Alesis Ion--Your experience with it?

[plawren53202]

So by way of background, you can see my current gear lineup at the bottom. When I play keys for our band (usually a mix of piano, strings, ambient pad/TR Rack stuff, and trancey techno-ey stuff), I usually run the TR Rack, the MM6 (for its own sounds and as midi controller for the TR), the SH 201 and Vanguard with a little midi board.

 

Conspicuously absent now from that mix is my Virus B that I had to sell because I need some funds at the time. I really really loved that thing. The SH 201 is fine, but not this big fat warm monster that the Virus was.

 

So I would like to replace the big fat warm VA in the lineup now. Price range is probably around $500 (buying used, of course). Before running back to get another Virus, I at least wanted to consider other options. I posted a CL ad fielding offers for any VA synth. A guy responded with what I think is a good price on an Alesis Ion.

 

I don't have any experience with the Ion. In listening to a few videos I could find, it sounds like a great synth, but not quite what I am missing from the Virus? For example, I had a Blofeld for a while. I really liked it, but again, it was not the warm fat sound that led me to ultimately settle on the Virus.

 

So, is my online-only impression of the Ion correct in your experience? Any other thoughts on it?

[ChristianRock]

Very different from the Virus... (I had the Fusion which is a similar spec'd, and pretty much the same basic sound as the Ion). The Ion is more geared towards a vintage analog simulation, while the Virus can do that but it's a more "modern" type sound. Plus the Virus has effects (which the Fusion also has, so that's just one of the reasons I'd rather have a Fusion than an Ion, especially since they're about the same price on the used market)

 

If you want to check out a Virus alternative at an affordable price I'd try out a Novation Supernova or Supernova II rack. From what you describe, I think it could be a good fit.

[mildbill]

....Conspicuously absent now from that mix is my Virus B that I had to sell because I need some funds at the time. I really really loved that thing...

 

 

If it's the Virus sound you're after - get another one.

 

The Ion's fine. I had one for a while and enjoyed it a lot. But, despite the fact that they're both VA's, they're not substitutes for each other.

[QuietInTheDark]

I have the little cousin of the Ion, the Micron which has almost the same engine. It really is a great sounding synth. I still use it once in a while despite having great synth plugins.

 

I'm not suggesting the Micron, it would not be as suitable for live playing because of too deeply menu embedded controls, just saying if you liked the sounds you heard on the internet, yes, good engine.

[Caligvla]

I've always wanted an ION and to this day I wish it had been my first synth instead of the Micron/X-Station combo I went for ...

 

It's probably great that it doesn't have effects ... The only thing that puts me off is the name ALESIS and the attendant quality issues esp. it seems around that time ... But there must be perfect ones, right?

 

Highly underrated along with Micron, which obviously suffers from the minimalist interface ... but I think the Micron might prove to be more reliable than ION esp. because there's less to go wrong ... There are important bonuses on Micron, too, including one of the best real-time phrase sequencers ever ...

 

I would definitely still buy/use an ION ... Micron not so much esp. since new XW-P1 has an ever better phrase sequencer ... The first I've seen that approaches playing sequences like Micron in a polyphonic way ... So you can pitch shift individual notes ... I've always had trouble explaining this concept other than saying it's way better than a traditional arpeggio ...

 

For your purposes ... I wouldn't say it's the fattest synth ever but neither is a Virus ... The biggest difference is that the ION is going to have a readily accesible 70s-80s vintage vibe due to the programming of its soundset ... Whereas the Virus is a Virus ... That alone may make things very easy to decide, esp. considering how much programming you plan to do yourself ...

 

I've honestly never had the pleasure of using a Virus but in the time I've spent with the ION I think I'd rather program that ... But I'm sure the Virus has its charms too ... I would think in a live setting, the ION would be more useful if you planned on doing real-time sound manipulation ...

 

I would think either would work fine ... But the Virus may prove to be more reliable over time ... To me, it seems like IONs are already getting into shaky territory considering how long its been since they were in production ... They're getting on ...

[liliththekitten]

I have a Micron and it's great. I think it actually improves on the Ion sound engine. and they're dirt cheap and a great value for it. There's not much that can go wrong with them. I still want an Ion for the knobs, Micron is only good to program with a computer. Both are very versatile synths that can do a tremendous range of sounds but I wouldn't call them "warm" or "fat".

 

If you want a Virus, get a Virus. If they have the sound you want. I want an old one, I think the A, B (and maybe the C) each have their own sound and the new ones are spensive. This thread may or may not be revelant:

 

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/453942-virus-vs-b-vs-c-vs-ti-sound.html

[plawren53202]

 

If you want a Virus, get a Virus. If they have the sound you want. I want an old one, I think the A, B (and maybe the C) each have their own sound and the new ones are spensive.

