Keyboard of the year

[Over The Edge]

Here are my picks.

1. Yamaha Motif ES
2. Kurzweil K2661
3. Dave Smith Instruments Polyevolver
4. Nord Modular G2 and G3
5. Roland V-Synth
6. Hartmann Neuron
7. Alesis Ion
8. Access Virus Classic
9. Nord Lead 2X
10. Korg Triton Extreme


FL
www.franklucas.net

[maJ estY]

Hey, Frank, which year do you mean?/In which year do you live? :P

At least I know that the V-Synth is from 2003 - I'm not sure about some others.

[Angelic Layer]

On the July issue of the Japanese Keyboard magazine, they feature soundclips of Triton Extreme, Fantom-X and Motif ES and some deep comparison, I say they are all equal with different merits and characteristics on their own right.

[Over The Edge]

Majesty,

I'm going by the chronological calendar of
some of the biggest music industry mags
like Electronic Musician, Sound on Sound,
EQ...etc. who have their annual awards about
this time of the year. This covers about the
end of 2003 into the end of 2004.

Just about the only thing prominently known
about the V-Synth about this time last year
among a lot of the common folk was a lot of buzz.
That's about it! Only earlier this year, did the
reviews begin coming in. Realistically, the board
offers so much sonic flexibility in the studio.
HOWEVER, issues like the audio aliasing/stairstepping,
as well as multitimbrality deficiencies hinder it's
practicality in a live situation.

I still think it's a very cool board and pretty easy to use
for a Roland. But I already have lot's of software that
can already do what it does so to have it would be redundant.


FL
www.franklucas.net

[Drusillus]

Not to be nit-picky, but the V-Synth was announced January 2003, and was reviewed in the May 2003 Sound On Sound, so I wouldn't qualify it for Synth of the Year.

Personally I think I'd vote for the Alesis Ion, I think the amount of power at that price is unbeatable :)

- Rick

[Spacehog]

My vote would go with the Roland VR760, but I can't remember when it was released :?

Martin

[maJ estY]

Majesty,

I'm going by the chronological calendar of
some of the biggest music industry mags
like Electronic Musician, Sound on Sound,
EQ...etc. who have their annual awards about
this time of the year. This covers about the
end of 2003 into the end of 2004.

Ahh, OK, I thought you made that list on your own. ;)
I don't have any synth magzines or similar. I learn most about new things here through the forum.


I still think it's pretty easy to use
for a Roland.

Word. :lol: That sentence really made me laugh.

[Deceit]

Top 10 gives you a wide choice...hardly 10 new models are delivered in a year so...I'd go for MY top 5.
1. Roland V-Synth
Insane board. Really. Totally MAD sound designing and exploring. I think it can be used live as well...people use a lot of analog stuff without seqs or multitimbrality...think of it as...a Roland JD800 much more advanced. Or a D50 with the expansion card :D. I fell in love with this board, but can't afford it. Maybe later on...
2. Korg Triton Extreme (88, thanks :D)
Everything Triton taken to the Extreme. A MOSS installed and you're done for your life.
3. Roland Fantom X
Maybe too overloaded with cheesy, meanless stuff. Can't really wonder how to navigate through the menus. Seems like a Star Trek monitor - at least the font's the same, you just miss the Federation mark.
I love the piano - as well as a lot of the samples and the 16 pad thing. The sampling section's fine but I've seen better samplers in the past or on my pc :D.
4. K2661
Just the K2600 more or less *maybe less*, but that's WHY this keyboard kicks ass.
5. Alesis ION
Best buy, even if I like Nord Lead much more. The quality/price thing is very...well, this whole board is too PHAT for that insignificant price!

[Georges]

I'd give the award to Hartmann Neuron and Creamware Noah. Those were they only synths to offer something new. All those workstations are built around a concept which evolved in the early 90ies ... V-Synth is also very interesting but I also remember it being dated 2003 (Jordan used it for ToT, at that moment it was already out for a few months).

[Scrap]

The V-Synth, despite its shortcomings, is a good step in the right direction, I feel. Multiple synthesis types (VA and sample based) waveform mangling, and 'classic' keyboard modules all in one box without having to buy overly expensive expansion cards (VLM, MOSS, so on) at an affordable price - I like it.

I can't say anything about the ES, though. I haven't been able to spend any serious time with it, but I skimmed through the lead and synth presets and they were GM-tastic. :P

Maybe I should buy one and spend some time with it to get some really deeper understanding of it (which is the only way one can really evaluate a keyboard).

[ChrisMcCoy]

I agree on the:

1. Roland V-Synth - I played with it over at guitar center. It's got some really interesting features. My favorite is the crazy touch pad in the upper left corner. Heck, I'd even consider trading my JD-800 for one though I doubt anyone would be willing to make the trade.
2. Yamaha Motif ES - beautiful Piano sounds, and I like the feel and responsiveness of the keys way better than the Triton.

[mesavox]

I'm totally on the Motif ES bandwagon after spending a few hours with it, a Triton Extreme, Roland Fantom X and Triton Studio.

It was clearly the most realistic board of them all where samples were concerned and it had a warmer sound than any of the others on it's synthy patches. It got closer to analog than any of the other boards I played. Soundwise the Motif and then the Kurz K26xx are miles ahead from everything I've heard.

I played a Vsynth somwhere earlier and I liked it, but the older JD800 still sounds warmer to me, and the effects are better in the Yamaha and Kurz boards.

If I had to chose one board right now, the Motif ES wins easily because I'm not a programmer and the Kurzes just take too much time to work with for me. (they are sickly awesome though if you really know how to use them which I don't. LOL)

[Tusker]

So, ummh when did the G3 come out Frank? :wink:

I'm with Scrap on the V-Synth for keyboard of the year. Biggest step in a new direction. But for my personal use I'd take a G2X.

Best,

Jerry

[Over The Edge]

Jer,

You got me on the G3. :lol:
However, that's what I called it at
NAMM when I spoke with one of the
Clavia guys and that's what he called
it too! :lol: :lol:

Ahhh yes, the hypnotic power of persuation, eh?



FL
www.franklucas.net