How analog does the ESQ-1 sound?

[Tiger Jackson]

As the page here about it says, the oscillators are digital but the analog filters allow it to sound analog. But how much? I never used a full analog so i don't know the sound comparison myself. Is it good enough to pass as analog, so i can just use it for my "analog" synth?

[Stab Frenzy]

What do you want to pass as analogue for? Nobody's going to be testing you on how analogue your songs sound. The ESQ-1 sounds like an ESQ-1, which in my experience was not all that much like an analogue synth. But it sounded pretty good, which is what's important.

[sequentialsoftshock]

As the page here about it says, the oscillators are digital but the analog filters allow it to sound analog. But how much? I never used a full analog so i don't know the sound comparison myself. Is it good enough to pass as analog, so i can just use it for my "analog" synth?

A decent VST & MIDI controller is enough to pass as your "analog" synth sound wise. No ones going to know the difference. Short answer is "yes". It all depends on how you use it & set up your patches. Hopefully someone else can answer more thoroughly for you. The reason a lot of us like analog is simply because many more analog synthesizers have full knob control. Not true of all of course, less knobs started happening before VA synthesis took over.

[Tiger Jackson]

I don't really care about if anything sounds analog, but i've been thinking about getting an analog sometime just for the sake of having an analog.lol

[sequentialsoftshock]

I don't really care about if anything sounds analog, but i've been thinking about getting an analog sometime just for the sake of having an analog.lol

That's not a great reason. I bet you could think of more reason. If you get the right board, you would be able to use it for pads, leads, midi control, filtering external things etc.

[Synthetech]

I don't really care about if anything sounds analog, but i've been thinking about getting an analog sometime just for the sake of having an analog.lol

usually when I buy something with that kind of reasoning, I end up kicking myself in the a*s later on for such a poor decision

[moremagic]

I don't really care about if anything sounds analog, but i've been thinking about getting an analog sometime just for the sake of having an analog.lol

usually when I buy something with that kind of reasoning, I end up kicking myself in the a*s later on for such a poor decision

i picked up my polysix off craigslist cuz i had a bit of spare cash and, coming from the guitar world, i was under the impression that analog was o k. that was my first synth and im still getting deeper and deeper, and the polysix did push me to get her sister mono/poly

[ryryoftokyo]

The analog filter and low bit rate samples help to give it a very analog sound, but it can do so much more. Don't just try and repeat the analog standards with it. Experiment and have fun. Soon you'll see what it's capable of, and how it fits into the world of synths.

[mpa1104]

As above, the ESQ is a very versatile synth for its age and well worth spending some time experimenting. For my ears (FWIW) I feel it passes nicely for analogue leads and pads. With judicious use of the osc sync (an oft forgotten and neglected feature of the ESQ) you can achieve very convincing PWM-style strings, along with some searing hard-sync leads. It's even capable of some sharp-edged FM sounding patches.
I've recently managed to have mine resurrected after too many years of it being in a coma, thanks to info on the "Score For Sale" page, and I was quickly reminded (once I'd reloaded a ton of old patches via sys-ex) of why I'd missed it so much.

[jizmatron]

I don't really care about if anything sounds analog, but i've been thinking about getting an analog sometime just for the sake of having an analog.lol

I don't blame you at all for wanting analogue, but the ESQ-1 is not gonna do it for you.

I had the ESQ-M for a little while, and it reminded me of Front 242 and sounded really cool, but analogue sounding it ain't.
Get a minibrute! Or that new moog! It's a new golden age of analogue go nuts and buy the fun new cheap things!

[condit79]

The Esq1 isn't all analog but who cares. But synths that sound good. I love it because it can sound really warm but also very digital as well (and by digital I don't mean va). Its digital without apologizing for the fact. I used mine recently for some depeche mode covers and it was perfect for that. Wave bells, choir sounds and really thick pads where needed. Also the minimoog preset on it is super growly in a way something analog never would be.

[gs]

If you want a deeper "analog brass" and "analog strings" sound (produced via actual voltage controlled filters, which it has), it's worth getting. I keep a Kawai K3M in my rack just for that purpose, to layer it up with the brass and strings from my digital synths (to create a "beefier" bottom end to those sounds).

Otherwise, if it's just for the type of sounds it is typcial of (unless you are a big 80s synth fan), I'd pass.

[Tiger Jackson]

I already have the esq-1, i just thought of this question. But i love it anyway, it's just so flexible. i pray to god it never dies.

[Stab Frenzy]

The analog filter and low bit rate samples help to give it a very analog sound

Why would low bitrate samples sound analogue? The lower the bitrate and depth the more digital something sounds, not more analogue.

[Infrasound]

Hmmmm.

SQ1 plus in at Swappy for $199, and then a thread about the same synth (or same family)

I had one of these way back in the late 90s on extended load and found it hard to get into,. I also had the 'Tandy Moog', and that was a lot more fun, but I didn't really have any idea of what I was actually doing.