What would Rev2 owners say?

[Chimponaut]

I've had a Sem Pro on pre-order for 4 months now.   I already have 3 mono synths though and could actually use a new 5 octave keyboard but I want the Sem badly, don't really need it though.

How would the Rev2 be as a controller (just for playing, not controlling) when I need more octaves. Right now I switch between two controllers...The Sub37 and a Triton Le. The Sub 37 for it's easy mapping setup (saved per preset) for all the knobs and switches. The Triton Le for more octaves and a better keybed when a part requires that. The switch is easy as they are both setup as controllers in Nuendo. Love the Sub37's enormous amount of knobs and switches but the keys aren't great for playing subtle/soft parts. The Triton Le has a decent keybed but not so many real time knobs and switches and it is starting to show it's age.

I'm thinking of cancelling the Sem Pro order and switching to the Rev2 8 voice. Is the keybed smooth? Does it respond well to soft playing as well as harder styles? Does it transmit aftertouch? I like the sounds that I've heard so far from the Rev2 and the Mod options seem plentiful. The price difference isn't all that big between the Sem Pro and Rev2 so that wouldn't really be an issue.

Thanks for any insight.

[DavidDever]

I've had a Sem Pro on pre-order for 4 months now.   I already have 3 mono synths though and could actually use a new 5 octave keyboard but I want the Sem badly, don't really need it though.

How would the Rev2 be as a controller (just for playing, not controlling) when I need more octaves. Right now I switch between two controllers...The Sub37 and a Triton Le. The Sub 37 for it's easy mapping setup (saved per preset) for all the knobs and switches. The Triton Le for more octaves and a better keybed when a part requires that. The switch is easy as they are both setup as controllers in Nuendo. Love the Sub37's enormous amount of knobs and switches but the keys aren't great for playing subtle/soft parts. The Triton Le has a decent keybed but not so many real time knobs and switches and it is starting to show it's age.

I'm thinking of cancelling the Sem Pro order and switching to the Rev2 8 voice. Is the keybed smooth? Does it respond well to soft playing as well as harder styles? Does it transmit aftertouch? I like the sounds that I've heard so far from the Rev2 and the Mod options seem plentiful. The price difference isn't all that big between the Sem Pro and Rev2 so that wouldn't really be an issue.

Thanks for any insight.

Skip the SEM Pro and buy a used MIDI-to-CV version; you can add the patch points later. (Nobody ever turned down an original SEM because someone drilled holes in it and put patch points in.... )

Then cycle back around to a Rev2 (perhaps a desktop version, using a better 76-key controller with multiple zones, say, a used Roland A-70?)

IMHO they're just too different generationally* to flippantly switch from one to another, purely on a reactionary basis, and the DSI five-octave synthesizers ultimately lack multi-zone keymaps, that would be useful for use with external MIDI modules.

As always, your mileage may vary.

(* - in Oberheim-land, SEM discrete -> OB-X discrete -> OB-Xa / OB-8 Curtis 2x VCO + VCF -> Xpander / Matrix-12 Curtis double VCO + VCF -> Matrix-6 / 1000 DCO + Curtis waveshaper + VCF; the Matrix-6 would be roughly equivalent to the Prophet '08 + Rev2 + Tetra + Mopho in Sequential-land)

[Chimponaut]

Thanks for your time...For some reason I was under the impression that the only Sem with Midi was the Pro.
Definitely going to check out the Midi to CV version now.

[Chimponaut]

Finding a used Sem of any variety is not easy these days. So I went ahead and got the Rev2 8 Voice. Maybe Semday in the future. Haha.

The keyboard on the Rev2 is definitely a huge step up from the Sub37. Drum programming is a pleasure now and subtle, soft parts are very easy to play compared to the Sub37. Had a few moments of weirdness until I updated the OS and Calibrated. Been problem free for almost 36 hours now. Loving the nearly endless mod options on this thing.