# I want to touch real knobs: Deepmind or Minilogue XD?



## SupremeFist

Hello everyone! 

So, I find that programming synths with a mouse is soul-sucking, and I want a cute little hardware module on my desk. 

I love Juno sounds, so I was initially looking at the Roland Ju-06a, but it's small enough to be potentially too fiddly, and if I spent a bit more I could get real analogue via a Deepmind 12 or a Minilogue XD. The question is, which? 

Obviously the Deepmind is more Juno-inspired, while the Minilogue may be less Juno-ish but is at the same time... cooler? More futuristic? (I don't care that the Minilogue has "only" 4-voice polyphony, even for pads. A pad chord does not need more than 4 notes.) I love the sounds I hear from both of them in YouTube videos, but there can be only one. 

Maybe it would help me if any of you who own one or both would say what are the top things that really annoy you about it/them? Thanks in advance!


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## Sunny Schramm

deepmind got the basic knobs but you also have to dig deep in menue-structures for detailed editing and functions. minilogue is for basic analog stuff but has a totally different sound than juno & dm, the filter-resonance makes the sound less loud and thin (what I hate) and the inbuild effects are bad. the new minilogue xD has a different filter, resonance will get louder and more angry (I like it), the new inbuild effects are superb (reverb, delay, modulation + loadable plugins and user-waveforms) but the second envelope is "not" a full adsr - but u can use an lfo for basic waveform-envelopes as well. two analog osc and one digital user-osc gives you great possibilities in sound. basic sound is a bit colder than the original minilogue but really thick with a sine-wave sub-osc and some minimal pitch-mod for analog life in the sound.

maybe you should get a second hand roland system 8 and the juno plug-out expansion to have the full size control and best emulation.


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## José Herring

Sunny Schramm said:


> deepmind got the basic knobs but you also have to dig deep in menue-structures for detailed editing and functions. minilogue is for basic analog stuff but has a totally different sound than juno & dm, the filter-resonance makes the sound less loud and thin (what I hate) and the inbuild effects are bad. the new minilogue xD has a different filter, resonance will get louder and more angry (I like it), the new inbuild effects are superb (reverb, delay, modulation + loadable plugins and user-waveforms) but the second envelope is "not" a full adsr - but u can use an lfo for basic waveform-envelopes as well. two analog osc and one digital user-osc gives you great possibilities in sound. basic sound is a bit colder than the original minilogue but really thick with a sine-wave sub-osc and some minimal pitch-mod for analog life in the sound.
> 
> maybe you should get a second hand roland system 8 and the juno plug-out expansion to have the full size control and best emulation.


Great reply.

I don't own either but I've spent hours and hours trying to decide which analog poly to get so have spent much time programming both.

Minilogue is really straight forward. Sounds totally different than the Deepmind. It's really limited in polyphony too, for me once polyphony gets below say 6 to 8 voices it's hard for me to justify calling it a "polysynth". But, it is what it is. I find that the minilogue actual sounds pretty harsh. Not as harsh as some digital but approaching it. It's really cutting though. It would be great for leads but not as great as some monosynths. So with the lack of polyphony it's not as great as the Korg's Prologue but the single osc and unisons aren't as good as the Model D, SE-2, or the Neutron or many other mono synths.

But, that being said, if you're willing to put up with the limitations, it's fun.

Deepmind 12 on the other had is a deep, deep synth. Make no mistake about it. You will have to menu dive on this one. It also comes with a plugin interface. I call it a hybrid between software and hardware. FX are friggin' soooo good. It is way more melo sounding than the Minilogue. Without all the FX it's a bit underwhelming, but... if you start doubling up the osc then it starts to sound full and big. It just then limits the polyphony. With all 24 osc in unison it's a fat mono synth beast with lots of low end rumble. There's actually two analog osc per voice but you can catch my drift right? Doing all the math is a bit hard for me right now, had a late night. 

It took me a lot of work to get it to sound good though. Took me about an hour whereas the Minilogue took only minutes. Deepmind is aptly named. Lots of little submenues to navigate but once you get it it's pretty easy. 

I actually like the Deepmind A LOT but in the end decided that it wasn't going to add a lot to my setup so didn't get it.

