I'm looking for a good synth at an affordable price (200€ maximum) which does a lot of things and is a good one to start and learn easily how to use it.



Any ideas ?

Im also looking to buy on at the moment. Ive been looking at either a mircokorg or a micron, in vintage terms I have considered an ocatave kitten and a edp wasp. Korg Legacy also looks cool.

Yeah I've been considering the Microkorg too but it's a little too expensive :(

And the Kitten... Totally out of price for me :(

I think I'll have to economize

Sorry, they don't really get cheaper than the microkorg, stick to software until you can afford one.

If you can find a cheap Roland SH-32 or a Novation K-Station/KS-Rack you could do a lot worse. They should both be around �200 second-hand (the Roland maybe slightly cheaper). I've got the Roland SH-32, I consider it the best synth I've got - for those that have the Chemically Imbalanced, the synth madness at the end of 'Machines in danger' is from it.



You could also investigate a Yamaha AN-200, I've not heard it so can't comment on sound - but the specs and layout look ok, and it's got a pattern sequencer on board so you can use it away from the computer. 8)

the mickrokorg is wicked, same audio engine as the �600 ms2000, just not as editable. u can get some realyl lush sounds out of it.



the wasp and sh-32 are cool, but it depends if u want versatitliy or not - theyre both monophonic i believe so if u want chords or pads thats out the window.



tbh - id invest in a nice mixing desk and use soft sytnhs and a cool controller, then when u mix your tune send all the synth parts out through the desk to wrm them up - youd be hard pushed to tell the diffence between a soft synth and an analgoue synth imo - its not as good, i admit, but youd be amazed at how much prescence and warmth how much a nice desk will give the mosyt digital of sounds.

The SH-32 is polyphonic, it's 4 part multi-timbral too.



But yeah, I support mips in the soft synth department, production is now at a stage where a copy of Cubase and a few VSTs + effects is all you need. You can even get decent analogue desk emulations as VST plug-ins!

TheFlamingDead_ Escribi�:

Sorry, they don't really get cheaper than the microkorg, stick to software until you can afford one.

MicroKorg is my second synth, it's a good one and cheaper than the legacy set from korg, really you're not going to get much more for that price. You could try looking for a juno 106 (about the price of microkorgs on ebay and used by the chems in stuff like chemical beats and out of control) or a roland jx3p without the pg200 are cheap too, I have them all and love em. Also check local classifieds they make ebay look like a rip, I found a 909 on there for 400 less than ebay

chemicalfan Escribi�:

You could also investigate a Yamaha AN-200, I've not heard it so can't comment on sound - but the specs and layout look ok, and it's got a pattern sequencer on board so you can use it away from the computer. 8)

The sequencer is supposedly a bit sketchy on these, with the first note or so missing when you change the pattern in a song, and it's only a 16-bar sequencer.



The editing potential with these is supposed to be massive, though. Same with the DX-200.



I went with the Korg EA-1 because of its better sequencer and ease of use, as well as a fantastic price (less than 60 quid). However, I do wish it had some of the AN-200's feature set.

I've got an EA-1 and a DX-200, the sequencers on both are ok, but they are only monophonic sequencers and both a bit short (the EA-1 only has 64 parts per loop). For sequencing, you've gotta look to software tbh, but I like the way you don't need the computer on to get the workings of a loop going with them.



I think it's worth noting the limitations of the EA-1, the sounds of simple basses and leads are good, but that's all it can do in reality. You can make it do a basic filter sweep, but it's a bit tricky and doesn't sound as good as other synths. The AN-200 looks a lot more featured, so should be able to go places the EA-1 can't. But I haven't heard it, so I can't comment beyond saying it should be good.



Unless you specifically want a vintage synth (like a Juno 106, for example), you'd get more bang-for-your-buck with a virtual analogue synth like the EA-1 or something like that. Plus, being new-ish as opposed to 20 years old, you're less likely to encounter problems with it. And there is less to go wrong inside the thing! Personally, I'd opt for a second hand VA synth, check out all that's been mentioned so far. You should be able to get a Korg MS2000R for less than �200 second hand, they're pretty reasonable. Although as stated earlier, for cracking into production check out a software sequencer that can host VSTs (like Cubase, or something like that) as there are literally thousands of software synths out there, a lot of them for free. Invest in a controller (like a Behringer BCR2000) and then you can tweak the soft synths without using the mouse 8)

chemicalfan Escribi�:

I've got an EA-1 and a DX-200, the sequencers on both are ok, but they are only monophonic sequencers and both a bit short (the EA-1 only has 64 parts per loop). For sequencing, you've gotta look to software tbh, but I like the way you don't need the computer on to get the workings of a loop going with them.



I think it's worth noting the limitations of the EA-1, the sounds of simple basses and leads are good, but that's all it can do in reality. You can make it do a basic filter sweep, but it's a bit tricky and doesn't sound as good as other synths. The AN-200 looks a lot more featured, so should be able to go places the EA-1 can't. But I haven't heard it, so I can't comment beyond saying it should be good.

If you've got the DX-200, then you're well familiar with the limitations of the AN-200's sequencer. Fair play, then. From everything I hear, the AN-200 has wicked sounds.



And yeah, the EA-1 is definetly VERY limited, but what it does do it does reasonably well. Just a cool toy, really. Something to jam with when you're drunk. :D

The EA-1 is still a good little synth in it's own right, just don't expect too much (a bit like an SH-101 in that respect :P )

The main hook in "Take Two" is the EA-1, as is the 'solo', it's pretty good for those sort of sounds, and it can do quality gritty basslines with a little help from a distortion FX box or plugin

Ask Tom and Ed to buy you one for your birthday :P X-D

Foxboy Escribi�:

Ask Tom and Ed to buy you one for your birthday :P X-D

Good Idea !

Tom, Ed, if you read this ... My birthday is on November the 5th. And Saint Benjamin is on March the 31st ! :D

Ben_j Escribi�:

Foxboy Escribi�:

Ask Tom and Ed to buy you one for your birthday :P X-D

Good Idea !

Tom, Ed, if you read this ... My birthday is on November the 5th. And Saint Benjamin is on March the 31st ! :D

Mine the 17th March!



Ive read that the Moog prodigy is a goog bit of kit. but really I think it would be better myself buying something brand new.

Mine is March 24!

and Mips is March 25!



Ermmm ...yeah,,,,i'll stay out of this thread

Mine's the 11th, remember now ;-)

An absolutely classic diversion to off-topic. Hilarious.... !



My dad's b-day is March 17, as well, ACID.



I'm August 8, myself.

Darkstarexodus Escribi�:

An absolutely classic diversion to off-topic. Hilarious.... !



My dad's b-day is March 17, as well, ACID.



I'm August 8, myself.

:o I�m August 6 !!! :D