 

 

Yeah, I think that's where I'm at. I was reaaaaaaly in love with the B. I absolutely hated selling it. Now I'm like the guy who got dumped by the girl and she's all he can think about. I have been trying to give some others (Ion, JP 8000/8080, MS2000, couple others) a look, but I think I'm going to land back on a B.

[Ghostpaw]

Awesome analogy! Hope you can get 'her' back.

[marino]

Very quickly, since I'm in a hurry.....

 

I'm very familiar with the Ion, as I use one at school to teach synthesis. In brief:

 

- Features: Fantastic. Three oscs, two filters, lots of filter types, FM, ring mod....

- Ergonomy: Excellent! Very intuitive, lots of knobs, no deep menus.

- Basic sound: Ummm. Not the best around to my ears. Yeah, you can try to make it sound big thru clever programming, but it's not the same. It sounds a bit thin to me.

- Construction: So-so. I won't use it live.

- Effects: Blearrgghh. I won't say more.

 

You'll understand why I thought it was an excellent synth for learning - and it is. I don't have one at home, though.

Of course, YMMV. Play one or listen to demos - you might love the sound.

[ChristianRock]

I found an Ion at home locally for 200 dollars OBO. Thinking about it...

[Acid Hazard]

The Ion is probably the best sounding VA as far as emulating Analogue goes. The reason being is because they decided to forego the useless on board effects and use all the processing power for the synth engine. Which makes a big difference. Thin sounding? Hardly. So-so build quality? It's made of metal! It's sturdy as hell.

 

But only a Virus sounds like a Virus. Which also sound great!

[Re-Member]

Awesome analogy! Hope you can get 'her' back.

 

[Re-Member]

I've played with the Ion quite a bit in-store and LOVED how it sounded, certainly the best sounding VA on a budget, but it was just a bit too big for my liking. The position of the screen also felt really awkward to look at. If they only made it lower... but hey, there's also the MINIAK. Same sound engine, just more compact. I keep trying to resist picking one up since getting more gear at this point seems slows down my music workflow.

[U&I]

So by way of background, you can see my current gear lineup at the bottom. When I play keys for our band (usually a mix of piano, strings, ambient pad/TR Rack stuff, and trancey techno-ey stuff), I usually run the TR Rack, the MM6 (for its own sounds and as midi controller for the TR), the SH 201 and Vanguard with a little midi board. Conspicuously absent now from that mix is my Virus B that I had to sell because I need some funds at the time. I really really loved that thing. The SH 201 is fine, but not this big fat warm monster that the Virus was. So I would like to replace the big fat warm VA in the lineup now. Price range is probably around $500 (buying used, of course). Before running back to get another Virus, I at least wanted to consider other options. I posted a CL ad fielding offers for any VA synth. A guy responded with what I think is a good price on an Alesis Ion. I don't have any experience with the Ion. In listening to a few videos I could find, it sounds like a great synth, but not quite what I am missing from the Virus? For example, I had a Blofeld for a while. I really liked it, but again, it was not the warm fat sound that led me to ultimately settle on the Virus. So, is my online-only impression of the Ion correct in your experience? Any other thoughts on it?

 

 

On a slightly unrelated note - when people refer to the Virus sound I still maintain they are referring to revisions C and beyond.

Neither the A or the B sound like a C for example and as an owner of a Virus B (who used to own a Fusion 8HD) I would suggest tracking down another Virus B.

The B can easily IMHO sound better than a Fusion and sounds markedly better than a Virus C and far more analogue sounding than a Snow or Ti. My Virus B can quite easily hold its own against my Leipzig for example and it sounds good without effects slapped all over it too.

Even on youtube videos the B sounds markedly different to a C / Snow or Ti IMHO and whilst I've never used an ION it doesn't sound like a Fusion either - mind you the Fusion could sound great also.

Hard choice.

 

ION

UTwoJVfChSE

 

VIRUS C

wjplLpYF7go

 

VIRUS Ti - courtesy of our very own Keyboard Wizard

2RUmnCUFVkQ

 

Virus B

8QVzqoIZGcw

 

 

At the end of day you need to choose something you're going to be happy with.

[marino]

 

The Ion is probably the best sounding VA as far as emulating Analogue goes. The reason being is because they decided to forego the useless on board effects and use all the processing power for the synth engine. Which makes a big difference. Thin sounding? Hardly. So-so build quality? It's made of metal! It's sturdy as hell. But only a Virus sounds like a Virus. Which also sound great!

 

 

Well, instrument sounds are a matter of taste, but for what is worth, I've A/B'd the Ion with several other VAs, and the AN1x, for example, is on a whole different level to my ears. I also prefer the Virus over the Ion, although when stripped down to the naked oscillator, the Virus sounds really thin too. The Waldorf Q also has a fuller and more satisfying sound for my tastes.

I've found that with clever use of all three oscillators, *plus* layering sounds in a multi setup, you can achieve great sounds from the Ion, especially of the chordal type.