If you have the money, Davesmith's offerings are hard to beat and I'm waiting for Behringer's Oberheim poly synth UB-Xa and will probably get that instead of the Deepmind.

Just my thoughts remember prefaced with that I don't own either and have only demoed each for about 10 hours total.


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## SupremeFist

Very useful replies, thank you both!


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## ALittleNightMusic

Why not a Novation Peak? Not fully analog but has an analog filter. Lot of knobs for fast programming but also very deep too. I don’t have it (yet) but that or the Rev2 desktop might be great.


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## vitocorleone123

I'd save a bit more and look at a Prologue over the XD, else I'd get the XD... IF you aren't a piano player used to playing massive chords. The Peak is right up there with the Rev2, but I'd get the Rev2. Argon 8 would be a wild card in the mix (as would the Hydrasynth, which requires more sound design to get a warmer sound).

Waiting for future synths without a firm release date is boring.

There's also a new Sequential something being announced this month, supposedly.


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## proxima

I also wanted knobs to fiddle with in a module, and I ended up with the XD. You can do an awful lot without digging into the menus. 

Bonus points for Omnisphere integration, though I haven't used it as much as I should. But it's really cool to get used to the layout of your hardware synth and then use it on something as powerful as Omnisphere. 

One weird thing: I got it when it just came out, and the thing took about 2 months to off-gas sufficiently so I didn't smell it when I sat down. Not sure what it was, but I still get hints of it when it's powered on.


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## chimuelo

Moog One.


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## SupremeFist

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Why not a Novation Peak? Not fully analog but has an analog filter. Lot of knobs for fast programming but also very deep too. I don’t have it (yet) but that or the Rev2 desktop might be great.


The Peak sounds OK but I don't really like the aesthetics/ergonomics of it. I also considered Hydrasynth, Argon, Wavestate etc but decided I wanted something as simple/approachable as possible while also not spending too much. (I'm not a very good synth programmer and hope to learn more on the hardware.) So for me it's definitely between DM12 and Minilogue XD.


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> The Peak sounds OK but I don't really like the aesthetics/ergonomics of it. I also considered Hydrasynth, Argon, Wavestate etc but decided I wanted something as simple/approachable as possible while also not spending too much. (I'm not a very good synth programmer and hope to learn more on the hardware.) So for me it's definitely between DM12 and Minilogue XD.



XD then for sure, between those. Or... Rev2 or Prologue 8 for more $$


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## Solarsentinel

SupremeFist said:


> The Peak sounds OK but I don't really like the aesthetics/ergonomics of it. I also considered Hydrasynth, Argon, Wavestate etc but decided I wanted something as simple/approachable as possible while also not spending too much. (I'm not a very good synth programmer and hope to learn more on the hardware.) So for me it's definitely between DM12 and Minilogue XD.



Now you hesitate between the two, it is purelly a matter of taste! Which one do you like the most, and which one you think you have really want to use? Because, when you own a synth, the most easy to use and the more fun to use is always the one you'll use (and it's very important in the end, we don't want a synth resting on a desktop and taking dust for nothing)!

Furthermore the two are good, you just have to know that the minilogue XD has a third digital oscillator that you can progam yourself or purchase on other stores. And it cover a new world that could'nt be reach with the deepmind. you can make a lot of original sound design with it. It has also a polyphonic sequencer (limited but it is here) and several bunch of good effects. For the price, it really worth it.
The deepming has a lot more voices and is really deep. Consider you loved Juno sounds, it will be the one to consider. But it sound more "classical" than the minilogue XD, which is more modern sound. It has way more menus diving too... Consider also the form factor, the deepmind exist on desktop format if you are interested. (and the XD too, there is the XD module)

Just my thoughts


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## MarcHedenberg

XD is great although it’s been really difficult to get practical use out of pads because, for whatever reason, the ADSR envelope resets for me after every note, so chord progressions just do not work. I‘ve been able to sort of get around this with reverb but it’s not ideal. It’s possible I’m doing something wrong here...


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## EvilDragon

I'd definitely suggest Peak as well. IMHO sounds absolutely great.


