@@HardyNahtal aaahh bass station of course!!
I still have a u220 the u20 rack version. For core bread & butter rompler sounds it was pretty good. Used it live a number of times, decent fidelity and reliable. Not really a proper synth like the D70/50 so not a straightforward comparison. The AN1X, which I also have, has acquired a cult like following over the years, for good reason. It sounds good with deep editing ability. Not exactly one knob per function, it still maintains decent performance controls though. Would liked to have had a Korg PolySix or one of the Juno’s - a little beyond my pocket at the time, so a Korg Poly800 it was.
I liked the poly 800 but eventually traded it for a Yamaha TX7 …
@@synthfellow . It was one of the earliest affordable poly’s that had midi .
Yeah ... and you loaded the presets with tape or, like i did, with iphone and a recording of that tape from RUclips :) ... I bough mine for approx. 100$ because "there are no sounds in it" :) ..
@@synthfellow Note: The Poly-800 MKII added the ability to load patches via MIDI sysex. The EX-800 rackmount version also handles MIDI sysex.
What about the new Roland Juno D6/7/8's?
I haven't had the time to explore those yet.. I think they kind of suffer from the reputation of Roland Di and the earlier lines of Roland Juno D's. But i bet they are good! :)
I saw yesterday new Behringer K2. An improved version of Korg MS20. It seems terrific. and I own the original one... It adds PWM, I want to buy it only for that reason
PWM is always nice! Behringer K2 is another of those synths I occasionally tag to buy someday. 😊
The new version of the K2 also adds standard V/Oct compatibility, so you can patch it into your other gear. The lack of that feature in the original Behringer K2 prevented me from wanting one, but I'd like to have one of the new models now!
I have an AN1x and Deepmind 12 both excellent for the low prices you can get them for.
The D70 was almost going to be named the U50 as it contains the U20/U220 ROM with much more powerful super LA and DLM synthesis. It was released after the D50 in 1990 and was a poor seller for Roland. It sounds great but it's GUI is a nightmare to use! The JD800 is not A VA sybth but purely rompler based with real time parameter control. The AN1X was Yamaha's competition to be Roland JP8000 and Korg Z1. It sounded great but was poorly built 3ith a confusing GUI and a keyboard with a poor action.
Thank you! I knew it had SOMETHING to do with the U20 :)
2600 is the only synth you need.
For everyone else, use a software sampler.
Haha sounds like a simple solution :)
Just buy the bastards...
Korg Wavestation is far too rickety it´s made too loose and John Lehmkuhl told us just lately why is so...
Are you deleting my comments? I have twice posted a comment suggesting the Korg Trinity, and both times the comment disappeared. The first time, I thought it may have been the inclusion of two links. The second comment had no links, but that, too, has disappeared. I hope it is just YT being weird.
I can assure you I don’t delete comments unless they are really inappropriate. I would say Korg Trinity is really appropriate for the subject. 😀
Must be a YT demon deleting relevant posts .. or something like that. 😀
@@synthfellow Cool, I'm glad it is just gremlins. In that case, I will try posting the two links again. They are really great demos of what the Trinity can do, outside the normal 'bread and butter' sounds. Also, forget the rack version, it is hopeless for editing.
ruclips.net/video/7rB_6FFCWJg/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/ILTEGGiOPBU/видео.html
I have the AN1X, is probably the best sounding synth in my collection. Looks like a toy, but it is not. Sounds better than the Waldorf XT and Q. The dynamic and filters have no steps. Sounds 24 bit, very organic. Sounds alife. Sounds better than a Virus Ti2 or at least it can compete with it.
What I’m hearing is “get the AN1X!” 😀
Better? No. Nor is the plastic build quality & crippled interface. The Q & XTK blow it away.
The an1x and cs1x are built like a cheap 25$ Casio keyboard. Terrible build quality
@@SPAZZOID100 Is plastic but sounds better like a Waldorf Q, I have all of them with me. The story is that Yamaha came out with the CS1 for "techno". Roland came up with the JP-8000 and took over the market. To get a share, Yamaha needed to release something quickly, they took the VL engine they had around and placed it in the only enclosure they had available... the CS1. So, is a VW Bettel with a Porsche 911 engine. It sounds better than the Virus Ti2, is the best sounding synth in my collection besides the JD-990. The problem is the enclosure, is a toy, no fun to navigate but once you play with one, you will see.
Digital sounds are boring. Go to analog sound. Real sound is analog. Digital sound is just a poor copy from analog.
But there is something about the digital samples from the 80s that’s interesting today. Is sounds … 80s 😀
Indeed nothing screams excitement and variety like having the same 4 or so analog waveforms to base your sounds on for all of eternity..
If you can listen analog synth sounds, or better yet real life sounds, trough your digital sound system. Then you can replicate analog sounds via digital technology. Which means, digital synths can replicate analog sounds. Some better than others, yes but sometimes you want digital synthesis. I own a jupiter xm, virtual analog and digital synth models with a good amount of built in effects. I could record an 80s cover with it and you wouldn't notice if it's analog or digital. Even the guys of the music shop I showed it too couldn't really tell the difference.
@@mikelarrutiromero9430 Digital sound system doesn't play audio but just a binary file. Play it on a analog amplifier and you will hear the best experience! Digital age was from 1984 with DX7 to 2004 with Motif. No more. If you play some music with Jupiter Xm and play the same chords with a analog synthsizer, you will hear the diference. Do it. Analog is organic sound, real audio. People pays thousand and thousand of dolars to have a digital synthsizer. That's a bad choice. The real sound is on another place.
@@user-JM1967 I've studied for electrician and learnt sound systems and communications. The basis is the same, the spund is produced by a membrane vibrating when excited with electricity. The movement of the membrane on the speakers is the same is not like listening to a orchestra live or on an mp3 file. If you can listen to the difference from an analog or sigital synth in a video, it means it can be replicated.