I own a Deepmind 12. Here is my opinion:
At first, I hated the user interface. They cherry picked controls due to limited space and I don’t agree with all there choices. Some of the most important features are a few pages deep and often I would flat out forget how to get to certain parameters. I’m not afraid of menu diving but it was slowing down my speed.
After a month of using it, I’m fine with the UI but still think there is room for improvement.
Now, more importantly, the sound…
Again, at first, I was unhappy. I had a thought I had never had before: “should I send it back?”
I just couldn’t get the sounds in my head to come out of the DP12. I’m use to knobby Moogs, Korgs, Rolands and of course Elektron boxes and they all have their own sound but still lots of crossover.
Well, after sticking with it, I can honestly say I love the DP12 sound. It doesn’t sound quite like any other synth I’ve owned which is a great thing. The lack of a triangle waveform is a big bummer but so far hasn’t really held me back in sound design.
Gripes I’ve heard vs my opinion
Thin Sounding - I disagree, it can be thin when needed but proper OSC stacking and detune settings can give you what you need
Needs effects to sound good - I purposefully worked without using FX for awhile to be sure the raw engine was good enough. To my ears, it’s great without effects but the massive reverbs and delays are quite excellent. I do wish they had more than one compressor available as the one they offer isn’t a standard comp to begin with.
Crappy Build Quality - yes, my keys are little wacky in terms of space between them. But, the board plays absolutely fine and other than that, this thing feels like a tank.
Had I had the money, I would have absolutely bought the OB-6 instead. But, for the price, and yes the sound, it’s worth every penny. It’s highly unique in terms of sound, it’s very playable and despite the screen, the slightly funky keys, and the menu diving, I love it!