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## chimuelo

I love knobs. Here I am prepping some splits for a gig.


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## proxima

MarcHedenberg said:


> XD is great although it’s been really difficult to get practical use out of pads because, for whatever reason, the ADSR envelope resets for me after every note, so chord progressions just do not work. I‘ve been able to sort of get around this with reverb but it’s not ideal. It’s possible I’m doing something wrong here...


Nope, pretty sure that's an issue. Or at least I can't find any new setting in recent firmware.


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## SupremeFist

MarcHedenberg said:


> XD is great although it’s been really difficult to get practical use out of pads because, for whatever reason, the ADSR envelope resets for me after every note, so chord progressions just do not work. I‘ve been able to sort of get around this with reverb but it’s not ideal. It’s possible I’m doing something wrong here...


Oh! That sounds like a dealbreaker.... Thanks for letting me know!


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## MarcHedenberg

proxima said:


> Nope, pretty sure that's an issue. Or at least I can't find any new setting in recent firmware.



Since I only recently bought it, I did make sure a few days ago to update firmware but it didn’t make any difference.


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## SupremeFist

Just so I understand correctly: can the Minilogue XD not do this? (Pad made in Alchemy, 4-note chords, notes are not overlapping.)


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## MarcHedenberg

SupremeFist said:


> Just so I understand correctly: can the Minilogue XD not do this? (Pad made in Alchemy, 4-note chords, notes are not overlapping.)



If it can, I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it as delicately and smoothly as in that example.


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## SupremeFist

MarcHedenberg said:


> If it can, I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it as delicately and smoothly as in that example.


Ah, shame, but thanks again for warning me!


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## SupremeFist

Since I set the releases long to smear over the transitions, maybe the issue is that I am using more than 4-note polyphony there?


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## Sunny Schramm

SupremeFist said:


> Just so I understand correctly: can the Minilogue XD not do this? (Pad made in Alchemy, 4-note chords, notes are not overlapping.)



its just four notes polyphonic. if you play a four note chord and then a new chord the voices from the chord before needs to be canceled. the release of the adsr has no effect in this case because its running out of voices. totally normal 🤷‍♂️ we are all spoiled from digital synths and vst´s 😉 but its easy to create pads like you want with the internal effects. some delay, maybe a little bit of reverb and the pads will take you to heaven! but if you want it just dry you need at least an 8-voice (or more) polyphonic analog synth. but even 12 voices will be canceled if you play your chords to fast or the release is too long. maybe you should consider a good VA- or Digital-Synth with 16 voices at least. an access virus b is still great tool for pads - deep as f*ck for the bottom or like shiny light in heaven  but there is also a little menue-diving or clicking to change osc 2+3 or the lfo´s. today there are so many great sounding options out there and for pads, basses, etc. it doesnt have to be analog anymore ❤


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## José Herring

SupremeFist said:


> Just so I understand correctly: can the Minilogue XD not do this? (Pad made in Alchemy, 4-note chords, notes are not overlapping.)


Man, I miss Alchemy. Is this the old version or the newer Logic only version?


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## SupremeFist

José Herring said:


> Man, I miss Alchemy. Is this the old version or the newer Logic only version?


The Logic one!


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## Greg

Virus ti 2, still the best virtual analog synth imo


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## Wes Antczak

Prologue?


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## vitocorleone123

Positive of spending less: spending less
Risk: not getting what you expected, lots of trade offs

Positive of saving longer/spending more: quality, maybe more keys/more voices, more features/sound quality - more room to grow
Risk: feeling you overpaid for what you need it for or want it for, still buying the “wrong” thing if you don’t spend time researching it first

IF there’s any way possible to save up and spend more, I’d HIGHLY recommend that, instead. The Prologue 16, Rev 2 16, and Peak are at a higher level in all aspects. That said, the XD is a cool little synth and was my top choice - was all set to buy it - until I made the “mistake” of trying the OB-6.

You can get amazing analog monosynths for under $800 new. Hard to get an amazing, new analog poly synth for that.


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## givemenoughrope

Grindr

No. 
I would look into the Prophet 12 module as well.


