Arturia Minibrute or DSI MophoX4

[soratach]

What i want from it is basically cool leads and some arpeggiated pads with the options of layering and spilts, i guess Prophet08 would fit in rather well.

If you want some more modern sounds, perhaps you should check something from KORG. Maybe get something like the MicroKorg XL+ (which isn't available yet in the USA), looks very nice. M1 sounds, KORG EPs (which some seem to favor over ours) and of course, their great MMT engine. It also has an excellent vocoder. Downsides: does not have step sequencer and the arpeggiator is somewhat limited. If you want splits or layers, its only Bitimbral, meaning only 2 sounds maximum at once. If having a vocoder is not important, then you might even go get a microstation or the new Krome. Perhaps even a Yamaha MOX 6.

My other recommendation is getting a Tetra. Sure, it may not be so easy to edit due to the limited interface but if you are somewhat familiar with subtractive synthesis, its quite straight forward. There is also a PC/MAC editor. The best thing about the Tetra that you lack on the Mopho x4 is four-part multitimbrality. That means you could have 1 4-voice sounds, 2-voice+2-voice, 1-voice+3voice, or any combination. Even have each as a single voice. Also to note is that each one has its own sequencer, which may prove useful. So for layers/splits that is hard to beat.

Also, avoid the new novation synths. Vocoder sucks and the sound is so-so. Plus, they are monotimbral.

Saludos,
Gustavo

[soratach]

Thanks Gustavo,

I have played with the MicroKorg XL a few times already, indeed it has quite an amazing sound. But MicroKorg reminds me of Roland GAIA, seems to have more possibilities over editing and so on... what do you think?

Also, this is a stupid question I know, what is Multi-Timbral????

[soratach]

Multi-timbral refers to the ability to play multiple sounds, patches, voices or however you call them at once.

For example, MicroKorg XL is Bi-Timbral, that means that if you split or layer you can only have 2 sounds at a time. With a Mopho x4, even though it has a polyphony of 4, it only has mono-timbrality. You cannot have more than one different sound at a time. That's why Tetra is better in my opinion, you can have up to 4 separate sounds at once.

Also, the main reason I would consider a MicroKorg over anything else is VOCODER. It has a great vocoder. I think the GAIA looks better on paper, but I remembery trying one out and not liking its sound. Still I would recommend comparing them side by side if possible.

Saludos,
Gustavo

[soratach]

Thanks Gustavo!!!

All is clear!

[mjbrands]

Also, avoid the new novation synths. Vocoder sucks and the sound is so-so.

I can second that. Have one and really don't like it. The plugin to control it from the DAW is pretty nice (and Daniel Fisher made some nice sounds on it, so it can be done), but overall I find the sound uninteresting.

[smullins]

Thanks guys for the inputs. I actually had a chance to try out the Mopho X4 the other day and i had quite a good time with it. Although i didnt enjoy twitching the knobs as much as i thought i would have. But the sound really impressed me, unfortunately wasnt something i had hope for. The guy at the shop recommended me to try out the Prophet08. Any ideas?

What i want from it is basically cool leads and some arpeggiated pads with the options of layering and spilts, I guess Prophet08 would fit in rather well. I had thought of polychaining X4 with tetra, but the quality of the keys on X4 really put me off.

To a first level of approximation, the Prophet 08 is really the same as the Mopho X4 but with 8 voices instead of 4. The Mopho has all the synthesis capabilities of the Prophet with a couple relatively minor additions: a sub-oscillator (for beefier bass sounds) and an audio feedback path for adding some grungy distortion to the sound.

What didn't you like about the X4 keyboard? I haven't touched one but I did play the regular Mopho keyboard and thought it was fine (of course keyboard touch is a very subjective thing.)

[soratach]

Hey Smullins,

I read somewhere that you can layer sounds on Prophet 08 but not on X4... That's about it really... I kinda wanna use it for live and to be honest I found the front of 08 much easier to work with. Although that sub-oscillator is kinda sweet... so i'm still thinking about them both, taking my time. Then I came across GAIA which isn't all bad.. no aftertouch but giving the price i guess i could live without one. So I don't know.... The problem with being a keyboard player... well a musician is that you like almost everything you see... hahaha

The keys on MophoX4 ...isn't a total disaster, but it does have a very very wierd-wobbly feel to it... and its aftertouch comes with a random 'click' sound... it feels weak... for me anyway.

[mjbrands]

The keys on MophoX4 ...isn't a total disaster, but it does have a very very wierd-wobbly feel to it... and its aftertouch comes with a random 'click' sound... it feels weak... for me anyway.

So it's a different action than on the (Poly) Evolver and Prophet '08 then? I had a Poly Evolver and that had a nice Fatar keyboard - I would assume the Prophet '08 has the same keys.

[smullins]

I read somewhere that you can layer sounds on Prophet 08 but not on X4...

Yes, you can split or layer ...but it is fixed polyphony at 4 voices per split or layer. So the equivalent of two X4 's.

[soratach]

The keys on MophoX4 ...isn't a total disaster, but it does have a very very wierd-wobbly feel to it... and its aftertouch comes with a random 'click' sound... it feels weak... for me anyway.

So it's a different action than on the (Poly) Evolver and Prophet '08 then? I had a Poly Evolver and that had a nice Fatar keyboard - I would assume the Prophet '08 has the same keys.

Actually, I wasn't clear. The keys on Prophet08 was fine, I never try Evolver. It's the keys on MophoX4 I don't like...