Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #20 on: September 27, 2017, 12:00:19 PM »
Alesis Andromeda and other discussion has been moved here:

http://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php/topic,1890.msg20723/boardseen.html#new


Let's keep this thread on topic, which is regarding your choice between the 8 voice and 16 voice Rev2. Thanks!
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Propheteer

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #21 on: September 27, 2017, 04:06:51 PM »
I am happy with the 8 voice because of the price, but yeah some of the beautiful sounds you can get when stacked are so good you do almost want to have 8 voice poly (total) on stacked sounds just to enjoy them more, that said, it's really not a massive issue unless you have to have those sounds all the time (and live mostly).

dsetto

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #22 on: September 28, 2017, 11:54:40 AM »
Bitimbral is a fundamental aspect of the workflow of various DSI synthesizers. For me, the live, spontaneous, knob tweaking spirit is in jeopardy with 4 stacks of a knob-laden synth that isn't screen centric.

That depends on how you set it up.

A thought on how I figure 4-part could work:
The encoders would have to have lights indicating their location. 4 direct access buttons for 4 layers. Press a layer button, see locations of all knobs.

Synthderella_Man

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #23 on: September 29, 2017, 12:05:19 AM »
I went with the 8 voice.  If it's not enough, I can easily buy an upgrade in polyphony; if it's overkill, I doubt my dealer will buy pack any unused polyphony.  Anyways, this bad oscar arrives early next week and I can hardly wait.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2017, 12:33:53 AM by Synthderella_Man »
Prophet margarine you say?

sEIGu

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2017, 09:59:32 AM »
Simply - the money :)

Keyboarders are always short on money (pls tell me you do, too!). I bought the 8voice to save some bucks over the time for the expansion. Next to the synth itself i needed a good case and an extension for the stand; this was ~250 Euros in addition.

Aaaand. No Keyboarder has enough gear (pls tell me you do, too!) and there a some investments waiting. My Rev2 should have been a Pro 2, that is still not off the list. With the Behringer D and Rolands VP-03 there are to cheap bargains in the queue... But the moneys must be earned first. :)

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #25 on: October 06, 2017, 10:34:57 AM »
I ordered the REV2 8 voice after selling the '08. Yesterday I installed the 8 voice expansion. At first it gave me issues; calibration would hang, voices were distorted and panning was wrong. I opened it back up and realized I didn't seat the upper left corner of the board where one of the 4 connectors are. A more firm pressing and all is 100%.

4dubs

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #26 on: October 06, 2017, 08:51:46 PM »
Went with the 16 voice . . . bought it for live use primarily.  I've had it for a couple of weeks now, and while it's sound didn't blow my doors off initially, it's rapidly growing on me (also own a P6, and that synth blew my doors off from the get go!).  I must say, I was never a huge fan of the P08 sound or Curtis chip synths in general.  I never owned a P08, but I am a former owner of a Mopho keyboard/Tetra combo . . . so I was at least familiar with the basic tonality prior to purchasing.  Opted for the 16 voice for a couple of reasons.  First of all, most of the sounds  I really love require layering of the two engines.  Secondly, for live use, I needed to be able to use it in split mode as two independent 8 voice synths.  Like I said, it's really growing on me.  Whether 8 voice or 16, it's a super classy synth!  Well built, clearly laid out front panel, and a dream to program.  This will be a workhorse for me.
DSI:  Prophet 6, Rev 2 16v, Pro 2, OB6
Other:  Moog One 8v, Model D reissue, Voyager, Sub 37, Nord Stage 2 SW73, Behringer Mono/Poly & 2600, Studiologic Sledge Black, Arturia Matrixbrute, Waldorf Iridium desktop & STVC, Mellotron Micro, Modal Cobalt 8X, Expresive E Osmose

dsetto

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #27 on: October 06, 2017, 10:58:52 PM »
4dubs, I appreciate your measured review. ... It makes good sense to me. Please report back if/when the outlook changes.

Jason

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #28 on: October 07, 2017, 08:16:17 AM »
I got the 16 because the additional voices seems like a big plus for achieving Sacred Synthesis' stereo arrangement (which I also use), and yet thus far, I continue to still do it his way with an '08 module. If I didn't use splits and layers, one Rev2 would now do it for me. But because I do use splits and layers, and I may have to purchase a Rev2 module in order to get the huge improvement of the stereo depth.

4dubs

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #29 on: October 07, 2017, 11:29:04 PM »
4dubs, I appreciate your measured review. ... It makes good sense to me. Please report back if/when the outlook changes.

You got it . . . albeit, I don't think my opinion will change that much.  I have the same reservations about the tone of the Curtis oscillators and filter that others have expressed about the P08 on this forum and elsewhere . . . but considering the amount of raw synthesis horsepower the Rev 2 (and P08) has, if you can't get a decent sound out of it, you might be doing something wrong.  In the case of the 16 voice Rev 2, layering the two engines can produce some really stunning results and you still wind up with 8 voice polyphony.  Ultimately, this is why I went with the 16 voice . . . but again, I can't stress enough how good it feels as a complete instrument with regards to build quality, panel layout, keybed, etc. . . . and certainly, this would be the same experience on the 8 voice version.
 
