Synth dilemma

Bridgehouse

More research required. 

Been checking out the options suggested so far in this thread. Crikey. Lots of variety and some great options. 

It’s a proper dilemma now - @octatonic is right - the Hydrasynth really is deeeeeeeeep - but the interface just seems so logical and easy that it just seems to appeal to the way I would work. 

Need to work out if it’s worth spending twice the budget for that sort of flexibility and depth...

octatonic

Bridgehouse said:

More research required. 

Been checking out the options suggested so far in this thread. Crikey. Lots of variety and some great options. 

It’s a proper dilemma now - @octatonic is right - the Hydrasynth really is deeeeeeeeep - but the interface just seems so logical and easy that it just seems to appeal to the way I would work. 

Need to work out if it’s worth spending twice the budget for that sort of flexibility and depth...

You won't be unhappy.
You will be late for work each morning, and sleepy.

Highlights are the arpeggiator with ratchet and chance controls.
And the ribbon controller.
And polyphonic aftertouch- it is properly expressive.

It is absolutely the coolest, best laid out and best sounding digital synth available for sale right now.

If you have any specific questions then fire away.

Bridgehouse

octatonic said:

Bridgehouse said:

More research required. 

Been checking out the options suggested so far in this thread. Crikey. Lots of variety and some great options. 

It’s a proper dilemma now - @octatonic is right - the Hydrasynth really is deeeeeeeeep - but the interface just seems so logical and easy that it just seems to appeal to the way I would work. 

Need to work out if it’s worth spending twice the budget for that sort of flexibility and depth...

You won't be unhappy.
You will be late for work each morning, and sleepy.

Highlights are the arpeggiator with ratchet and chance controls.
And the ribbon controller.
And polyphonic aftertouch- it is properly expressive.

It is absolutely the coolest, best laid out and best sounding digital synth available for sale right now.

If you have any specific questions then fire away.

Thanks. I’m still looking, but I keep going back to it. 

There’s no rush (obviously) - but nothing else has come along and struck me like it. Bit like the Montage - it’s a fantastic synth and I spent a lot of time looking and kept coming back to it. 

paulmapp8306

@Bridgehouse ;;

OK - after 3 years seriously down the synth rabbit hole (as opposed to treading round the edges of said hole for decades) - and nowhere near as deep as Octatonic is....

Hydrasynth is nice for sound mangling BUT its heavily wavetable based.  Its analogue esc sounds are a little cold and clinical as most VAs can be.   Its an option certainly though -= as they poly After touch is a great feature not found on many.  As Octatonic says, one of if the best sounding digital board around at present - but its still not quite analogue sounding to me.  Ive tried it lots, and bee oh so close 2 or 3 times, but its never QUITE got me excited enough to make space for one...even the module.

Your budget rules out the DSi Rev 2, the Novation Summit and the Arturia Polybrute.  All are excellent - but nearer the £2k mark.....

Modules that are nearer your price wont be of interest - as no keybed  (im guessing) ruling out a used Access Virus (the Ti and C can be had for that price) and the Peak (again used though would still be a little more than your budget)

I picked up my 3rd module in January - and I will HIGHLY recommend the Behringer Deep Mind - the 12 if you can stretch (as its only limitation is a single full oscilator - though it can have both saw and pulse at the same time) - unison mode is very useful as the mod matrix can address each part separately - but it halves the polyphone.   The DM12 still gives you 6 voices of unison - detuned saws if you need that sound.  Its fully analogue (DCO not VCO but has drift), sounds superb.   3 envelopes with variable shapes (which a great feature), 2 LFOs, and a great mod matrix and FX section.  Its a Pad monster honestly.  Teh keybed on the keyboard version is great, with nice after touch.  Shame it dosnt have the poly AT of hydrasynth - but.    Of those two (after expensive tests of both) it take the Deep mind.  HS is a sound mangling machine - but the Yam can do the FM stuff - what the yam doesnt have is a decent subtractive analogue engine (does OK with Rompler sounds but its no true synth in that regard).

