Thoughts on the Matrix 1000?

I've been thinking of picking one of these up, anyone own one? does it really sound like a matrix 6? likes? dis-likes?

I don't know about the matrix 1000- but I do like your screen name. I want to take a road bike up the 21 switchbacks sometime soon, while I still can possibly do it.....

I love the Matrix/Xpander character that I hear in the online demos. I haven't played with one in person, though.

Matrix 1000 is a great value. Tons of presets, sounds great. Not OB-series great, but, really good.

Two areas where it falls down: you can't easily do any real-time tweaking and some of the units have a noticably loud transformer hum.

There are several good software editors for it.

It is a Matrix-6 internally. It doesn't do splits and layers and there's no editing from the front panel, but otherwise it's a Matrix-6.

ew

Good FREE ones.

+1 on the Matrix 1000. i still use mine quite a bit. I think it sounds just great.

Besides not being able to tweak it from the front panel, the amount of duplications in the on-board patches might rub some the wrong way.Thats really the only negatives.

It has a big, fat sound and that's the main thing.

used it once for me its hard to edit but its close to the 6 soundwise...

I had a Matrix 6R and M1000 and duplicated patches in both and split them hard L+R and they sounded identical to me. Never had the hum problem that was mentioned above. You will NEED an editor, but they are in abundance.

The fidelity is excellent and unique- totally analog.

Dont pay more than $300.

I have both the MAtrix 1000 and the 6R as well. They have the same engine, but you can program the 6R and the 1000 you need an editor. The only set back for me was that the Matrix 6R was 3 rack spaces. I don't have that type of Real estate to spare. So this is the deal, I have a Fader Master Pro by JL Cooper which also has a setting that can control the Matrix 6R. I am selling both the 6R and Fader Master Pro together as a package. The JL Cooper alone is about $300. Make me an offer. Interesting trades considered.

A local guy wants to sell me a "white face" for $300. I think the older ones can be had for around $200. Any reason to go for the white face?

Back in the mid 90's I was working on a recording project at high level commercial studio and they had two Matrix 1000's in the rack. There were lots of great sounds in it - especially the kind of trippy ambient and analog-type sounds we were looking for. I'd like to have one but the used one's I've seen were pretty expensive, compared to how other synths of that era have depreciated.

To piggy back on this thread, I was wondering if the Mat 6 is identical to the Mat 12? And are those identical to the xpander?

In terms of basic sounds, I know the number of modulation sources might be different, but are the basic VCO, VCF, and VCAs the same? Do they sound the same in general?

I have 2 Matrix 1000 (so i can expand the polyphony or layer patches).

It's a great synth. But i advise you an ACCESS Matrix Controller so you can tweak the sounds live. It's really worth it!!!

Another thing:

Put a stereo chorus and a stereo delay after it, it will bring the beast to another sonic level!!!

V

The Matrix 12 is two Xpander engines plus a keyboard.

The Matrix 6 is another beast altogether...much simpler architecture.

The M6 and M1000 sell for a lot less than the Xpander or M12....

If you intend to gig with it, make sure to support the rear end in the rack; it's wide and heavy, and ended up twisting the faceplate at the mounting ears after a few gigs.

Love the sound, though!

A little OT, but I got a used Matrix 6R a while back. I love the sound, but I can only get stereo out of the front headphone jack. One of the back jacks appears to be dead. Do you think it's a quick connection or solder fix, or could it be much worse? I figured since the headphone is in stereo, the back jack must be a simple isolated problem and not something wrong with the mainboard. Any ideas?

Does anybody know if the Behringer BCR-2000 (or Remote SL) can be configured to control Matrix-1000/6? Anybody done this successfully?

- CM

it's also the only rackmount anything i own that has rubber feet- look how that plays out in my rack:

i think they are a bargain & sound fantastic. same DCO-type analog that fetches big money for the Prophet 08 these days. i still edit with Galaxy.