I'm giving it a 9 since there are some, but not too many better vocoders out there such as the EMS's, Sennheiser, Synton's (Syntovox's), Bode, and Moog, all others are inferior to it. I use it with a Korg Poly-800 Synthesizer and it almost always but not always sounds great! Great for copying those "Cylon Centurion" voices (I believe they actually used the EMS Studio System 5000 Vocoder along with a ring modulator, according to Mr. Larson for that) with!! It isn't noisy on any of the settings I use (I usually keep the setting on it the same and only change the programs but not the parameters or settings on the Poly-800. It's a vocoder only and that one and only effect almost always sounds great! It has two carrier inputs, one instrument input for keyboard instruments, and the other, guitar input for guitar instruments or keyboards with a higher dynamic range. I use both at the same time with my Poly-800. It has two microphone inputs, one for 1/4 inch mics, and the other for XLR mics. It has a very good ensemble effect, hold effect, and my favorite a direct mic/vocoder knob which lets you control the percentage between the two you want to use!! I don't use any amp with it, just it, the synth, the mic, a stereo receiver (maybe the amp's built-in to it, I don't know about those things), and the speakers. Since I don't know how to play the synth well enough yet I can't get it to sound like the artists I like to emulate such as Neil Young "Trans", Kraftwerk, Midnight Star, etc. Nor have I been able to get the "Soundwave" voice. As I've already said the effects are all very good on this unit.
