Best Analog Module

[Sacred Synthesis]

I'm still hoping to add a monophonic analog module to my set up, probably to be controlled by a Prophet '08 or Prophet Rev2.  This would obviously give me the much coveted five-octave keyboard range.  Anyways, I'm considering which of the in-production available choices offer a rich classic analog sound, two stable oscillators, a plethora of knobs or sliders (no matrix panels), and a respectable quality build.  My first instinct is to go for the Odyssey, but also up for consideration are the Oberheim SEM Pro (incomplete envelopes), Vermona Mono Lancet (lacks pulse width), Moog Mother-32 (vastly incomplete architecture), Boomstar 4075, Analog Solutions Leipzig-S (square wave sounds like a pulse, and possibly less than stable oscillators), and Hypersynth Xenophone.  This last instrument has the most sophisticated architecture, but the YT demonstrations strike me as sounding rather bland.

I'm not in need of an overly complex voice architecture, but certainly the fundamentals should be present.  My main interest is with a high quality classic analog tone, something that rises above the DCO character.   

Comments, thoughts, and experiences regarding the above modules?  Any other worthwhile modules I've missed?

[LoboLives]

I would say maybe an Oberheim SEM might be good. Hands on, very simple, rich tone, thick, loud and compact.

[DavidDever]

I would say maybe an Oberheim SEM might be good. Hands on, very simple, rich tone, thick, loud and compact.

You know my thoughts on this! I do agree, however, that the modulation options are slightly limited unless you're using the Pro version, perhaps with an outboard device such as the 0-Coast (next on my list).

Alternately, the Pioneer Toraiz AS-1 is a really good-sounding, VCO-based option.

[chysn]

If I was in that market these days, it would be the Boomstar 4075 for sure. I don't have direct experience with the synth, but I used to have their eurorack 4075 filter, and I was impressed by it.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Sound wise, I'm back and forth between the ARP and the Oberheim.  I've always loved the ARP character; it's slightly thin but it has its own sweetness.  On the other hand, I've never owned or played an Oberheim anything, but what I've heard online is impressive.   

[DavidDever]

Sound wise, I'm back and forth between the ARP and the Oberheim.  I've always loved the ARP character; it's slightly thin but it has its own sweetness.  On the other hand, I've never owned or played an Oberheim anything, but what I've heard online is impressive.

As you'll need MIDI control, I'd definitely go for the full-boat SEM Pro - you'll need the patch points if you wish to do any cross-mod or sync tones, which (on a proper VCO-based synth) are really pretty, err, "pretty" - lots of depth. I've been spending more time with the Prophet-600 (Curtis VCOs + filter) as of late, and I suspect that I'll migrate some of that experimentation over to the AS-1 / single Prophet-6 voice as well as the SEM (once I get the patch points added to the MIDI-to-CV model I've got presently).

Of course, back in the day, it wasn't unusual to combine an Odyssey and a SEM, or a Model D and an SEM, so do consider the cross-pollinated combos (within reason of cost). Myself–I'm really enjoying the limitations of a bunch of monosynths, in terms of interplay between the different voices.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Do you have any SEM demonstrations?  There aren't too many available online, but I do enjoy listening to the more musical ones.  I find the Oberheim character to be quite appealing.

[Sacred Synthesis]

The Oberheim SEM does strike me as a high-quality instrument.  I imagine a pair of them would sound fabulous.

[chysn]

Of course, it's probably my duty to remind you that you could always go modular.

It took me a year, but I managed to put together the Perfect Monosynth (as I define it), and I'm sure you could, too.

[Sacred Synthesis]

That's definitely tempting, but I hate wires!  I guess I'm just a hardwired kinda guy.

[chysn]

That's definitely tempting, but I hate wires!  I guess I'm just a hardwired kinda guy.

Yeah, that's a pretty compelling objection.

I got a fancy new FitBit in February, and I noticed that my resting heart rate goes down by about 10 beats per minute when I'm playing my synth. It's purely anecdotal, but wires are healthy.

[Sacred Synthesis]

That's one good reason to continue making music.  Now don't trip on those wires with your reduced heart rate.

