Elektron-Users

Andromeda or PolyEvolver? and why?
I'm in need of a nice analog poly synth to add to my sound palate. The andromeda seems great, but I've read reviews stating that it lacks warmth (isn't that the point of getting an analog?) Is there a stable, modern day poly synth with the warmth of the memorymoog? How does the polyevolver compare? Please give your opinions. Thanks

sensorium wrote:
Andromeda or PolyEvolver? and why?
I'm in need of a nice analog poly synth to add to my sound palate. The andromeda seems great, but I've read reviews stating that it lacks warmth (isn't that the point of getting an analog?) Is there a stable, modern day poly synth with the warmth of the memorymoog? How does the polyevolver compare? Please give your opinions. Thanks

The Andromeda lacks warmth?? What kind of crack addicts wrote THOSE reviews?

BEHOLD:

http://www.wohmart.com/a6/audio/

And here is a demo of the Andromeda doing some "modern" sounds:

http://www.quandace.com/demos/F5D_Andromeda_demo2_1.mp3

You need to find out where those reviewers live, because they need a severe cockpunching.

But seriously, if I could pick only one, I would pick the Andromeda. Both synths are great, but the Andromeda simply nails those Oberheim and Moog timbres.

Well, I can't play keys...so I'm a simple mono synth type player... that said... neither really fits my way of working... but since I like the evolver... 4 evolvers in one is the route i'd go.

You need to find out where those reviewers live, because they need a severe cockpunching.


It was actually Sound on Sound......and also alot of Andromeda owners on Harmony Central. Thanks for your input.

sensorium wrote:
You need to find out where those reviewers live, because they need a severe cockpunching.


It was actually Sound on Sound......and also alot of Andromeda owners on Harmony Central. Thanks for your input.

Which Andromeda owners were those? I know of 5 on KSS: PigHood, ClusterChord, Dave Bryce, BillyWa, and Calvin Lam, and they're all extremely happy with their Andromedas.

As far as Sound on Sound, that Magazine lost a lot of credibility, at least in my eyes, due to blatant favoritism and personal vendettas.

Anyhow, let us know what you end up choosing

For the record, I passed up an Andromeda in order to get my Q+. I still intend to get one in the future though!

jedi ... as someone else stated, I am a simple mono man, I love the evolver, so 5 evolvers + keys + knobs = a good thing for b0unce


hey array, that's interesting what you say about sound on sound...do you mind elaborating a little ? Only cause I hold the magazine in high-regard if there's something I havent heard about/spotted I'd like to hear about it...

also, you picked up a waldorf Q+ ?
Someone is going to sell me their waldorf micro Q if I want it. They will take a small deposit and hold it till I give them the sum in whole ($450).

Do you use a machinedrum/monomachine with your Q ? ...i was thinking about how parameter locks sound modulating the waldorf.... or any kind of quick modulatin in general....I would like to use it with max for some percussive modulating of CC's...

BEHOLD:

http://www.wohmart.com/a6/audio/

And here is a demo of the Andromeda doing some "modern" sounds:

http://www.quandace.com/demos/F5D_Andromeda_demo2_1.mp3



I heard a lot of FAT sounds, but I have to agree after hearing these samples that the Andromeda lacks warmth. The oscillators seem to sparkle in the highs and thunder in the lows, but the midrange lacks the presence for the perceived analog warmth. Anyone else agree?

For me the choice is simple; the PEK!!!

Alesis is just not my cup of tea... and yes Dave Smith is a genius!

b0unce wrote:
jedi ... as someone else stated, I am a simple mono man, I love the evolver, so 5 evolvers + keys + knobs = a good thing for b0unce


hey array, that's interesting what you say about sound on sound...do you mind elaborating a little ? Only cause I hold the magazine in high-regard if there's something I havent heard about/spotted I'd like to hear about it...

also, you picked up a waldorf Q+ ?
Someone is going to sell me their waldorf micro Q if I want it. They will take a small deposit and hold it till I give them the sum in whole ($450).

Do you use a machinedrum/monomachine with your Q ? ...i was thinking about how parameter locks sound modulating the waldorf.... or any kind of quick modulatin in general....I would like to use it with max for some percussive modulating of CC's...

Regarding Sound on Sound, there are a couple of articles which I would like to reference. The first of which is here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct04/articles/studioelecomega8.htm

The reviewer in question likens the sound of the Omega 8 to the SuperNova II. In fact, the SuperNova II seems to be brought up in a lot of reviews and used as a benchmark for other synths. I think that is bogus. The SuperNova II does not sound THAT good, and the only reason why I think it keeps on being brought up is because it's from a UK based company. Furthermore, comparing it to the Omega 8 is absolutely ridiculous.

Which brings me to the next article in question:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may99/articles/waldorf.htm

This is just absolutely unbelievable. Gordon Reid did a great job on his "Synth Secrets" articles, but a synth visionary he definately is not. His SERIOUS gripe is the fact that Waldorf didnt include a disk drive in their Q? Who is he kidding? What other VA's on the market at that time had a disk drive? NONE! Not even his beloved SuperNova. This dude had a serious agenda against Waldorf. Where was Gordon Reid when Access released their bug-ridden Virus TI?

Regarding your MicroQ.....$450 is WAYYY too much. That much would only be worth it if the MicroQ in question was a 75 voice version. Otherwise, I would be hard pressed to justify spending over $375 for one. For the record, I bought a NEW MicroQ for $300 back in 2002 when the yellow ones were being blown out as a closeout item (I later sold it for $300 in order to help finance the Q+, I thought there would be some Karmic reprocussions if I tried selling it for more than I bought it).

I dont own any Elektron kit YET, but I dont see why you wouldnt be able to sequence the MicroQ with it. It is fully MIDI controllable. At the very least, you should be able to set standard modulation destinations such as modwheel, foot pedal, aftertouch, etc.

NoiseLab wrote:
For me the choice is simple; the PEK!!!

Alesis is just not my cup of tea... and yes Dave Smith is a genius!

I love the PEK, and would love to own it one day, but it does NOT sound at all like a MemoryMoog, which was the criteria in the original post. The PEK sounds a lot more like the mid-late 80's CEM based synths (the PEK is afterall CEM based) such as the Prophet 5 rev 3 and Jupiter 6.