Calling all OPUS 3 Owners

Ezzo · Post by **Ezzo** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:23 am

Do any of you guys have some MP3's of your OPUS doing its thing? How about a link to a site that does? I'm thinking about buying one but I've barely heard anything of its abilities

museslave · Post by **museslave** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:20 pm

Ezzo, I don't want to be a downer, but:

I love string synths. I love them. I've had several of them... Korg Delta, Korg Lambda, ARP Solina, and the Opus 3.

OTHER than the Moog filter, which is always wonderful, the Opus 3 is... well, wretched. You can't get around the paraphonic aspect... the fact that it has but one envelope generator, and one filter. This is DEATH when it comes to string synths... for a divide-down synthesizer, you really need a filter, VCA and ENV per note.

You really have to work to get a pleasing sound out of it... if you're not interested in using it as a pleasing string-generator, or organ genrator, you might be happier... because it is very brash... the saw waves of the string section and the square waves of the organ section are just... wow. Brazen. Only the Moog filter can tame them... but then it's only going through the single envelope generator, which makes playing it require a lot of accounting for the envelope.

I bought mine so I would have a purely analog polyphonic synth on stage, and I was excited that it was a Moog. Once I got it, I was horrified. It wasn't in the condition promised by the seller, but that wasn't what generated my horror. The horror-generator was the fact that is a very cheaply constructed machine. Many of them have problems due to the gunk that is generated by the foam above the sliders. These facts coupled with the fact that it required a lot of effort to get a smooth sound out of it, made me very dissatisfied. It might be okay for the studio, but it was NOT fine for a live setting where quick changes and expectations for a nice sound immediately occur.

I keep looking back at the Opus 3 and thinking "maybe I was too quick to judge." Looking at the capabilities, it SEEMS like it would be such a cool synth... the way you can layer everything, and everything... but I too well remember how cheap the quality was, and how loose the sliders were in regard to precision. My only consolation while playing it was grabbing the Filter Cutoff slider. ; )

Of the four Moogs I have owned, I would highly recommend alll of them... except the Opus 3.

Ezzo · Post by **Ezzo** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:25 pm

Thanks for the review, I guess my curiosity with OPUS 3 is that I can count on one hand the amount of MP3's I've heard of it. Judging from its less than glowing reviews I don' think I would ever want to own one however every once in a while I get a hankering to hear what one sounds like.

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:16 am

Actually I disagree . . . I think, for a vintage sound, the Opus3 has some merits.

Yes, it's not going to create strings as good as a modern workstation and it possibly doesn't sound as good as some of the ARP string machines that had dedicated filters and envelopes but there's a lot that can be done.

Personally I find the string section, with it's chorus effect just fine . . even the slightly lame organ section can be put to good use if you feed it through the filter section . . I have managed to get some very "synth" like tones out of it (and naturally if you play it monophonically the filter and envelopes trigger as they should).

With a careful amount of mixing between the strings/organ/brass (which always has to go through the filter section unless you want a fixed "brup" sound), it's possible to get some very large, vintage sound out of one . . there's even a nice "delayed' modulation section which can add real depth . . whack all the sliders up and you get some weird sample and hold like stuff happening . . try to get these tones out of a minimoog - you won't be able to.

And as it's stereo . . add a little external delay and some reverb and you are right back in 1975 . . I have sold a lot of my moog collection during the last year, I have owned every monophonic moog ever made . . and I got to the point where I decided to keep just the moogs that sound substantially different to each other so the Opus3 for me is great, as it compliments a Prodigy, Source, minimoog or Vayager etc just great.

Regarding build quality . . not sure about museslave's experience but I have always found the Opus3 (and the Prodigy, it's monophonic design parter) to be built pretty solidly . . yes the sliders can get a little wobbly but then it's a 25+ year old instrument. I was able to replace all my sliders and their cap tops from "chipforbrains" on ebay and now my Opus3 is as good as any new synth - by my ears anyway, there's a lot of good stuff you can get out of an Opus . .especially when you consider that they don't go for much these days.

Mal

museslave · Post by **museslave** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:16 am

mee3d wrote:Actually I disagree . . . I think, for a vintage sound, the Opus3 has some merits.

Actually, I agree. My review was heavy-handed... but it's true, the Opus is capable of some nice sounds. Some very nice, and interesting sounds, actually... it's just more of a chore than it should be to milk them out of the danged thing!

mee3d wrote:Yes, it's not going to create strings as good as a modern workstation and it possibly doesn't sound as good as some of the ARP string machines that had dedicated filters and envelopes but there's a lot that can be done.

I am very much opposed to using string synths to emulate strings. ; )

mee3d wrote:With a careful amount of mixing between the strings/organ/brass (which always has to go through the filter section unless you want a fixed "brup" sound), it's possible to get some very large, vintage sound out of one . . there's even a nice "delayed' modulation section which can add real depth . . whack all the sliders up and you get some weird sample and hold like stuff happening . . try to get these tones out of a minimoog - you won't be able to.

Agreed on all counts. But especially the "careful amount of mixing." : )

mee3d wrote:And as it's stereo . . add a little external delay and some reverb and you are right back in 1975 . . I have sold a lot of my moog collection during the last year, I have owned every monophonic moog ever made . . and I got to the point where I decided to keep just the moogs that sound substantially different to each other so the Opus3 for me is great, as it compliments a Prodigy, Source, minimoog or Vayager etc just great.

