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Which piece of junk would you pick


Chando

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I'd go with the SH-32, as it has the hardiest synth engine of the three, if awkwardly implemented.

 

The Synth Lite II has a nice sound too, though I've never put my hands on one. Seems like it would make a nice complement to a sequencer / groove box:

 

[YOUTUBE]NIQTFR0W2Ys[/YOUTUBE]

 

The Darkstar comes in last. I sat down and tried to use one once. Not very intuitive or rewarding for one's efforts. It sounded all right for basic sounds, I suppose. Kind of sterile, though.

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See... I haven't used the Darkstar yet .. but have this hunch it's great for layering basic sounds ... ala Korg MicroPreset. But maybe i'm wrong...

 

The SH-32 appeals to me the most.. but the ext audio in of the MFB really interests me..

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I think the sh32 could do what you're looking for... it's interface and engine are a little weird and limiting which allows you to come up with some fresh ideas.

 

Stay away from that darkstar! It really is a terrible, terribly boring synth. I wanted one for a long time and borrowed it from a friend. It immediately became clear to me why it wasn't hooked up in his setup - I think I played with it for 5 minutes, packed it up and sent it back.

I also borrowed the sh32 from the same friend and had a good, if a little frustrating, time with it (it has a bit of a learning curve to be able to do what you want immediately). I didn't keep it too long because I didn't want to need it. Also, the filter (roland digital harsh) was always clipping/bottoming out on me - could be a good thing, just not what I was looking for at the time.

 

the mfb looks ok... but who really needs another, run of the mill, limited subtractive analog module?

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Also, the filter (roland digital harsh) was always clipping/bottoming out on me - could be a good thing, just not what I was looking for at the time.

 

 

hmmm .. owning a JD800, JV1808 and an Akai AX-60. I love the harsh. Like riding a wild horse... once you tame it ... it's the strongest mellow tone.

 

I just want a janky replacement for my old Jen SX1000.

 

I think the SH-32 is the winner(wish the MFB had a switchable filter),.... and yes, I have a friend that has one that he never ever uses. He refuses to ever trade/sell tho... Borrow time!!

 

the Darkstar is that bad huh?? Once again.. all the naysayers of the Jen SX1000 made me not trust synth elitists anymore.

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Why??? Cause I've always been curious about those... Btw- have I mentioned that I always value at your opinion? You had me at DW-8000...

 

 

Wow, thanks, I'm pretty flattered!

 

I've really been wanting to pick up the RM1X for a long time now (I wanted the RS7000 but then I found out most of those knobs are for the sampler and I don't want a sampler with so little memory, so that would be useless).

I've looked at its specs and heard a lot of people's opinions, and I think it's going to absolutely kill as a hardware sequencer. Once you have your midi tracks recorded, you can edit them in a way that no other box can. And that midi delay function - just how friggin cool is that thing??

The trick with those Yamahas is - don't use internal sounds. At all. They such so bad, it's embarrassing... even though I like the Yamaha digital filters, the drum sounds are horrible horrible with those machines. So, treat them as a sequencer only because they're the best at that (from what I've seen - let's see once I get one...).

Once we're over the birth of my 2nd son which should be at the end of next month, and I know I can spend some money on stuff again, I think it's the first thing I'll get.

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the Rm1x and RS7000 are loads of fun. Most of the knobs on the RS are for tweaking samples/ROM sounds but they can control external gear. The Rm1x has extra knobs for midi play effects though. It doesn't have a lot of memory for sequences though. The internal sounds are indeed terrible, I think the Rs7000 has more useful sounds. Sound quality is not very good on either model, the RS might be better with the expansion board. RS is great for playing drum samples and breaks. Oh and loop remix does work with midi. I do prefer the RS, but the Rm1x is a great toy and is a lot smaller. I wish Yamaha would come out with an updated version.

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Darkstar isn't bad but the UI is horrible...to save money, they repurposed an existing case/UI that was designed for something very different than a synth. :freak:

 

That said, if I had to*, I'd get the SH-32 because of its flexibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*(not too or two) :p

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Darkstar..

 

to be honest in the 5 or so years i've had it i've probably spent at most about 10 hours playing it. it sits and gathers dust even now.

 

the sound as i recall is pretty up front and raw.

 

the build quality is that of a tank.

 

the plastic buttons are clicky plastic buttons. not particularly pleasant, not particularly unpleasant.

 

the joystick is what holds promise for me.

 

i just can't be arsed sitting down and programming the thing. :facepalm:

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Hands down an SH-32 here also - very gritty sound when programmed right and whilst it doesn't excel as a VA it is quite a good digital synth for the price they go for now.

 

 

On a side note as an ex Redsound owner (I had an elaVata and wish I never sold it to be honest with you) .... through some Sovtek 12AX7 Mic pre's it sounded remarkably like a Korg MS10/20 on a lot of patches and had a rather unique character to it IMHO.

Did need external FX but sounded great with an SE50 and a DP2 also.

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My last question I guess with the SH-32 is this.

 

I have a Roland JV-1080 w/Vintage, Techno, Dance, Special FX cards. Also, not to toot my own horn,.. I know how to navigate on it very quickly.

 

Is there really any benefit of me getting this? Soundwise?

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