one line synth reviews

[Pro5]

From my own experience:

Casio HT-3000: More like a toy synth (home keyboard with synthesis), at a time when this (new/late 80s) was all I could get - Loved it though - sold

Roland D-50: Loved you since I saw you in a magazine, knew I couldn't own you until 20 years later... wasn't disappointed when I did. Cheesy 80s presets are fun for nostalgia, dump them and uncover the almost 'virtual analog' core and MASSIVE synthesis possibilities inside that most newer digital synths just don't have.

Roland JX-3P: Love it and also wish it had more features (like the 8P), 3P sound has more edge, more retro-ness, and very cool (jupiter 8!) filter... Get some nice riffs running with the limited sequencer. If forced between the 2 JXs - it would be hard, but I guess I'd keep the 3P for it's more unique 'classic' sound. 8P is a way better all rounder though with lovely features.

Roland JX-8P: Monster version of the 3P with some changes. Sound is softer, smoother, more epic. Has spacey pads coming out of it's *** and can sound very agressive in unison, good for solo playing also.

Roland Juno 6: Maybe I should never have sold you, but I did grow tired of no patch storage, no midi and other quirks... no doubting the sound though. Not as flexible (or interesting as my JX3p/8P) but definitely had the edge for those fast env basses and cool arps (which isn't really my music anyway) - sold

Korg M1: A classic i'm sure... some nice sounds... but I can't get past the way it feels more like a 'box full of samples' moreso than any other of my synths (inc the SY/TG). It's got the worst filters of the bunch. Nice design on the back edge, nice font, c**p buttons, c**p keys, clattery, echoey, hollow - also gives me an impression of some 'disconnection' betwix keyboard and internals (maybe a 'drive by wire' feel) - SY feels a lot more hands on/organic and nicer set of sounds to boot.

Yamaha TG-500: Nothing wrong with this as a box of sounds rompler with great filters trying their best to make it a 'real' synth... Sold it as had moved to software only at that time (2000) - sold

Yamaha SY-85: Wanted some of my old TG sounds back + a very nice keyboard to 'write songs' on (just as a compositional tool). Also of course, great filters takes off the digital edge (a bit), and I really like it, but it's not D-50 when it comes to synthesis

Yamaha DX7 II-D: The mysterious beast, I'm getting there - having ditched/avoided any overused 80s sounds (mostly) and now finding some AMAZING textures I can't get anywhere else... must add a touch of outboard (reverb/delay) and it competes easily with younger synths. It does weird stuff like no tomorrow - using it for E-Piano and Tubular bells is a waste of it's potential in a modern context. Misunderstood, and a marmite synth (love/hate). I love it! A legend (albeit the mk2) in my lifetime and I wanted one since I was a young kid! I must stress while I also like the mk1, the mk2 does it for me due to the layering and other (important) improvements which I use all the time! A mk1 may be less useful to me but nonetheless a classic

Yamaha AN1x: My newest purchase, and quickly becoming my all rounder/favourite machine to work on. While my D-50 still has that magic 'something', the AN1x isn't magical to me, it's a very very good tool. It's sounds are perfect for music making and though it lacks the real welly of true VCO analog it's perfect in most cases 'in the mix' where it counts. I couldn't be without this now, and this would be one of the synths I'd save first in a fire! (not least of which because it's cheap plastic upper casing would melt while my others would withstand the heat better) - oh and like it's look, and it's colour, and it's 'light' keys and it's feature set. It's like the 'heart' of my synth world now - I want to control other synths with it (arp and knobs).


wow, so much for 'one line' reviews - sorry people ;0

[Joey]

Prophet 08 - Closest thing to the vintage poly sound for cheap without buying vintage.

Nord Lead 2x - Brandon Flowers made you famous.

Microkorg - Indie hipsters love you, and you actually sound good.

[garranimal]

Microkorg - Indie hipsters love you, and you actually sound good.

OMG soooo funny, and true.

Juno-106: A one-oscillator-per-voice polysynth by any other name would not sound as sweet especially without the chorus section.

