Nord User Forum

Any thoughts on the new DSI Pro 2 synthesizer.

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/news/index.php#pro2

Looks quite pricey at $1,999.

The demo sounds incredible and appears to have an interesting sequencer (and looks very cool too). Shame it is monophonic at that price.
I am not clear if the 4 paraphonic mode is one oscillator per key?

Yeah, agree it sounds very good from the demo and I would like to hear more. The addition of the 32 step sequencer makes it a very attractive option, if you can bear the price of course.

Styling wise, whilst it looks great, perhaps it should have a different visual character than the P12?

Seems to be going head to head with the Moog Sub 37.

Mr_-G- wrote:Shame it is monophonic at that price.

The price of analog...

Mr_-G- wrote:I am not clear if the 4 paraphonic mode is one oscillator per key?

That is my understanding. However, the available waveforms allow even a single oscillator to sound thick. Also, you can apparently assign different attributes to the different oscillators.

anotherscott wrote:

Mr_-G- wrote:Shame it is monophonic at that price.

The price of analog...

I don't agree on that. The new Korg Volcas are almost full analog, and while limited, they sound great and are very cheap. Same goes for the MS20 MINI and the original Mopho, both are mono and cheap.

The way I see this new Pro 2 is like a super luxurious mono synth.

For that price though, I'd rather get a prophet '08.

Saludos,
Gustavo

Gustavo wrote:

anotherscott wrote:

Mr_-G- wrote:Shame it is monophonic at that price.

The price of analog...

I don't agree on that. The new Korg Volcas are almost full analog, and while limited, they sound great and are very cheap. Same goes for the MS20 MINI and the original Mopho, both are mono and cheap.

Of course these are far less capable than the Pro 2, but my point is that analog polyphony is expensive. The Mono Mopho module is $399; the 4-voice polyphonic version of that minimal synth, the Tetra, is already more than double the price, $849. Each additional note of analog polyphony essentially requires building in the componentry of, well, practically another synthesizer. So any given monophonic analog design gets more expensive to make as you add polyphony.

Gustavo wrote:The way I see this new Pro 2 is like a super luxurious mono synth.

Yup, that's exactly what it is! (With the bonus of a 4-voice paraphonic mode.)

Gustavo wrote:For that price though, I'd rather get a prophet '08.

That's the kind of choice DSI is giving us. Those who want their most advanced mono synth can get the Pro 2; those who don't need some of those features and capabilities but do need polyphony can get one of their poly synths... Mopho x4, Prophet '08, Prophet 12.

Well, after looking for a synthesizer to expand my sounds and after trying out several options, I came to the conclusion that I wanted the most advanced mono synth. So now I am the owner of a new DSI Pro 2. I will let you know my thoughts whenever it arrives.

Gustavo wrote:Well, after looking for a synthesizer to expand my sounds and after trying out several options, I came to the conclusion that I wanted the most advanced mono synth. So now I am the owner of a new DSI Pro 2. I will let you know my thoughts whenever it arrives.

I've had one for a while... You will LOVE it. After spending some time with it, I sold all my MOOG stuff. Awesome synth, and complements my Nord Leads nicely. My 2¢.

Cheers!

S h a w wrote:

Gustavo wrote:Well, after looking for a synthesizer to expand my sounds and after trying out several options, I came to the conclusion that I wanted the most advanced mono synth. So now I am the owner of a new DSI Pro 2. I will let you know my thoughts whenever it arrives.

I've had one for a while... You will LOVE it. After spending some time with it, I sold all my MOOG stuff. Awesome synth, and complements my Nord Leads nicely. My 2¢.

Cheers!

I actually tried out the Moog sub37 and I was not blown away as I had expected. But when I started looking Automaticgainsay review of the Pro 2, I fell in love.

Other things I tried out included countless VSTs (since were interesting but software is not for me), the Roland JDXA, Yamaha Motif (which I did like a lot).

Still, the only thing that managed to "move me" the same way as the Pro 2 was the SEM. But that is too expensive for the features...

Gustavo wrote:I actually tried out the Moog sub37 and I was not blown away as I had expected. But when I started looking Automaticgainsay review of the Pro 2, I fell in love.

Other things I tried out included countless VSTs (since were interesting but software is not for me), the Roland JDXA, Yamaha Motif (which I did like a lot).

Still, the only thing that managed to "move me" the same way as the Pro 2 was the SEM. But that is too expensive for the features...

The Moog Sub37 was so underwhelming... They cut corners to get it at the 1499 price point. The VCOs sounded weak. No where near the same warmth / fatness of the Voyager / Phatty / Minitaurs. I'm sure someone is going to start fussing about this comment, but the Moog forum (and gearsluts, and so on) are filled with folks who agree. All those ears can't be wrong.

VSTs... love 'em for studio. People who scoff... Our beloved Nords are VSTs in red metal cases. Arturia, Spectrasonics, U-he... Give them a serious listen.

Roland JDXA... Anti-climactic. Yamaha Motifs sound nice, as do the Kurzweils using VAST.

And I'd agree that DSI and Oberheim sit atop the heap. But the Pro2 FOR THAT KIND OF SYNTH offers the most bang per buck by far. You'll enjoy this quality tool for years to come. Congrats and enjoy.

Cheers!