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Seems like there are a lot of pissed off synth owners out there ....


WorknMan

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I'm not calling any specific individuals or groups out here who own certain synths, because this is certainly a trend that spans multiple vendors. but I'm just going to say this ...

 

When you buy a new synth, it's probably a good idea to buy it for the capabilities it has out of the box, not for what you THINK the manufacturer will put into it in the next few years, even if they make vague promises that exciting enhancements will be forthcoming.

 

Unless they're promising something VERY specific (like 'we're going to have an update that does xyz in the next couple of months') and you see it in writing, just expect when you make your purchase that there will be no further updates to the unit, except to (hopefully) squash a few bugs. Whether a manufacturer should/should not continue to support the instrument for a given length of time, it appears that the reality of the situation is that this doesn't always happen to the degree that people expected, so I believe it would be better to be pleasantly surprised when an update comes out, rather than bitterly disappointed when nothing comes out.

 

The reason I post this is that there are entirely too many people on various synth forums who are screaming about how their board is no longer supported, and throwing around terms such as 'abandonware'. So maybe you were duped in the past and that is unfortunate, but let's all be smart about this going forward, as we all know that even if the manufacturer has the best of intentions, it sometimes doesn't work out for economical/financial (or other) reasons.

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Nord Modular G2 owner.

 

very pissed. :D

 

it's still the most flexible synth out there, but they could have done even more with it. i'm also a bit sad that they didn't release a tabletop version, which i think i might prefer. oh well.

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The MI co's ( Y/R/K) are way to smart to over promise or even to ' suggest '.

 

If some buyers try to put their own slant on ' future capabilities ' then bark on the Internet 1 or 2 yrs later , that they are hacked off,

about lack of new capabilities , thats their issue.

 

The MI co's are good about squashing minor bugs with slight OS upgrades.

 

everyone buys TV's, cars, an appliance, etc, and have no expectation of a ' major upgrade'. Not the best analogy, perhaps, but a fair mindset for ' expectation ' . A synth/workstation is not a cheap $400 PC where you can swap out major parts. Not smart to confuse apples & oranges.

 

Folks have to have reasonable expectations as consumers. They need to read and qualify their purchase vs acting impulsively, often

supported by Internet chatter.

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....The reason I post this is that there are entirely too many people on various synth forums who are screaming about how their board is no longer supported, and throwing around terms such as 'abandonware'....


 

 

I usually only hear this in relation to keyboards that depend on a computer for editing. When a new computer OS comes out, the editor isn't always updated. :idk:

 

I also hear it about softsynths sometimes too.

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I have never felt anger concerning one of my synths or towards one of the developing companies. It just seem counter-productive and stress-inducing. I have felt a couple of times a certain "meh" feeling about some hardware or software, but that is to be expected I suppose. I can't expect to like everything forever... except my wife and kids.

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^^^

Ditto.

I think some people just like to complain all the time and maybe expect too much.

I'm not an angry synth owner, maybe frustrated because I don't really know how to use the stuff I have but that my problem, nobody else's.

 

There are times I'm a broke synth owner, but that's nothing new for people like me who have a mental disorder when it comes to buying gear.

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Most of the complaining I've heard lately was about Korg's discontinuation of the Oasys. Some of those complaints were justified IMO, because the Oasys was SO touted by Korg at the time of its release as infinitely expandable and the 'last synth you will ever need'. Plus its initial purchase price sort of implied that this investment should include many years worth of upgrades and support. Oh well. :facepalm:

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The only synths I was ever "angered about" was the EX5, and then the AN board on the motif series. With the EX5 it had all these awesome features advertised, but in the end nearly every piece didn't work so well. The sequencer couldn't keep time, the SCSI but to load samples was PAINFULLY slow, and the onboard ROM wasn't so good.

 

With the AN board, it didn't sound ANYTHING like what was in the EX5 I had previous. Like it was chopped at the knees. Just anemic, thin, and a usability nightmare. I wasn't up in arms about it, because I got it for free in a promotion. Though all said between the EX5 and the Motif with AN card. I probably lost $1000 because it didn't work as advertised.

 

However, it's taught me a valuable lesson, and I haven't been in that situation since!

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Most of the complaining I've heard lately was about Korg's discontinuation of the Oasys. Some of those complaints were justified IMO, because the Oasys was SO touted by Korg at the time of its release as infinitely expandable and the 'last synth you will ever need'. Plus its initial purchase price sort of implied that this investment should include many years worth of upgrades and support. Oh well.
:facepalm:

 

Well, I wasn't going to single anybody out, but you went there :) But that's kind of my point for posting is that from this point on, we shouldn't assume anything if they merely imply something, but only if they make specific guarantees. Fool me once ...

 

Also, I'm not picking on Oasys owners, as I've heard a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth from Fantom G owners, and even some in the M3 camp aren't happy. But I don't think it's very productive to blame the lack of Oasys enhancements on Kronos. I mean, if they'd have released an 'M3 Extreme' instead, the number of Oasys updates would've been the same, which is zero.

