can anyone recommend a good all around synth ?

waraba · Sep 17th 2015

So far I've been using a monotron duo with great succes on my KPA, I need to go further

here are the specs I look after :

must be plug & play ( I'll hook it to my KPA)
does not need a real hammering keys but velocity-sensitivity is mandatory
does have : some great Hammond and Rhodes tones, some prophet and moog like tones
some strings & warm pads , and some general midi stuff
may have some direct (knobs) basic tone sculpting : cut off / resonance ... for synth sound editing
includes an arpeggiator

It's not supposed to be played live but in my home studio

Can be 2nd hand or new - My budget is low (<750 €/$), I'll probably sell one of my guitars.

Michael_dk · Sep 17th 2015

Have you considered using a software synth with a midi keyboard?

waraba · Sep 17th 2015

Yuck !! No way thx

I'm looking for something real, straight to my KPA

The best candidate so far is the MicroKorg XL

paults · Sep 18th 2015

As long as you don't also want modern/sampled snth sounds, that Korg looks like a lot of fun to me!

DejaWil · Sep 18th 2015

I'm not sure if the XL has velocity keys. I got the R3 because I wanted the full size keys, it doesn't have velocity or aftertouch either.
I'm going to have to try hooking it up to the kpa now, never thought of that.

rothko61 · Sep 18th 2015

Have you tried the Roland V-Synth?
It seems to have all the specs you need.

http://www.roland.com/products/v-synth/specifications/

waraba · Sep 18th 2015

Thx a lot , I'm gonna try a microkorg XL+ since it has velocity and all the tones and arp. I'm looking for . Let's hear that Vsynth too, but it's a big one.

dougc84 · Sep 18th 2015

Just gotta say... software synths can do a LOT more than an analog box can ever do, and preset management is a lot easier depending on what you use (Reason, MainStage, Ableton, etc.). I have a MicroKORG, and, while it sounds fantastic, it's been delegated to MIDI duty, because every sound on it I can generate out of Logic.

You'll love the XL+ if that's what you're looking for though.

(I almost feel like this is convincing a tube amp user to switch to a Kemper...)

Monkey_Man · Sep 24th 2015

2nd-hand Roland INTEGRA-7.

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