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## SupremeFist

Sunny Schramm said:


> Maybe you should get a second hand roland system 8 and the juno plug-out expansion to have the full size control and best emulation.



I think I would actually really like that but from what I can tell the Juno plug-out is still not available and the whole Aira concept is looking like abandonware already. 

So it's time for me to mask up and go to a music store next week to try out DM12 vs Peak! 

Meantime this has inspired me to at least try to understand my softsynths better, with this track. Many thanks for all the helpful responses so far!


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## Saxer

If you have Omnisphere: Peak and a bunch of other hardware synths are on it's list of hardware profiles. That means you can use the "GUI" of the hardware synth to program Omnisphere. It feels like programming the synth when using Omnisphere (or vice versa it feels like a hardware Omnisphere). At least as far as the architectures match. But it's a great bonus for those synths. I have Peak and love to use it for Omni-programming. It multiplies the possibilities of the hardware.


Here's the list of supported synths that work with Omnisphere

Roland JD-XA
Roland JD-Xi
Roland JP-08
Roland JP-8000
Roland JU-06
Roland JUNO-106
Roland JX-03
Roland SE-02
Roland SH-01A
Roland SH-201
Roland D-50
Roland GAIA
Roland Super Jupiter
Roland System-1
Roland System-8
Roland VP-03
Korg microKorg
Korg Minilogue
Korg Minilogue XD
Korg Monologue
Korg MS-20ic
Korg MS-2000
Korg Prologue
Korg Radias
Moog Little Phatty
Moog Minitaur
Moog Sirin
Moog Slim Phatty
Moog Sub 37
Moog Subsequent 37
Moog Sub Phatty
Moog Voyager
Dave Smith Mopho
Dave Smith OB-6
Dave Smith Pro 2
Dave Smith Prophet 6
Dave Smith Prophet 8
Dave Smith Prophet 12
Dave Smith Prophet X
Dave Smith REV2
Nord Lead 1
Nord Lead 2
Nord Lead 3
Nord Lead 4
Nord Lead A1
Nord Stage 3
Nord Wave
Andromeda A6
Novation Bass Station II
Novation Circuit Mono Station
Novation MiniNova
Novation Peak
Virus A
Virus B
Virus C
Virus Indigo 1
Virus Indigo 2
Virus TI
Yamaha Reface CS
Studiologic Sledge
Deepmind


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## ALittleNightMusic

Just got my Peak and I gotta say, it is fantastic! Really great hands on control (which to me is one of the main points of a hardware synth - play it like an instrument). Also the Omnisphere integration is so fun.


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## LudovicVDP

You can also find some very cheap used Nord Rack 2Ex.

I'm with Greg on the Virus. Those are a beast.


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## spacepluk

@SupremeFist what did you get in the end?


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## SupremeFist

spacepluk said:


> @SupremeFist what did you get in the end?


Diva! 

I was only able to try a Prologue in person and was not impressed at all. From all the demos I can listen to I don't think the Peak or Rev2 are for me either. Still might take a chance on a DM12D though…


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## spacepluk

haha! Excellent choice :D

It's so hard, right? I'm pretty happy with the sounds I get from the plugins but I'm also craving for more hands-on control... so I keep going back and forth between getting a Peak and building a custom controller for my soft synths...


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## spacepluk

I just can't decide


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## whinecellar

Man, I’ve owned both, and I sold the DM after about a month. I was sucked in by some YT videos and only after owning it did I realize it really leans heavily on its FX, which can be fantastic - but the actual sound of it just didn’t do much for me and I didn’t like the interface. Plus I already have Juno/Jupiter stuff covered by actual Roland hardware, so it was redundant for me.

The Minilogue on the other hand - wow - what a monster synth. It can do SO much, and has a ton of potential with that open source oscillator and effects. I also love the form factor, and it looks and feels superb. Those keys are actually really playable too - they don’t feel cheap. Highly recommended!


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## SupremeFist

spacepluk said:


> I just can't decide


It's hard! I did get a Roland MC-101 though and am loving that as an away-from-computer scratchpad for ideas.


