MacBeth M5 Synthesizers

[Phollop Willing PA]

Does anyone have one? Is it like an Arp 2600 in sound and design? Is the company still in business? Should I buy one? I used to have an Arp 2600, and I sorely miss it. Does anyone have a link to a write up?review etc. I've seen the youtube stuff.

For those who don't know what this is, here are a couple of links:

1st a picture:



a youtube demo

[shaft9000]

The blackface M5's got the cheeky nod to the 2601 going on cosmetically....but internally it's closer to the early RA Moog modular circuits than ARP iirc. Externally, of course, the layout and attenuator-sliders is classic ARP.
I would prefer the blue or white M5n's with that wood, however. The orange is not complementary; just oversaturated when juxtaposed against the lovely grain.

[nadafarms]

I've owned two m5s and am about to sell my m5n so someone. They are IMO the best semi modular on the planet and one of the best basic analog synths ever made and the layout is much more user friendly than a pure modular synth. I'm only selling because I need teh monies

the m5n has snappier envelopes which is a very important upgrade from the less snappy m5 (still pretty snappy though) the m5n has a few routing changes that make more sense. also the m5 12db filter was way too loud in comparison to the 24db and I believe that was addresses in the m5n.

if you can find either don't hesitate!

I would still highly recommend any of his new stuff coming out and I think he is releasing a small 3 osc synth, if you don't have a lot of space I would go for one of his new smaller synths.

if you ask me Ken is the only one of the new synth manufacturers who really is nailing the vintage sound

[Phollop Willing PA]

I just bought one and am expecting delivery within a day or two. I'm excited. I sold my ARP 2600 about 12 years ago and although it was quirky (the scales were off and needed calibration), I miss it. So imagine my surprise to discover not more than an hours drive away, there's one for sale!

I decided to do a major recylcle of gear that superfluous to my studio and put up for sale a Karma, Prophecy, a Yamaha SK 10 and CS 40. Hopefully, this'll soften the blow a bit.

I'm going to drive her with my Voyager.

[Stab Frenzy]

It may look like a 2600, but don't expect it to sound like one.

[Phollop Willing PA]

I think in the end, my ARP 2600 didn't sound like an ARP 2600 anyway with all those weird patches I was doing. I still have a copy of my ARP 2600 patchbook and I'll find out soon enough. Maybe I'll post some old recordings that are good for an A/B comparison. I hope I don't regret this purchase.

It may look like a 2600, but don't expect it to sound like one.

[anoteoftruth]

I just bought one and am expecting delivery within a day or two. I'm excited. I sold my ARP 2600 about 12 years ago and although it was quirky (the scales were off and needed calibration), I miss it. So imagine my surprise to discover not more than an hours drive away, there's one for sale!

I decided to do a major recylcle of gear that superfluous to my studio and put up for sale a Karma, Prophecy, a Yamaha SK 10 and CS 40. Hopefully, this'll soften the blow a bit.

I'm going to drive her with my Voyager.

You found a Macbeth M5 in Nova Scotia.... wow... I'm surprised. I'm from Nova Scotia and I hardly ever found good synth finds there haha.

Enjoy... I would absolutely love to have one... but the price is quite high as I understand. I'm excited to see what happens with his 3 OSC keyboard synth... prototypes are looking pretty great so far.

[Phollop Willing PA]

Nova Scotia is funny place to be in sometimes. Everything and everyone comes here sooner or more likely, later. We had Paul McCartney last year (it didn't sell out), The Rolling Stones the year before and this year, mind you in a smaller venue, an intimate evening with Jon Anderson. I think Pete Best (Beatles drummer) lives down the road part of the year. Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson have a place in Cape Breton, same with Philip Glass and Robert Frank. I could go on...

Still waiting for Godot I mean MacBeth...

I wish I could find more to read about it on the 'net.

[anoteoftruth]

Nova Scotia is funny place to be in sometimes. Everything and everyone comes here sooner or more likely, later. We had Paul McCartney last year (it didn't sell out), The Rolling Stones the year before and this year, mind you in a smaller venue, an intimate evening with Jon Anderson. I think Pete Best (Beatles drummer) lives down the road part of the year. Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson have a place in Cape Breton, same with Philip Glass and Robert Frank. I could go on...

Still waiting for Godot I mean MacBeth...

I wish I could find more to read about it on the 'net.

Oh I know.. if you want to go on about celebs in NS, the list goes on forever.. it's understandable.. if I could work in NS in my field and make the same dough, I'd move back pretty quickly... the place is a haven for creative people.

I was super interested in the MacBeth at one point, untill I realized I just could'nt afford it.. The ones I've come across at the time were all around 4-5000$ and thats above what I'd pay for a single synth. But I do know if you look hard enough there is lots of info online in forums, youtube etc.

[Joey]

you could buy a doepfer case and the macbeth dual oscillator and backend filter (same circuits as the M5) - and way cheaper!

[anoteoftruth]

you could buy a doepfer case and the macbeth dual oscillator and backend filter (same circuits as the M5) - and way cheaper!

I thought about this too... but surely the m5 has more than just 2 osc's and a dual filter?

[Joey]

The beauty of modular is that you can add more s**t.

[Phollop Willing PA]

MacBeth is home! Now I have to rearrange the sound room. yikes!

[cornutt]

Macbeth is definitely still in business, but I believe the M5 is out of production.

[Phollop Willing PA]

After setting it up and playing with it for a bit, I think it'll have to go. It's too f..ing big! But in the meantime, I know, make some sounds...