Failing that - you may get a used Nord wave, or one of the older Nord leads - there decent value with lots of synth stuff going on.   Id still go Deep mind personally through.  Cant tell you how impressed I am with it.  easily holds its own next to my Virus Ti2, Peak and even the new models on the Fantom.

The Model stuff is actually really good value for money as well.   Id go Cobalt over argon - for the same reason Id go DM over HS.  Its all about analogue sounding subtractive stuff - Argon is more about wavetable stuff and is colder sounding and more clinical because of it.  In its own right its a great board - BUT its not analogue sounding in a real analogue way that Deep mind is - again its got a cold edge to it has hard to warm up to those levels.  Its actually quite similar to the hydrasynth in its core tone - though HS is a LOT LOT deeper.

So - to sum up.  Hydrasynth for sound mangling - very experimental.  Cobalt for a VA that has functionality over and above a pure analogue synth but is still a little cold sounding (cheaper than HS ) , or Deep Mind (12) for a true analogue pad monster thats a little more limited in base sound capabilities but makes up for it in modulation and FX. 


Check this out.  Jamie (Geo Synths) is a top bloke.  There are vids of his patch libraries (hes a sound designer by profession) BUT gives you an idea of its true potential.  The 3 banks he has done all have their own flavour - but he goes through every one of the 300+ patches across 12 videos (34 for each pack).   As I say, just shows what it can do.

https://www.geosynths.com/deepmind-12

paulmapp8306

GavRichList said:

Funkfingers said:

Roland Juno 106 or near equivalent.

Find me a Juno 106 for £600 and I’ll snap your hand off

Deep Mind 12.... not QUITE the same, but 95% + .  Its a Juno with extras as well.

paulmapp8306

Right on budget - and UK source:

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/behringer-deepmind-12-keyboard-analogue-synthesizer/622579-01/?currency=GBP&flt=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAmrOBBhA0EiwArn3mfEJt6vdXy-S18Is8Fg8TfT-8xCJ3QwZRQO2fnjFcCVGhyg7lEPvNmBoCW1oQAvD_BwE

paulmapp8306

Oh - I have the 18820 stand as well.   I have the 3rd tier..... which I no longer use (use a spider live for 3 tiers, and build some shelving over the 18820s 2 tiers for modules)...... IF you fancied even more space    a keyboard on tier 2, then a laptop and an module on tier 3 .......

Bridgehouse

@paulmapp8306 thanks for all the comments - need some time to unpack and review!

Bridgehouse

Quick update:

Got so bored looking at hundreds of synths. 

In a moment of spontaneity, bought a Hydrasynth. Apparently it comes Friday.

horse

Bridgehouse said:

Quick update:

Got so bored looking at hundreds of synths. 

In a moment of spontaneity, bought a Hydrasynth. Apparently it comes Friday.

Good move - leaves scope to still convince yourself you need an analogue in a few months time!

octatonic

Bridgehouse said:

Quick update:

Got so bored looking at hundreds of synths. 

In a moment of spontaneity, bought a Hydrasynth. Apparently it comes Friday.

Excellent news.

hubobulous

Just to say I have the Montage 6 too and love it. So many options and ideas. I've recently bought a couple of packs of samples for inspiration and the Montage has done the rest. I'm never going to be into proper analogue synth creation so it works well for me.

Here's a track I did recently which was quick and simple to concoct: https://soundcloud.com/david-crimble/wise-beyond-her-years

paulmapp8306

Hydrasynth is as good a place as any,  and yep... plenty of justification for an analogue on the 3rd tier.

Bridgehouse

It’s arrived. 

Christ on a bike it sounds good. I’ll be off for six months learning how to use this thing....

octatonic

It is really excellent.
Check out ratchet and chance in the arpeggio.
It is awesome.

Bridgehouse

octatonic said:

It is really excellent.
Check out ratchet and chance in the arpeggio.
It is awesome.

Just playing with the patches and mucking about with the settings is enough for an eargasm.

octatonic

Get into the sound design side of it- it is really amazing.

Bridgehouse

octatonic said:

Get into the sound design side of it- it is really amazing.

Yes - I fully intend to!