Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

I'm completely crazy about my Monomachine...so much so that I can't really gel with anything else (well, besides the machinedrum). I was wondering if there are any other table top synthesizers that have:

1) Parameter lock type features
2) Multiple track sequencer (more than 2)
3) small table top design
4) decent sound
5) offers many synthesis types (not an emphasis on drums)

I have tried the Korg EMX-1 and didn't feel it was up to par. The spektralis seems cool, but too much cash and not out of beta testing stage.

when you find it, PM me so we can do a group buy.

The E-Mu tabletops are pretty good, provided you don't even think about the internal fx. Don't have many types of synthesis, it's a rompler, but the filters sound good. 32 track sequencer with knobs you can record tweaking with.

Only thing is it's pretty big, 19" wide, but smaller than most keyboards. Crazy cheap, when you consider it's got 128 voice poly, 32 track sequencer, good sounds and 16 knobs for tweaking.

I would also see more gear like the MM. the Nord Modular would do some of the features, but required a computer to get the most of it. the SH-32 is a bit closer, but got no sequencer. something like the Quasimidi Rave-o-lution or Polymorph with more synth engine would be very attractive.

i use my nord modular more like a "groovebox" you can run quite a few sequences at a time. works great with my mono and machinedrum. if the spectralis is in the range of a mono as far as price i would probaby own one by now

crystalmsc wrote:the SH-32 is a bit closer, but got no sequencer.

Have you actually used an SH-32? It sounds closer to a steaming pile of poo than a Monomachine.

hey JSR...p-locks are pretty much exclusive to elektron gear. The jomox beat boxes offer a similar thing but not nearly as functional as the elektrons. So you maybe better off exploring the midi machine on the elektrons if you really prefer programming with plocks.

I must say that a cool step sequencer (old school style with knobs per step) is also really useful and usually opens up different possibilities than the plocks.

so you may want to check out the spectralis, or the new arturia synth since they have a step sequencer attached to the synth engine.

the korg radias may have this as well...and of course the DSIs....

Stab Frenzy wrote:Have you actually used an SH-32? It sounds closer to a steaming pile of poo than a Monomachine.

I have some experience with it and it's not that bad, specially since it is way cheaper than the MM. Also I'm not comparing between the two, only chime in about some desktop unit that share a bit similar concept.

pix wrote:hey JSR...p-locks are pretty much exclusive to elektron gear. The jomox beat boxes offer a similar thing but not nearly as functional as the elektrons. So you maybe better off exploring the midi machine on the elektrons if you really prefer programming with plocks.

I must say that a cool step sequencer (old school style with knobs per step) is also really useful and usually opens up different possibilities than the plocks.

so you may want to check out the spectralis, or the new arturia synth since they have a step sequencer attached to the synth engine.

the korg radias may have this as well...and of course the DSIs....

Thanks pix. Yeah, I've though about all those. The Evolver is cool...but only 16 steps and is ultimately mono (though you can pan each oscillator and make it sound more than mono). I like to work in 32 steps. That takes the Polymorph out of the mix. The Jomox's are analog...and I'm not big on analog right now. Plus, they are more drum boxes than synths.

Maybe a analog step sequencer with knobs that has multiple tracks? Any of those out there? I could use that with my Blofeld.

Midimachines...of course, that is why I got the Blofeld.

Stab Frenzy wrote:The E-Mu tabletops are pretty good, provided you don't even think about the internal fx. Don't have many types of synthesis, it's a rompler, but the filters sound good. 32 track sequencer with knobs you can record tweaking with.

Only thing is it's pretty big, 19" wide, but smaller than most keyboards. Crazy cheap, when you consider it's got 128 voice poly, 32 track sequencer, good sounds and 16 knobs for tweaking.

I just never heard any demos of these and don't know what they are capable of... hmmm....

I just got an XL-7 from Arddhu on this board a week or two ago, it's got its own sound but it's a pretty good one.

I'd been planning on using mine for mostly bread and butter stuff and as a sequencer but I've found some really nice bass patches already. The internal mix bus seems to be lacking in headroom but that's not an issue unless you're doing really dense production and don't want to track everything seperately and mix outside the machine. Stuff with a lot of space in the mix comes out great, like this dubby track I'm working on at the moment. It actually rewards you for good arrangements and using the synth's filters as EQs of a sort, which is really good.

Like I said, the fx are shocking but you can turn them off in the global menu and then forget about them.

It's all sample based, but the filters are really great and there are 50 or something different shapes of filter, I haven't got round to exploring them all yet. I think it's good to have a ROMpler in your setup because there are a lot of sounds that work best from samples. I'm quite enjoying mine, it slots right into my setup of MEK, V-Synth and Live.

I don't know exactly how parameter locks on the Monomachine work, but on the XL-7 you can record any tweaking you want to the sequencer on any channel, there's no limitations. Well maybe you might need to thin it out if you're tweaking 20+ parameters on each track all at the same time, but that's an extreme example. The parameter locks are kind of like automation that you set for each step and then it morphs between them as it plays isn't it?

crystalmsc wrote:

Stab Frenzy wrote:Have you actually used an SH-32? It sounds closer to a steaming pile of poo than a Monomachine.

I have some experience with it and it's not that bad, specially since it is way cheaper than the MM. Also I'm not comparing between the two, only chime in about some desktop unit that share a bit similar concept.

So out of JS' list of:

JSRockit wrote:1) Parameter lock type features
2) Multiple track sequencer (more than 2)
3) small table top design
4) decent sound
5) offers many synthesis types (not an emphasis on drums)

you mentioned it because of point 3? There are plenty of other small tabletop synths out there, why not mention one of them? Some of them even fulfil other requirements, like having sequencers and sounding good.

I don't think either one meets all your criteria, but what about the AN200 or DX200. If my understanding of parameter locks is correct (and I'm not entirely sure it is), I think the 'Free EG' function on these two machines might give you a similar type of control.

pricklyrobot wrote:I don't think either one meets all your criteria, but what about the AN200 or DX200. If my understanding of parameter locks is correct (and I'm not entirely sure it is), I think the 'Free EG' function on these two machines might give you a similar type of control.

Yeah, I've thought of those... but it is only one track of synth sequencing...the other three tracks are only for drums.

Stab Frenzy wrote:The parameter locks are kind of like automation that you set for each step and then it morphs between them as it plays isn't it?

Yeah basically... but since you can get really do this step by step, you can be a bit more precise than the recording knob movements type of method...though the MnM allows that too. That's a useful method as well though.