I’m getting ready to sell a few things around here and hope to get a synth to nicely compliment my Voyager. I was leaning toward a Prophet 08, but when I saw the Futureretro XS, I figured it could be neat to use with my Voyager RME…as I have the vx-351 and 352.
I own a Virus TI, so I have both a mono (my RME) and a polysynth at this point. I can totally get by, but I feel like maybe I should just get all overkill about it?! lol
What do you guys think?
Nothing wrong with overkill.
Have you checked out the ROland Fantom G series…those are great.
I want to get the fantom XR to compliment my voyager but thats way on down the list.
EricK
The Future Retro stuff looks and sounds great, and is quite affordable…of course, this being a Moog forum for Moog users, ALL synths are affordable! Except for Buchlas and Moog CE. Those are expensive. But I digress. Go for the XS! 
Yeah, the Fantom G is super nice. I’d like to get a nice workstation again down the road, but I’m just getting caught up with “technology” enough to start sequencing with software as opposed to my MC 505. I think I like the old box more! LOL
Thanks for all the comments. It’s tough decision, as I’ve been really wanting the Prophet 08, and this will be my last big purchase for a looooong time. It seems obvious that the XS will be hella fun to use with the RME, but I also think the Prophet would be a bit more distinct sounding in my set up.
My brain hurts.
If I were you, I’d wait for a REAL polysynth. DSI stuff sounds weak to me, almost as weak as my slowly dying Farfisa 611/R. Except the Farfisa has some edge due to the corroding components. 
I am not the best person to talk to about DSI, BTW. I can’t stand their sound. Some people like their sound, so just ignore me for now. 
Haha, no worries man! Ain’t no shame in having a preference!!! 
I have a Prophet '08 module, and while it certainly doesn’t kick you like a Moog does, it fills up part of the spectrum where the Moog doesn’t. At the moment I have it hooked up to a Voyager; it’s quite fun to do some poly basslines, pads or interesting sequencer pieces with the Moog sitting on the bottom.
Its modulation options are pretty intense and most functions are pretty easy to tweak. They must have forgot to put a proper D/A on the sustain portions of the envelopes though, because there is a pretty big zipper noise when you adjust this knob and e.g. resonance is high. Might find a use for it, though
A moog polysynth may well have sounded better, but they didn’t have one at the time, and you can’t really complain about the price.
My NZD0.036 cents.
Are you aware of the Metasonix S 1000 Wretch Machine? I`m tempted myself; I think it may complement my Voyager nicely (or should I say: nastily?).
It`s a semi-modular Vacuum Tube Synthesizer, and here is a quote from a recent review at SOS:
“I bought my first synthesizer sometime in the late '70s, or rather my parents bought it for me. Since those halcyon teenage days I reckon I have owned more synths than Imelda Marcos has had shoes — including most of the classic analogues, several large modulars, workstations, digital stuff and enough modelling synths to fill a Paris catwalk. Hardly any of these have taken me completely by surprise, and fewer still have inspired questions like ‘what is a synthesizer all about anyway?’ But just a few short weeks ago, surprised and inspired I was — in abundance. The reason? A new synthesizer unlike any other on the market, a synthesizer built entirely around vacuum tubes.”
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul08/articles/metasonixs1000.htm
It`s a rack mount synth, with plenty of knobs, as well as jack sockets for CV at the bottom, and would be perfect between the Voyager RME and the VX-351/352 and or the CP 251 and foogers.
Yeah those things would make hybrid synth heaven here on earth.
Aren’t they in eurorack configurations?
The only problem with a vacuum tube synth is that while the sound WILL kick you in the nuts while biting your head off, the cost to maintain the thing will burn a hole in your pants and render your legs useless! Some of those tubes can go for 30 50 dollars with the average cost being $25! And that’s if you can FIND them! I’d look into which tubes they use, and if they are readily available at your local music store or wherever you go for tubes. With continuous use, you may get a year or two out of the tubes. Just my $.02
Yeah, that Metasonix thing looks crazy. Sure it sounds sweet. However, my luck with gear the last year or so has been crappy. I could never trust myself with that! LOL
The metasonix wretch machine is not nearly flexible enough sonically for what it costs. if you have everything and want that special sauce, then go for it.
Meanwhile I have a Voyager with VX-351 CV output expander and I just got a FutureRetro XS myself.
DOOO IIIIT!!!
