Dream Synths - Share and advice !

[Jumpeyspyder]

Hi All,

I have a significant birthday next year and I'm seriously considering buying myself something special.
What I would really like is a Jupiter 8.
Classic sound, knob per function editing, 8 voice, 16 oscillators of joy, keyboard split and layering, and IMHO the most inspiring front panel ever created.

However, due to too many people 'jumping on my dream' (Yes, it was mine first, honest guv) they are too expensive to even consider buying and due to age have a nasty risk of expensive faliure

So that leaves me with Jupiter 6 / MKS-80 - just about within saving possibility and mighty fine, but still risky as they aren't getting any younger.

Maybe I should be considering Behringer Deepmind or ob-xa (OB is also one of my dream synths) Roland System 8 should be on my radar, but front panel is so ugly and keyboard is too short!

Anything I've missed that I should seriously consider ??

What are your dream synths and why ?

[Sam Inglis]

I had a Jupiter 8 for quite a few years. It was a beautiful thing, and sounded great -- and was actually very reliable -- but I stopped doing a lot of synth-based music and eventually sold it. Sentimentally I'd like it back just because they are such amazing things, but functionally I think that a modern polysynth such as the Korg Prologue or Prophet 12 would be more flexible. I wouldn't buy a JP8 at today's prices.

[Dave B]

So a few things I'd quite like :

1. Memorymoog. probably the 'plus' model and heavily mod'ed so that it a) works and b) stays in tune. Which is the problem - it always sounded great and the layout just falls so beautifully under your hands, but, I'm reliably informed by others that owned them, they were just so unreliable

2. OBX/a - Zukan and Chevvytraveller reckon that the OB8 is the hidden gem in the range, but I had an OBX and it was lovely. The 'A' gives you splits and arp and a natty pinstripe.

3. Roland JD800. A bit different but it really does sound great and is a joy to use. You'd need to either get one that had been 'de-red glued' or be prepared to sort it yourself (see - just like an old analogue). Prices are reasonable at the moment but creeping up steadily as they get rarer.

4. Roland Juno 60. To me, this is the desirable Roland. I've seen a few in good nick and have been sorely tempted. No, it's not a Jupiter, but it's probably the poly that has been on more hit records than any other. Sometimes simplicity is a strength.

But in your shoes, I'd probably splurge on either the Waldorf Quantum or the Prophet X. Both are serious bits of high end kit that I'm sure will one day be considered classics.

[BJG145]

Jupiter 8s are often listed at crazy prices these days, but it might be worth keeping an eye on this one to see what it does. (Nothing to do with me.)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keyboard-Syn ... SwEeVblstv

[muzines]

Vintage, or modern?

I personally don't like the JP6 much, but like you, love the JP8 (sorry, it was my dream first! )

I wouldn't spend crazy money on a JP6 or even an MKS80 (part of the appeal of vintage polys is a good front panel with physical controls, which you just miss with a module - you might as well be using a plugin...)

You've got the DSI/Sequential stuff (the P6 or OB6 are really nice, I prefer the OB), the PX is a monster and they have a new synth coming too. Even the Pro-2 maybe, unless you really want a polysynth.

I just don't think the prices vintage synths command now make a sensible purchase decision, unless it would *really* fill a lifelong nostalgia hole. They are lovely things and all, but the musical utility out of a real JP8, versus what you could do with the 6-10K you'd need to pay to get one, just makes it a nonsensical purchase, imo.

Waldorf Quantum, perhaps? Or a Solaris?

[BillB]

Oops - Desmond got there first - but similar sentiments.

There is no doubt that it is a thing of great beauty, in its design, heritage and sound potential...


(Don't know how long the image link will last)

But Jumpey didn't say it had to be a vintage synth, just a classic design. I would have thought that a more reliable and 'affordable' option (compared to a J8) would be a DSI (Sequential) poly, as already suggested.

Even so, that J8 front panel is stunning - although I have found that any synth with only a numeric display becomes a problem when you want to save edits... is it safe to save over patch 44 or 45? Or 52? I can't remember...

[Wonks]

Jupiter 8s are often listed at crazy prices these days, but it might be worth keeping an eye on this one to see what it does. (Nothing to do with me.)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keyboard-Syn ... SwEeVblstv

A quick look at the feedback hasn't shown any sales from the seller at all, only bought one item in the past year, nothing in the past 6 months, so I'd be a bit wary. Looks like they've bought a lot of car parts. And suddenly they are listing an expensive synth and a £1200 handbag? Listing for handbag looks dubious.

"My action is for Hermes Black Crocodile Birkin 30cm wide
Comes with original dustbags, clochette, lock, protective felt, raincover and box with ribbon
Wonderful, elegant and highly desirable handbag. Superb quality
Wondeful black croc Hermes Birkin- condition is pre-loved "

Account says 'hacked' to me, though it might be genuine and someone's starting to sell off stuff for another purchase.

