One Man's Quest for the Perfect Mono Synth

[Paul Dither]

This would have been nice, if not too limited: http://www.dreadbox-fx.com/murmux-v2-limited-edition/

[Sacred Synthesis]

Only 50 units being produced?  Ah well....

[Paul Dither]

Only 50 units being produced?  Ah well....

That's what I meant by "too limited."

[Sacred Synthesis]

The only thing I don't care for in the Xenophone is the use of encoders, rather than potentiometers.  I much prefer the visual and feel of a limited turning range.  But this is a rare synthesizer as well.  And I don't yet have a sense of its sound.

[blewis]

Have you looked into a Voyager with slew rate mod? I wonder if that would modify the saw wave to your liking?

[Sacred Synthesis]

At this point, I would prefer a Minimoog to a Voyager.  The Model D's second LFO was a huge improvement for my purposes.  But I'm not presently considering a Minimoog.

[Fuseball]

At the risk of throwing another possibility into the ring, have you seen this?...

https://ask.audio/articles/korg-arp-odyssey-desktop-synth-coming-soon

Gets around the mini-key debacle at least.

[chysn]

At the risk of throwing another possibility into the ring, have you seen this?...

https://ask.audio/articles/korg-arp-odyssey-desktop-synth-coming-soon

Gets around the mini-key debacle at least.

My understanding was that the Odyssey's sales were disappointing, and they had to significantly reduce the price of the thing. A desktop version would be a good use of the boards they've already made. The price will certainly come in way less than that of the Boomstar 4075 (with an ARP-inspired filter).

The desktop market seems to be getting crowded. Who has desks that big? Lawyers, that's who. Otherwise, nobody.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Fuseball -

Wow!  I didn't know about this.  An Odyssey module would definitely interest me, especially now that I've fairly recovered from my deer/car/money dilemma.   I imagine it would cost significantly less than a new Model D!  Thanks for the information.

[chysn]

I bet they'd be around $500 USD, making a pair of them pretty affordable.

[Paul Dither]

My understanding was that the Odyssey's sales were disappointing, and they had to significantly reduce the price of the thing.

Yeah, it wasn't really a success. My retailer of choice still has the last one he received gathering dust. Despite sounding great, I personally found the minikeys and the ribbon pads awkward. A rev. 4 with proper wheels would have been nicer.

A desktop version would be a good use of the boards they've already made. The price will certainly come in way less than that of the Boomstar 4075 (with an ARP-inspired filter).

It would certainly be cheaper than the Boomstar. But it's still bulky.

[Sacred Synthesis]

In light of the slim/mini keys issue, perhaps a module version would be more popular than the keys version.  Of course, that, too, would unfortunately be shrunken, compared with the original Odyssey.  There's just no escaping this size issue.  I've always liked roomy control panels, which allow for more precise tweaking, especially with the fine tuning of a second oscillator.  It's got to be just right for the hand and fingers.  I can't imagine what a pain those Roland Boutiques must be to precisely adjust.

[Paul Dither]

In light of the slim/mini keys issue, perhaps a module version would be more popular than the keys version.  Of course, that, too, would unfortunately be shrunken, compared with the original Odyssey.  There's just no escaping this size issue.  I've always liked roomy control panels, which allow for more precise tweaking, especially with the fine tuning of a second oscillator.  It's got to be just right for the hand and fingers.  I can't imagine what a pain those Roland Boutiques must be to precisely adjust.

The size of the shrunken Odyssey panel is not really an issue I think. It's still quite big. To imagine that it was even bigger on the original is quite something. If it wasn't for the keys, no one would think of the Korg Odyssey as "mini." Compared to the Roland Boutiques it almost appears as a soccer field.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Hah, hah!  A soccer field?  You've got to try a nice roomy panel some day, Paul.  The side of your hand rests on the surface, while your steadied fingers can Oh-so-precisely adjust a parameter.  I think this is even more necessary with sliders, versus knobs.  It's especially an issue with a non-programmable synthesizer, since tuning adjustments will be done spontaneously.

I find the DSI instruments to have crowded panels.  I've never liked their little knobs either.  I'd say my taste is something like the ARP Little Brother!   I actually had one of these to supplement my Odyssey, many moons ago.  It's funny: compared to modern instruments, the Little Brother looks like my grandmother's waffle iron!

[Paul Dither]

Hah, hah!  A soccer field?  You've got to try a nice roomy panel some day, Paul.  The side of your hand rests on the surface, while your steadied fingers can Oh-so-precisely adjust a parameter.  I think this is even more necessary with sliders, versus knobs.  It's especially an issue with a non-programmable synthesizer, since tuning adjustments will be done spontaneously.

That was of course an exaggeration. I still do think that the Korg Odyssey panel leaves enough room. It's not that you'll need tweezers to adjust the sliders like on the boutiques.

I find the DSI instruments to have crowded panels.  I've never liked their little knobs either.

If the knobs were any bigger there'd be less space between the single parameters, which wouldn't be very practical, as you'd always accidently touch adjacent knobs. Plus: the panels might be crowded to some degree but also ask for less menu diving, which I find more appealing than the amount of menu use that seems to be required on the Behringer synth.

I'd say my taste is something like the ARP Little Brother!   I actually had one of these to supplement my Odyssey, many moons ago.  It's funny: compared to modern instruments, the Little Brother looks like my grandmother's waffle iron!

Cute. It would also make for a great toaster housing. 

[Sacred Synthesis]

Right.  I wasn't thinking that DSI should enlarge their parameters only; I would prefer to see the entire panel enlarged, especially regarding the depth from keyboard to back panel.  I prefer large roomy instruments.  The Poly Evolver Keyboard is a nice size - although it, too, is crowded with little knobs.  The P6 seems to be a little more spacious, due to the smaller number of parameters.

By the way, I would be equally happy if Moog produced a module version of the Sub 37.  I really like the sound and features of that instrument, but the keyboard length ends it for me.  The same is true for the Odyssey, of course, but I'd be willing to make an exception for it.  But I'd much prefer a couple of Odyssey modules controlled from a PEK or P'08 Keyboard. 

The Vermona Mono Lancet has also been near the top of my mono list.  It does sound wonderfully rich and warm.  If only it had LFO controlled PWM available from the panel.

[DavidDever]

With regard to panel size, that's one upside of the older OB-X(a), compared to the OB-6: the large indicator knobs (previously used only for the Oscillator Frequency and Filter Frequency + Resonance on the SEM) are a joy to work with, compared to the smaller knobs used for all other SEM controls, and the majority of the mid-80s blue-banner Oberheim products. The spacing visually counteracts (IMHO) the texture of the blue pinstripes, although I still prefer in many respects the look of the original OB-X.

I didn't find the Karp Odyssey reissue to be wrong-sized as regards the panel; 7/8 size is workable (equivalent to 42/48 scaling, which is well workable for something along the lines of a Jupiter-8 reissue. (Roland, are you listening?)

I'd buy one of the modules - and, if they add some sort of poly-chain functionality, hmm - that could be interesting.

[Sacred Synthesis]

I, too, could live with the smaller panel size - not the mini/slim keys, but the control panel. 

I do hope we hear more about this Odyssey version soon.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Here's a short Synthtopia piece on the Odyssey Desktop:

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/08/29/korg-arp-odyssey-desktop-synthesizer/

Of course, there's an instrument of much greater interest in front of the synthesizers.  Hey, where's Dslsynth?

[dslsynth]

Hey, where's Dslsynth?

Posted a favorite front panel question to Matrixsynth instead.

Oh and not an instrument but a user interface. I seriously doubt your wife wants to be called an instrument.