Dont plan on replacing it any time soon. Right now my priority is fast workflow (no menu = no menu diving!), sounds good over a wide sonic range (analog/warm sounding or digital/cold sounding) and in the 1k price range.
If I would want deep sound design, I’d get a hydrasynth or similar, but i’d lose the fast workflow especially when trying to do VA .
If I cared about it being a true analog, maybe a Take 5 or another Pro-whatever, but then I’d be limited on waveforms and tone.
The only other option for me would be eg Digitone or Minifreak, but as mentioned in the other thread: I don’t love the digitone’s core sound and find it tolerable only bc I love Elektron UI and form factor. Havent tried the Minifreak. I also used to have a Novation Peak and disliked the harsh filter and much of the menu based workflow.
If i had a 2k+ budget, this would open up too many more options (3rd Wave, etc)
Before giving yourself GAS for an A1 do familiarize yourself with the list of drawbacks. Many of them are weird. The single LFO isnt even assignable. The alarm clock screen is a joke, all patches are numbered and cant be named. (Their flagships all have dot matrix or OLED.) And you cant mix and match waveforms and noise and osc mod options, you get to choose one possible osc config per layer. There is no ADSR, only ADR. The effects have no parameters to adjust, usually just dry/wet. And for a multitimbral synth, no pickup/takeover means you will often wildly change patch parameters when switching layers or even changing patches, with no way of knowing what the original value was supposed to be.
Long time A1 owner here— it’s a fantastic synth that can do pads, keys, bells, bass, and leads extremely well, and they can all be dialed in very quickly. Due to the limitations of the architecture, they are not inherently complex, however the core sound is fantastic. I eventually did yearn for more modulation and experimentation, so I added a Super Gemini to my studio. I wouldn’t sell the A1 though — it’s great for a go to synth that can be many different things. Having an additional synth such as the SG that allows for more experimenting is a great combo. So I guess just ask yourself what is the role you are looking to fill in your setup?
Haven’t compared the OSC but lets put it like this, it an imagined A1 with features from NL2 and added features, not a 1-to-1 reproduction of the A1. The most obvious ones are:
The beauty of the A1 is its simple, yet powerful layout/UX. This ipad app is more cluttered because of its added features. Therefore each section is split up into different pages instead of one overviewing page completely missing the philosophy of the A1 and Nord keyboards in general.
Multi-timbrality is missing which is also one of A1 big strengths.
FX section section is all over the place instead of a single FX at a time (some might see it as an improvement). Bit rate isn’t part of the original A1. Ringmodulation doesn’t sound similar. Nor does the FMs feature. All FXs in the app can be applied simultaneously which isn’t the case on the A1. FM is part of the OSC section, not a separate feature.
3 filters are missing (the most characteristic ones: Moog ladder, TB filter, either 12 or 24db regular filter is missing).
A1 has a filter drive and a drive in the FX section that can be combined for extra distortion.
App seems to be missing the filter tracking options, Amp and Mod env velocity feature.
The LFO on the A1 can be turned into a single triggered envelope controlled by a single knob. This feature is missing from the app. On the other hand you get 2 LFOs and more envelopes.
Flanger (claims it exists on their site but don’t see it in the demos), Phaser and Ensamble are missing in the FX section.
A1 has two modes for the delay (analog and digital) but the app only has analog.
A1 has a Like, Mutate and Randomize, which are great and are also missing from the app.
App is also missing the Morph functionalities controlled by velocity or mod wheel which can even control the mutate and randomize functions!
App claims it has reverb but was’t able to hear the different A1 settings in the demo.
For a 6 dollar app it seems to pack a lot of features but shouldn’t be confused with the original A1.
The A1 main drawbacks are that the pitch and OSC shape is not a separate modulation/feature outside of the OSC section which limits both functionalities to a single oscillator per layer. Would have also been nice with proper ADSR envelopes and more destinations for the LFO but those are things I can live with.
Apart from some big changes to work with iOS , eg multitimbrality can be done by loading another instance easily …. It doesn’t seem as similar as I thought
I haven’t bought it … I have 4r, 2x, micro modular and I think a plug-in / reactor ensembles for other ‘nord stuff’
The A1 sounds different to the SG. I won’t sell it because what it does, it does very well. It’s a workhorse synth for me. The SG is for the more complex textures that the A1 can’t cover. The special sauce.
The SG offers so much to explore, and the key bed feels fantastic, so I am much more drawn to it to just mess around and jam with.
For normal modwheel and pitchbend usage, I love the feel of the A1. The ribbon the Gemini is fun, but more suited for experimenting with, rather than easily performing pitch bends on.
A1 is not generic sounding at all. It ranges from analog to crispy digital if you want. You can get some really weird sounds out of the A1. If you get the try one out, try the Morph and Random features to get into weird territory.
The SG sounds really analoguesk from the demos I’ve heard, or at least that is what they seem to aim for, it can probable go digital sounding with the custom user waves (I at least hope so for that price and size. Haven’t hear a single demo that goes into more modern territory). You also have to consider the built in FX of both synth which can change the character of each synth quite dramatically outside of the modulation options.
You also have to consider price, NLA1 keyboard is 1100-1200 euros used. NLA1 Rack around 500-800 euros while the SG is 4500 euros. Size is also a factor to consider since the SG is double the size while even the A1 keyboard is quite nimble. Rack even smaller.
Last but not least, all the buttons, knobs and sliders on the SG makes me dizzy.
What are your favorite multitimbral synths? - #102 by fffiiissshhh