Members Cruel_Hoax Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 So, I found an Oberheim Xpander. For US$800. The guy has had it wrapped in blankets and in storage for the last 7 years, powering it up occasionally to keep the caps up. It's in mint, mint condition. The only thing that distinguishes it from a factory-fresh one is a little bit of dust inside the individual voice outs. Not grime: dust. Cotton swab stuff. No nicks, marks, scratches, dents, fingerprints, blah blah. The guy has the manual for it and the original factory cassette. So... I really don't have the money for it right now, but due to a rather unique situation, I could hold it with small payments. I'm looking for reasons not to do it. Or, failing that, enough superlatives to overcome my financial woes and just sell a bunch of stuff. I've googled, I've researched, I've played the thing (but -admittedly- not had the time to dive in and program it.) What I'm looking for here are personal accounts. I lo-o-ove deep synth engines. I was planning on waiting 'til January to see whether a mono Evolver Keyboard is forthcoming, to get my deep-synth fix. What do you guys think? I've got hard, fat, and screamy covered with the Voyager. I've got drums and ROMpling covered by the MC909. I've got "obviously digital" in the K5000r, the DX7 and the TG33. The K5k i the only one that deserves anything approaching the term "lush". My only analog poly now is a Siel DK600 (with expander). It's nice (especially since, with the Expander, it's essentially 4-oscs per voice), but the synth engine is not particularly deep. I like getting my hands dirty under the hood and programming complex sounds that change radically depending on how you play them, and the Xpander's mod matrix is a huge plus, for me. What are, in your opinion(s), the drawbacks of the Xpander? For me: no keys. No easily-accessible (if at all) Mono mode. What else have I overlooked? Difficult to repair? Strange OS issues? Other stuff? Do the slow envelopes get unbearably slow with complex modulations going on? Thanks for taking the time to read this too-long post. Thanks, too, for any insight you could give me. -Hoax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paolo Di Nicolantonio Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 B U Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Yep. Do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crawling Wind Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Don't even think about it! Go, man, go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mytee2.0 Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 This is like asking the question "hey! I think im going to go buy some crack!" on a crack aficionado site. NO ONE will reply with "you really shouldnt" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sizzlemeister Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 At the very least if you don't like it you could turn it around for a profit. Or a Prophet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 I love this place. It's so ENABLING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cruel_Hoax Posted October 14, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Hmmm, these are all cogent arguments... -Hoax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 So....describe to me the ramp generators. SLOWLY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Ummmm......huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sizzlemeister Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 If I could run across a deal like that on an A6, hell even one for $1000, I'd quickly make some room for it. Cool Blue has an Xpander, I think. Maybe he'll pop in and give comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cruel_Hoax Posted October 14, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Nice to see you back among the living, burster! You just may be the one who ends up buying it! :-0 -Hoax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDman Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 A deal like THAT doesn't come along every day....... :eek: JUST GET IT ALREADY!! I've several friends who have Xpanders, they're happy campers! They haven't had any issues (ok, one of them needed re-capping), the only down-side I see is the amount of time needed for complex programming. But hey, if you can handle a K5k you'll have the patience for this beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Symbiotic Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 The XPander has long been on my shortlist of wishlist analog synths - right up there with a Prophet 5 and Buchla Modular. Definitely pick it up. If you decide not to keep it, there are many folks on this board alone who'd be willing to take it off your hands and you'd be certain to make a reasonable profit on it. If you decide you really can't afford it or don't want it, let one of us know and we'll send the money to you and you can send us the synth and give you a cut for being the middle-man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J3RK Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 If you don't buy that, please put me in touch with the seller, as I'll take it instantly. (And I really shouldn't spend any money either.) You will not be sorry you bought it. That is the ONLY piece of Vintage gear that I would want to own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sizzlemeister Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Did you get it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 talk you out of it? do you know the xpander? do you like what it has to offer? do you want one? have you ever wanted one? do you have a strong desire to own one? is there anything else you'd rather do with that $800? are you overly influenced by the comments you read about it at forums? do you think you might get it, find out it was over-hyped and not really for you, so that you have to turn around and re-sell it? still there? did you get it yet? can i have it when you're done with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDman Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 A pushy lot, aren't we? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cruel_Hoax Posted October 15, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Awright, awright! I put money down on it today. Soon as I finish paying, it'll be mine. Buncha bad influences y'all are! (perhaps what I secretly wanted). I'll post gear-porn pics (and sounds) when I get it. Thanks! -Hoax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDman Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 SCHWEEEEET! Yes, we are BAAAAAD.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Originally posted by mildbill can i have it when you're done with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eric Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 This thread makes me jealous. I'm betting CruelHoax worked out a $1 per day payment. Regards,Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mytee2.0 Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Originally posted by eric This thread makes me jealous. I'm betting CruelHoax worked out a $1 per day payment.Regards,Eric then it will be his on jan 2nd, 2008:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marino Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Don't even think twice. It's an instrument for a lifetime, and the price is *very* good.I sold mine many years ago... to get a Matrix-12, which is two Xpanders plus a keyboard. I'm still using the Matrix-12 regularly, and I've *never* thought about selling it, even when I was really in need of money.Buy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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