Andromeda: When it comes to programming - if you know the miraculous places where you are going then you know how to get there, since nothing good has ever come from just noodling around.

[rhino]

Ensoniq SQ-80: my first: a knock-out 20 years ago, and still can blow away most synth-like toys sold today.

Roland JX-10: shoulda bought you as soon as i saw you....but we are together at last (you beast!!)

Kurzweil k1200: paid toooo much, sold for tooooo little.....but WHAT SOUND!!!

Alesis Quadrasynth plus: the girl you call when you just need a little nooky, or the guy you call when you need help moving furniture: no magic, but always there for you.

[aeon]

• Access Virus b - loved your filter, hated your oscs, great dark pads, sweet mid-grind, I traded you away for a pedal.
• Akai S950 - my first sampler, your drums had punch and grit, fast to use, why oh why did I let you go?
• Akai VX600 - you looked so perfect on paper, but you sounded so poor in person - stay in tune, damnit!
• Casio CZ-5000 - an early love, warm for a digital synth, fun little sequencer, I wanted to be Dr. Synth-Pop.
• Clavia Nord Modular - I love the way you sound, the way you work, and the way you look. Forever <3.
• Cyndustries Zeroscillators - analog FM, omg - you sound so good - I love when you f*ck my Shippmann E&F.
• DSI Evolver - the idea of you was dreamy, but the sound of you was screamy - you hurt my ears.
• E-mu Audity2K - you were good fun - I only sold you because I got an expanded version of you.
• E-Mu Morpheus - you're kinda lo-fi, but at times ethereal - I gave you up for your sibling with more ROM and filters.
• E-Mu Proteus/1XR - you were fun for sequencing in 1990, even if you aren't a synth proper - traded you.
• E-mu Proteus2K - I only had you for a couple of weeks - I knew your nature - good - but your waves - bad.
• E-mu UltraProteus - you are a bag of trix to be sure - classic samples - an engine that can be plain or exotic.
• E-mu XL-7 - with 4 ROMs you are a fun all-in-one box, underrated synth, fun sequencer, and squishy pads - you need fx.
• Elektron Machinedrum SPS-1UW Custom - aesthetically, you are near perfect - get lost in you for hours.
• Elektron Monomachine SFX-6 - luv your joystick, fun sequencing for self and others, odd-sized, I love and hate your sound.
• Elektron SIDStation Rack Custom - you're cute and not ashamed to sound as you do and that's a good thing.
• JoMoX MBase01 - you tickle my ear and other places when you thumpa-thumpa - you do one thing and you do it well.
• Korg OASYS PCI - no other synth does so much so well - I love your physical modeling. Forever <3.
• Roland Alpha Juno - others love you, but I thought you sounded c**p. Even the PG-300 couldn't save you.
• Roland D-70 - great build, great strings, and the most f*cked OS and CPU ever. Your LFOs slowed with MIDI input.
• Roland DJ-70mkII - you sounded a treat but were a PITA to work with. Cute, but not a keeper.
• Roland JD-800 - I'll always love you on some level, but you couldn't stay. Your soul is in a black box.
• Roland JD-990 - just fantastic and lush - some of the best stringpadatmos ever - a keeper in my book.
• Roland Juno-106 - you sounded polite, and that's not wrong, but not what I wanted, so I traded you away.
• Roland JX-8P - my first proper synth, I had you for 3 weeks and then someone stole you. I don't remember you.
• Roland R-8 - I shouldn't have sold you. You sounded good and were fun to use. Oh well, so be it.
• Roland RS-505 Paraphonic - you're dead sexy, and your strings sound fab, as does your ensemble - precious.
• Roland S-760 - there's no reason to keep you at all really, except for the fact you sound so damned good.
• Roland SH-2 - VCOs, bonky envs, great filter, you are a sweet and evil bass machine, I love you. <3
• SCI Prophet-5 (rev2) - you looked lovely and sounded better, but I had to sell you to pay bills. Regret.
• Simmons ClapTrap III - you sound c**p for a clap, but your analog filtered noise sounds the business.
• Waldorf MicroWave XTk30 - I traded away a good board for you, and it was so worth it. Digitalove.
• Waldorf Pulse - bass that is hard and fat, but you're kinda sterile at that. You play nice with pedals.
• Waldorf Q Rack - great design, fun to use, but your sound was cold and at times, thin. Sold ya'.
• Yamaha A5000 - great sound, filters, effects - c**p OS that is slow as molasses in January. You're worth it.
• Yamaha SY99 - great keyboard feel, you sounded beautiful, in use a pain. Traded you for a XTk. No regrets.

