pouët.net

trc_wm: you're so analytical. :) I owned a Nord Rack 2 for many many years and really liked it, but compared to the Virus (and especially the Virus B and onwards) the range of effects and "tweakability" is just simply way better on the Virus-series.

Well, I think that we all forgot how it was when we had few bucks, bad computers and were trying to make music with few crap samples.

That was then. Now it is _much_ cheaper to get something that generates good quality sound.

A Waldorf Blofeld is just 385 euros, new. That's around the price I see for a second-hand Nord Rack 2. The blofeld will out-perform the Nord, even with the present OS bugs.

But do you know what I am looking for? I didn't even say a word about it ;)

And I know the blofeld, thank you, it's also on my list of "things I should consider someday".

Right now, I'm looking for a synth with almost all knobs on the panel... because I find it pretty cool. The Waldorf remains in the "hey I have some knobs but still, you'll have to program me using a LCD screen" list.

kaneel: in that case the Nords are a better choice than the Virus, since menu-diving is almost unavoidable.

Hmmm, not that I don't want a bit of menu-diving though, I just want to have more control (knobs) that on most digital synths. The Virus desktops looked like it could have given that control to me.

I'll try that aliasing test on the also OB-12, then.
Btw, has anyone tried the M-Audio Venom? I just listened to some preset, and it seems a good synth, with a lot of usable features, but I'm not sure about build and sound quality.

m-audio is ok for plastic things. wouldn't trust them much on synths though.

knl: it offers plenty of control, but since it has more features and effects than the Nords, some things are left in menus. Also: M-Audio makes shit.

@zerothehero: I'd be interesting in the results of the OB12. :)

@knl: I was merely pointing out that technology has progressed. If you want knobs on a digital synth, and if you can find/afford one, buy a Roland JD800.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Have you ever heard one?

Nope, but I'm not much of a roland fan to be honest (just a bit fetichist when it comes to borrowing a sh101).

I was just pointing the design and well, there is a big issue with available space in parisian appartments (hence why I'm selling my dx)

I'm also not a fan of Roland's digital synths (and that's an understatement..) but the D50 and JD800 are excellent, as are most of their analog synths.

The JD800 is indeed very large.

That's why I'm looking for a desktop synth.. but you know what, you got me reconsidering the blofeld (well, lumeet also told me to reconsider it over a virus)

Fact is, I really love the Nord but indeed it's a bit limited. Though it makes lovely arps, I'm using it on a track and I love it.

If you're considering a Blofeld, whatever you do, _DO_NOT_BUY_THE_SAMPLING_LICENSE!

The user samples are not referenced by name, but by the order in which they are uploaded. You cannot upload incrementally. Uploading the full 64MB flash takes 20mins+ :(. And then there are the various bugs and instabilities.

Just stick with the regular Blofeld and you'll be fine.

trc: I did that aliasing test on the OB-12, and what I hear is a sawtooth that "jumps" between steps of fixed frequencies, not very pleasing, but I think it's unavoidable, unless having real analogue (I mean analogue and NOT digitally controlled) oscillator; anyway, that was not what we were looking for, right?
Other than that, I don't hear much spurious noise.
I recorded a demo with the pitch bend range set to 1 tone (its minimum). Any preferred site to upload to?

trc: Thanks for the tip!

@zerothehero: the steps are not aliasing but could be the result of a too coarse A/D converter on the pitchbend wheel, or not enough bits in the phase accumulator. Both are avoidable and the discrete frequency steps should not be audible, unless the pitchbend range is something rediculous, like more than one octave. I have no preference for an upload site.

So, here it is.
I set OSC1 with sawtooth, no modulation, flat filter setting, no effects.
OSC2 was completely off. Pitchbend setting was +/-1 tone range.

I can hear some slight aliasing but it is almost inaudible.

Being a curious (and analytical) person, I plotted the spectrum and uploaded the results to youtube.

You can see the aliased products moving downwards as the regular sawtooth spectral peaks move upward in frequency. This reveals there is actually quite some aliasing but most of it is being masked by the sawtooth sound itself.

Anyway.. sorry for hijacking the thread :)

BUY Kaneel's DX7-D !!

Nice test! There's quite a lot of aliasing that couldn't pass unnoticed... I wonder if the soundcard / audio sw / audio format could influence the recording.
I used the analogue input of a Soundblaster X-Fi but the OB-12 has an S/PDIF audio out: I could repeat the test using this output, if you wish, bypassing the D/A section of the synth.

I doubt that the aliasing is caused by the X-Fi as it uses a sigma-delta converter with a very high oversampling ratio.

If you're curious, I can process a direct digital recording if you send me one.

MY POINT REALLY. (II-D GOD DAMN IT)

ok, sorry:

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As used by: "The Crystal Method, Kraftwerk, Underworld, Orbital, Talking Heads, Brian Eno, Depeche Mode, D:Ream, Front 242, U2, A-Ha, Enya, The Cure, Stabbing Westward"

Lots of DX7 sounds were used on Music for Airports!

So buy it - you know it makes sense!