Members ElectricPuppy Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 So I've had my PEK now for a year. I bought it sight unseen based solely on the predominately positive reviews and in no small part due to DocT's demo's. I messed around on it for a few days, and... well, it just didn't grab me. In fact, I was beginning to actually DISLIKE it and was seriously considering selling it. Instead, thanks to my generally lazy nature, I let it age in the corner for a while. A couple of weeks ago thought I would give it another go and stuck it back on the stand. Since then, I've found that I've come to terms with its sound, and in fact, I'm actually starting to become fond of it. I managed to tweak up a bass patch that has REALLY grabbed me and now selling it is the last thing from my mind. So: Who else has acquired something that initially made you say "meh", but then found that it eventually grew on you? Discuss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 Virus TI...purchased on a whim coz I had $2k burning a hole in my pocket (I long for those days gone by ). Treated it like furniture until version 2 of the OS came out. Furniture no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Scharf Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 Exactly the same experience happened to me with my PEK. Now I couldnt be parted with the thing! All of my most used gear went through a similar process - seems to be that at about 6 months to a year, I will just suddenly 'get it' with how the piece works and what it can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 The microwave IIxt has really grown on me. The more I play it, the more I realize how unique and versatile it is. It sounds unlike anything else I have, and that's great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuzikB Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 So: Who else has acquired something that initially made you say "meh", but then found that it eventually grew on you?! My Triton Extreme with MOSS. Initially I just exchanged the PEK to handle this well paying gig in NJ and was going to get rid of it as I already heard something new from Korg was coming to replace it. After the gig I spent a lot of time messing with it and realized how conveniently utilitarian it is. The addition of the MOSS board just made it even more useful as a sound design tool. With the help of an o-scope, you can just about copy any 6 voice to mono vintage synth with the addition of the Triton's FX. You just need a raw sample of the said instrument's oscillators. I've also gotten great sax like instruments out of it and those have been the only 2 models I've really messed with so far. The sampler is as good if not better than any Akai sampler I've had before and all it's facilities are integrated real well. Because of this, it's been holding my attention well enough for me to disregard the S90ES. Never saw that coming. Given that this is the end result when Korg "Gets it together" on an instrument, I'll likely be sure to replace it when they iron out the M3 and hopefully bring back all the physical modeling in a new board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tusks Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 All my synths. But in particular ... Nord Modular. It was difficult to come up with any patching ideas at first, just because the thing was so open ended. Also it had that Nord sound. Once I learned how to de-Nord it (for the occasional patch) it's turned to be tremendous utility player. I also find that having routed through some decent efx and an ergonomic control environment ... helps me to see the possibilities as I patch. It's a great team member ... predictable, easy to patch, midi friendly, with miles of tonal range. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Conway Posted September 28, 2007 Members Share Posted September 28, 2007 Virus C. I bought it based on reviews and internet info. I turned it on an was not impressed. Then, I programmed a couple of sounds and appreciated the punch that they had. I downloaded all the soundsets and started piecing together a bank that became my "go to" for all sorts of things. I turned to my other gear and realized that none of them could make that Virus sound. I fell in love with it. I sold it and have the TI, now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gdh Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Korg Radias, and even moreso with the new 2.0 OS release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Synthoid Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 My Triton Extreme with MOSS. I agree about the MOSS board. Out of the box, the presets are lame, but after some tweaking......it sounds great. It's not anything new, but it still can be an inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnCap Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Synths I have once wanted to sell have at later dates become my favorite synths to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Khazul Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Korg Radias, and even moreso with the new 2.0 OS release. I went the exact opposite with the radias - like it to start with then I dont know, suddenly one day it just wore thin - it seemed everytime I made a patch on it one of two things happened, either I ran into a brink wall with mod destination limitations or was never quite happy with the result and ended up going to the v-synth or virus to do a better version of it. I have yet to load up the OS2 release - aint had the time, but I suspect that might be its saving Actually the fusion was another synth I liked alot to start with, though I think in the end its because I really liked the concept when it was first announced and had it been released when it was supposed to have been sans loads of bugs then it might have been a different story, but in the end - it was late, buggy and by the time the bugs where fixed, some key aspects were over a year late in my mind, so had made other plans etc and in the aspects of the sounds started irratate as well. Theres still a few patches on it that are really good and its a great feeling keyboard. I think I keep it now more because after alesis have abandoned and devalued it so much - its barely worth selling. V-synth started out really well for me, then very quickly something just didnt gel - I like it, had alot of fun with it, but didnt get anything done with it. Recently thats all changed and its become my main synth after the virus - I actually use it as a VA alot now as well even though I originally got it for its loop and sample managling capabilities. MD is another one - loved it when I got it, then its lofi started to piss me off, but its so much fun to use. So stopped using it for a while, now am using it alot again. I think theres 3 synths that have been good for me from day one - Virus TI, Novation KS-Rack and I suspect the ATC-X, though still early days with that - the only reason I culd see myself parting with it ould be to get an SE CODE instead. Also I know me and I know my styles of music I mess with change and go through cycles/phases or whatever, so I know if something I have aint working now, Ill come back round to it again as the music cycle comes round again unless it is actually starting to piss me off for some reason (bugs being the usual cause). