Your Number 1 Synth

[H_M_D]

Hello all!

Since moving to Japan I've experienced an absolute wealth of hardware gear. I've also indulged in purchasing it, researching it, trading it, mixing it... you name it! It's cracking to be learning about it all. From used bargains to new units that get made available before they touch the shores of the western world, its all here.

I know environment is a huge player to the sound that we can experience. I am also curious to other aspects to: like do the shape of my ears make a difference to how I experience a sound when compared to other people? Do certain chains of instruments go well together? My wife and I tried headphones about a year ago and we talked in great detail about our experience and it seemed components created a lot of chemistry between devices and ergo the overall output. Also, how much of a part do the aesthetics sex up our idea? I know I like to obsess over minute details. I am searching for answers all the time. It's a quest that I am very fond of.

I was blown away by the Sub 37 in every shop that I played it. I played the Voyager and I'd like to know why I still preferred the sounds I experienced with the Sub 37 (both were next to each other in the same shop using the same monitors). Any ideas? I also want to try the Sub Phatty to see what I can coax out of it beyond the world of presets.

Roland's System 8 has sounded like it could with a certain "something". It has also produced jarring sounds after a minor amount of tweaking around.
My Minitaur is fatter than fat even before I've ran it through various effects. The MiniBrute has its own character and I'm impressed with the fatness of my JU-06 and the original when I hear it. My Op-1 has a great quality to it. My System 1m is a really great sounding piece. All have their own sonic anchors but I am sure if I am lucky enough to own the Sub 37 it will remain top of the heap, king of the hill, A No.1. (Disclaimer: the Arp 2600 with sequencer combo, Oberheim Sem and other vintage units are not included as I am not at that stage yet.)

The point to all my words is a question.

I'd LOVE to know what you guys think is your biggest sounding best synth straight out of the box? No effects, no eq'ing, nothing. Just straight from opening it up. What has blown you away? I'm still in awe of the Sub 37.
I'm sure all synths could be beefed up with effects but I want to know what you guys think is the number 1 with the biggest sound out of the box. I'd love to click audio/video links to back up your examples because, and I quote from the Sub 37 vs Model D thread, your "buttery" may be another mans "creamy". Maybe you'd choose a good all rounder or maybe pads are thing and you own an original Jupiter 8?

Looking forward to your answers!

[captainkidd]

Right now pretty much all my synth gear is Moog, except for a Roland Juno DS (to kind of feel in the poly/keyboard roll for now) and a small Eurorack that I've been piecing together. With that said at the moment my Reissue Model D is my number 1 Synth. I think part if it is that it is my newest Synth but still it is kind of like you mentioned sounds great right out of the box! I do kind of bounce between it and the Sub 37 but it has been getting most of my attention lately.

I can pretty much flip it on and no matter where it is set it is ready to go. Where as it seems like the Sub 37 needs a little noodling to start getting it to come alive (sans using any preset). But this is all from my limited Synth life so far.

[H_M_D]

Right now pretty much all my synth gear is Moog, except for a Roland Juno DS (to kind of feel in the poly/keyboard roll for now) and a small Eurorack that I've been piecing together. With that said at the moment my Reissue Model D is my number 1 Synth. I think part if it is that it is my newest Synth but still it is kind of like you mentioned sounds great right out of the box! I do kind of bounce between it and the Sub 37 but it has been getting most of my attention lately.

I can pretty much flip it on and no matter where it is set it is ready to go. Where as it seems like the Sub 37 needs a little noodling to start getting it to come alive (sans using any preset). But this is all from my limited Synth life so far.

Oh wow! You have both the Model D and Sub 37! That's every type of awesome, congratulations!

I just popped the VK-8M into my setup. That thing is a beast! I am always the same with a new synth and after setting up my DX7 as the primary midi keyboard I found myself playing my JP-08 a lot! It does sound wonderful with a chain of effects.

What are the major differences you have found between the Sub 37 and Model D? On the Sub 37 there is the option to do the headphone jack trick. I'd love to hear a comparison between the two when they are both imitating a bass drum. That Sub 37 rocked my world when I heard it! It's exactly the bass drum I am seeking. I'd also love to know the difference in colour between the two machines. I watched a very good comparison between an old Model D and a Voyager. The link is here for your perusal: https://youtu.be/8cTZo0qUlK8
I'd love to watch something similar between the Sub 37 and the Model D.

[Kirneh Ness]

I have very few to choose from, but the Minitaur was everything I had hoped for at first touch. That sound, that sound! So it is clearly my no. 1.

I will never move up to Model D or anything in that neighborhood, as it is too expensive for me, and since I am mainly a guitar player. But I just got a MiniBrute, and that is simply a fun instrument to play. Obviously, it "loses" to the Minitaur sound-wise in the lower register, but in the high, one can make lots of fun sounds (and adding some MoogerFooger effects does not hurt). And it has all kinds of connectivity. So given it's price it is actually quite amazing. And you don't have to turn on a computer, wait for all the updates to download, install, reboot, etc., before you can start playing. (And ADSR is controllable with FOUR sliders, like in A, D, S, R. )

I know this should be about Moog, but this was just to indirectly say that I am wondering whether Moog is missing out on the entry level market? But I guess with their strict and high quality requirements, it is just not possible to compete price-wise with, say, a MiniBrute (which, e.g., has wobbly plastic sliders and knobs, compared to my Minitaur's impeccable sturdy knobs). But hopefully the emergence of lower priced entry products will complement Moog, so more get interested in analog gear, and those who get serious about it, will turn to Moog at some point.

[Stevie Ray]

My number-1 synth is my venerable Korg Trinity Pro (with the optional analogue monosynth board). It's been my friend since 1998 and some of its sounds might seem a bit 'dated' to some ears, but it still blows my mind. It's amazingly flexible and programmable. Sitting above that I have a Moog Voyager Old School which I also love dearly.

These two synths live in my lounge room, I have others (including Sub-37, Mothers, Korgs, Arps and so on...) but they stay firmly in the 'music room'.

When I just want to relax and noodle away without the pressure of having to 'produce something worthwhile', the the Trinity and VOS pair are just perfect. It's just so easy to work with them, they are almost instinctive to me now. Working out musical ideas and sketches with them is a pleasure rather than a chore.

I could sell everything else if I needed to, but these are the two instruments that do it for me and I will never part with them.