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Yo Hep Cats

Yanno...I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO tired of sample playback synths. When I work on "electronic" music, I really just want a decent, non-sampled drum synth. I've let my browser do the walking to the [="http://www.jomox.net/xbase.html"]XBase[/]="http://www.jomox.ne…"]XBase[/], [[url=http://="http://www.jomox.ne…"]AirBase[/]="http://www.jomox.ne…"]AirBase[/] and http://www.machined… Machinedrum[/]="http://www.machined… Machinedrum[/]. The problem is, I can't find any places that actually have these "boutique" instruments.

So I ask you, the loyal readers of this fine forum if you've used any of the above instruments and, if so, what your impressions were.

Thanks

Comments

Adrenaline Mon, 12/10/2001 - 10:54

I'm feelin' your concern doggs,

i'm trying to get my hand on all three of those babies. I just wanna play wit it first. I've read all types of reviews that hype up the sounds but ihaven't actually put my hands on one and i don't know of anyone who owns any. So where do we get them. Online orders i guess bro. That's what i'ma do but not until i get somemore customer feedback. They look and sound like hot gear but you know. You ever fiddled wit it?

Nate Tschetter Mon, 12/10/2001 - 13:48

Howdy

I haven't had a chance to "fiddle" yet. However, I just found out about a place in LA that has this stuff and all sorts of other "boutique" synth stuff. I'm hoping to sneak by there before a session and check it out.

I did manage to download a shitload of mp3 stuff. So far, to me, the champion is the Elektron. It sounded really good.

anonymous Mon, 12/10/2001 - 18:49

Nate!
I have had good luck buying things from
http://www.novamusik.com
They carry elektron products as well as JoMox, and Vermona(who have ther drm-1 analog drumsynth).

I am seriously considering donating my frontal lobe to medical research and shelling out for a machinedrum; analog modeling, fm, physical modeling, lo fi samples, cool efx etc.
I generally am suspicious towards "groove" products, but I am itching to hook this up to my rm1x and also get an electribe s to go with it, that would be one hell of a "toy".
Unfortunately it is awfully expensive. I will persevere however, perhaps streamlining my humble set up so I can afford to feature this badass drum synth.

anonymous Wed, 12/19/2001 - 02:05

:w:
hi everyone
i ordered an airbase from turnkey(uk) took 6 months to get here and when it did i sold it to a friend. The airbase i found to be wild some of the sounds are sample based but go thru vca filters like the old 909's. Its a great sounding unit but needs a compressor on the end of it at all times.
i've also played with the novation drumstation which is wicked
my friend also has an RMX1 which is good if doing live stuff but if you have a computer based system i find the groove box gets put into retirement(like my poor groovebox)

hope this helps
gaff

anonymous Wed, 12/19/2001 - 20:20

The rm1x is ok nate. I have found it a tad too linear in conception strangely enough. The os puts up walls pushing you into a more restricted space. There are things it would seem logical for it to allow done that just dont happen.
This leads me generally to use my computer, especially now with the great vsti's I think the rm1x is expendable to an extent.
But still, I have had many exhilerating evenings sitting in a corner creating "beats" on it. Thyeres not many hardware sequencers that match it for dance music, except maybe the rs 7000.

But...umm, I just got a fast new pc...am loading up on soft synths, and am about to get one of those oasys cards. The machine drum can wait for now...I may also dump my sampler.
Wading through vsti's there's lots of crappy sounding stuff, sure, but there is also some very very interesting soft synths that have me excited.

Nate Tschetter Thu, 12/20/2001 - 06:31

I found a couple of places that have these drum boxes up in LA so today I'm going to check them out. I shall report my findings to y'all.

Speaking of softsynths, I downloaded the Absynth demo and played with that for awhile. It really makes some fantastic noises. Its not the most revolutionary synthsizer engine but its got some great things happening. For example, synchronizable EGs...yeehaw!

Nate Tschetter Sun, 12/23/2001 - 11:24

UPDATE!

Well, I went out and got the MAM ADX1. I'm really pleased with the way it sounds and what the controllers do. It doesn't have a sequencer, which is fine with me as I was mainly looking for something that sounded good.

I'll be using it on a production that starts right after Christmas...if anyone's interested, I'll post some clips of it in "action".

anonymous Tue, 03/19/2002 - 01:07

nate, i was just gonna mention the MAM drum synth, but u beat me to it.

good for electro i think.

another one to look out for is the waldorf "attack"

its based on their software version of the attack drum synth but in hardware form and ofcourse, better sounding :)

ps, i wouldnt consider the rm1x a good drum machine. Its an unreal sequencer for live performance tho which is what i tend to use it for. I use it to sequence all my gear (except for my drum machine korg es-1) and it does a great job. onboard sounds are mainly shit :)