cheers,
Ian

[mome rath]

fizmo

[plikestechno]

Roland JX10 Has taught me patience and how to play the piano. PG-800 you rule my world.

Casio CZ-5000 Bought you cheap, too cheap to sell so I learned to love you. Finally cracking open the sounds booklet showed me finally how to love you right.

EMU Vintage Keys 2003 Version Haven't played with you much yet except working through the epic manual. More than adequate replacement for my Proteus 2000 for only $150.

Yamaha EX5R Apparently a sampler and sequencer but I only use you as a synth. Showed me how easy it was to send the Waldorf Q flying out the door.

SE ATC-1 w/all 4 filters Only got ya a couple of weeks ago but I play with ya every night and you make me smile each time.

Octave Cat SRM I bought you for $500 thinking I was getting an Odyssey knockoff but your sound instead was meant to be for me. I still need to get you calibrated I think, but if I touch you first when I go downstairs, I don't touch anybody else that night.

Pearl SC-40 You're ugly as h**l, you're hard to get but when I hit the sweet spots of your analog back end I scream "Oh jesus! This is why I love electronic music!"I think it is because you have the same filter as the Syncussion.

Pearl Syncussion SY1 As opposed to most synths I coveted, once I finally got my hands on you it was a kajillion times better than advertised.

Tama Techstar TS-305 and TS-204 This combo gives me all the Techstar sounds. 305s underwhelming compared to a Syncussion but I still love you my "boo-boo" machine. I use my 204 with a rate mod most for the clap but mostly for the completely insane synth on it.

Synare 3 You make me feel like Stockhausen or Tangerine Dream when I play you, your resonance is so insane. I wish you had a trigger in because you are a pain in the a*s to play. Your metal body hurts my hands.

Korg MS-04 You think you're not a synth but you make everyone else sound better. Not just for CV synths, you can use the LFOs to trigger drum synths steadily and bend them too.

TR-707 House music and italo...all night long...you're not as good of a trigger machine as advertised though.

Drumtraks I bought you for $150 bucks, fixed ya up a bit and you've repaid me with weeks of funk.

MC-202 I got you for a song. The first time I programed you it took all night long.

Korg Poly 800 MkII I kind of hate you because you got me into this mess when I found you at a Garage Sale for $20. But I love your simple space and electro pads and simple sequencer and chor memory. Nothing else like ya.

Eli Compurhythm CR7030 Apparently you used beatbox in your name for the first time. Your kick is very fat and your guiro is dope. Thx for quenching my thirst for the other more expensive Compurhythms.

Univox SR55 If you're good enough for Lee "Scratch" Perry and Kraftwerk then you're good enough for me. Dirty, deep dubby and disco sounds.

Solina B417 I flick a switch and I fly to 70s space disco land. You're much more than strings and brass. You better because you're over 300 f'in pounds!

SOLD

Waldorf Q Rack You were my first crush when reading about synths I wanted you more than life itself. You looked good but your output sounded like a*s.

Waldorf Pulse When the ATC-1 was on its way there was no need for you. Although secretly I kinda loathed you and your stepping filter anyway so never used you much.

Yamaha SY-1 You sounded so amazing and were in perfect shape as opposed to all the beatup ones you see. But you were so limited and your filter made everything sound the same. But you got me so much money I basically got the ATC-1 and all its filters straight across for you. So you'll always be in my heart.