OTOH, its internal effects (both the srive/saturation and the chorus/delay sections) sound horrible to me; this instrument really cries for good external effects.

[ChipCurtis]

I just like the look and feel of the Ion more than anything else. Sure, it sounds great, and does the job of emulating the vintage sounds. But so do a lot of other VAs. For the Ion, its aesthetics is what really nails it for me. It looks great! The knobs are big and rubbery with the shafts bolted onto the surface. There's enough space between the knobs. It gives you just the right amount of keys for its intended usage. You get an extra mod wheel. The surface is dead simple to navigate; every control is in its subsection, and where it belongs in the signal path. There's a 3rd oscillator there; it reminds me a lot of the Minimoog layout. It feels great to play one, it's in every way an almost perfect performance synth.

[mildbill]

 

....The B can easily IMHO sound better than a Fusion and sounds markedly better than a Virus C and far more analogue sounding than a Snow or Ti. My Virus B can quite easily hold its own against my Leipzig for example and it sounds good without effects slapped all over it too. Even on youtube videos the B sounds markedly different to a C / Snow or Ti IMHO...

 

 

 

Glad you like your B, but that hasn't been my experience. When I had B and C desktops at the same time, they sounded the same, when running identical patches.

I still have a VKC and TI, and those sound pretty similar when running the same patches. Of course, there's a lot of features on the TI that the C doesn't have that can make it sound quite different.

 

About the Ion - when considered from a programming and 'user-friendly' standpoint, I prefer the Ion over the Virus. A finished patch usually will sound better on the Virus though, but a lot of that is due to the FX.

[U&I]

 

Glad you like your B, but that hasn't been my experience. When I had B and C desktops at the same time, they sounded the same, when running identical patches. I still have a VKC and TI, and those sound pretty similar when running the same patches. Of course, there's a lot of features on the TI that the C doesn't have that can make it sound quite different. About the Ion - when considered from a programming and 'user-friendly' standpoint, I prefer the Ion over the Virus. A finished patch usually will sound better on the Virus though, but a lot of that is due to the FX.

 

 

 

I always found the B to sound fuller and not quite as bright - it's a subtle difference but it's there and the TI sounds fantastic but I prefer the B for Ambient/Dub/TripHop sounds in general (which it does well IMHO).

That said did the ION have the ARP2600 Modelled Filter that was in the Fusion ? Having never used an ION I gather it would - quite nice sounding VA filter and the Fusion did great Filter FM/RM and Sync sounds also. I always would have preferred the Fusion if they had given the same sort of design aesthetic and knob laden interface as the ION but it was very expressive when using after touch I must confess.

[Synthaholic]

 

I've always wanted an ION and to this day I wish it had been my first synth instead of the Micron/X-Station combo I went for ... It's probably great that it doesn't have effects ... The only thing that puts me off is the name ALESIS and the attendant quality issues esp. it seems around that time ... But there must be perfect ones, right?

 

 

I don't know where this comment comes from, at all. As you can see in my sigline, I own a bunch of Alesis gear, more than I even list, and all of it has been rock solid with zero quality or dependability issues. The redundancy is because I cannot afford to be without a piece, should anything go bad. And I have not been totally vigilant, either, leaving a keyboard in the backseat, baking all day in the hot Florida sun too many times.

 

Has there been a major downgrade in quality since the QS family that I'm not aware of?

[Caligvla]

Build quality and reliability are not the same thing ...

[ChristianRock]

 

Past tense. Did you get rid of your Fusion? Why? I thought you loved it.

 

 

I do love it. But financial needs made me sell it. I moved from an ancient hardware recording setup that wasn't worth hardly anything, to a Macbook Pro based setup.

 

At some point I'm going to get an 8HD, or maybe a 6HD as sometimes they can be found very cheap. But an 8HD would be ideal for me I think.

[Anderton]

I did a bunch of seminars on synth programming based around the Ion. I loved that synth then, and still love it now. If you have an Ion , make sure you get the last firmware version, it really cleaned up the high notes.

 

I'm pretty sure Taiho Yamada, the genius dude behind Venom, was heavily involved in the Ion design. I really hope Alesis or Akai doesn't let the Venom die...

[Synthaholic]

I do love it. But financial needs made me sell it. I moved from an ancient hardware recording setup that wasn't worth hardly anything, to a Macbook Pro based setup. At some point I'm going to get an 8HD, or maybe a 6HD as sometimes they can be found very cheap. But an 8HD would be ideal for me I think.

 

I really wish Atlanta was closer to the Florida panhandle - you could teach me a bunch about the Fusion. And I might be able to convince you to get a new hairstyle!

[Plink Floyd]

...I might be able to convince you to get a new hairstyle!

And loose that flaxen bounce?? Nay, don't do it!

 

[Synthaholic]