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 11:33:16 PM by 4dubs »
DSI:  Prophet 6, Rev 2 16v, Pro 2, OB6
Other:  Moog One 8v, Model D reissue, Voyager, Sub 37, Nord Stage 2 SW73, Behringer Mono/Poly & 2600, Studiologic Sledge Black, Arturia Matrixbrute, Waldorf Iridium desktop & STVC, Mellotron Micro, Modal Cobalt 8X, Expresive E Osmose

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #30 on: January 17, 2019, 06:25:30 AM »
Replying to this threat basically to ask a question about the expansion board: Might sound a bit trivial, but can anyone tell me what the weight of the expansion board is? On the website, it says 3 lbs, which is 1,36 kilograms (!). I can't believe this is true.

On the old topic: Honestly, I bought the 8 voice version out of thriftiness or "let's first see how much I need the 16". Now, I am considering buying the expansion, because I mostly play live on the rev2, having a Bass patch on the left layer, for which I like to have a unison of more than 4, while being able to have chords bigger than 4 on the right lead-layer.

timboréale

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #31 on: January 17, 2019, 08:31:52 AM »
Having bought and installed one myself, I can say that the expansion board weighs very little - it's just a circuit board with some connectors on it. Maybe 100g at the most.

The weight you mention is likely the shipping weight which is needed to calculate the cost of shipping - since the board is so light they probably use "dimensional weight" which is a postal weight that a box of the same volume "should" weight and is thus priced that way so they don't fill up a truck too quickly with extremely lightweight things that they didn't charge enough for.
Prophet 6 keyboard, Rev2-16, Prophet 12 Keyboard, Nords, etc...

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #32 on: January 17, 2019, 09:20:59 AM »
Thanks for your answer! Just noticed that on the website, the dimensions of the board are indicated to be 18X12X5 in. That must be the package (or a gigantic circuit board) :)

timboréale

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #33 on: January 17, 2019, 01:07:54 PM »
I can't open my Rev2 right now to tell you, but I recall the board being something around 15cmx30cm, give or take, and it's one standard circuit board with the header connectors, that's it. It was VERY well bubble packed in the box, ESD protected etc. and I'd recommend you get an ESD wrist strap and ground yourself to the keyboard chassis ground point while doing the install to protect against possible damage.

In any case, it's a small circuit board, even with the protective bubble wrap (but without the box) I got it home in my backpack easily, and installed it with care in about 20 minutes. It adds virtually nothing to the weight of the keyboard and since there's a spot for it inside already, there's no change in external dimensions of the keyboard.
Prophet 6 keyboard, Rev2-16, Prophet 12 Keyboard, Nords, etc...

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #34 on: January 17, 2019, 10:48:05 PM »
I bought the 16. Main reasons: you can never have too many voices, it's my only synth and I want to be able to really play it without being bothered to much by voice stealing. The massive sound of a layered patch is always tempting, so that already cuts the polyphony in half.
DSI Prophet Rev2 16 voice, Arturia Drumbrute Impact, Tascam DP-008 EX

Razmo

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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #35 on: January 18, 2019, 03:25:33 AM »
I bought the 8 voice and expansion board at the same time because that was cheaper than buying a 16 voice.

I would personally not go with just 8 voices unless a synth only sport one layer... A lot of the sound design flexibility in the REV2 comes from the dual layers, so if you can live with just four voice polyphony depend on what types of sounds you want to use.

If you play sounds with short release times like organs, basses flutes etc. And do not need more then four voice chords, then an 8 voice may be good... But if you want pads and other long release sounds, I'd strongly recommend 16 voices

I find, that in general, you should have double the polyphony count, of the number of keys you want to hold in a chord, to achieve no discernible voice stealing...
« Last Edit: January 18, 2019, 03:27:22 AM by Razmo »
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Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #36 on: January 18, 2019, 04:41:02 AM »
I went for 8 voices because I found the 16 voices a bit too expensive for what it is. This simply means i prefer to pay for quality, not quantity. I’m not saying the rev is not good, I just think it is not worth a 2k€ investment and for the price difference I would rather buy other pieces of equipment to complement the sound spectrum in area left uncovered by the rev (ex: bass, drums, effects).
It is true that voices stealing happens super quick and when you see that a number of factory patches rely on identical A and B stacked voices to produce a stereo effect you sometime feel like everything is done to have you buy the 16 voices. This is forgetting that major composers created master pieces with 8 voices, often less on classic synths from the past.
This being said if I were a pro playing live I would probably go safe and pick the 16 voices because that is your working tool hence not a place for concession. Same thing if you have a good deal because why not?

Re: Ordered my REV2-8 today, what was your choice btw 8 and 16?
« Reply #37 on: January 18, 2019, 10:15:42 AM »
16 voice here too. Because at the time, the 16 voice was cheaper ($100 less if I remember right) than getting the 8 voice + expansion board, from a well known online store where I bought it. I think that it's still the case even today.
Also, I wanted to avoid voice stealing on long pads and strings, and on layered patches.
Oberheim OB-X8, Minimoog D (vintage), OB6 (Desktop), Oberheim Matrix-6 (MIDI Controller for OB6), VC340