Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
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- Walter Ego
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Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
For the Holidays...
We like top ten lists. How about a bottom ten? What is that synth that if someone gave it to you, you would leave it on the street? How about ten of them?
I checked the forum archives...unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't look like anyone has done a worst synth list in a few years.
For clarity, DON'T include run-of-the-mill ROMplers (unless they're hilariously badly engineered), but DO include strange home keyboards and experiments. How about some genuinely awful analog synths--yes, they do exist. This is also not about finnicky or temperamental synths that are great but have fatal flaws; this is about all around mediocrity and crappiness.
I don't even have a suggestion--this is more out of curiosity than anything else.
We like top ten lists. How about a bottom ten? What is that synth that if someone gave it to you, you would leave it on the street? How about ten of them?
I checked the forum archives...unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't look like anyone has done a worst synth list in a few years.
For clarity, DON'T include run-of-the-mill ROMplers (unless they're hilariously badly engineered), but DO include strange home keyboards and experiments. How about some genuinely awful analog synths--yes, they do exist. This is also not about finnicky or temperamental synths that are great but have fatal flaws; this is about all around mediocrity and crappiness.
I don't even have a suggestion--this is more out of curiosity than anything else.
Walter Ego
seamonkey wrote:I nominate this for STUPIDEST THREAD ever in the history of the internez.
- tim gueguen
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
My smartass answer to questions like this is always "The broken one." People make all sorts of interesting music with c**p gear. And context also counts. The Davolisint is limited and crude, but it was pretty much the cheapest thing going in the early '70s for musicians who wanted a synth and didn't have the money for an ARP or Moog.
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
A random sampling of the worst keyboard and synthesizer instruments on Vancouver Craigslist this morning:
- The Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma Organ (and its ilk; various Lowreys, Allans, Baldwins, etc., none of which are actually cool)
- "Casio SA65 Electronic Portable Piano Organ $40 Takes"
- The Korg i30 Interactive Music Workstation
- "Microkorg Synthesizer Needs Repair $400"
- Bontempi Keyboard (basically, a reed and blower organ)
- "Do-it-yourself Leslie Kit $500 OBO" (the owner has taken one of the styrofoam integrated Leslie drums out of, say, the Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma organ, possibly with a hacksaw, and put it on Craigslist)
- Panasonic Keyboard SX-KC211
- The Korg X5 interactive music workstation (which might actually be okay, I dunno)
- "CS60 sold, futon is still available"
- The Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma Organ (and its ilk; various Lowreys, Allans, Baldwins, etc., none of which are actually cool)
- "Casio SA65 Electronic Portable Piano Organ $40 Takes"
- The Korg i30 Interactive Music Workstation
- "Microkorg Synthesizer Needs Repair $400"
- Bontempi Keyboard (basically, a reed and blower organ)
- "Do-it-yourself Leslie Kit $500 OBO" (the owner has taken one of the styrofoam integrated Leslie drums out of, say, the Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma organ, possibly with a hacksaw, and put it on Craigslist)
- Panasonic Keyboard SX-KC211
- The Korg X5 interactive music workstation (which might actually be okay, I dunno)
- "CS60 sold, futon is still available"
"We have to remember that Moogs, ARPs and all of the first synths had been created by raging madmen." - Jean-Michael Jarre
- synthroom
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Not sure I've run across the worst synth of al time, but there are certainly a lot that I have no interest in even turning on. Nvining's list is a great start at that list.
Fairlight IIx (Mid-Life Crisis - cheaper than a Corvette!)
Roland JP-8, D-50, S-50, S-550(2x), S-760(2x), JX-3P, JD-800
EII, Emax II, Minimoog, ARP 2600, P-5 Rev.1 (broken...), Pro-One, Crumar Performer, K1m, K5m, MS-2000B, Virus KC, a few other things.
Roland JP-8, D-50, S-50, S-550(2x), S-760(2x), JX-3P, JD-800
EII, Emax II, Minimoog, ARP 2600, P-5 Rev.1 (broken...), Pro-One, Crumar Performer, K1m, K5m, MS-2000B, Virus KC, a few other things.
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
I have a davolisint in perfect order with user book and case i think they are ok, some prog rock bands use one or did , looking at its shape i wonder from where did korg invent the looks of the ms range ???tim gueguen wrote:My smartass answer to questions like this is always "The broken one." People make all sorts of interesting music with c**p gear. And context also counts. The Davolisint is limited and crude, but it was pretty much the cheapest thing going in the early '70s for musicians who wanted a synth and didn't have the money for an ARP or Moog.
yamoto773
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
It is, actually - it's basically a keyboard version of the 05/RW module. Not a world-shattering classic, but a decent little AI² ROMpler with some nice sounds. "Workstation" probably isn't the right word for it, though, since it doesn't have a sequencer.nvining wrote:- The Korg X5 interactive music workstation (which might actually be okay, I dunno)
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- Z
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Roland JX-1 and the stupid-a*s advert that went with it
Kawai PH50
Kawai PH50
Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Look at this Polish Funk band from the 70's /early 80's the famous Polish Key player J.Skrzek is using the Davonlist amongst moogs and other expensive synths , must be worth something to have it around in such company 

- ppg_wavecomputer
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Was that the one featuring the perm-and-spandex guy with buckles to set off airport metal detectors with?Z wrote:Roland JX-1 and the stupid-a*s advert that went with it
I hate things like Roland D-50, Yamaha YS-100/200, Korg M1, Casio CZ101, or Siel Cruise (or Mono, or Opera) but this probably couldn´t count.
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- Psy_Free
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
This thread will descend into one massive fight.
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Kawai KC10 (Spectra) / XS-1 below the PH50 / PHm
Akai SG01k
Yamaha DX9
Evolution EVS1
Really like Siel synths, just parted with my Orchestra and I loved it.
Akai SG01k
Yamaha DX9
Evolution EVS1
Really like Siel synths, just parted with my Orchestra and I loved it.
Last edited by tamla on Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
What about all of those shitty combo organs from the '60s? Do they count? (I'm excluding, of course, the magnificent Vox Continental and other high-end machines.)
- synthRodriguez
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Worst ever? No question:
Monotrons DUO/DELAY
SH-32
MicroKORG
AX-80
RS-09
MT-68 / SK-1 / VL-1
ER-1 mk II
DR-110 / DR-220A
SR-120
lol:
Monotrons DUO/DELAY
SH-32
MicroKORG
AX-80
RS-09
MT-68 / SK-1 / VL-1
ER-1 mk II
DR-110 / DR-220A
SR-120
lol:

- griffin avid
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
Bontempi Keyboard (basically, a reed and blower organ)
Awesome! I was going to post and describe a synth that had, like 6 categories of sound and they sounded the same.
A nasal cheesy horn sound.
It was a dull tan color- as drab as its sound. The worst ever. I spray painted it silver, glued some doo-dads on it and and used it in a video as a prop. But I couldn't remember the company name- that's it!
Awesome! I was going to post and describe a synth that had, like 6 categories of sound and they sounded the same.
A nasal cheesy horn sound.
It was a dull tan color- as drab as its sound. The worst ever. I spray painted it silver, glued some doo-dads on it and and used it in a video as a prop. But I couldn't remember the company name- that's it!
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Re: Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time
I don't think anybody will agree but the roland Gaia is the most disliked synth I have ever owned and would certainly be bottom of my worst 10 synths.