"Essential" Rack equipment?

[MagnaOpera]

I'm looking to step my rack-mount game up... I just won an E-Mu Proteus FX off of eBay for 80 and change...

Can anyone recommend me some good rack-mount (preferably) synthesizers that could be snagged somewhere like eBay for relatively cheap? Next on my shit list is the Mo' or Planet Phatt... Is one better than the other? Should I get both?

Also I'm open to suggestions with regard to rack-mount effects processors, limiters etc.

My budget per rack unit is probably around $200-$350.


Thanks in advance.. AND HAPPY NEW YEAUH!!!1

 

[daproduct]

well other than the motif-rack, and the planet phatt which you had mentioned up there, i might suggest the triton rack which hosts the same synth engine the triton series of boards had, plus on-board sampling (which the fantom xr only offers with a plugin board, and the motif racks dont offer)
on top of that, everyone could use a handy mic preamp, and the ART MPA Gold with a coupla higher end tubes does some pretty nice tricks!

hope this says somethin that wasnt obvious from the get go! happy new year!

 

[thedreampolice]

Why not go the soft syth route? More flexible, better quality. You get can all the EMU stuff in software form.

 

[MagnaOpera]

Thx for the reply product, I'll have to czech that stuff out.

dreampolice: I have a pretty huge collection of free vsti synths, but I just cannot justify buying "samples" of classic hardware synths. If I'm going to pay money to get a proteus 2 soundset, I might as well just buy the damned rack, you know? I think there are some really high quality vsti synths but... In my experience the sound just don't compare to hardware..

I also don't really agree that soft-synths are "better quality", nor more flexible. Being that they're either emulations or direct samples of famous synths (most of them are usually one or the other), I don't see them as being even comparable to the original products in most cases. I have over 10 Moog-emulating vsti synths, and I know for a fact that they're not nearly as nice as a hardware Moog synth.

 

[thedreampolice]

some softsyths are the exact same math as the hardware so its the same stuff. It also make life easier as far a saving goes. The best piano sounds I have ever heard is from ivory, software only. Best strings VSL, software only. Check out the http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/Proteus/default.asp for the EMU stuff. I actually sold my EMU stuff on ebay now that I have the cakewalk stuff and the digital sound factory refills. Technology has moved forward, Reason is amazing by its self. The only hardware that I keep around is straight up analog synths.......hope that helps.

 

[MagnaOpera]

not really lol.

 

[Formant024]

heres a go

akai vx-90
s950
roland JD990
Novation drumstation
Emu morpheus
Emu vintage keys
Alesis dm pro
Matrix 1000 (get the acces programmer aswell)
korg dw8000 rack

 

[MagnaOpera]

Thanks! I will check those out.

 

[God]

Put your softsynths on a "softsynth-dedicated" computer and slave it to the computer with your DAW.

DreamPolice is right, the math on the synths is the same... unless you want to use a Yamaha FS1-R. That synth RULED and was complicated as fuck to use.

Oh, shit... I haven't heard the name of that synth in YEARS. Damn.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Put your softsynths on a "softsynth-dedicated" computer and slave it to the computer with your DAW.

Oh shit, how do you do that?
I didnt know you could do that?

 

[Formant024]

Put your softsynths on a "softsynth-dedicated" computer and slave it to the computer with your DAW.

DreamPolice is right, the math on the synths is the same... unless you want to use a Yamaha FS1-R. That synth RULED and was complicated as fuck to use.

Oh, shit... I haven't heard the name of that synth in YEARS. Damn.

was just discussing it on another forum indeed, FS1R is the shit in regards to FM synth unless we're talking the HX-1 (16 operaters per voice) or the DX-1. i just rock a dx100 for the lately bass lol, if it wasnt that i'd go fot the TX18Z, the rest have static or a low output. The that is lacking on alllll the other FM synths is that you can set formatics on the FS1R which really gives it another swing at FM synthesis standard sound (i, personaly, really dont like FM synthesis).

I'd would almost say virus rack, but eh i kinda prefer all the knobs on the desktop version.

Another fun toy is the Roland varios, check out the link
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep03/articles/rolandvarios.htm

The waldorf Pulse and micro Q series are nice too

 

[MagnaOpera]

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to check all this ish out. In regard to soft synths, I realize that the math used to generate the tones is basically the same- I just dislike staring at a computer screen, you know? I would rather have something that I can touch and feel, twist knobs, press buttons, etc.

Thanks again for the replies everyone!

 

[Formant024]

^^^ I agree and i really dislike working with a mouse and in some cases have to deal with a bit of latency when tweaking the knobs. Aside from that, all these hardware modules have a sonic character of their own. I believe the JD990 is one of the best sounding and uncomprimised modules around while a multi sample kit of the preset would sound just like your soundcard. The analogue emulations are captured by taking signature algorhytmns and calculate them but its like a snapshot of the instrument. Most analogues really do sound different, even my dumb ass Kawai F100 sounds a dozen times better then a monophonic vst...Most good sounding vst instruments are more VA based, like you cant distinct between a Virus and Linplug Albino. Other than that, some plugs are quite good but i always find myself going back to the hardware, using vsti's for sketching a track.

 

[P_1]

speaking of software synths, has anybody used the emu proteus x2? i am thinking of purchasing this and am wondering if its any good.