[muzines]

I did an image search on that image, and I get a stock photo result.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-roland-jupiter-8-synthesizer-92450035.html

So definitely screams scam to me, unless it's genuinely the owner of the stock image's hardware selling it...

Also - "Postage: £5. Economy Delivery."

[BJG145]

...yeah, I guess it's probably a scam. (As it's local, I've messaged them anyway, just in case.)

[Logarhythm]

But in your shoes, I'd probably splurge on either the Waldorf Quantum

This looks so tempting. I'd never get the use out of it justify it, but it's one of those synths that makes my credit card get a bit twitchy whenever someone mentions it
I know it makes little rational sense, but with a one-off special purchase I'd really struggle to resist a Wave - used to be adds for it in SoS when I first started reading it as a teenager in the mid 90s and something about it made me fall in love. They seem to hardly ever come up for sale, aren't likely to be usefully cheaper than a JP8, seem to have their fair share of idiosyncrasies, and I'm sure the Quantum surpasses it in so many ways, but still...

[Folderol]

I rather suspect that - for some of us at least - something about a particular synth just 'resonates' and regardless of whether it is actually any better (for some undefined value of 'better') than any other synth, we seem most comfortable with it and that in itself would tend to result in us producing our best work.

[Logarhythm]

I think you're right, Mr F. Something about certain synths just makes me really want to twiddle their knobs
I get the same vibe from the Alesis Andromeda too!

[BigRedX]

I used to own a JP6 which was my dream synth from the early 80s. However the Nord Lead which replaced it was superior in every respect.

If I was buying a synth now, I’d have any new analog or virtual analog that had one control per function on the control and full assignable MIDI CCs to all the parameters.

[Martin Walker]

If I was buying a synth now, I’d have any new analog or virtual analog that had one control per function on the control and full assignable MIDI CCs to all the parameters.

That's what convinced me to buy my DSI Prophet 12 a few years back

Martin

[Escapegoat]

Korg Trident and a Prophet 5 on a dual stand.

[nathanscribe]

Having owned/borrowed/repaired/poked at a few things that would once have set me drooling, I can more or less safely say I don't have a dream synth any more, and certainly these days I wouldn't bother spending four figure sums (or more!) on vintage. Got a JP6 here at the moment and I have to say it's not blown me away, and I prefer the simpler, wonkier, crappier JP4 by a long stretch. I've had a couple of Junos since the early 90s and they're great for reliable bread and butter poly duties, and never sound bad in anything, but again they're very good rather than amazing. If I was starting from scratch now, I'd grab one of the new Prophets. A friend is always sending me tempty demos of the Rev2, and he is getting *very* good results from it.

Someone once told me, you'll want everything till you've tried it. Your dream vintage is gonna be great until you have to spend a small fortune paying someone to sweat for 6 months trying to fix it with parts that don't exist any more.

I'll be buried in a vault with my Juno 6, by the way. First synth and last.

[BillB]

Someone once told me, you'll want everything till you've tried it.

That explains so much that's wrong in my life....

Great advice, Nathan.

[Martin Walker]

Indeed

Sage advice Nathan, and I will try to live with it in mind

Martin

[muzines]

And... the ebay auction was removed.

[3rdConstruction]

John Bowen's Solaris has been mentioned before. A very knobby layout with minimal menu diving and from what you can hear online a very rich sound. Some really beefy sounding analog emulations (John doing the Lucky Man minimoog patch sounded lovely to my ears) but also some novel digital sound shaping possibilities.

[Jumpeyspyder]

And... the ebay auction was removed.

Not a problem I got the handbag

[baward]

It's (or will be) your money, but personally, I'd run screaming from an eBay auction page. If you're going to offload lots of money on a 'vintage' synth, get one from a dealer as a) you'll be guaranteed that it works at point of sale and b) presumably there'd be follow-up support. No guarantees of either with someone on eBay.

Dealers are generally more expensive, but you get what you pay for, as the cliche goes.

Or buy a Behringer DeepMind/Roland Juno 60 + some new studio gear and take yourself and a.n.other on a lovely holiday

[BJG145]

And...the ebay auction was removed.

I'm an idiot. I'm disgusted with myself.

(Really hoping that Synthi in the Gardening section doesn't go the same way.)

[Richie Royale]

Not seen one in the flesh or heard one beyond a YT vid, but these make me want to spend money (any of them, but 002 or 008 are in your ballpark):

http://www.modalelectronics.com/

[Jumpeyspyder]

Not seen one in the flesh or heard one beyond a YT vid, but these make me want to spend money (any of them, but 002 or 008 are in your ballpark):

http://www.modalelectronics.com/

The Modals are really lovely (I had a quick play on them at Synthfest) controls feel luxurious and they sound amazing.