Expanding my LP (new)

[BadAlibi]

Hey guys, I know there's probably another thread somewhat like this on the forum, but please bare with me. (although I don't want to waste your time) I am selling my Kurz PC1x to SamAsh this weekend and will have around $1000 for a budget. My options are a Barbetta powered speaker & mallekko assmaster, doepfer dark energy, a dsi tetra, a prophet 08 rack (encoder module $1249 at rainbow guitars) an oberheim sem, and a nord lead 2x ($1000 at audiolines). I've spent hours at SamAsh twiddling with the prophet, and I don't think it sounds that different from the nord, and I don't have to buy a crappy midi controller that kinda looks silly next to my curvaceous phatty. My music= www.youtube.com/user/badalibi (sorry for crap recording again ) I just want to diversify my sound a little from just playing sorta wanky hooks over and over again (or make them sound so awesome nobody'll care ) ) Any suggestions, advice, experience, or posts telling me I'm spoiled and should stick with what I have are appreciated.

[CTRLSHFT]

For perspective, my current synth setup is Moog LP SEII, DSI Tetra, MIDI-CV SEM (coming in about a week).

The Tetra isn't for everyone, editing will be done ITB on the editor. Sounds fantastic though and is BANGIN' with the LP. The new SEM will give you multimode filtering on the cheap.

Future Retro XS is also a fantastic companion to the LP, I had that for almost 2 years, had to sell for $$$ reasons, but I'll probably buy again later. It's a serious machine.

You can check out some demos I made of the two here: http://soundcloud.com/ctrlshft

[BadAlibi]

Thanks CTRLSHFT! The fast replies on this forum never cease to amaze me Keep the opinions flowing!

[EMwhite]

I'm in need of a poly myself but no cash.

My setup is a set of new Taurus 3s, LP Tribute w/CV out mod, a Voyager Old School, a Hammond M3 w/Leslie and nothing in between except a 61 key M-Audio KeyStation that I use to play soft synths in Logic Express.

If I didn't buy the Taurus, I likely would have gotten a Prophet 08 PE.

I'm all about avoiding modules (at least this go around). Back in the day, I had a rack of stuff but the parameter editing is cumbersome, too high a learning curve to get into the soul of the machine, and not geared for playing and tweaking.

*IF* I had a full 5 Octave digital synth and I wanted to get into analog, the DarkEnergy would be the thing. But if you have a Phatty already... ehhhh...

I'd go for something with a full keyboard so you can play chords, textures, etc.

Funny thing about midi controllers. My wife bought me this KeyStation for fathers day some time ago. At the time, I only had GarageBand and wanted to play it.

Just recently, I decided to pickup a small 'controller' to tweak my Taurus. The Arp really lends itself to messing with the Taurus parameters while playing but who wants to get down on the floor and and mess with one parameter at a time. Well anyway, I bought a Akai MPK25 for $250 and it has 12 pots, 4 buttons, 12 pads, a footswitch and an expression pedal input all assignable to any Midi CC on any channel. Great great device. But I didn't like the build quality and wanted some sliders also. The Akai has the best drum pads but that's not my thing so I returned it and bought a Novation controller for $400. My point is (finally!) that these keyboards are not cheap, but they are a necessary evil.

So forget about getting a rack module if you can help it and instead put the $$ you'd spend to get something that might eventually need a full keyboard towards an ACTUAL keyboard synth.

For the same reason I bought the Old School (I was considering the RME at the time), I am advising that you do the same.

Once you have two great keyboards (Phatty for either lead or bass and a 5 or larger octave kbd for chords, etc) then move onto modules, etc.

For me, I'm waiting to sell a few of my prized Pinball machines (yes, you read that right), and will get something like the PE08.

Sorry for the long posting, hope this helps.. just my opinion.

[nerdtro]

I bought the nord lead 2x, since I already owned the Electro 3 , I knew it would be well built and sound good.While testing it out, I compared a raw square wave to the same on my Roland Fantom.The Fantom sample....sample! actually sounded more analog than the virtual Nord. The tone sounded the same , but the fantom 's sound was thicker. I took back the nord and purchased the little phatty. the little phatty is the sound I was looking for, now I would like to add a low priced module so I can have extra poliphany and another envelope or two. Is there anything out there that has that analog sound like the Lp and affordable ?

[CTRLSHFT]

I bought the nord lead 2x, since I already owned the Electro 3 , I knew it would be well built and sound good.While testing it out, I compared a raw square wave to the same on my Roland Fantom.The Fantom sample....sample! actually sounded more analog than the virtual Nord. The tone sounded the same , but the fantom 's sound was thicker. I took back the nord and purchased the little phatty. the little phatty is the sound I was looking for, now I would like to add a low priced module so I can have extra poliphany and another envelope or two. Is there anything out there that has that analog sound like the Lp and affordable ?

Mopho/Tetra would be your best bet IMO. You might also consider going the vintage route for a Juno 60/106 or Korg Polysix.

Or you can wait a year and see if Moog makes a somewhat-affordable (like Voyager priced) miracle VCO polysynth.

[DeFrag]

Voted for the Nord for the poly.

[anoteoftruth]

I'm using a Nord Rack 1 with my LP and RME, and they go great together.

I don't know that I would recommend it if all that your looking for is a strictily analog sound... it can get close to analog sounds, but not exactly there.. the good thing about it I find, is that it does have it's own character, that compliments my Moog's really well imo.

So I may be a little bias... but I'm looking to get a prophet 08 rack + SEM next.. but I would'nt give up my Nord for them.

[sharkbarf]

I always find these kind of questions interesting.
The problem is most of the time they are subjective.
It helps to hear testimony but eventually it is going to be about what YOU want.

For the past month I've been saving for an RME to add poly to my LP
in the last week I've realized what I really need is a Nord to help balance my studio.

Personally I'd think about what I can't do sonically and try to fill that gap, not just get a new toy.

hope it helps

[anoteoftruth]

I agree with sharkbarf. I love having both a RME and a LP, but they both serve a different sonic purpose to me. I use my nord to fill a big gap as well. In fact, I find I spend about 70% of my time tinkering and playing with my Moog's (because they are my favorite), but more and more, after I finish a complete track.. I usually find my nord in anywhere from 30-60% of the mix. As much as I'd love to say it, I just can't say that my Moog's cover all my needs... and sometimes knowing what you need is the hardest part.. especially when getting caught up with the infatuation in a lot of this beautiful gear.

I'm still really considering bringing in a prophet 08 to the mix.. but for the kind of music I do, I am realizing more and more than it may not cover as much ground as I initially thought it would... making me step back and look around a bit more.

[BadAlibi]

Thanks again you guys! You're right, I am getting a little gearslutish. Plus the Nord deal fell through, so i guess im just going to buy myself a decent amp and get my pitch wheel fixed, and maybe some wood bling on the sides

[soundxplorer]

I sold my Nord Lead 1 in order to afford my Little Phatty.
They would go great together though. I really liked the Nord, it was hard to give up. But since I can only afford one right now I chose the LP to be my hardware synth while "poly" duties are handled by software.
The SEM is a good choice too.