Hi guys
I’m considering one of the above two to complement my A4 for a live set up. I’m looking to add some warmer bass sounds and leads and am stuck between the two.
I was hoping to sequence the chosen machine through the A4 also but am a newbie to wiring etc so any insight would be much appreciated. Insight into the general connectivity between the A4 and both these machines would also be great to know.
My set-up also includes a Rytm, FX pedals, Live 9 and Push.
Thanks
Tom
First of all to my knowledge you won’t be able to sequence either one with your A4, as both don’t take CV in, so you’d have to use Live for sequencing duties. I like both, but I think the P2 is a little more versatile. With it’s paraphonic mode, it can play chords, which I believe the BS II cannot.
I owned a bs2 once and it’s a good fit for a4. It is not very huge sound but perfect to lay beneath more complex a4 patches.
Dont know about the sound of the p2 but it has better form factor for live performance. Although i dont like the interface.
Dont forget about the minitaur moog. This you can sequence from a4. Its more a one trick pony but huge in its range.
BS2
Versatile sounds, good features, great interface including good keys. Not enough sequences.
P2
You can name your patches and there’s more of them. The arp sequencer is very cool but limited. Sounds clinical.
MM
Just the best sounding anything anywhere but hampered in many other ways.
I’ve owned all three and kept the minitaur because it is a great sounding instrument and will own it forever, even if I never use it. The bs2 however, ended up on the most of my tracks because it has great sin wave, is fun to play and can make lots of other interesting sounds.
I found this thread, you might find inspiration…
Being mono analog synths without CV I would have thought these choices might be too close to the capabilities of A4. This is what has kept me away from them since buying the A4. I would be more interested in something that at least can take advantage of the CV capabilities, or something quite different like a poly digital etc.
The pulse 2 does sound nice to my ears though, and I have come close to purchasing it over the last 12 months.
I’ve owned both. I still have the BS2. I would say that if you are looking for something “warmer” than the A4, the Pulse 2 is not a good option. As RoyShade said: clinical. I would agree with that; even using the built-in drives it comes across as… overly precise. It’s got all this versatility, and if you said: I’m looking for something to do sound design with, it would be incredibly high on my list, but it definitely did not feel warm to me.
Wiring: you could send clock to either the BS2 or the P2, but you couldn’t sequence them from it. That might be one advantage to the Minitaur (which I also formerly owned; I preferred the BS2 to it… IMHO the BS2 suffers a bit from getting to the analog monosynth game early and its plastic case, I really think it’s an incredible synth, and it has, again, as RoyShade mentioned, a fantastic keyboard).
If sequencing from the A4 is a must, you’re really looking for CV interfaces: modular/semi-modular of all sorts (in the “complete voice” range: ToneStar, 0-Coast, MS-20, Mother-32, Pittsburgh Modular’s thing that I can’t remember the name of, etc…) or Minitaur, Arturia’s Micro/Minibrutes, Doepfer Dark Energy, the Boomstar line. The A4 does not sequence MIDI, which is what the BS2 and P2 use for external control. (BS2 has a built-in sequencer, but it’s fairly limited.) There are a lot of options on the CV front without going full-scale into modular and most of them tend toward “warmer” sounds, overall.
Thanks for the advice guys. Still up in the air but I’ll let you know my decision as and when.
Wishing you all the best for the new year.
Tom