Seriously, it’s an insane combination. The XS has something like a dozen CV ins and outs that are really well-chosen, and with the VX-351 I have a ton of great CV outputs for the Voyager… one of my favorite tricks so far has been to patch the Pedal/Mod2 Bus output voltage from the Voyager to the filter (or pitch) CV input on the XS… the Mod2 bus output jack has on it whatever crazy modulations you can possibly set up using the full power of the Voyager mod busses, which can get pretty sick… you can have all three Voyager oscillators frequency-modulating each other, and then patch the insane CV that results from this, into the XS… run a sequence to the XS, then start twisting knobs on the Voyager… boo-yaaa, boy, now that’s ANALOG! 
It’s ridiculously fun.
So, yeah… I am something of an analog snob these days, and the FR XS seriously impressed me in a lot of ways. It is a classic in the making, and my advice is that you should get one.
Since you have the VX-351 and 352, you will probably want to pick up some extra patch cords, also… you’ll run out of cables before you run out of cool modulation ideas. 
Cheers,
Amos
Lordy lordy, that sounds like patch heaven! Totally sounds like what I was thinking of in my head when I initially saw the XS. Thanks for the reply.
This is going to be a tough decision for me.
Are you interested in a Polymoog?
There was a time when I woulda totally said yes to this. But in all honesty, I’m trying to get away from vintage stuff at the moment. Not enough room in my studio, and I’m just not savvy enough to work on it.
I have a FR XS and I must second Amos. DO IT. Seriously. The semi-modular nature of the XS is a great addition to my MF rig. Perhaps not the greatest thing to say here, but I like the bass better on the FR XS better than most of the basses on the Little Phatty. It is just an awesome piece of equipment.
r05c03 - dude we have like the same gear list… I also have LP, XS, and a microQ! My u-Q is the yellow rack version.
You’re not into industrial music by chance, are you?
My stuff tends to run a range betweem ambient/experimental, industrial, and psy/goa… I’ve found these synths to be perfect for getting the timbres I’m looking for.
As far as LP vs XS for bass, I am still figuring out what I like best. After programming literally hundreds of patches for the LP, I know it well enough that I can dial in any sound it can make, so it is still my go-to bass machine, where I’ve been using the XS more for leads and percussion. As I get deeper into the XS though, I am finding some killer bass sounds… part of it is the mutiple envelope types; they let you get some really tight and punchy basses that sit differently in the mix than what I tend to get out of the Phatty.
Yeah Cool. I was into some industrial back in the day. Skinny Puppy, Front 242, Legendary Pink Dots, Clock DVA, estreinde neubauten. Stuff like that. I have really only recently delved into synth and I am more of a programmer than a keyboarder…I am a bass player by trade but my more basses have been neglected as of late in favor of the synth stuff. It is very fun and engaging. It has been difficult for me to put together anything that does not sound like Industrial…and I am trying to just find stuff that sound good to me and is fun to make.
Yeah the second envelop can really make the bass “pop” to the front especially if you increase the LPFCO at the same time. It gets fun-kay. I hardly use the MicroQ (yellow faced addition too!). I really like analog stuff, mostly because it limits your choices and so much of the stuff is just there, immediately accessible, visible. I do not like hidden menus so much (the LP is tolerable from that stand point, but the MicroQ just has enough choices and hidden options (I simply had to give up the the DSI Evolver for that reason) … I like seeing all those knob and cables so the more hidden stuff is, the less use it gets. That is why I love the XS, all knobs. Invisible routing just does not do it for me…maybe I am slow…but I like physical connections…
I now return you the regularly scheduled thread about the XS…
Get the XS!
Do you guys think I will get pretty good use out of this set up without any Moogerfoogers, as I don’t own any.
This is kinda my first dive into (semi) modular synthesis, so I’m a little worried about shellin’ out the cash and not getting enough use out of it.
That being said, it does sound like I would get a lot out of this set up and I think I would get some diverse sounds (frequency and timbre wise) between the Moog, XS, and Virus. If that doesn’t set me free, I don’t know what will.
In a couple of months, you’ll be buying 'Foogers…I always said “I ain’t spending that! I just bought a $1249 synth, an amp, and a stand!” Well after a couple months, I bought a Phaser. Just for the Stun and Kill labeling, actually. I’m weird like that.
Then I realized I wanted an extra oscillator. I compared the 102 with the 107, and since the 102 was in the store, I bought it, and never looked back! Then I thought, “I wanna go modular, but I have no room for one. The CP-251 looks nice, but it’s too expensive.” Then I learned about the Grammy sale in February. Well, my birthday’s the 16th, so I had some extra money, and with the thirty dollar rebate looking at me, I bought a CP 251.
In short, you may regret buying the XS, but you’ll regret it even MORE if you don’t. I still regret not buying the Micromoog I could have. 