The Hardware Megathread

[nose]

The Blofeld is amazing if you click with the interface, it’s really deep, can sound smooth or very aggressive, multi mode is a bit fiddly.

Side by side, to my ears it sounded better than a Virus TI1, but there is a lot of overlap between the two, I think at a time the same engineers worked on both.
Between the 2 I prefer the Blofeld.

Awesome to hear. All the demos i’ve heard/watched seems right up my alley, and yeah - in some ways it does seem to trump my Virus. 25 voice polyphony is nuts. It sounds reaaaaally scifi which is just what I love. That’s what I needed to hear!

Only thing I can add is I’ve heard nothing but good things about that keybed. And I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a used one because I’m sure there’s a lot of people who just don’t get on with the interface or need “that sound” for one project and then they’re done with it. So my guess is you could get a pretty clean one used.

Great input. I think I’m going to finance one, I usually do with hardware… kind of a way of “renting” the hardware and try before you buy for $100 or so. For it’s price at 1k, it’s honestly a massive package. I think I spent $1500 on my Ti snow which is integrated.

I really like the idea of having dedicated hardware, I’ve only ever had an Electribe 2, so to be able to sit on my couch with some scotch and write patches and dabble away from the screen, is a big +1 for me.

[aSSerbik]

1k? I see Blofelds go for 300-400 regularly. Or do you mean the keyboard version?

Have you looked at Studiologic Sledge 2 at all? It’s based on the same engine, but it’s knobby as fuck. Look at this sexxxy fucker:

[White_Noise]

Lies. You need the burnt yellow version or it’s a fake.

[metaside]

For 1k

…you could also get some very nice MPE controllers… Just saying… ^^

[Armrest]

Does anyone have experience doodling with a Waldorf Blofeld?

It’s a very nice synth. The factory presets are, in my opinion, mostly weird and/or un-usable, - which turned me off using the synth in the beginnning. But as soon as I decided to get into making my own patches, the beauty of it began to show.

The menu diving is deep, but it works fine once you’ve spent the time needed to get to know it.

Look for the “init” (initialise) function, before starting a new patch.

For me, the one major downside of the Blofeld is its lack of a scale microtuning feature. You can use key track settings to adjust scale step size (to get 1/4 tone intervals, for example), but the steps of the scale will remain equidistant.

NB: Mark Pigott has a ton of inspired videos about patch-making on the Blofeld, and I can recommend checking out his Youtube channel:

Mark Pigott

[Auto-meh-geddon]

The Blofeld and the Evolver are the two synths I owned in the past and wouldn’t mind buying again.
The Blofeld also does some great drums even more so if you have the samples al options installed and the Attack! Expansion

[nose]

Or do you mean the keyboard version?

Yeah I’m talking purely the keyboard version

MPE controllers

controller

to be able to sit on my couch with some scotch and write patches and dabble away from the screen, is a big +1 for me.

can’t do that if I’m hooked into the matrix all the time

[metaside]

can’t do that if I’m hooked into the matrix all the time

No, but at the same time, you are still in the very limited traditional on/off button matrix…
And you don’t need that much time to program and especially modulate your patches when you play MPE, you just PLAY you patches instead of finetuning all the LFOs and envelopes in your synth MATRIX.

Ok, I’m finished now with my weekly MPE propaganda ^^ .

[nose]

i’m gonna be real with you @metaside - I’ve never used an MPE and I actually don’t have any idea what they are all about. sell me on it?

[metaside]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5O4T0aseoc

It’s an expressive controller.
It’s the bridge between traditional EXPRESSIVE instruments and modern DIGITAL sound design. It opens up all possibilities in terms of expressive playing.

Consider this:

Without MPE, you need a second hand on a modwheel or any controller type-thing to bring in expressiveness in more than velocity or aftertouch. With MPE, you have pitchslide (x) AND timbre (y) on every single finger you play with? DO I have to write more?

[nose]

what kind of religion is this - i’m interested

[metaside]

It’s the cult of Xfer and Linn followers. Crazy stuff

[Auto-meh-geddon]

Why just an MPE Controller, te Dreadbox Medusa is a synth with matrix sequencer and MPE grid…

[metaside]

Or the Continuum or ContinuuMini…

[canecreek]

If your in no rush for a blofield then maybe hang about and see what the Waldorf Kyra is like, from what I gather it should be released this year.

[Auto-meh-geddon]

I realised that at this point in my life, considered time, priorities and dedication, the MPC Live is just perfect my needs.

[Blingley]

MPE controllers are…

Fun.

Like really fun.

Fun is important guys.

[st3aLth]

I watched YouTube and came across this video

[nose]

Watching some stuff on the Kyra… whoa… this thing is nutty! Although a lot of people are actually using this in conjunction with the Blofield. Seems like quite the companion piece… 128 voices? Pretty gnarly.

Huh, I might just have to get both…

Thanks for the info drop @canecreek

[relic]

Funny. I wrote and deleted a love letter to the TR8S in this thread a few days ago as Ive owned it about a year now.

It satisfies my groovebox/hardware only/jam video itch and is the perfect sketch pad/first draft machine for the music Im making.

I can’t lie that I do want a monosynth and some new DJ gear, but I think the only thing Im buying in the next six months is a sub for my PA.

In short the TR8S is perfect for my time/needs. I can sit down and get a the bones if a tune started at the kitchen table while watching bad tv and cooking dinner. So perfect.

I realised that at this point in my life, considered time, priorities and dedication, the MPC Live is just perfect my needs.