What's your favorite brand of synthesizer?

RedSky · Post by **RedSky** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:06 pm

Well exactly. Korg have always had a reasonable attitude to their prices too unlike some.

animehair · Post by **animehair** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:17 pm

Sequential Circuits and Dave Smith Instruments

Pighood · Post by **Pighood** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:31 pm

Don't have a hardware favorite. I have one each of Access, Alesis, Ensoniq, Korg, Roland, Waldorf, DSI, Clavia & Doepfer.

Software: no contest...Native Instruments.

West_Berliner · Post by **West_Berliner** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:37 pm

clavia i would think......i had two waldorfs and couldnt find a spot for the sound in my music....that said that was a long time ago, and i dont think i had the patience to program the xt.....
i think the virus would work for my music, but i have no money to get one at the moment.....eventually though ill pick up a C...
so i guess clavia is my final answer. Native Instruments for VSTs.

OriginalJambo · Post by **OriginalJambo** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:47 pm

It's a hard call and in some ways I am more attracted to individual synths than brands. However I think KORG have excellent vintage synths like the PS, MS range and the PolySix and Mono/Poly and I respect how they'll take risks by implementing a lot of uncommon features into their gear. Much more interesting than the Juno/Jupiter in my personal opinion. Moving on to the Wavestation and OASYS we now have today.

As for American stuff? Don't know much about it. Moog have some great synths of course, but some turds too - many overrated I feel. I think SCI are a good bet as the Prophet range is class and the VS was something new at the time. Dave was often one step ahead of the pack.

totallyfrozen · Post by **totallyfrozen** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:48 pm

8bit9bot wrote:... the first synth i ever had was the dx-21... i got it when i was 4 and it was brand new...

You were given a Yamaha DX synth when you were 4? Wow...I was playing outside with sticks and little green army men when I was 4.

I admit it. I'm jealous...but happy for your opportunities.

I'm just dying to know, what does a silver spoon actually taste like?

(just kidding)

Post by **Synthacon** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:18 pm

I seem to always have Roland gear

However really like RSF, Syton, Elka and Waldorf stuff. Got a soft spot for a few Oberheim's as well

burns46824 · Post by **burns46824** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:29 pm

Overall, I'd have to say Yamaha. They've made the best analog and digital synths ever: the CS-80 and the DX-7.

Not to mention their products almost never fail and the quality is fantastic...

Then again, this is a hard one! I'm surprised that people have claimed that Roland's "golden period" was '76-'81. I think it's more like '81-'86!

I do love PPGs as well. They are very interesting sounding, but useful at the same time. White Feathers anyone?

kogmachine · Post by **kogmachine** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:17 pm

jupiter8 wrote:Have'nt met a Roland analog i did'nt like yet and i've tried most of them. Sure some are fairly limited but they sound really good.

I know for certain Roland is a good brand, just never played an analog Roland. Pretty much just the Fantom X series. I do own a SP-404 that I'm kinda disappointed in, but have chosen to keep it cuz a sampler is essential in the music I make. I bought my friend a R8 drum machine that he's been letting me use for some time that I am pretty pleased with. I only wish it had better MIDI functions and work more seamlessly with my DAW. I'm looking at the SH-201 to compliment my ION. Oh I did play on the Juno G but it doesn't have enough knobs to make it a good analog modeling synth. I hate poking around menus.

MPS · Post by **MPS** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:00 pm

kogmachine wrote: I'm looking at the SH-201 to compliment my ION. Oh I did play on the Juno G but it doesn't have enough knobs to make it a good analog modeling synth. I hate poking around menus.

If you want something to compliment your Ion, check out the Alesis Fusion. You can nab a second hand 6HD for not much more than that Roland board. It will take you places that few other synths can go. Unless you want to spend about $7,000.00. If you do... then nevermind.

Check out some of the user demos here...
http://fusioneer.proboards102.com/index.cgi

The Hollow Sun banks have many classic drum machine, synth, keyboard and sampler sounds. The thing is a sampler and an FM synth. The VA engine is in many ways able to get much more complex than the Ion. As one wise person said, it is an electronic mucic studio. Eight tracks of audio bolted on for good measure.

wesleymino · Post by **wesleymino** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:01 pm

Roland for reliability and usability

Korg for zaniness

Crumar for psychedelics

Moog for warmth and soul

Yamaha for delicacy

Oberheim for the perfect balance of smooth and chunkyness

kogmachine · Post by **kogmachine** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:39 pm

MPS wrote:
kogmachine wrote: I'm looking at the SH-201 to compliment my ION. Oh I did play on the Juno G but it doesn't have enough knobs to make it a good analog modeling synth. I hate poking around menus.
If you want something to compliment your Ion, check out the Alesis Fusion. You can nab a second hand 6HD for not much more than that Roland board. It will take you places that few other synths can go. Unless you want to spend about $7,000.00. If you do... then nevermind.

Check out some of the user demos here...
http://fusioneer.proboards102.com/index.cgi

The Hollow Sun banks have many classic drum machine, synth, keyboard and sampler sounds. The thing is a sampler and an FM synth. The VA engine is in many ways able to get much more complex than the Ion. As one wise person said, it is an electronic mucic studio. Eight tracks of audio bolted on for good measure.

Yeah, when the Fusion came out I began to drool. Maybe I'll get the 6HD instead of the Yamaha SY-99. Good choice?

Post by **WDW** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:02 pm

I do not think that I can reduce all of my favourites into just one company. However, I can easily state that my favourite single synth is the Yamaha CS80.

WD

Post by **killedaway** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:27 am

for me, it's Korg.

i'm surprised to see so many others looking at Korg in the same light as i do: i find that they take some big risks, and of all the "big guys", they seem to try really hard to please fans of their gear. i think Roland has been playing it WAY too safe for several years now, and though i own a few of their products, i look at them more for "basic" stuff and not cutting-edge innovation.

i also think Korg sometimes bungles their attempts at unique and useful gear, but i think the pros outweigh the cons.

after Korg comes Yamaha. hooray for pounding FM into our faces ad nauseum. serioiusly, how many FM synths/modules did they make?!

AudiosEnvy · Post by **AudiosEnvy** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:49 am

killedaway wrote:for me, it's Korg.

i'm surprised to see so many others looking at Korg in the same light as i do: i find that they take some big risks, and of all the "big guys", they seem to try really hard to please fans of their gear. i think Roland has been playing it WAY too safe for several years now, and though i own a few of their products, i look at them more for "basic" stuff and not cutting-edge innovation.

i also think Korg sometimes bungles their attempts at unique and useful gear, but i think the pros outweigh the cons.

after Korg comes Yamaha. hooray for pounding FM into our faces ad nauseum. serioiusly, how many FM synths/modules did they make?!

Ditto on this one. And at least Korg gave a damn good attempt to re-do their heavyweight VA line. The other companies are sleeping at the damn wheel.

What's your favorite brand of synthesizer?

for me..