 

I'm very interested in the Kronos, and I'm already hearing people talk about in the future, it could have this or that, but I'm looking at it only for what it is (or is not) right now, and will make my purchasing decision based on this information. If they release some updates in the future, that's great. If they don't, that's fine too, assuming it isn't completely broken out of the box. And just for the record, I think being pissed because a board is defective at launch is justified if the company won't do anything to fix it... that's not what I'm talking about here.

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I think much of the tendency toward disgruntlement comes from the fact that we work in a field where positive technological change is more or less a given. We've come to expect it. I can think of no other field of music creation where the bar is constantly being raised so much and so often, where paradigms either shift so radically or are altogether discarded. As synthesists we're craftsmen in sound creation, and we tend to know what we want and demand a LOT of flexibility in our tools.

 

Another reason for occasional aggravation is the fact that buying a workstation -- especially something like the Oasys -- is a significant investment of money and time. If you're going to commit that much capital to a product, I think it's reasonable to expect enduring support from the company that makes it. Often the problem lies with offering "selling features" that don't actually work properly. It usually takes several OS upgrades to get things right, and if the company drops it before that point, then you're left hanging. It's as if the product is incomplete, and left to remain so. This can get annoying if you've invested $4,000-$8,000 (including upgrades) in a workstation and it still has the same bugs.

 

That said, I tend to see the positives in the synths and workstations that I own. There is no perfect synth or workstation - not even an almost perfect one. All of them have their strengths and their quirks. I even like the Ex-5 and enjoy it immensely. But then, I'm in the fortunate position of not needing it to do everything it was originally billed to do.

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this is what happens when you buy new.

 

This is what happens when you have to be the first one on the block to own something. (Sometimes you become the beta tester)

 

PS - I thought the original poster was referring to the mpc-forums site... AKAI AKAI AKAI AKAI :)

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I have never felt anger concerning one of my synths or towards one of the developing companies. It just seem counter-productive and stress-inducing.

 

Too many people become frustrated with their purchase, sometimes before they take it out of the box! No patience at all.

 

I've been playing synths for over 20 years and recall that back in the 80's, we rarely got an updated OS or new sounds from the manufacturers. You could buy extra soundsets--often on expensive RAM cards--but that's about all.

 

And people weren't flipping keyboards every 3-6 months back then either. We took the time and learned how to program our own sounds.

 

:cool:

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Never make assumptions on what the Marketing "Should Mean" (i.e. Common Sense) as REALITY. Never EXPECT or BELIEVE the hype about ANY feature until it SHIPS and have seen it WORK with your own eyes!

 

Ya - we spent a lot of time bitching about perceived flaws over at EX5tech. If it wouldn't have been marketed as a workstation, instead as a synth, Yamaha would have had a lot less complaints.

Same could be said for the Alesis Fusion.

 

I think the OP was getting at something different though. Buying a keyboard, and then expecting additional functions to be added later. Instead of just buying a piece and using it, people expect OS updates that include extra functionality now.

Blame the digital era, I guess. :idk:

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I think the OP was getting at something different though. Buying a keyboard, and then expecting additional functions to be added later. Instead of just buying a piece and using it, people expect OS updates that include extra functionality now.

 

 

Yup, that's exactly what I'm saying.

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this is what happens when you buy new.

 

 

Exactly. Early adopters tend to suffer the most, which is why I'm careful about doing it myself. Another reason is that for me it just pays to wait. I live in a city where a lot of upper middle class professionals (i.e. home players) tend to buy high-end gear, only to turn around and sell it a year and a half later in mint condition for 30-40% below retail. So, while the manufacturer is still refining the OS and releasing additional peripherals, I'm following reviews and waiting for it to show up on Craigslist.

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Being a new owner to the current workstation technology, I'm a very happy camper with my Motif XF 8.

It's a dream come true, right here.

But on the other hand, as I only have my old Yamaha PSS 680 & DD5 to compare it too, there isn't any comparison, none.

So, I only wish I had some previous experience with something a bit more current, so the learning curve didn't resemble that "Double Rainbow", hahaha, not quite.

But there is plenty for me to learn and understand about my XF 8 & DTX MULTI 12 too.

1st reason why I count on these Forums, to help me climb over the steep hurdles, I can not leap over them,

as many of you bright shining stars can do with your vast knowledge and seemingly rediculous amounts of technical gear.

 

I WISH!!

 

Chas

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I'm angry and not going to take it anymore!

 

Yamaha refuses to update for Snow Leopard the free software they provided for a fifteen year old used synth I just bought.

 

Ensoniq went out of business rather than continue to offer service for my SQ-80.

 

Roland had the gall to drop DCB support 25 years ago.

 

Time to start up a Tea Party for synthesizers :soapbox:

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That's not funny, that's a crime, punishable by pushing broom at the new

Yahama Motif XF warehouse in your own home towns,,.

Or any other large metropolis cummune. where you call home, where XF's are often seen

running out the door with thier happy new owners/customers/consumers,,.

Just

Like

Me

Chas

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