Thoughts on the Ensoniq SD-1?

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:07 pm

I've got an opportunity to pick one of these up for $150, and after Cabon11's review of the VFX, it seemed like a worthwhile transwave synth to pick up short of a Fizmo... I don't have any wavetable synths at the moment, so the SD-1 might be worth checking out...

I have read it is basically just an upgraded VFX, and that it may be more reliable too? (sounds like it's the original owner selling, but he won't claim it's working 100% just cos he hasn't tried everything out in a while) Anything to look out for? How is this for more abstract sounds and pads? I certainly am not buying it for anything realisitic!

Thoughts, comments?

Post by **meatballfulton** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:27 pm

Things to look out for:

Is the floppy drive still working?

Is the display working properly (no unreadable characters)?

Play the keyboard very fast, thick chord clusters and see if the unit resets itself.

$150 is a great price, it's a very powerful machine.

esqoner · Post by **esqoner** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:46 pm

get it.

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:49 pm

I've had the Vfx-sd since they were first released. When the SD-1 came out I had the SD board factory installed at Malvern,Pa.
The SD to me sounds nothing like a Fizmo, yes it is a transwave synthesizer and can do some unique textures utilizing them but I have never thought of it in the same vein as a PPG, Wavestation or Fizmo.
It has always excelled IMO at breathy pads, strings, some brass sounds and even some synthy stuff even tho it has no resonance filter.
I don't know if other ones do the same thing but mine since I've had it has a bit of noise as the sound trails off near the end.

The ability to layer sounds and change those layers simply by pushing the buttons on the side near the mod wheel is wonderful, it also makes a great midi-controller.

I would check for some sound demos first if you are thinking of buying it for the potential of sounding like a poor mans Fizmo.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:07 pm

seamonkey wrote:I've had the Vfx-sd since they were first released. When the SD-1 came out I had the SD board factory installed at Malvern,Pa.
The SD to me sounds nothing like a Fizmo, yes it is a transwave synthesizer and can do some unique textures utilizing them but I have never thought of it in the same vein as a PPG, Wavestation or Fizmo.
It has always excelled IMO at breathy pads, strings, some brass sounds and even some synthy stuff even tho it has no resonance filter.

I would check for some sound demos first if you are thinking of buying it for the potential of sounding like a poor mans Fizmo.

hmmm... I mean I have listened to demos of the VFX/SD-1, and it sounded like it was capable of some cool sounds... I don't think I was expecting it to be a Fizmo, just something capable of different sounds than my current synths can do... the sq80 is prolly the most silimar, but still doesn't have a lot of those wave/effect morphing capapbilities... well, the worst that can happen is I buy it, don't like it, and then am stuck with selling it!

alfadawg01 · Post by **alfadawg01** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:02 pm

Don't hesitate, get it! It has capabilities that current workstations still dream about.

gcoudert · Post by **gcoudert** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:34 pm

Good synth, get one if you can. Tony Banks (Genesis) used one on the "We can't dance" album and the subsequent tour. The clav-like intro sound on "Jesus he knows me" is an SD-1.

Gilles

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:25 pm

Well, I did get it in the end... (I can't help but support my local synth industry!

)

intial thoughts: build quality seems great. Very solid, and I really like the button feel... much better than the almost calculator-esque buttons on my SQ80.
I also really appreciate the real-time data slider (unlike the SQ80 again).

Haven't cracked the manual yet, but with the layout, it's been very easy to dive right in. The effects sound great. Actually, this is the first synth I've ever bought with built in reverb/efx (not including the DW8000 and DS8), so it feels luxurious!

I am a little concerned about the disk drive-it can't load the "demo" disk that came with it (or format it for that matter). Says "bad disk data error" or similar, so hopefully it's the disk itself. I guess I can always get a cartridge to save onto..

I guess the sequencer is not preloaded? but no problem, as I don't think I'll ever use it.

Not as many waveforms as I expected, but the transwaves are interesting... The envelopes seem quite punchy too (in a digital way)... maybe processor speeds were fast enough by then to make them fast.

generally looking forward to getting my hands dirty programming!

any ideas how best to clean the data slider? it's a little sticky... alcohol perhaps?

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:14 pm

Hey congrats on your purchase.
The sequencer has to be loaded with the OS disk.

Here is a link for a lot of Ensoniq stuff including SD-1 OS disks.

http://www.syntaur.com/vfx.html

Arpnutt · Post by **Arpnutt** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:40 pm

I'm still using my upgraded VFX-SD for 18 years now. My favorite is using the sine wave harmonics to create Hammond organ sounds. I even came up with the organ percussion that works like the real Hammond. Add the distortion and rotary effect and it is very realistic.

Post by **braincandy** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:37 am

A question for those of you who've had experience with the SQ-80, VFX, and SD-1 here--are the key actions of the VFX and SD-1 as crappy as the key action on the SQ-80?

I've had an itch to try a VFXsd or SD-1 for a while now. My only hesitation is that I want to avoid the clackety, noisy keys of the SQ-80. The polyphonic aftertouch is great, but the feel of the SQ-80's keys marred the overall experience for me.

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:40 am

$150 supposed to be a very good price, depend on the condition. there's a local offer here for 300 bucks, but I'd looking for a better price.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:55 pm

braincandy wrote:A question for those of you who've had experience with the SQ-80, VFX, and SD-1 here--are the key actions of the VFX and SD-1 as crappy as the key action on the SQ-80?

I've had an itch to try a VFXsd or SD-1 for a while now. My only hesitation is that I want to avoid the clackety, noisy keys of the SQ-80. The polyphonic aftertouch is great, but the feel of the SQ-80's keys marred the overall experience for me.

From what I am recalling (while at work), the SD-1's keys are less clacky... I really pound the keys on the sd-1 when playing around with the percussion sounds and I don't recall much clack. I can check tonight...

It's funny, the clack of the sq80 never bothered me.... but then I'm not a real "playa"

greggybud · Post by **greggybud** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:47 pm

Been a proud owner of a VSD-SDII (the last version before the SD-1) since the early 90s.

I am still convinced there was no other synth at that time in that price range that could do so much. The sequencer I believe has 24 tracks so you will run out of voices before tracks.

A wonderful huge LCD Display. (Too bad they don't make those anymore)

Who else at that time used 3.5 floppies and had a built-in sequencer like this?

Polyphonic aftertouch?

Who else had their own magazine, Transoniq Hacker, that explained how to use the synths and push them to their limits? The magazine was independent from Ensoniq but most of the time had the companies blessing.

The drawback I think is that Ensoniq packed so much into their machines it was more prone to fail. If you tour, definitely have a back up. There were a few major issues that were somewhat common among VFX owners however by the time the SD-1 appeared most issues were resolved.

Roland, Korg, and Yamaha all played catch-up. It was sad to see the real Ensoniq vaporized by Emu.

Arpnutt · Post by **Arpnutt** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:09 pm

braincandy wrote:A question for those of you who've had experience with the SQ-80, VFX, and SD-1 here--are the key actions of the VFX and SD-1 as crappy as the key action on the SQ-80?

I've had an itch to try a VFXsd or SD-1 for a while now. My only hesitation is that I want to avoid the clackety, noisy keys of the SQ-80. The polyphonic aftertouch is great, but the feel of the SQ-80's keys marred the overall experience for me.

They keys are not as noisy as the SQ-80. I love the action and the poly aftertouch.