Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...

Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #420 on: September 25, 2017, 11:01:13 AM »
I can't remember if you have or have had a Minitaur?

If you haven't might be worth a look...

I have :) ... but I will not be getting one again, even though it sounds fantastic... reason: not one function per knob as they strangely enough is advertising it to be... it has way too many features under the hood... I'll be getting a Mother-32 one day though... already planned :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #421 on: September 25, 2017, 11:29:59 AM »
If you ignore all the hidden extras then it is, although I get your point. I have been holding off installing the latest firmware even though it makes it much more powerful for exactly that reason!

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #422 on: September 25, 2017, 04:21:47 PM »
If you ignore all the hidden extras then it is, although I get your point. I have been holding off installing the latest firmware even though it makes it much more powerful for exactly that reason!

Your're right about that... still I would feel compelled to dive under the hood, and that result in exactly what I do not want: Knobs no longer represent just ONE parameter... that is a no-go for me these days unfortunately.

Anyway... as I wrote, I'm in for at Mother-32, and that should give me the MOOG sound I need... I know it does not have two oscillators, but I really do not need this for the kind of basstones I'm after with a MOOG... all I need is a single oscillator with a sub, and the M32 does give me that... on top, it has a hell of a lot of patchpoints greatly expanding it's sonic possibilities beyond what a Minitaur will ever be capable of... also, the pitch range is way too small for me... I want to be able to do both basses, leads and sound FX/percussion with it if needed... and the M32 has a 10 octave range on the oscillator I've read, so that's perfect.

but still... Minitaur is a cool little basssynth, with lots of cool features... it just will not fit my current workflow :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #423 on: September 25, 2017, 05:06:23 PM »
I've had both a Minitaur and a Mother-32. My view is that the Minitaur is the better synth, but the Mother-32 is more flexible for most purposes. I think I could have been perfectly happy for a while with a rack of three Mothers-32.

I wasn't impressed with the Mother's volt-per-octave tracking with CV, but it can be calibrated. With all the other stuff you're getting, this might be relevant. The Minitaur's volt-per-octave tracking is absolutely hopeless.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #424 on: September 26, 2017, 01:35:47 AM »
I've had both a Minitaur and a Mother-32. My view is that the Minitaur is the better synth, but the Mother-32 is more flexible for most purposes. I think I could have been perfectly happy for a while with a rack of three Mothers-32.

I wasn't impressed with the Mother's volt-per-octave tracking with CV, but it can be calibrated. With all the other stuff you're getting, this might be relevant. The Minitaur's volt-per-octave tracking is absolutely hopeless.

I'll be using the Mother-32 with MIDI... I'm not sure if the tracking problem is only via the gate/cv inputs? ... anyway, if it can be calibrated it should not be a problem... this must be typical MOOG... the Minimoog had tuning instabilities too :D

I just happen to like the sound when I listen to Youtube videos of the thing... so eventually I'll try one out... I can always send it back if I do not like it :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #425 on: September 26, 2017, 03:33:31 AM »
Quote
I'm not sure if the tracking problem is only via the gate/cv inputs? ... anyway, if it can be calibrated it should not be a problem...

Yeah, it was only via the CV input. With MIDI it'll be fine.

Quote
this must be typical MOOG... the Minimoog had tuning instabilities too

Think so. My Little Phatty also suffers from that. It's absolutely perfect on CV out, but it won't track with CV in. People have sent them to Asheville have a calibration trimpot added. I've read that Voyagers were the same. It's just not a priority for them.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #426 on: September 26, 2017, 04:16:46 AM »
Quote
I'm not sure if the tracking problem is only via the gate/cv inputs? ... anyway, if it can be calibrated it should not be a problem...

Yeah, it was only via the CV input. With MIDI it'll be fine.

Quote
this must be typical MOOG... the Minimoog had tuning instabilities too

Think so. My Little Phatty also suffers from that. It's absolutely perfect on CV out, but it won't track with CV in. People have sent them to Asheville have a calibration trimpot added. I've read that Voyagers were the same. It's just not a priority for them.

Maybe it's a trademark :D ... but if MIDI does fine, I'm fine... I'll be using all my synths via MIDI since it's the only way when using a DAW sequencer really... besides, could it be, that it is the device SENDING the CV/GATE signals that is off? ...
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #427 on: September 26, 2017, 04:58:16 AM »
Your're right about that... still I would feel compelled to dive under the hood, and that result in exactly what I do not want: Knobs no longer represent just ONE parameter... that is a no-go for me these days unfortunately.

Anyway... as I wrote, I'm in for at Mother-32, and that should give me the MOOG sound I need...
If I remember correctly, the Mother-32 has hidden features too, does it not?
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #428 on: September 26, 2017, 05:08:21 AM »
Your're right about that... still I would feel compelled to dive under the hood, and that result in exactly what I do not want: Knobs no longer represent just ONE parameter... that is a no-go for me these days unfortunately.

Anyway... as I wrote, I'm in for at Mother-32, and that should give me the MOOG sound I need...
If I remember correctly, the Mother-32 has hidden features too, does it not?

Hidden features are not a total no-go... as long as it does not interfere with the controls... my criteria is that a knob, if used for more than ONE function, can not (logically) show two different values... this is confusing to me because my new way of working is different... I want to edit EVERY sound I use from scratch, while I'm composing, and that requires two things: 1. That the synth is not too complicated, as I do not want to spend hours designing a sound... and 2. knobs/sliders must have ONLY one function, so I can easily see what a certain parameter is set to... buttons is not as crucial, as they usually is not "set" to something... usually button parameters are accompanied by LEDs showing the status... so they can have more than one function.... actually even a display with "under the hood" parameters is ok, as long as they are edited with an encoder and cursor buttons and you can clearly see the values in the display.