[divineaudio]

of the things i currently own...

nord lead - i love making you scream. how is it that you keep surprising me after all these years?

ms20 - i hope it's ok with you that i bought a double plot so we can be buried together.

dx9 - always in the shadow of your big sister, but i still love you.

cz1000 - one day i will spend enough time with you to really appreciate you. thanks for being patient.

esx - exactly what you should be. almost.

er1 - how is it that you manage to sound so good with distortion and effects but so bad without?

sp202 - you stole my (sampling) virginity. weird and awkward in every way, but still somehow very good.

[Christopher Winkels]

Yamaha CS-15: Like a vintage Woody Allen film, you manage to infuriate me and entertain me in equal measure.

Future Retro XS: The sort of synth that, if you were in a dark alley, you'd want beside you and not facing you.

Moog Little Phatty : How do I love thine oscillators and filters? Let me count the ways.

DSI Prophet '08: Buggier than a square mile of the Amazon, but tremendously capable.

Moog The Souce: The only synth I've sold that I truly miss.

Yamaha DX100: The Jimmy Carter of synthesizers.

Yamaha TX81Z: The Billy Carter of synthesizers.

Roland MKS-70 Super JX: The only thing "super" about it was the chorus circuit.

Roland Juno-6: We shall release no DCOs before it's time.

Korg Wavestation EX: The lazy programmer's choice... in 1992.

Korg MS2000: Worst. Portamento. Ever.

Modcan modular: The best ever reason to upgrade your monitor speakers.

[TrondC]

ok using only musical quotes with the few machines I own:

Korg ESX you look (sound) good when you wear it well..

Elektron Monomachine mk2 from beauty to ashes, before my eyelashes... (the sound that is)

Acidlab Bassline 1 strangelove, strange highs and strange lows, strange love, that's how your love goes..

--

sold stuff:

MC-808 one of theese days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces!!

Microkorg some synths are smaller than others.. (ok that one was bad I know)

ER-1 fragile, like a baby in my arms (you sounded weak but you could scream if I didn't care for traditional drum sounds)

EA-1 we (don't) call it acieeeeeed!

[Solderman]

In order of ownership(past tense means no longer owned):
Korg X5/X5DR - First synth - Nice effects - Better than sound canvas
Akai S2800 - First Sampler - Was Easy to program and I liked the filters
Akai AX-60 - Was Dark and Harsh, but also kinda plucky - ultimately bored me
Roland Alpha Juno 1 - Lovely bright strings and I like the squelchy squares and sweeps
Kurzweil K2vx - Did everything I needed while I was still in a band - kind of outdated now
Novation BassStation - Great low end and overdriven resonance, but overall was kinda weak
Roland JX8P - Nice mids-heavy sound but decided it was too clangy and stiff
Roland SH101 - The squelch, the subs; I still like its character, especially after modding it
Access Virus - Dark and deeply versatile; still love that filter
SCI Pro~One - Excellent cross-mod bass and brass, but ultimately felt dissatisfied with it
Roland TB303 - It's like Cocaine - fun for short periods - Can't bear to part with it.
Roland TR606 - Hats are priceless and I enjoy its sounds after I modded it
Roland Jupiter 8 - It disappoints me as much as it makes me weep with joy - Nothing quite like it
Moog Voyager - I enjoy it more, the more I learn about it and play it - Low-end is astronomically deep
Univox K2(Minikorg 700S) - Has that 70's sound I was missing - Does great leads and Cross-Mod noises

I just bought a Polivoks from a member here, and am looking forward to that Evil Bastard sound I've heard so much about.

[HideawayStudio]

Here's some one liners on gear residing in the studio.....

