Is the ION completely different than Andromeda?

Post by **synthmax** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:40 pm

I've heard phrases such as "the Ion is the affordable version of Andromeda." I don't quite buy that and would imagine two are totally different machines (regardless of the analog/digital difference). Is this the case?

Post by **braincandy** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:13 pm

While the Ion is decent (I had one for a couple of years), it would not really replace an Andy.

Have you checked out demos of each on YouTube? I know it's not the best sound quality, but it can be helpful in giving you an idea of what synths sound like.

Post by **cornutt** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:22 pm

The Andromeda is a real honest-to-God analog synth. The Ion is a VA.

Post by **synthmax** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:30 pm

I am actually a Youtube troll when it comes to synths, but demos that a give a sense of an instruments almost don't exitst.

Totally understand that difference of VA vs Analog. My quesiton is, is the ION attempting to do what Andromeda does, or is the whole philosophy/structure/layout/etc different? In other words, is it by any means reasonable to say that the Ion is the little brother to Andromeda.

MPrint · Post by **MPrint** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:00 pm

While I haven't logged a lot of time on the Andromeda, I have on the Ion. The Andromeda is a lot heavier sounding than the Ion because it has twice as many voices and as stated above is real analog as opposed to analog modeling in the Ion. They have similar effects and features, but I think they are pretty different IMO.

Post by **braincandy** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:07 pm

I've never had the impression that the Ion was based off the Andy, much less a lesser version of it. And I don't remember it ever being marketed that way. They just happened to have both been made by Alesis and were both long-overdue departures from their QS-series.

I saw the thread in Buyer's Guide where you're contemplating an Andy, but don't think you're getting a cut-down Andy on the cheap by getting an Ion. You can't really compare the two.

Post by **synthmax** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:11 pm

Cool. Exactly what I was trying to get at.

hfinn · Post by **hfinn** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:45 am

Kinda like comparing a Korg MS-20 to a Korg MS-2000

Jinsai · Post by **Jinsai** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:37 am

Andromeda is "true analog". Ion is very good "virtual analog.
Both are subtractive synths.
Andromeda is a 2 osc per voice synth. Ion is a 3 osc per voice synth.
Andromeda has 2 multimode filters per voice, modeled on the Moog and Oberheim. Ion has 16 filter types (including models of the Moog, Oberheim, Jupiter, and ARP LPFs), including vocal formants and phase warp
Andromeda has 3 LFOs, Ion has sort of 2.5.
Both have arpeggiators.

Check out the details on this site. They're both fine instruments for the price. Personally, I think the Ion is an absolute steal for the price it is.

23 · Post by 23 » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:58 pm

No, the Ion was not meant nor designed to act as a VA version of the Andy

dalekay · Post by **dalekay** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:12 am

night and day is the difference
ION is a good mimic of other synths it's VA as pointed out

A6, hum analog and it's own beast/sound

both good synths ... each has it's own use

Old Iron Giant · Post by **Old Iron Giant** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:06 am

Im curious,
Whats the build quality of the A6?

The ION in my opinion "due to my own experience" -is problematic, and poor in quality.

dalekay · Post by **dalekay** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:21 am

Old Iron Giant wrote:Im curious,
Whats the build quality of the A6?

The ION in my opinion "due to my own experience" -is problematic, and poor in quality.

I wound up 3 IONs deep. the one I have now, some problems but not show stoppers.

last A6 I know of from a good friend, He did 2 and gave it back. DOA and last one I think he just sent it back for a Oasis, never thought about it again. Another one, one of the voices was out (another friend). He never did fix it last I heard from him. He just turned off that voice, lowered the levels and lived with it.

bias here and I have to tell eveyone this, I am the offical moderator for Alesis on the Yahoo ION/Micron group ...
well, I moderate and own many other groups too but I have a ION and Fusion that is in a love hate relationship and use all the time ...

patch level wise for the ION/Micron, a lot in the file area and it's building all time ... several software programs for it now too ...

Old Iron Giant · Post by **Old Iron Giant** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:10 am

dalekay wrote:
Old Iron Giant wrote:Im curious,
Whats the build quality of the A6?

The ION in my opinion "due to my own experience" -is problematic, and poor in quality.
I wound up 3 IONs deep. the one I have now, some problems but not show stoppers.

last A6 I know of from a good friend, He did 2 and gave it back. DOA and last one I think he just sent it back for a Oasis, never thought about it again. Another one, one of the voices was out (another friend). He never did fix it last I heard from him. He just turned off that voice, lowered the levels and lived with it.

bias here and I have to tell eveyone this, I am the offical moderator for Alesis on the Yahoo ION/Micron group ...
well, I moderate and own many other groups too but I have a ION and Fusion that is in a love hate relationship and use all the time ...

patch level wise for the ION/Micron, a lot in the file area and it's building all time ... several software programs for it now too ...

Awesome..
I'm a member of ION/Micron yahoo group, as well ION/Micron on Facebook

My ION's suffering from dead MainOut's

Post by **shaft9000** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:30 am

they're very different sounding

ion/micron - Osc's are kinda burly for a VA, some good filter options, EGs are 'Virus'-like click/snappy, never very "warm" sounding, pwm suffers like all VAs do, FM is superior to most VAs

A6 - massive range of Osc characters, up to 32-VCO unison, real analog distortion, higher frequencies more pleasing and bass-end is much more consistent and solid, capable of a much more delicate sound, can be warm like hot cheese oozing out of speaker, PWM flexibility, modulations can "burble and rip" far beyond Ion, EGs are similar but the interface is better, the osc FM is wild - out of control really, digital FX totally different, has sequencer & proper arp onboard

Is the ION completely different than Andromeda?

Is the ION completely different than Andromeda?

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