Keyboard Synths with "Cool Modulation"

The Lounge Other Gear
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Ive been strictly Ipad and Quneo for a while now, but its time to grab a new hardware synth for immediate no setup jamming. Not to mention playing chromatically with the Quneo gets old.

I love deep synths with cool modulation routings. My favorite synth engine is the Alesis ION/Micron. The modulation routings and the fm engine are awesome, but i hate programming the Micron and I’m worried about the reliability of the Ions.

I want to pick up a more modern (reliable) keyboard that has cool modulation options. The synths i’m looking at are…
-MEK, A dream synth of mine. I owned a desktop evolver was in love with, but MEK’s are hard to find, and possibly unreliable if i get the encoder version.

-Mopho keys, Looks great. Seems like it has deep modulation, but i have no way to demo one.

-MS20 mini, Just demoed one. Sounds good, should have good modulation options. The demo didn’t have any patch cables and i didn’t take the time to understand the patchbay. The keyboard sucks.

-Microbrute, Demoed this unit as well. It doesn’t really have any cool modulation, but IT SOUNDS GREAT, its a great size (I move often), and the sequencer is super fun. They didn’t have any patch cables for this demo either so i couldn’t try the modulation.

Does anyone have any input on these boards that would help me make my decision? Or possibly suggest some synths i overlooked?

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Not sure if you want analog… i guess so from the synths you mentioned.

The Waldorf Pulse 2 has very cool modulation options and 3 oscillators…

Go digital VA if you want the most flexibility and features per dollar.

Novation Ultra Nova. Can’t say enough good things about it. More LFOs, polyphony, filter types, effects, Envelopes, etc. per dollar than any other synth i can think of.

I have a MEK, and will never part with it.

It has a unique vibe to it.

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Ensoniq SQ-80… Lots of modulation routing with that synth… 8 voice poly analogue filters digital wave forms… 8 track sequencer, aftertouch, velocity sensitive and nice keyboard action… Also cheap to buy if you keep your eyes peeled…

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I’m not looking for analog specifically, that is just what seems to be most prevalent right now. I demoed the Ultranova as well. The interface was much better than I expected. I enjoyed it, but I am pretty set on having 1 knob per function. I haven’t really owned a knobby synth, and I spend most of my time making patches and jamming rather than making songs, so I think its about time.

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For one knob per function, you could try to find a used Korg Radias. That synth does a lot of stuff for the price.

Also, the DSI Mopho keyboard, if you like the DSI sound. I have a love/hate relationship with DSI synths. My MEK does sooo much but it def has a sound to it. The filters suck to be perfectly honest, and the gain staging is tricky. But when it works for the track, it’s beautiful.

other things I can think of off the top of my head with cool modulation:

an Alpha Juno 2 - Awesome multi point envelopes and analog but not 1 knob per function.

You could buy a small modular like the Intellijel Atlantis module and grow your system in time. Nothing does modulation better than modular… You can modulate the modulator modulating the modulation of another modulator. It gets pretty freaky.

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I wished they offered the Atlantis as a stand alone desktop unit…

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Sorry to those who aren’t particularly into it, but I love my Prophet '08.

[ul]
[li]Very lively, responsive keys - quite expressive[/li]
[li]Pretty much knob-per-function[/li]
[li]That Poly Chain output port? Doubles as a second MIDI Out - cannot overstate how nice it is to use the Prophet to control other MIDI gear when it can utilize two MIDI Outs[/li]
[li]I use it for pads, but primarily for bass parts. I route my bass patches through my elektron gear (OT or A4) and they all play along happily[/li]
[/ul]

I also really enjoy marrying the OT to my access Virus Snow.

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I’m not quite sure how to square your plan for immediate, no-set-up jamming with deep modulation routings, but for modulation routings it’s hard to beat any DSI and Waldorf synths.
Regarding the DSI MEK, you could consider getting an unreliable encoder version at a reduced price and then getting the potentiometer upgrade kit, which should still be available to buy direct from DSI.
On the Waldorf side, a Microwave XTk, Q, or Blofeld keyboard might be worth looking at.
The ultimate in compact modulatable synths might be a Nord Modular G2, although this requires a computer at home.
I agree that the Micron/Ion synth engine is wonderful. Have you tried the iPad editors for Micron? Would you like to buy my Ion?

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Interesting you didn’t have the analog keys in your list, especially posting on the elektronauts forum…out of your budget?

Also, didn’t see the the moog sub37 on your list, they brought nearly all functions to the panel so there isn’t a bunch of menu diving, and it has a plethora of modulation paths. It is duo phonic though.

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If you want deep modulation and lots of knobs and real time control then modular is the way to go or maybe the sub37. Personally I like modular better as you can build upon it a piece at a time to your own tastes

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My budget is only $700 max.

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You could always buy a second-hand Virus B tabletop. Not as flexible as some of the others I mentioned, but still very deep.

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maybe something like http://www.analoguehaven.com/pittsburghmodular/cell48system1/

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me too. ive considered getting alittle case for it but then i realized i also need power, some kind of module to control with midi… if was into modular i would probably get this as a starter tho

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Almost forgot about the Atlantis, that’s a nice piece of gear…thought about getting one myself.

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The evolver and ms2000 are low cost great sounding synths with step/mod sequencers. Evolver is mono, MS2000 is 2 part, 4 voice.

The Nova has great mod matrix, and programmable mono/poly arpeggiator but no mod sequencer. 6 part, 16 voice.

Waldorf microQ is similarly equipped, but a deeper architecture and different sound. 16 part, “25 voice”.

If you are drawn to knobs and buttons, then the choice falls to ms2000 or Nova. both of which I own.

I would not be put of by the ION, but you can always get a micron as its the identical synth but smaller cheaper repack (like microKorg is to MS2000).

Next level $ up is Radias and Virus B/C. Very different beasts.

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Do you own an iPad? If so, I’d recommend picking up a cheap but decent second-hand MIDI controller keyboard and the Waldorf Nave iPad app.

This way you can keep most of your money now, buy something bigger later once you saved up more, and still get your hands on a very deep synth with a great sound and lots of interesting modulation options.

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The Studio Electronics - SE1X or SE1 have great modulation options. I will also second the SQ-80 or ESQ1. One of the most under rated synths of all time for sound design imo.

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Its a little out of left field, but I think I am going to grab a desktop Evolver and a cheap (really cheap) audio interface for my Ipad.

I can’t find a keyboard i’m in love with. The only piece of hardware I currently own is an ER-1, so I figure the ER-1 and Evolver should make a good combo for just jamming out.

I’ll use the audio interface to grab some samples from the pair, but I’m not gonna do too much to integrate my Ipad with the hardware. I am too much of a neurotic and get bogged down setting everything up in different ways trying to find the “ultimate” setup.

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My A4 is stuck on FX / cv sequencing duties as a result. the Atlantis + Microbrute + Minitaur the perfect analog synth menage et trois :slight_smile: feel free to let me know if you wanna come by and give it a rip cosmo!