Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

My info:
I am a Keyboard player/drummer, with 6 years experience
I play in a progressive/psychedelic/ambient rock band, will be gigging/recording with this synth
This will be my 3rd keyboard, my first being one I bought used for $30, the second being my current keyboard an $600 Korg that offers little customization and is more a keyboard than a synth.

Max budget: $1200
Preferred price range: $500-$900

Synth Ideas:
61-key, possibly 88-key
Analog/Digital/Effects processor
Vintage, modern or hybrid
Synthetic, Acoustic, Vocoder(optional), and synth effects but very minimal drum voices (No drum sampling or step sequencing needed at all)
Not interested in arpeggiators
I don't need a recording module, but I wont mind one
Velocity sensitive
Weighted keys is optional, but preferred

Most important specs:
Endless customization (nearly capable of turning one voice into another)
Tons of effects, including ones other reverb and chorus
Medium to very large voice library with non-cheesy voices/innovative voices (Good ambient pads as well)
USB/MIDI outputs and memory (capable of computer interfacing)

I don't have a huge amount of time to do research but generally I've come across two ideas, one being the Yamaha MOX6/MOX8 and the other being the Roland Juno-G/Gi. I have done a good amount of research on these two but have only come up with limited results on whether they meet my specifications. Any opinions on whether these are right for me would be appreciated.

I also understand that these are pretty high expectations for a relatively low budget, and am willing to compromise. The list made above is simply portraying my ideals. I have used the synthfinder tool on this website and it was helpful to a certain degree but I'm just looking for a more specific answer and opinion, and I don't have a huge amount of time to research every detail about every synth. Any contribution is appreciated.

Thanks
-Mark

Marklar333 wrote:Most important specs:
Endless customization (nearly capable of turning one voice into another)
Tons of effects, including ones other reverb and chorus
Medium to very large voice library with non-cheesy voices/innovative voices (Good ambient pads as well)
USB/MIDI outputs and memory (capable of computer interfacing)

Sounds like you want a Nord Modular G2 then. You'll probably have to go with the 37 key one with that budget, but you might be able to stretch to the 61 if you're lucky. Those Yamaha and Rolands you mentioned don't really tick these boxes at all.

Thanks, I'll check them out.

I don't currently own the MOX series, but I do have an old MO8. I will tell you what I think/know about the MO8 to see if it meets your needs.
As you already probably know, the MO8 has 88 hammered action keys. I personally like them and think they have a good feel to them.
It also has some really high quality sounds in it. The pianos sound pretty good (not outstandingly awesome, but pretty good). Any of the "real" instruments (ie. violins, strings, guitars, sitars, etc) sound great. Basically any sound that is trying to mimic a real life instrument, sounds amazing. I know you don't need them but the it does have drum kits as well, and for what it's worth....they are pretty decent.
It has a USB connector for USB midi interfaces, as well as standard Midi connectors. It has a USB port to allow you to save data to a USB flash drive.

There are some things about it though that bother me:
The interface is absolutely awful. Nothing on the keyboard seem logical to me. It's very confusing and comes off more complicated than it has to be. The is a ton of menu diving to get what you need. There are tons of buttons on the thing, but only 4 knobs (8? on the MXO). Also the screen is too small for my liking. The small screen tries to put so much information on it that it can become difficutl to read sometimes.
The synth sounds I find both good and bad. They actually sound very good....however, they are pretty standard and cookie cutter trance/techo/dance. This is something that not everyone may agree with, but it is just my opinion. Many of the synths setting sound similar as well....so even though are tons of sounds in the keyboard, many are almost the same. When it come to tweaking these sounds, it can be a bit cumbersome. There are only the 4 knobs, and you have to keep hitting different buttons to assign different values to the knobs. Also, the ability to edit these sounds is not as flexible at it would be on a more traditional synth instead of a workstation.
My MO8 has a good amount of effects, and it seems to have everything you would expect it to, but I don't think they sound all that great. And again, in the interface/navigation department, the settings pages for the effects are laid out uncomfortably. It make me want to take a hammer to the thing! Basically, I have given up on the internal effects because they are not that easy to work with. I always use my other gear for effects.
Despite all of the negatives I've listed though....the keyboard itself sound very very good. It is a pretty solid machine with a quite a bit a capabilities. As long as you have the patience, it is a great piece of equipment.

Thanks, I was leaning away from the MOX and more to the Juno gi anyways. Would the Clavia Nord Lead 2 Virtual Analog Synth be a good substitute for the Modular G2? because i cant seem to find it online to buy and the ones i have found are super expensive.

Marklar333 wrote:Thanks, I was leaning away from the MOX and more to the Juno gi anyways. Would the Clavia Nord Lead 2 Virtual Analog Synth be a good substitute for the Modular G2? because i cant seem to find it online to buy and the ones i have found are super expensive.

As a former owner of a Nord Lead 2, I really wouldn't recommend it. There are a lot of people who make the kind of music you do and use Nords....They seem popular for the prog rock people. With that said, I never really got into the sound of the Lead 2. It doesn't have any onboard effects, which may sway you away from it. Also, I didn't really like the key action on it either. I thought the keys seemed a little small and cheap. I don't have any experience with Modular G2, but I do know it is far more capable than the Lead 2.

How bout the Juno G/Gi?

Sorry....can't give you any info on the G/GI as I have never used one.

The Kurzweil PC3LE6 looks like a good keyboard for its price. Anyone know anything about it? How suited would it be for me?