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## SupremeFist

whinecellar said:


> Man, I’ve owned both, and I sold the DM after about a month. I was sucked in by some YT videos and only after owning it did I realize it really leans heavily on its FX, which can be fantastic - but the actual sound of it just didn’t do much for me and I didn’t like the interface.


I've seen a lot of people say that about the DM but I really love the sounds demonstrated here:

Not sure I want to have to use that awful screen though. 


> The Minilogue on the other hand - wow - what a monster synth. It can do SO much, and has a ton of potential with that open source oscillator and effects. I also love the form factor, and it looks and feels superb. Those keys are actually really playable too - they don’t feel cheap. Highly recommended!


I didn't love the sound of the Prologue in person - is the Minilogue XD essentially the same basic flavour? If so it's not for me though I love the UX.


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## vitocorleone123

Buy an analog synth for its tone and filter and controls, not it's on-board effects. If those things don't bring you delight, consider passing and sticking with one or more of the amazing soft synths we have available. Don't fall for effects-laden sound in videos - you can laden all the effects you want on anything you buy. Find videos that go in-depth in the core sound of the oscillators, filter, envelope, etc.

If you didn't like the Prologue, you probably won't like the XD.

Does it have to be a polysynth? If you want analog and don't want to spend over ~$1k USD, a quality mono synth may bring you more joy.


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> Buy an analog synth for its tone and filter and controls, not it's on-board effects. If those things don't bring you delight, consider passing and sticking with one or more of the amazing soft synths we have available. Don't fall for effects-laden sound in videos - you can laden all the effects you want on anything you buy. Find videos that go in-depth in the core sound of the oscillators, filter, envelope, etc.
> 
> If you didn't like the Prologue, you probably won't like the XD.
> 
> Does it have to be a polysynth? If you want analog and don't want to spend over ~$1k USD, a quality mono synth may bring you more joy.


That's why I liked that DM12 video: the sounds are not effects-laden. (Oscillator Sink also has some really nice DM videos.) 

But yeah, maybe I should go mono with an SE02 or Model D and leave my softsynths to handle poly duties...


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## whinecellar

SupremeFist said:


> I've seen a lot of people say that about the DM but I really love the sounds demonstrated here:
> 
> Not sure I want to have to use that awful screen though.
> 
> I didn't love the sound of the Prologue in person - is the Minilogue XD essentially the same basic flavour? If so it's not for me though I love the UX.




A big thing with both of these synths in particular is that their factory sounds leave a lot to be desired (more so the DM), so it takes some work or 3rd party patch banks to show off their potential.

The ML is certainly from the same family as the Prologue, but I don’t think they’re directly patch-compatible. Funny enough, the demos I’ve heard of the Prologue didn’t do anything for me either, but actually playing the Minilogue sold me. It has a really good analogue character (kinda shocking big basses and pads), let alone for a synth in its price bracket. Its raw sound and ease of programming easily won over the Deepmind for me. And again, the open source aspect has tons of potential - lots of cool stuff already coming out for that.

To each their own of course - I just felt like the Deepmind was really boring and didn’t come close to anything else I already had...


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## Penthagram

Just wanna reiterate on the open-source part of the minilogue XD. There is crazy good stuff that can add lot's of new capabilities to the synth. For example Sinevibes : https://www.sinevibes.com/korg/

I don't have a deepmind synth so I cannot compare. What I like from minilogue XD : Easy of use and overall layout. almost everything is there for you to twist when you are creating a sound. Sequencer can be very poserful, but I don't use it very much. I think for the price you got a very nice instruments. The sound is up to our own tastes and capabilities creating. but I like the sound of it. Overall i'm very pleased with it.


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## soundmind

I have both the DeepMind and the Summit (and Diva, which is great!). I agree with whinecellar, that the open source factor is key. In that aspect, the DeepMind is limited. The Peak and Summit are able to load wavetables via their software Components (10 user slots, and store the rest in your computer). Can’t say enough great things about the Summit, where you can program until your heart’s content. Such a diverse sound from digital FM to warm analog. Between my own patches and 3rd party, I have just about replaced all of the factory presets.

Depending on what you are looking for, and of course your budget, you can’t go wrong with the Korg models or Novation. Again, the DeepMind is not a bad option, just a little more difficult to program and limited to adding wavetable content. Enjoy your quest!


