On Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at 11:18 PM, Mike Metlay ++ Atomic City
wrote:
>> I've had my Xpander for a little over a decade (if we're keeping
>> count).
> Hah! Youngster. :)
That made my day ;-)
> I have worked with the Matrix-6 a bit, but could never get past the
> DCOs. The AN1x represents a very nice way to get that type of sound
> with more control and modulation; once you step away from the
> all-analog audio path, models do better in comparison to hybrid
> machines.
The models may sound closer to the real thing (and they DO have good
mod routings)-
But I must say I like DCOs- the 3 DCO synths I've owned (Juno 60,
Matrix 1000, and Bit one) were wonderful.
- and I've always been a fan of the PPG and Prophet VS (Digital OSC
into VCF).
>>> once you've memorized where the Page buttons are
>>> you can do almost everything by feel.
>> Let's see how that feels....
>> AN1X: Smooth knob rotation
>> Xpander: (Stepped) click click click click click click click
>> click..........
>>
>> Sorry- couldn't resist that one.
>
> It blew up in your face, man. When you're trying to hit an exact
> parameter value, counting clicks is way better than trying to figure
> out by feel how many millimeters to move a smooth potentiometer. :)
I see your point- but I prefer the feel of a smooth knob (even though I
know the 127 clicks are still in there).
I like to feel by ear (not by click).
If I need an envisioned numerical value on the Xpander I can always
type it in directly.
>> When (make that IF ) Yamaha produces an AN2X or some such successor -
>> I'll bet Access and Novation will be playing "catch-up".
>
> I don't think it will happen, I'm afraid. The AN1x, the PL card, and
> the AN200 did okay up to a point, but I don't think they generated
> enough sales to warrant a lot more work on Yamaha's part. Analog
> modeling seems to be more the province of the small eggsnatching
> companies than the big hulking behemoths. All the more reasons to
> treasure the AN1x as the watershed machine it is.
Welcome to wishful thinking (Population : just me).
Synth history says you're probably correct.
How many great instruments were never taken to the next level because
of poor market performance ? ( rhetorical ).
Love those classifications- (what's the third one?)
1. Hulking behemoths : Roland, Korg, Yamaha
2. Eggsnatching companies: Clavia, Waldorf, Access, Novation,
Quasimidi & Redsound
3. Other: Emu, Akai, Kurzweil, Kawai
I suppose Alesis is now an "eggsnatcher" since they have released a
modeling synth.
> Kind of funny how it all works out; on the cover of the November 1997
> RECORDING Magazine, we had a shot of the Korg Z1, the Kawai K5000S,
> the Roland JP-8000, and the Yamaha AN1x floating in space (a real
> photo, not Photoshop, and an amazing setup job it was too!). I
> reviewed all four keyboards for the magazine. The Roland was the
> famous one that everyone was yakking about at the time, but I now
> find myself owning a K5000S and an AN1x and have access to two Z1s in
> my neighborhood when I need them, which isn't often thanks to my
> Prophecy. I never missed the JP again after it left the studio.
Just took a peek at that cover ("Return of the Knob"- I like the title).
The AN1X just doesn't LOOK like much- The Nord and JP8000 look great.
I think this is one reason the AN1X was kind of an underdog (and
overlooked at first).
I seem to recall a KeyBORED mag article pitching the An1x, JP8000 and
Nord lead in the late 90's as well.
Everyone seemed to think Roland's Analog synth heritage would carry
over to the modeling world.
I ended up with a Nord Lead & AN1X (I never heard the Roland "carry
over" that people were "yakking" about)- although I do prefer the
sliders on the JP8000's Envelope controls to knobs (Weakness of
spending too much time with an ARP2600).