Collecting the entire MKS series: Insane goal?

[DesolationBlvd]

Noble (albeit expensive) goal if you intend to use them. I've owned the keyboard equivalents of pretty much the entire series, including a s-50 sampler, and there is enough unique sonic character to justify it.

Isn't the MKS-100 based on the S-10, and the S-50 module called the S-550?


At the very least, I might as well get the 10 if I can find it crazy cheap. 10, 30, and 80 were the original three MKS modules, with the planet theme naming (Planet-P, Planet-S, and Super Jupiter), so I can satisfy the collector in me. Maybe I'll even find a use for the 10, I have a "thing" for analog imitations of acoustic instruments.

[Alex E]

Side note: I hope the Pedobear/Oberheim logo avatar doesn't offend anyone here. I have nothing against Oberheim, just pointing out the similarity in the logos, and the people over at Harmony Central loved it.

Didn't even realize it was also an Oberheim logo until you pointed it out! I love it.

[Stab Frenzy]

I don't think it's insane as much as pointless. Also, hoarding gear just because you're a completist drives up the price for the people who want one for what they're actually used for, which is making music.

[StepLogik]

Noble (albeit expensive) goal if you intend to use them. I've owned the keyboard equivalents of pretty much the entire series, including a s-50 sampler, and there is enough unique sonic character to justify it.

Isn't the MKS-100 based on the S-10, and the S-50 module called the S-550?

Correct. The MKS-100 was later updated to the S-220. However, they were all somewhat similar in architecture with the S-50 having more memory, an actual floppy drive, a sequencer, and an external monitor hookup to make editing easier.

Here is a good breakdown: http://www.synthark.org/Roland/S_Family ... Comparison

Not counting the Casio SK-1, the S-50 was my first sampler. My first project on it was an entry into Moby's remix contest for "Feeling So Real" back in the mid 90's. Imagine my disappointment when I ran out of sample memory, even at the lowest sampling rate, before I could sample all the bits off the CD

[synthparts]

I've got them all - 7white, 7black, 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 80rev4, 80rev5, 100, and even an MKS-200 (prototype)... I suppose I should take a pic...

[StepLogik]

I've got them all - 7white, 7black, 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 80rev4, 80rev5, 100, and even an MKS-200 (prototype)... I suppose I should take a pic...

Please do, I'd like to see that MKS-200 prototype!

[stf-ran]

I bought a S-220 instead of the even more limited MKS-100. My MKS collection started when I began collecting rack synths with their programmers. I have a lot of stuff, but as I point out to my wife, everything works and is plugged in. So it's not hoarding. Now her Santa Claus collection on the other hand....

[ripe]

I've got the MKS-900 in my rack, a very useful box, especially with step sequencers. Very similar to the A-110.

cheers
ripe

[StepLogik]

I've got the MKS-900 in my rack, a very useful box, especially with step sequencers. Very similar to the A-110.

cheers
ripe

I never knew about the MKS-900! I liked the premise of the A-110 but thought it was too limited. The MKS seems to add some useful features. I'd like to get my hands on one of those...

[urgetoplay]

The 10 & 100 are cheap enough that you could buy,try and resell them if they're not your cup of tea. I picked up both for under $70. Bought the 10 twice as I needed a set of Roland rack ears and it was cheaper and less hassle just buying an extra module. Later gave it away to a friend.
I'd also like to see the prototype MKS-200 and a bit of info on it....

[DesolationBlvd]

I don't think it's insane as much as pointless. Also, hoarding gear just because you're a completist drives up the price for the people who want one for what they're actually used for, which is making music.

Now that you put it that way, I would feel bad buying the 50 or 70 when they would add little to my setup and a lot to somebody else's.

I've got them all - 7white, 7black, 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 80rev4, 80rev5, 100, and even an MKS-200 (prototype)... I suppose I should take a pic...

That's the other thing. I wouldn't be a true completionist anyway, I wouldn't be able to justify getting both versions of the 7 and 80.

I remember you saying something about the 200 using Quick Disks here: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/7614344-post8.html. Is it a sampler too?

The 10 & 100 are cheap enough that you could buy,try and resell them if they're not your cup of tea. I picked up both for under $70. Bought the 10 twice as I needed a set of Roland rack ears and it was cheaper and less hassle just buying an extra module. Later gave it away to a friend.

Is the rack ear situation that bad? The MKS-30 I have on the way is missing its rack ears.

[Z]

Is the rack ear situation that bad? The MKS-30 I have on the way is missing its rack ears.

Not really. It depends how well a rack unit is packed by a seller. If the seller did not remove the rack ears or pack it properly, rack ears on any unit can get bent easily. Also, I don't think the white version of the MKS-7 originally came with rack ears. I think the white version was marketed towards home computer enthusiasts (that's what we were called back in the day since computers were only in a few households) to color coordinate with a Apple II or PC and not necessarily sit in a rack.

I think a lot of MKS-10, 30 and 100 are being bought on the cheap just for parts for other synths.

[Solderman]

1. Will it be completely stupid to have both the Alpha Juno and its rack version, the 50? I like the keyboard action.
2. Is there going to be too much overlap between the 70 and the 80 rev. 5 (or between the 7 and the 30 or 50)?
3. Are the 10 and 100 useless lumps? The 10 being an analog piano and the 100 being a very limited sampler.
4. Does anyone else have a complete MKS collection?

1. Maybe, considering there are other great action controllers for cheap that do much more. I have both of these so I can layer the two together, so perhaps the charlatan is me.
2. It's Roland. They will all sound Rolandy. Buy some American ones, make some music. Collect garden gnomes, not synths. You're just driving the cost up and that's all we need is more grouchy synth players.
3. If you've got that much rack space, save up and get an Eclipse. Or a Voyager rack. Perhaps an audio patchbay or two. Something useful for gawdsakes.
4. Z comes closeest, I think, and having seen his collection first hand, I can say that I would never in a million years get one note recorded in his studio, being too continually distracted

[DesolationBlvd]

I think a lot of MKS-10, 30 and 100 are being bought on the cheap just for parts for other synths.

Ooh, now that makes me feel better about uniting the planet modules. Getting played once in a while (10) / quite often (30) and cared for sounds like a preferable fate to being parted out.

Solderman's sig is eerily close to my original situation: young adult with more money and dreams than brains.

[urgetoplay]

I have the 7,10,20,30,50,70,80 &100. The 30 &50 get the least amount of use followed by the 100. Everything else gets used often. There's a bit of sonic overlap between the 7,30,50,&80 but not anymore so than other analogs of the era. There's enough differences/limitations that they're not useless. I actually like the 10 in a cheesy electro piano sort of way; there are built in effects that help to make it more interesting.
Never had a need for the mks-900 nor the rev 4 of the 80 so I'll never have a "complete" set.
A couple of times in this thread someone has said something to the effect of "collectors". ( who by implication don't use the gear but "hoard"it) drive up prices so that actual musicians can't buy them.Does anyone actually believe that? Or have any proof whatsoever? Seems more of a sideline to the ideological argument that people with larger setups don't use their gear, aren't as creative/productive and are somehow a negative influence in the music world. Amazingly, very few of these people have a larger setup or have had one. Sort of like nuns lecturing you on sex....ideologically based, no real world experience. Personally I'm no more/less productive with less or more gear; it's more a function of spare time due to other parts of my life. I know several people with larger setups,a few professionals, a few semi pros and a bunch of hobbyists. Some have downsized and found it more productive, others not. Just saying....