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## vitocorleone123

The SE-02 is fantastically powerful and sublime for it's price - especially if you pick one up used (I also read someone claim they got one from GuitarCenter on clearance for $200). The controls ARE a bit tightly clustered so don't try to use it in a live setting, but it's well-made etc. (and the ExtBox completes it). I've had one for almost 2 years and I wouldn't swap it out for anything. There's also amazing monosynths from Vermona, Nyborg, Erberus and Moog. If I had space for another monosynth, I'd look at the Typhon, Dreadbox, and Siren. I figure if you're going to invest in analog for something a softsynth can't do, then invest and go big or go home. Something rich and deep, ideally without a direct software clone.

Otherwise, something like the dedicated controller for Repro-1 looks awesome, for example.


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> The SE-02 is fantastically powerful and sublime for it's price - especially if you pick one up used (I also read someone claim they got one from GuitarCenter on clearance for $200). The controls ARE a bit tightly clustered so don't try to use it in a live setting, but it's well-made etc. (and the ExtBox completes it). I've had one for almost 2 years and I wouldn't swap it out for anything. There's also amazing monosynths from Vermona, Nyborg, Erberus and Moog. If I had space for another monosynth, I'd look at the Typhon, Dreadbox, and Siren. I figure if you're going to invest in analog for something a softsynth can't do, then invest and go big or go home. Something rich and deep, ideally without a direct software clone.
> 
> Otherwise, something like the dedicated controller for Repro-1 looks awesome, for example.


Live I just play guitar so that's not a problem.  Yes, for 3 oscs, patch memory, and USB-audio the SE-02 looks really nice. The Dreadbox Typhon seems cool but a little too acieeed for my taste (but that may be just the particular demos I've heard).


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> Live I just play guitar so that's not a problem.  Yes, for 3 oscs, patch memory, and USB-audio the SE-02 looks really nice. The Dreadbox Typhon seems cool but a little too acieeed for my taste (but that may be just the particular demos I've heard).



I suspect that the Erica Synths DB-01 is also out, then.


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## SupremeFist

The MFB Synth Pro is also intriguing, though gearslutters say there is a hardware fault on early versions...


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> I suspect that the Erica Synths DB-01 is also out, then.


Yeah it looks cool but generally I'm not a big fan of massive resonance and squelch.


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> The MFB Synth Pro is also intriguing, though gearslutters say there is a hardware fault on early versions...


Yes. MFB seem to be known for firmware issues (tiny company). Also, you'd want to listen to as much as possible in terms of demos because I've read the Synth Pro has a distinctive sound, and excels at some things more than others. I've read that it can be a better background synth, for example.


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## SupremeFist

I'm kind of blown away by this video of a patch pack for the SE-02. Can it really do all these sounds? If so it may be The One...


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## shponglefan

vitocorleone123 said:


> The SE-02 is fantastically powerful and sublime for it's price



Funny enough, playing around with my SE-02 this past week ended up leading me to buy a Minilogue. SE-02 is so aggressive sounding, I found the Minilogue a lot easier to tame.


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> I'm kind of blown away by this video of a patch pack for the SE-02. Can it really do all these sounds? If so it may be The One...




Yes. I bought that pack, too. Those are real. I think the video has some additional compression and/or reverb applied here and there. And the person knows how to play a lot better than I.

The SE-02 _does like to be aggressive_. But it doesn't have to be. The first thing to do to tame it is to turn the output volume down, but, more so, don't turn the oscillator volume past 50% or so. If you can get a good deal on it (less than $400), it might be worth considering. But if you don't really go aggressive in your music, there could be some tension there as it wants to push that direction. Check out the loooong thread on the GS forum, as well, maybe starting from the most recent.

The Minilogue XD is, indeed, more tame by default. In fact it can't get as aggressive from what I can tell. I don't own one, but auditioned one for hours in a shop last century er year... seems like another lifetime ago. I was all set to buy the XD, and then I used the OB-6 in the shop........ and had to spend a few more months saving up! 

Most recent Korg synths (not 2600 FS), to me, is a little more "smooth" and "glassy"... a bit like Roland's modern synths (except SE-02).