Awww, you had a Sonic Six, but you didn't keep it?

mee3d wrote:Regarding build quality . . not sure about museslave's experience but I have always found the Opus3 (and the Prodigy, it's monophonic design parter) to be built pretty solidly . . yes the sliders can get a little wobbly but then it's a 25+ year old instrument.

Well, compare the solidness of your Opus 3 against the solidness of your CS-50, and you'll sense the basis of my complaint. : ) All of the post-Micromoog Moogs tend to have lower quality standards than the synths that came before it, and I've never liked that. The Opus 3 sits directly in with the Rogue and Realistic in terms of physical quality.

mee3d wrote: I was able to replace all my sliders and their cap tops from "chipforbrains" on ebay and now my Opus3 is as good as any new synth - by my ears anyway, there's a lot of good stuff you can get out of an Opus . .especially when you consider that they don't go for much these days.

Admittedly, I wanted a cheaper polysynth when I bought my Opus 3... and I also have to admit that it wasn't in very good shape. If the sliders had been replaced, I suspect I would have had a much better experience with it... but then again, it would have no longer been a cheaper synth after slider replacement. : )

I suppose of you take into account some of the less-thrilling aspects of the Opus 3, it can be a decent investment... but it's a good idea to know that it has some limitations and potential frustrations! Just make sure you get a good oneeee!

I knew if I took a negative stance, someone would come along with a decent positive stance... so, thanks, Mal! I think opposing views provide a potential buyer with some perspectives to consider. : )

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:55 am

Each to their own I say . . and I have bought GREAT synths that turn out to be lemons . . and lemons, that turn out to be GREAT synths.

If you can . . always go play the instrument before you buy it . . test all the knobs and buttons and make sure that it's the sound you are looking for . . ebay is not a place to be buying vintage synths unless you know what you want in advance.

Mal

museslave · Post by **museslave** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:21 pm

I have been awfully lucky in regard to eBay... every keyboard I have purchased there, I've been able to resell at a profit if I didn't like it. Mostly, this has been because I have been careful about what I bought, but it's also because most analog synth sellers on eBay don't take the time to adequately photograph, describe, or understand their own synths.
It is a dangerous game, though. The last synth I bought had the seller sending me a cryptic e-mail about "not knowing how to package the thing." It arrived ONLY in a cardboard box. He actually charged me for packing and materials. The control panel came loose in shipping and landed on the circuit board. Luckily, I will never sell the danged thing... but its sad and a cautionary tale nonetheless!

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:29 pm

You sound like you know what you are doing . . so ebay will work for you. I buy from ebay, but I tend to buy stuff that isn't working as i can get it cheep and restore it myself . . which works great for me, but for some (possibly Ezzo, with his original inquiry) this would be problematic.

M

Ezzo · Post by **Ezzo** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:39 pm

If I could hear a one minute demo that dedicated 20 seconds to each of the sections I would probably never wonder about them again I just can't seem to find any sound samples of them. Some people will be like "check out such and such band they used one from time to time" and thats just not very helpful.

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:57 am

Ezzo

I would love to do that for you . . just that my Opus is in a storage unit in London at the moment . . and I am in Ireland. I hope to be shipping out all that stuff in the next month or so . . I'll put up some clips then.

Mal

Rogue · Post by **Rogue** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:59 am

I don't want to make promises. But somewhere I have a "live bootleg" CD that I made from a concert I attended several years back. It was a relatively unknown band called Energist. He had an Opus 3, and at the end of one of his songs that I put on the "bootleg" CD, you hear it all by itself. Though I have no idea what settings he had it on. I'll dig around for that CD and try to make a clip for you...

I thought the Opus had no CV Gate, is that correct? Is it possible to add that on? Just wondering.

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:12 am

I thought the Opus had no CV Gate, is that correct? Is it possible to add that on? Just wondering.

I doubt it, as the Opus isn't a synth it's an organ. It uses divide down circuitry to get polyphony so even if it was possible to modify you would only get one note . . which note?

Having opened an Opus3 I would however imagine that it would be possible to MIDI it as all the keys solder directly to the motherboard and each have a unique resistor . . with a little work it should be possible but I doubt anyones going to go to the trouble.

Mal

Rogue · Post by **Rogue** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 1:18 pm

Ah ok, thanks for answering my question

I found the CD, and

here is the clip! I had made the "bootleg" CD using the audio from an older mini-DV video camera's audio track. I was filming from the balcony in a church...

The sound was actually pretty good for the most part. Anyways I hope it gives you an idea of just one thing that an Opus 3 can do. But like I said, I'm not sure what he's got that thing set to play. And it sounds like he shifted something towards the end. Maybe someone here can figure it out after listening to it...

Nick Montoya · Post by **Nick Montoya** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:11 pm

museslave wrote:If the sliders had been replaced, I suspect I would have had a much better experience with it... but then again, it would have no longer been a cheaper synth after slider replacement. : )

I think the replacement sliders are only 20 bucks a set on EBay !!

- Nick

mee3d · Post by **mee3d** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:30 pm

Spike

Thanks for the clip . . however, I don't think that truly shows off the Opus3 at all . . . As stated in a previous thread . . I'll have my Opus back in a month or so and I'll post some clips as it really sounds MUCH better/richer/warmer/smoother then that clip.

Mal