Even presets can prove to be a problem, if the synth cannot take on the current values of the surface controls... because if you recall a preset, then all knobs and sliders suddenly do not reflect the current values anymore... there need to be a "manual" mode as on the Prophet 6... otherwise it gets confusing.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #429 on: September 27, 2017, 07:18:40 AM »
besides, could it be, that it is the device SENDING the CV/GATE signals that is off? ...

No. It was definitely the Mother-32.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #430 on: September 27, 2017, 07:23:21 AM »
If I remember correctly, the Mother-32 has hidden features too, does it not?

The entire sequencer is a labyrinth of hidden features. I couldn't use that damn thing without the manual open. There are folks way smarter than I am who love it, but for me it was a hatred that burned with the heat of a thousand suns.

It doesn't take much away from the overall quality of the instrument, though. I still put Mother-32 in my "recommend" column.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #431 on: September 27, 2017, 10:28:12 AM »
I will sequence it from the computer anyway, so even if I cannot get to grips with the built in sequencer, I'll live... would be cool to use it for modulation purposes though... in FX and the like (at high speeds etc.)... anyway, if I do not like it, I can always send it back. :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #432 on: September 28, 2017, 11:40:57 AM »
One of the few fully digital synths out there, with a one knob per function approach... on it's way.

Well... almost One Knob per Function... the FX knob doubles for all three FX, but I'll survive that I believe :)

All those analog monosynths are cool, but I do need a few polyphonic ones in stereo, so this is one of them... at least untill I maybe stumble upon a Nord A1 rack...
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #433 on: September 28, 2017, 11:51:58 AM »
Well... almost One Knob per Function... the FX knob doubles for all three FX, but I'll survive that I believe :)
I don't know about that... I mean, once you start making compromises... :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #434 on: September 28, 2017, 11:59:46 AM »
Well... almost One Knob per Function... the FX knob doubles for all three FX, but I'll survive that I believe :)
I don't know about that... I mean, once you start making compromises... :)

I know... but I am pretty stern about the one knob per function thing... unfortunately, I have no choice if I want a few digital synths in the setup, and I need something for pads that are also stereo capable... very few analog desktop synths have stereo outs... even just for modulating pan position... the Streichfett is just that... but the FX knob is only a simple three position switch, and a knob for intensity... it's pretty quick to set, even if the knob cannot show all thre intensities at the same time.... besides, I'm probably not even going to use the FX in the Streichfett... I will use two EH Smallstone phasers on the outs, and the reverb will be done by my Lexicon PCM92... that leaves only the Animation FX to be used, and then ... in essence, ... it will be a one knob per function device, as I do not need to set the other two FX at all ;)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #435 on: September 28, 2017, 01:18:39 PM »
One of the few fully digital synths out there, with a one knob per function approach... on it's way.

Well... almost One Knob per Function... the FX knob doubles for all three FX, but I'll survive that I believe :)

All those analog monosynths are cool, but I do need a few polyphonic ones in stereo, so this is one of them... at least untill I maybe stumble upon a Nord A1 rack...

That module (Streichfett) is crack–and you get bi-timbrality (128-voice strings, 8-voice solo/lead) out of the deal.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #436 on: September 28, 2017, 02:10:12 PM »
I'm just going to say this once. Raz, you won't be truly happy until you go modular.
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Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #437 on: September 28, 2017, 02:28:11 PM »
I'm just going to say this once. Raz, you won't be truly happy until you go modular.

I've been close, and still am... but not in the "normal" sense... There are some modules that I'd like to create small self contained synths out of, but that is as far as I will go... worst case scenario is a three-story Doepfer case filled... I simply do not have space for more than that.

Modules I've been interested in are usually modules that are a whole synth in itself... especially the Dreadbox Drips module has been on my list... but I also have one of their yet to be released DIY Hades v2 synths lying here, just waiting to be built... that is also in EURORACK format.

I may do the above mentioned 3-story case at some point with other modules, but I'd still see the whole box as "one synth"... using it with MIDI control.

Only the future will tell :)
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #438 on: September 28, 2017, 02:34:10 PM »
One of the few fully digital synths out there, with a one knob per function approach... on it's way.

Well... almost One Knob per Function... the FX knob doubles for all three FX, but I'll survive that I believe :)

All those analog monosynths are cool, but I do need a few polyphonic ones in stereo, so this is one of them... at least untill I maybe stumble upon a Nord A1 rack...

That module (Streichfett) is crack–and you get bi-timbrality (128-voice strings, 8-voice solo/lead) out of the deal.

Yep... I'l be getting some Smallstones to go with it... I simply do not like the built in phaser ... I owned an Eminent 310 Unique with a 70's phaser previously, so I know how a proper stringer should sound, and am a great Jarre fan, så I simply got to have two Smallstones on the Streichfetts outputs.

Other than that, I'm looking forward to use especially the choral settings of the Streichfett... I need something to do pad sounds... I do have the Dreadbox Abyss, but it's still mono out, and it cannot do that ensemble effect...
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #439 on: September 28, 2017, 06:50:55 PM »
Only the future will tell :)

Sure. You seem like a good candidate for it, because

(1) You're buying a bunch of little synths
(2) You want strict knob-per-function control
(3) You want sound design to be integrated with composition

The philosophical deal you make with modular is that you gain absolute control over your components while giving up the prospect of replicating any particular sound. Whether this deal is worth it depends on the composer. With semi-modular, you give up the control and the replicability.
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