Members Needle201 Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Would you buy a Synth only because it looks cool? has the exterieur of a synth overtly influenced on your buying decision before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miket156 Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 No way. Sound and action are the first two things on my list. What good is it if it "looks cool" and sounds like crap? You need to have a layout that has things easy to get to, and good UI, but flashy lights and a retro looking board is like tits on a bull. Mike T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cheptronics Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 most "good" synths, sound cards and other gear look cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chick korea Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 only my first pro keyboard ..kawai k4.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Pro Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 To be honest... My first true synth was a Minimoog in the 70's, and I bought it for the same reason most people did - because to play in the cool bands you had to have a synth whether you knew how to play one or not. Of course once I got it and got familiar with the knobs I became a real synth player and knew what I was doing, but my first instinct was to buy it because it and I would look cool together on stage. It did make some neat sounds but look-factor was very high at the time. I dare say that some players would buy one today for the same reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDman Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I'd never buy a Karma, it's totally fugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members clusterchord Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 when several models of VA came out a few yrs back i think i was drawn to design a lot, like Virus KB, Nords, but managed to resist since i didnt really want/need them enough at the time, to justify spending cash.. XTk is one of the best looking synths ever, i drooled over one for a long time. Of course , it has a great sound as well, and in the end, a sound decision prevailed - at the time i had choice between XTk10 or XT30, and I went for XT30 - less cool, but more sound. A6 - well it certainly wasn't a decisive factor, but it didn't hurt that it looks the way it does, with tons of knobs and all. Majestic sound was the main selling point. When i got it , it was somewhat like getting involved with a supermodel that has a brain and emotional depth as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zarquin Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 well, if its a tossup between two similar synths, id prefer the better looking one, because, well , everyone likes good looking things around them... though i tend to find things with knobs and jacks etc good looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDman Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I bought my K5000 for its sound, but it's a sexy beast as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pighood Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Originally posted by TDman I bought my K5000 for its sound, but it's a sexy beast as well... Roger that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue halo Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I 2nd what cheptronics said... Most good synths look great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miket156 Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Hey Cluster: We all know there's no such thing. Mike T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheProteus Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Just ask anyone who will buy a Virus TI Polar. :-) First and foremost, I go for sound and controllability - if it's got a good control interface, either via a hardware panel or a software interface like SoundDiver, I'll snag it. But, I've found myself drooling over the Polar, and cringing at the same time. If I'm not mistaken, the new Virus TI series has the same features in the synth engine across all the products. So, with the Virus TI Keyboard being $2300, and the Virus TI Polar being $2300, and finally the Virus TI desktop is $1600. All of these have the same effective features, and a person's choice of unit would be driven by whether or not they want keys on the unit. BUT - if anyone had a choice between a 61-note keyboard and a 35-note keyboard, I think most people would snag the 61. By that reasoning, snagging the Polar with a smaller keyboard and paying the same amount just because it's a different colour and has some nice aesthetics would be purely an aesthetic decision. I know I've found myself going "I want a Polar... but I can get the KB for the same amount! *grrr*" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cybermooks Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Ok I will admit there is one synth I've wanted for years because it looked SOOOO cool. That is the Akai AX80. I tried before but the displays weren't working. Anyway lately I found one I paid a little more for and it is perfect- sleek and looks brand new. What this thing uniquely has is a bunch of fluorescent bars towards the top that show the parameters. Really cool. It has a slanted rear panel section for easy access. A really beautifully designed synth. How does it sound? Well it is analog, and has often been described as sounding like a Juno 106. Fortunately it doesn't really IMO. It has it's own sound and is pretty thick. I'm really happy with it. There's one other I'd go for, also an Akai- the VX600, which is a compact little keyboard with some cool features. Not easy to find. Saw one on Ebay recently but price was way too high for what it does, around $850. If I found one for less I'd probably buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warped Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 My Virus Indigo I didn't need it, but those flashing blue LEDs ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I'm all for functionality and sounds, even tho that EX7 looks good in my studio(color-coordinated with my Boss DR-770). Tuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J3RK Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I've never gotten one solely on the way it looks, but that actually is a factor for me. I don't think I'd buy a synth if it was terribly ugly. My favorite synths look-wise so far were my waldorfs, and my SID Station Rack. (We annodized it green with blue LEDs, and replaced the green LCD with a bluish VFD. The new version looks even cooler.) One of my favorite synths to