The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

--- In AN1x-list@y..., "Benjamin Dirix (EBR)" <benjamin.dirix@e...> 
wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> My music leans towards Chemical Brothers and such.
> 
> I'm looking for a good open-ended drumcomputer and here are the 
options I was considering:
> * Novation drumstation / only good for x0x emulation and works with 
SAMPLES :-(

Don't understand what your saying? Isn't the Drumstation an Analog 
Modeling synth? And it has no physical trigger pads or built in 
sequencer so you're most definitely restricted to to using external 
controllers and sequencer to trigger the sounds.

> * Jomox Xbase09 / good sound, almost fully analog :-) but only 3 
part multitimbral :-(

How important is multitimbral in a drum computer?

> * Roland Grooveboxes / SAMPLES! :-(

Yes, they use samples - is this bad? 

> * Korg ER-1 / open-ended and very experimental sounds possible but 
sounds thin (and looks like a toy)
> 

I wouldn't place to much emphasis on appearance over features - 
that's an artificial limitation.


> Now, since Yamaha didn't follow the same line as Korg by bringing 
out a VA and a drummachine to go with it (the case of the EA-1 and ER-
1) I wonder if the AN200 is as good a drummachine as it is a VA.  
What I mean is, after reading the list of drummachines I've had a 
look at, do you think I could find what I'm looking for in the 
AN200??  It should do punching KICKS, sharp SNARES, nice HHs, 
CYMBALS, ... the whole thing.  I would rather not go for a sampler if 
that's what you would advise me.

You need to listen to the AN200 drum sounds yourself. The two or 
three times I've played an AN200 the drums did not impress me much.

> 
> Something else, I looked at the specs of the AN1x and the AN200 but 
what I couldn't find was data on the multitimbrality of the AN200.  I 
know the AN1x is only 2 part (which could be limiting) but I'd like 
to know how the AN200 stands up to the AN1x (major differences and 
such)

Here are the specs for both AN1x and AN200. Keep in mind that spec's 
are only half the story. The AN1x has no built in drum samples like 
the AN200 does. Does this mean the AN200 is "better"? But the AN200 
has no full size keys - does that mean the AN1x is "better"?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AN1x-
list/files/Documentation/an1x_specs.htm

and

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AN1x-
list/files/Documentation/plg150_an_specs.htm

and here's the online AN200 review at Keyboard magazine. Maybe this 
is of help too:

http://www.keyboardmag.com/demos/an200_dx200/index.shtml


> 
> Greets,
> 
> Benjamin Dirix

regards,

Jon