Hi everybody, I have a Digitone as my main synth at the moment, and a Bass Station II that I don’t use because of lack of space on my desktop, I would like to replace it by something less space heavy so I had my eye on a few desktop synths. Also, I would like to expand my sound pallet from the FM sounds, but not have something too menu divey, I’d like having one knob per function but still have some cool sound design possibilities.
At the moment, I am hesitating between those:
•Microvolt 3900
•Nyx V2/Erebus V3
•0-Coast
•MicroFreak
•SE-02
•MONO STATION
MicroVolt is great but is kinda limited in tone/sound
Same with the 0-Coast. Excellent and distinctive sound but a little too distinctive to be an all around synth.
SE-02? You like the sound of the MiniMoog but with a cuddly sequencer and brutally tiny controls? Check.
Monostation? Owned it twice and it never gelled with my workflow. I love my Peak, I w joyed playing with a circuit, I just couldn’t get behind the Mono. No idea why. Also, you have a BSII which it’s based upon.
Microfreak? Cheap build quality and love/hate keybed but I adore it. Waaaayyyy more varied sound, tons of modulation options and loads of real-time controls. It’s my vote. And it’s cheap!
SH-01A is a classic electro sound and has added unison and poly modes over the SH-101, which is nice. SE-02 is maybe better for sound design. Both great.
This could just be my own dreams getting in the way, but the A4 mk1 is going for great prices on the used market. You get great analog synth sounds plus an awesome sequencer and another elektron box. I know it’s not on your list, but maybe it should be?
To be honest, I already have an Elektron heavy setup (Octatrack, Digitone, Model: Samples) and I would like to introduce something else just to expand my sound and also because I feel a little bit too much like a sponsored fanboy right now
It’s also a little bit out of my budget, even used.
I feel like the Digitone can make any sound coming from the MicroFreak, so it might be a bit redundant in the set up. I own/love the 0-coast but you can also get west coasty sounding things out of the Digitone. So from your list I would go with the Nyx V2 or SE-02 - a little analog to fill the gap from the digital/sampled stuff.
The keyboard is what makes the microfreak interesting to me. Most people already have a standard keyboard so I don’t understand the hate. I think it’s awesome. Don’t have one yet though as I need to sell some stuff before I buy more.
I personally like the keybed a lot. It does take some getting used to. It may have been better were it full sized to minimize the learning curve a bit.
Mutable Instruments Ambika
Roland JU-06
Roland TB-03
Waldorf Pulse 2
Some are more menu divey than others, so 1 knob per function may not work. If space wasn’t an issue, Yamaha Reface CS is a killer one knob (slider) per function unit.
Though not on your list, I must recommend the Analog 4 mk1. It’s performance macros alone make it one of the best units I’ve ever owned, not too mention all the greatness of Elektron workflow sequencing, CV sequencing and most importantly, they go cheap these days. I’m considering getting a second one for when I start to finally get into eurorack stuff and just in case my current one goes kaputt.