[Sacred Synthesis]

I've always liked the modular concept: design your own synthesizer with the type and number of modules that best serve your musical needs.  It's a fickle synthesist's dream.  But all those wires?   If only we had the same opportunity with hardwired modules.  Now there's an idea!

[chysn]

It might be tempting to say that dealing with wires is the price of modular's flexibility. But I wouldn't call it a "price." I don't think people get into modular because we like dealing with wires. I think we come to like the wires because they're the best way to say "this thing goes to this thing."

No, the real price of modular's flexibility is literally money. If you want a synth similar to a normalized (or semi-modular) one in production, it doesn't make financial sense at all to cobble it together in any modular format. For example, if you find that the Boomstar 4075 meets your needs, you're probably saving $2000 by not doing it in eurorack. But if you absolutely need things that aren't available, your options might be "do without it," "wait for it," and "pay for a modular."

Note that the price of modular isn't the sum of the modules, case, and power supply, because there's a trial-and-error period during which you discover how much what you really want differs from what you started out thinking you wanted.

[chysn]

Have you considered the Moog Sub Phatty? A more complete architecture than the M32, and it's got an emergency auxiliary keyboard.

[DavidDever]

Have you considered the Moog Sub Phatty? A more complete architecture than the M32, and it's got an emergency auxiliary keyboard.

LOL - never thought of the two-octave Fatar keybed in that manner - though the Sub Phatty would have made a decent rackmounted module, had it not been a hair too wide.

[Sacred Synthesis]

If you want a synth similar to a normalized (or semi-modular) one in production, it doesn't make financial sense at all to cobble it together in any modular format. For example, if you find that the Boomstar 4075 meets your needs, you're probably saving $2000 by not doing it in eurorack. But if you absolutely need things that aren't available, your options might be "do without it," "wait for it," and "pay for a modular."

I'm caught between two synthesizer worlds!  No, there isn't a single module that meets my needs.  Perhaps a pair of modules would suffice, though.  What I would ideally like is a large hardwired mono synth.  That's why the ARP 2600 is of primary interest, but I don't see anyone re-issuing it.  I'll probably end up with a pair of Odysseys or SEMs controlled by a Prophet '08 or Prophet Rev2 keyboard.  But even then, there's a bit of mayhem involved in the set up.  The modular approach is appealing, at least, in that the modules are contained in one cabinet and generally require one channel and one power cable. 

[Sacred Synthesis]

Can anybody here report on the build quality of the Korg ARP Odyssey Desktop version?  Considering that it's half the price of the Oberheim SEM Pro, I'm concerned that it's on the cheap side.

[chysn]

I know you've expanded on your requirements in another thread (http://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php/topic,385.0.html) but here it's more basic: two oscillators, PWM, ADSR EGs, good build quality. When you say that nothing out there meets your needs, what do you mean by that?

Can anybody here report on the build quality of the Korg ARP Odyssey Desktop version?  Considering that it's half the price of the Oberheim SEM Pro, I'm concerned that it's on the cheap side.

I wonder about this, too. My assumption has always been that the plastic is thin, has plastic standoffs, flexes like crazy, and has rough sliders. But that's only because it was made by Korg, and that's the sort of thing Korg makes now. I'd love to be wrong.

[Sacred Synthesis]

I know you've expanded on your requirements in another thread (http://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php/topic,385.0.html) but here it's more basic: two oscillators, PWM, ADSR EGs, good build quality. When you say that nothing out there meets your needs, what do you mean by that?

I mean that I've faced the fact that my original quest could not be satisfied by any existing instrument.  I gave up, more or less.  It seems impossible to find my requirements for keyboard length, good analog sound, and voice architecture in a single monophonic instrument.  I've been using a Prophet '08 in stereo (using the B Output jacks) to come as close as possible.  Indeed, it has worked well, but I'm still hoping to add an extra pure analog quality, if possible.  The best I can come up with now is a P'08 keyboard controlling, say, two Odyssey or SEM modules.  This is a huge compromise, but it's the best I can currently imagine.  Other possibilities are to combine a Pro 2 with two modules, or even a Prophet-6 keyboard and module pair.  As complicated as this has become, I'm still simply trying to create a somewhat sophisticated mono synth with a classic rich analog sound in stereo.

I suppose the Matrixbrute has come the closest to my requirements, but I don't care for it.