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## shponglefan

SupremeFist said:


> I'm kind of blown away by this video of a patch pack for the SE-02. Can it really do all these sounds? If so it may be The One...



Probably. Though the SE-02 tends towards the more aggressive side in my experience. Trying to tame it is a bit of challenge.

If you like the sounds of the SE-02 also check out Studio Electronics line of Boomstar synths. I've got their older 3003 model and it's a beast.


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> Most recent Korg synths (not 2600 FS), to me, is a little more "smooth" and "glassy"... a bit like Roland's modern synths (except SE-02).


Yep, that is the feeling I got with the Prologue, and I'm looking for fat analogue vintage warmth that can get a little aggressive in an unpredictable (because analogue) way, so this is really interesting. Thanks for the confirmation!


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## vitocorleone123

If the price isn’t too high, check out the Dreadboxv3 and the Moog Siren, as well. Or even the less expensive Vermona Lancet. Those are other monos that highly interest me.


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## Sunny Schramm

SupremeFist said:


> Diva!
> 
> I was only able to try a Prologue in person and was not impressed at all. From all the demos I can listen to I don't think the Peak or Rev2 are for me either. Still might take a chance on a DM12D though…



👍


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## SupremeFist

Oh man, but now there is the Polybrute...


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> Oh man, but now there is the Polybrute...



I thought we were talking about ~$1k....


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> I thought we were talking about ~$1k....


So did I...


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## vitocorleone123

SupremeFist said:


> So did I...


Ha! Fair enough.

Looks like it could become the de-facto answer to "I want an analog synth, what should I get?". Unless you're looking for a specific sound, of course (e.g., P6, OB6, etc.).

It's also gigantic (to me).

I wouldn't / literally couldn't replace my desktop OB-6 with the Arturia, but if I had the space, I'd seriously pine over it in terms of having it in addition to the OB-6. The Arturia already sounds better to me than the Peak/Summit.


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## SupremeFist

vitocorleone123 said:


> Ha! Fair enough.
> 
> Looks like it could become the de-facto answer to "I want an analog synth, what should I get?". Unless you're looking for a specific sound, of course (e.g., P6, OB6, etc.).
> 
> It's also gigantic (to me).
> 
> I wouldn't / literally couldn't replace my desktop OB-6 with the Arturia, but if I had the space, I'd seriously pine over it in terms of having it in addition to the OB-6. The Arturia already sounds better to me than the Peak/Summit.


Yeah, I'd be seriously tempted if they did a module but I really don't want another keyboard....


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## shponglefan

Given the inclusion of the 3D pad controller, mod wheel/pitchbend, and a touchstrip, they seem to be going for a lot of live performance options on the Polybrute.


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## vitocorleone123

shponglefan said:


> Given the inclusion of the 3D pad controllers, mod wheel/pitchbend, and a touchstrip, they seem to be going for a lot of live performance options on the Polybrute.



On the flip side of that, it's huge and weighs almost 50lbs. Maybe it's for... home performances? Your pets will love you if you put on a concert every night.


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## SupremeFist

Ok so it might end up being the Behringer Pro 800.  Meantime I am really enjoying Diva!


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## Wes Antczak

In terms of actual hardware, the Pro 800 seems like it will be a great option and the price certainly won't break the bank in comparison to other available poly choices! Eight voices of real analog and no menu diving or hiding behind effects sounds really appealing... of course, also depending on one's specific needs and tastes.


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## vitocorleone123

Wes Antczak said:


> In terms of actual hardware, the Pro 800 seems like it will be a great option and the price certainly won't break the bank in comparison to other available poly choices! Eight voices of real analog and no menu diving or hiding behind effects sounds really appealing... of course, also depending on one's specific needs and tastes.



Yes, but one must wait at least 4 months or so before it’s released.


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## dcoscina

I've played both at the store I work at. I prefer the Minilogue XD personally. If I had lotsa dough, I'd buy it. But I really don't have a need for hardware gear at this point.


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## SupremeFist

dcoscina said:


> I've played both at the store I work at. I prefer the Minilogue XD personally. If I had lotsa dough, I'd buy it. But I really don't have a need for hardware gear at this point.