Synths:

Novachord - I'm head over heals in love with this amazing monster! I will never part with it.
Juno-106 - Great sound - good all rounder, brilliant UI, I'll never part with it, sadly suffers from VCA/VCF failure
MKS-70 Super JX - gorgeous fat/warm sound ideal for pads let down terrible digital sounding factory presets, slow envelopes - PG-800 turns this thing into a beast!!
JX-8P - Again lovely warm sound - slightly slow envelopes but slightly better factory presets than MKS-70
JX-3P - Weird looking thing but a great sound - ideal for pads and bass - utterly transformed by PG-200
MKS-50 - I really like it - ideal for beeps, bleeps and filter sweeps - snappier envelopes than JX series
D-50 - I adore it!! - great characterful early digital with analog'esque synthesis in parallel - 1000's of great patches
M1/M1R - Some great sounds - far more of a "ROMpler" than D-50 - it's no synth in comparison but still a classic!
SY77/TG77 - 1000 parameter beasts! - 8 DX7s warmed by resonant filters - Now this really is a proper synth which demands programming. A secret source of a lot layered samples in libraries over the years. Amazing for strings with fantastic real time control - underrated due to bad factory presets and poor on board reverb
GEM S2 - No character and no NVRAM meaning everything has to come off disk during powerup - no love!
Korg DW8000 - Nice sounding hybrid analog - capable of good leads with character but I still prefer JUNO-106
ARP Omni-2 - Can massage some nice sounds out of this old beasty - terrible quality capacitors kill it!!!
Yamaha TG-33 - Brilliant string sounds for such a cheapie - it was the Pet Shop Boys secret weapon!......
TX81Z - Worth it just for Lately Bass.... can also make some nice brass and bell sounds too
TX802 - Crazy user interface but a DX7 in a rack so 'nuff said!
SuperNova - I love it -SO- many presets which can then be tweaked so easily - not massively fat though
Wavestation - Love it to bits, noisy, careful your tracks don't sound like Babylon 5 - no resonant filters a crime!!!
Bass Station Rack - A little thin but a great, fast and quite flexible compact monosynth with superb midi implementation
Waldorf Microwave I - Lovely digital wavetables with analog filters - can sound hash or warm / weird or nice
A-Station - Some superb presets - great UI - fun and nice sounding - not massively fat sounding but good pads
Nord Lead I - I really miss it! - I'd love another - no polyphony but lovely sound - superb for bass and pads
Roland U-220 - Some cracking good sounds amongst a sea of dullness (and noise!) - some cards v.good too - cheap!
Roland D-110 - The worse UI ever! - too few buttons doing too many things! Many bad sounds - but here's the thing there are some superb ones out there and, like D-50, it has character too - underrated and v.cheap!I I sold my last one - then really missed it... get an editor you will need it!

Samplers:

SCI Prophet 2002 - Lovely vintage sound, analog filters, great Arpeg, frustrating/confusing UI and sadly only floppy and can suffer from memory errors causing random pops.
S900 - Amazingly tight midi timing, suffers from pops due discrete voice architecture, poor sub bass response - extremely reliable with exception of floppy drive
S950 - As above but much improved bass response with lovely punchy 12-bit sound - ideal for D&B / Hip Hop beats - tons of outputs can click like S900 due to note stealing caused by discrete voice architecture - bomb proof!
S1000 - Suffers terribly from failed backlights, otherwise like a brick!, good midi timing - ideal for percussion/loops, no resonant filters - sound wise is eaten alive by EMAX and Emulator series!!
S1100 - Midi timing not as tight as S1000 but more memory - the beginning of the rot IMHO.
EMAX I - Lovely warm sounding 12 bit sampler with analog filters - great for analog pads/new age, nice punch
EMAX II - Amazing transposition over entire keyboard, lovely sound with good digital resonant filters, sloppy midi timing - turning out to be very reliable.
Emulator II - Wow what a nice coloured analog sound!, easy to use, Not enough are looking after these properly - known for not liking to be moved due to socketed ICs and poorly designed power supply.
Emulator III - Lovely smooth E-mu sound with analog filters - everything sounds nice through this thing - a bit of a handful to keep in servicable condition.
Emulator IIIX - Again - lovely sound, not quite as easy to use as EMAX II, good filters for digital ones - proving to be very reliable due to integrated chip set.
Roland S-330 - Great UI via monitor and mouse - forget it from front panel - nice sounding v.cheap 1U sampler - many suffer from random crashes/resets - good to play with - less good to rely on!