look at is the Xpander. Even if I didn't know what it sounded like I'd be drawn to it, and probably buy it. It has an almost evil/foreboding look about it, that kinda draws me in. When I'm at my friend's house (who has one,) I'm always staring into the corner where the Xpander sits. It's dark, has eerie glowing VFDs. I actually wanted one before he showed me what it could do. When I borrowed it, I didn't want to give it back. I think the looks had a decent amount to do with that actually. I was debating about a G2X or a VTI, and I have to say I like the way the VTI looks more, so I'm getting that, and getting a G2 Engine to go with it. (That wasn't the actual deciding factor, but it played a LARGE part in it.) When my friend and I build things, we use blue, or multicolor LEDs, we always use alluminum (and annodize it an appropriate color,) and aesthetics are very important to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuzikB Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 No, but the appearance of a synth does have a factor in my choice of purchase. Ex.--I think that the Ion is a great sounding synth but the fact that it's flat is one of the reasons I didn't purchase it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Trillian Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Well, I wouldn't buy a synth ONLY for its looks (unless maybe it was really cheap, which usually doesn't happen). It is definitely a factor. I loved the way the PPGs looked but at the time it was also the only thing that did what it did but it made my rig look pretty serious. I think the way a synth looks sometimes makes you think it must do something amazing sound-wise as well. I have often wondered about the big Waldorf Wave for this reason, anything that looks that mega must sound awesome as well. I love the look of a big modular but I am also practical enough to know that I would find it a real hassle having to physically patch everything up. Conversely I think that is one reason I don't use software as much as I could - it lacks the tactile factor and 3D visual realness that hardware has. -Sheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kirumamoru Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Originally posted by TheProteus Just ask anyone who will buy a Virus TI Polar. :-) First and foremost, I go for sound and controllability - if it's got a good control interface, either via a hardware panel or a software interface like SoundDiver, I'll snag it. But, I've found myself drooling over the Polar, and cringing at the same time. If I'm not mistaken, the new Virus TI series has the same features in the synth engine across all the products. So, with the Virus TI Keyboard being $2300, and the Virus TI Polar being $2300, and finally the Virus TI desktop is $1600. All of these have the same effective features, and a person's choice of unit would be driven by whether or not they want keys on the unit. BUT - if anyone had a choice between a 61-note keyboard and a 35-note keyboard, I think most people would snag the 61. By that reasoning, snagging the Polar with a smaller keyboard and paying the same amount just because it's a different colour and has some nice aesthetics would be purely an aesthetic decision. I know I've found myself going "I want a Polar... but I can get the KB for the same amount! *grrr*" Look at the really big pictures on gearjunkies, and compare how the keys on the Polar look to the five-octave keyboard, and then try to convince yourself you still want the Polar... man, the keys on five-octave synth look so high-quality. I keep hearing great things about them, and looking at the picture, I believe everything I hear. Kiru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 Color is a very cool thing to play with on synths... not because it changes the sound, just because color and synths go together like coke and ice. Gold and silver EX-5? awesome Yellow Q? er... I'll pass for a blue one Black XT? muther{censored}ing hell ya. Polar? when i bite into a polar i get the sensation of driving lfo's into the audible range somewhere on the frozen tundra Andromeda? um... i dont quite gell with the design Roland... hmnnn.. well i think a black SP-808 is cooler than the EX fisher price look, however i got the fisher price model. For the record a black 808 can be speced out even higher than the EX if you're willing (free OS upgrade and drop a Zip-750mb in the internal slot) I've got a couple roland boxes with the blue color and orange letters... that's kinda tame but cool The VariOS looks like a gem... i really like that, it's even bezzled And the D2 of course is orange cause it had to match my XT I will admit that I would consider paying someone to do a proffesional "reversal" on the color scheme of my D-50 case... i.e. white with black stencil. That would be smokin', and maybe match the PG-1000 to it, and, as long as im dreaming, make the sharps white and the notes with black keys like you see on some harpischords.... Then i would just have to figure out how to fit the back with a neon D-50 light that pulses in tempo to the music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cybermooks Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 I don't know I think yellow and orange Waldorf's kind of spice up the racks over a dull blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted November 10, 2004 Members Share Posted November 10, 2004 honestly? yes, like most others here, i think the looks of a synth can influence a buying decision, but there are also many other factors to consider. but if something's so butt-ugly i can't stand to look at it, i'd almost certainly never buy it, no matter how good it sounds. maybe i'm shallow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 303face Posted November 11, 2004 Members Share Posted November 11, 2004 The Indigo worked for me becuase of the smaller space I had to work with. What a lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steph3dfx Posted November 11, 2004 Members Share Posted November 11, 2004 I never bought a synth based on the look. I remember when I bought my M1 in 89, I didn't like the look but I was blown away by the sound. In fact the DX-7 II was the best looking synth IMO at that time but also the less inspiring for me soundwise. Today I have a Fantom-S, wich I find very sexy. I must say that the new Virus TI KB is the best looking synth on the market and that killer look is the icing on the incredible specs of the TI engine. Black with nicely cut red wood sides..... would be great with my space age silver Fantom-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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