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 "Gear that grows on you?" It took me a long time to start to like Kurzweil K series. They used to be way overpriced, the editing interface was - not difficult, but time consuming. I did so much button pressing, I worried about them wearing out. I couldn't get sounds to come out like I wanted, and when I sold my first K2000rack unit, I said I wouldn't get another Kurzweil. But I was hooked, and didn't know it. I got the K2600 keyboard, and started to appreciate all the fine features of the keyboard itself, as well as the excellent programming options. Even tho the editing procedure was the same, it didn't seem as bad on the keyboard compared to the rack. And the 'Kurzweil Way' really began to grow on me. Most other gear, I either clicked with pretty quick or didn't. Usually a short 'high' or 'honeymoon' period when getting a new piece.Then leave it alone for a while. When I come back to it, I either know it's a 'keeper' or it's gonna be gone. A lot of Alesis stuff, Access Virii, and the Waldorf Q clicked with me right away. Most big 3 stuff - I can take it or leave it, and none of it really grew on me over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cbentley Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Virus C... I tired easily of it's sound shortly after I got it and hardly used it for anything. It wasn't until recently that I started digging in and finally getting the sounds out of it that I wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuzikB Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 I agree about the MOSS board. Out of the box, the presets are lame, but after some tweaking......it sounds great. It's not anything new, but it still can be an inspiration. I'm still trying to come up with a Junoish standard setup to contrast with the P'08. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members astraeus000 Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 same with me when I first got my PEK. That harsh digital aspect kind of turned me off at first until I started taming it a bit....came up with a very unique pad sound that was beautiful. Its a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinP268 Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Yamaha DX7. It's my only synth at the moment and after exploring the instrument for a couple of months and especially reading H.Massey's The Complete DX7, I postponed the purchase of Prophet '08 by about two years. Hopefully, by this time I will have completed two projects based solely on the DX7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Conway Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Even tho the editing procedure was the same, it didn't seem as bad on the keyboard compared to the rack. I find editing on racks irritating - I'm reaching out, straight in front of me, pressing buttons, which makes my arms get tired - then reaching over to an actual keyboard to trigger the sound edits. What a pain. With a keyboard, I can rest my arms on it, press buttons galore and trigger it, right there. I'm more apt to experiment. Not very space efficient, but I like the workflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OPEN OCEAN Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 well this is nice to happen but unfortunatelly we dont spend that time with our gear to master them which is really a shame... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Allerian Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 well this is nice to happen but unfortunatelly we dont spend that time with our gear to master them which is really a shame... Speak for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tusks Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Hopefully, by this time I will have completed two projects based solely on the DX7. Love the one your with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fdelvecchio Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Along the lines of gear that grows with you and echoing back to the old forum topic of less is more (or not), I have been gradually whittling down my set up, and finding that it really has allowed me to: - spend more time getting to know gear thoroughly and find some neat surprises- not using one piece of gear for "that one sound" and relegating a keyboard to one primary function (i.e. Moog or other analog just for fat bass, etc.) So with that, my Andromeda and JP-8000 compliment each other nicely, sound different from each other, and with all my soft synths (which provide other types of synthesis methods), do exactly what I need them to do and more, and continue to inspire me. It's not for everyone, but it works well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shaft9000 Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Supernova 2 Pro. Most people that have 'em don't even realize how powerful the modulation is...it took a while to figure out that the so-called 'Mod Matrix' is just part of the osc section, and that there's mod routings in every corner of the synth waiting to be utilized. Also it's 'analogue-ness' is misunderstood. It doesn't deviate from DGO behavior until it's filter is overdriven and either VCO drift is enabled or some LFO->pitch is introduced. Which means it is easy to make it distort unwanted, especially at high resonance - it turns off a lot of pros, even. It just takes a little while to learn the best combos for bringing out a powerful sound on such a complex architecture.(the more you have, the more can go wrong...)It would all be a PITA if it weren't so extremely well implemented and dare i say, elegant. An absolute gem of digital synthesizer design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SoundwaveLove Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Virus TI...purchased on a whim coz I had $2k burning a hole in my pocket (I long for those days gone by ). Treated it like furniture until version 2 of the OS came out. Furniture no more. Trust fund baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 Trust fund baby. Not exactly...it's called "I earned enough to do this." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 80zclubkid Posted September 29, 2007 Members Share Posted September 29, 2007 DSI-MEK & Microkorg. Still waiting for the Fusion 6HD to grow on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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