[LucB]

Korg M500: Most people hate you but i still like the way you work (or don't work) like no other synths, your presets make me laugh.

Yamaha SK-20: Your size makes me wish i never sold my SK-15 but i do wonder where i'll get my organ sounds if i let you go (and i might).

Multivox MX-65: You were light in sound and weight, liked your LFO but that's not enough to make you stay.

Yamaha YC-45D: Never seen as a synth, yet you had that weird portamento strip that sounded nothing like an organ, you were too big and heavy for the little use you had.

Novation X-25: I just don't know what to do with all your knobs and sliders when all i want is consistency on saved presets. You make me fear digital synths.

EKo K2: Just stay tuned and we'll stay friends. Never thought an EKO product could shake my glasses off my face but you had help from my amp so don't get cocky.

Korg Trident MK1: I should'nt let you go. We just met, your sound is legendary and you make up for your weight by leaving extra space for the M500 to sit on top of you, i should just get your memory fixed and keep you forever.

From the type of posts everyone made this thread should have been 'last words to your synths before you/they die'.

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Here's my take on my collection:

Oberheim OB-8: You are my favorite all around analog polysynth. Perfect hybrid of analog and digital technology with incredible performance features. Great on the road or in the studio. A near-pefect synth design for its time.
SCI Prophet-5: Your sound is outstanding. Lush, warm, rich and great looks.

Oberheim OB-Xa: You sound awesome, but you are unreliable and I can't deal with that s**t so I'll take the OB8 any day of the week.

SCI Prophet VS: Your presets are c**p. I'm glad I replaced them long ago with my own creations from the random patch generator, the VS's single greatest feature.

Oberheim Matrix-12: You are the hottest looking b***h I own, and the most programmable. Super cool spaceship front panel with those green 80s vacuum strips. Once again, your presets are 80s cheese but thankfully I've overwritten them all. Now you sound badass, which is what you really are. People just don't realize it.

Yamaha CS-80: You are my most RELIABLE vintage synth. You never go out of tune and your HUGE sound is woofer blowing if I'm not careful.

Emu Emulator II: Your disk drives are currently not working. Nuff said.

Yamaha DX-1: You look badass and you play badass, but at the end of the day you are an overhyped first generation DX7. I don't care what you read about "better DACs" and all that horseshit. Rubbish.

Moog Minimoog: You have the newer OSC boards and you still sound f-ing GREAT. I never have to tune you. You just sound awesome from the moment I turn you on. Therefore I love you.

SCI Pro One: Your single voice has more balls than a single voice off my P5. Your PWM is huge. You rock the c**k and you have the fastest EGs of any vintage synth on the planet.

Moog Taurus Pedals: I am glad you are T1 and not T2. T2 was a worthless piece of c**p. T1 rocks rattles my nuts. Just ask Sting.

Alesis Ion: You ROCK. Great sound. Love it, love it, love it.

[braincandy]

Updates since last list:

Korg R3: Good interface; loved the compactness and ease of use. Sounded just ok overall & I'm fed up with plastic synths, Korg. Don't really miss it.

Roland Juno-G: Should have gotten Fantom X6 or K2661 instead. Roland cut the wrong corners.

Novation Nova: lots of capabilities, good sounds, but needed another keyboard. Liked it.

Roland Juno-106: Would have kept if not for filter chip and scratch volume pot. Simple, but nice. Unison mode=worthless. Replaced with Juno-60.

Roland Juno-60: reunited with the synth that got me into synths. Back to basics and it sounds great. Best friends with MPX-100.

Roland D-550: Hellish interface, but nice sounds. Looking forward to when I can invest more time in it.

Ensoniq VFXsd: One of the best interfaces on any digital synth. Love poly-AT. Nice, but I need money for other things.

Roland JX-10: Looking forward to using you once I get a few things fixed. Sounds as thick as a brick.