which synth for a FUN factor?

[Ollimac73]

These days I am twisted to invest some budget for a synth...to include in my setup, but mainly to have great FUN as a standalone (with just some pedals to add).

I am already enjoying a Moog SubPhatty, just added a MFB Tanzbar, and soon to introduce a Bloferld to complete the sound palette for my main setup.

However, I d like to invest in some small synth to have great fun
The options so far:

- YAMAHA REFACE DX or CP...they are lovely, great sounds, fantastic to put beside the sofa and have fun; however, they will have not so much integration with the main setups.

- ARTURIA MINIBRUTE: many have been advising to invest in this particular analog synth, lots of fun with arpeggiator, wave modulation, brute factor....good price, easy to integrate....just need to add some pedals as standalone machine.

- NOVATION BASS STATION 2: it has everything in the package at a reasonable price....but I am afraid the sound is really similar to my SubPhatty.

- KORG MS20 MINI: this is a jump to the past, a must have machine...quite a learning curve, but worth it...I have listened to it with some reverb and space echo ...astonishing!

- MOOG MOTHER 32: to enter the modular brain set, after the MS20 I was thinking why not a Mother32....still unexplored, plenty of twisting....will it be fun?


In conclusion, I am aware that the above tools are REAALLLLYYY different to each other; however, the choice will depend on the FUN factor only

[Ashe37]

forgot: the Roland System 1

I just got a system 1m and i am enjoying it.

I have a bass station II and enjoy it, and it doesn't sound that much like a sub phatty because it has two filters that are pretty different from a SP's filter.

[Rick N Boogie]

I bought the ReFace CS, and thought it was awesome, for what it is. But now, I have the little Roland JP-08, with the little keyboard. You can save and store 64 presets, and it is a fully functioning tiny version of a Jupiter 8. That's what I call fun.

[meatballfulton]

- KORG MS20 MINI: this is a jump to the past, a must have machine...quite a learning curve, but worth it...I have listened to it with some reverb and space echo ...astonishing!

The only learning curve is the weird filter EG behavior and the ESP section. Other than that it's really bone simple...most of the patching just accomplishes what is done on other synths with knobs and switches, like choosing the LFO waveform, routing the wheel to do anything, inverting the EGs, running noise into the audio path, etc.

It's not really modular at all because you cannot break the VCO->filters->amp signal path. The ESP section, now that is an interesting and unusual feature. I think the fun quotient would be high and it sounds nothing like a Moog.

But if real modular is what you are after, Mother 32 for sure, although with only a single VCO it has it's own set of limitations which is why you see all these demos with 2 or 3 racked together.

[Ollimac73]

- KORG MS20 MINI: this is a jump to the past, a must have machine...quite a learning curve, but worth it...I have listened to it with some reverb and space echo ...astonishing!

The only learning curve is the weird filter EG behavior and the ESP section. Other than that it's really bone simple...most of the patching just accomplishes what is done on other synths with knobs and switches, like choosing the LFO waveform, routing the wheel to do anything, inverting the EGs, running noise into the audio path, etc.

It's not really modular at all because you cannot break the VCO->filters->amp signal path. The ESP section, now that is an interesting and unusual feature. I think the fun quotient would be high and it sounds nothing like a Moog.

But if real modular is what you are after, Mother 32 for sure, although with only a single VCO it has it's own set of limitations which is why you see all these demos with 2 or 3 racked together.

Good point, thanks!
The MS20 has been always a dream, the patches, the sound....but yes, if I want to explore some Modular kind-of setup...the Mother32 is the way to go...to have a fun toys beside the sofa.

PS...agree the Mother32 needs to be paired....I have seen a video of a Mother32 paired with a simple Microbrute, wow!!!

PS2...I tried just yesterday the Roland Boutique, I felt in love with the JU-06, lovely machine; although, I can get most of it from Diva....on the other hand, the more I try the more I like these "toys" from the Reface series....the DX has lots of quality to be a "sofa synth"....the CP, with those effects is so impressing.

[cornutt]

If you're interested in modular, check out the Synthesizers.com entry system. It's a good collection of fundamentals, and you can pay as you go instead of buying the whole thing up front.