Ha, I don't really have a _need _either, but it is frustrating that even in London there's nowhere I can currently demo all the contenders....


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## vitocorleone123

Again, choosing between the 2, I'd go with the XD every single time. Why? Tone. Plus the digital is kinda cool for random awesome things.

I have a dozen soft synths and a hundred effects to take it from there since I work at a desk not a studio full of hardware. I don't need the effects of a Deepmind at all. That's one reason I went with a simple 1:1 hardware analog monosynth and a simple 1:1 hardware analog polysynth: tone. My only 2 hardware synths, which I sync with the DAW tempo by using an Expert Sleepers USAMO to the main poly, and then thru to the mono. Both are desktop modules. I then layer on and manipulate sound all I want with zillions of things on the PC.

If you're looking to get away from the PC, then the Deepmind becomes more of a possibility, in my opinion.


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## SupremeFist

Update: I still haven't bought any hardware! But one thing I have realized is that I am unwilling to give up the convenience of automation over midi cc at least, which rules out the Behringer D and Pro-1, even though I love how they sound from demos, and probably also the upcoming 800 too. I wish I liked the sound of the Minilogue XD (or the Peak or the Rev2) as much, but I don't; I like the sound of the Deepmind better but that horrible early-90s screen is tough to swallow.

Prophet 6 or OB6 sound more like what I'm after but I'm not willing to spend that much right now. The Roland SE-02 however is still potentially calling to me. I like kind of "liquid, overdriven" lead sounds and really snappy (and also a bit overdriven; can you tell I'm a lead guitarist?) Junoesque basses, so if that's what people are calling "aggressive" it might be right up my street.


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## spacepluk

Maybe get one of those controllers for repro?

http://sound-force.nl

I’ve definitely considered that.


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## vitocorleone123

The SE-02 can be overdriven for sure. And it's way more snappy than any software synth I've used. So if you want to pound out a deep and dirty bassline of 16th notes at 140+ bpm you can do that with ease. I'd say there's fewer harmonics in the SE-02 sound than a Model D, which it overlaps a lot with, but not completely by any means. It's a more modern sound. I recommend using it with a MIDI cord instead of USB (plug the USB in to transfer sounds to/from a PC) because the USB in use raises the noise floor a bit.

Use the resonance to tame the bass; like most (all?) Moogs, increasing the resonance will cut the bass due to the ladder filter. The sequencer is quite good, and has a 1 per value parameter lock.

If you do get the SE-02, keep saving up for the ExtBox from Studio Electronics. Yes, it's over priced for what it is, but what it is makes a noticeable difference if you're crafting your own sounds. The downside is that you can't save the settings, they can't be automated, and they don't output CC. However, the larger and silky cutoff knob is amazing. The Drive and HP filter were the features missing from the SE-02, and make a big difference in the warmth/analog tone, as well as if you want to round off the low-end from leads or high sounds.


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## SupremeFist

Update: just got Repro as well.


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## Marsen

Thinking ´bout getting an Minilogue XD.

The knobs transmitting parameters via MIDI to the DAW for automation, right?
Just to wanna be sure. My "2000" JP 8080 does, but who knows 20 years later how the world looks like (where people loving their cassette players).


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## vitocorleone123

Marsen said:


> Thinking ´bout getting an Minilogue XD.
> 
> The knobs transmitting parameters via MIDI to the DAW for automation, right?
> Just to wanna be sure. My "2000" JP 8080 does, but who knows 20 years later how the world looks like (where people loving their cassette players).


One of the best parts of the XD is the digital component. There's SO MUCH that's been coded, some free, some paid. The XD does make some odd design choices, such as limiting one of the envelopes vs the original Minilogue, as well, so make sure you're OK with those aspects.


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## Marsen

vitocorleone123 said:


> One of the best parts of the XD is the digital component. There's SO MUCH that's been coded, some free, some paid. The XD does make some odd design choices, such as limiting one of the envelopes vs the original Minilogue, as well, so make sure you're OK with those aspects.


I know about the limited Filter envelope, but my question goes in another direction.


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