Hello again,

Sorry for more questions.

I've been after a mono synth than can deliver a big low end 'ooomph'(notice I didn't use the 'P' word there).

Fell in love with this demo of the Leipsig-s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEdj4A818XU

Been wanting (or drooling) at them for ages now, and I think it would really complement my Nord Rack 2x. My max budget one be about 1000 euro (that just covers the leipsig after VAT and the sterling conversion).

What do you expert wigglers think?? Or should I be looking at anything else for the same budget. I know this beauty is not patchable, but I don't really care. As long as I can make decent bass sounds and bring 'em into Loigc Pro easily enough - I'll be happy camper.

Thanks in advance,

Rob.

I'm keen to check out the Moog Minitaur. If it's anything like the Taurus 3 (which it is said to be based upon) it will be a very nice synth for bass work.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Cheers man. Yeah, it does look damn good! I've been watching one of those for a while too. Not been overly keen on Arturia's Minibrute, from some of the demos and sounds I've checked out so far.

I was just thinking tho', that the Leipsig has a a few more features then the Moog does, but with an extra price tag as well. Do you think the, subs/stepper/PWM/exra waveforms would be worth it in terms of creativity?

Many thanks!

R.

For the money I think the Leipzig looks and sounds excellent and seems capable of much more than a simple bass machine. I'd be happy to own it on its own merits. The waveforms/PWM are certainly nice to have, but for bass it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.

As for the step sequencer - I could definitely live without that (I lived with 'em for years...), but it may be inspiring for some.

For bass I'm leaning toward the Minitaur - for other duties the Leipzig definitely has a lot going for it.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Quote The Elf:

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For bass I'm leaning toward the Minitaur - for other duties the Leipzig definitely has a lot going for it.

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Hmm... I can kinda' see that too. I'm not all that bothered either about the stepper. It's all about the bass as you say. I'd really love something with a subs and PWM tho', anything else you'd recommend instead (that's modern)?

Thanks again!

I can't really help much with modern alternatives. If I was needing the ultimate bass synth I'd be hunting down an old Sequential Pro One - still my bass machine of choice.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Moog Little Phatty (or Slim, if you don't need a keyboard)? I hear it get slated a lot but have no idea why - I've been using mine for nearly 5 years and it's as much a workhorse as any mono I've ever had, new or vintage. It sounds great, is easy to use, and does what you'd expect of a Moog down the bottom end.

The naysayers tend to focus on two supposed complaints about the LP - first that is sounds weak (it really doesn't, not at all) or even 'digital' (which is about as deficient in the brain department as one can get - it sounds nothing like any digital synth I've ever used, with its creamy leads and thick, osc-phasing thumpiness) , and that the controls are 'too digital' - which is also rubbish, as there are enough knobs and easy-access push-buttons to program it as quickly as a regular knobby analogue, and the scanning resolution on the pots gives 4096 steps, which is inaudibly fine, and more than the Jupiter-4 and Prophet-5 (for example) and nobody complains about those being digital-sounding.

I've had an Evolver, and while it's a good machine, I don't think it's as good a complement to a Nord as the Moog - they'd fit together nicely sonically, but the Moog does that 'oomph' you mention better than the Evo I think. The Evo is great for modulation and layered sounds, but has a more brittle tone than the Moog. I'd choose the LP over it for bass any day.

I've heard good things about Vermona's Lancet, and you could even grab a Doepfer 'beauty' case and stick some nice modules in it for your budget.

As for vintage, there are so many to choose from - but prices are always rising, availability is limited, and they're not getting any younger and easier to keep working. Even so, the Yamaha CS monos can still be found for less than most, and are good bits of kit.

Waldorf Pulse or the new Pulse 2? 3 osc.......

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Jonny

Well I have played with the original Leipzig and the Leipzig S.. they are both incredibly deceptive machines in terms of power.. The modulation routings make the Leipzig-S capable of a much wider range of sounds than something like the Minitaur and just as Big on the Bass end IMO. The envelopes are delightfully tight as well and probably the closest machine to sounding like a Pro-One that I've played.

The "S" version adds far more than "just a step sequencer" as the sequencer can itself be routed around as a modulation source opening up some delightful sonic possibilities when used to modulate synced oscillators or the filter for example..

I have an AS Telemark myself (Leipzig-S wasn't available at the time) and absolutely love this to bits.. I have a DSI Evolver K and Pulse in my setup, but the Telemark gets played with the most.. I'm hoping to add a Station Q sequencer to it later this year to try and replicate some of the Sequencer tricks the Leipzig-S is capable of.

It's not surprising that you rarely see any AS machines for sale second-hand.. they are keepers.

there are a number of machines available to do what you are asking and they can probably all perform that Bass task very well.. but the Leipzig-S will all that and much more.


Hope this helps



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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

the references to the Pro-One in this context interest me, because like Elf it remains my bass synth of choice. had one for 25 years or so but it was getting too vintage so out it went.

been looking for a modern equivalent since then and the Leipzig-S is the first one that sounds as though it has something similar at the bottom end - that snapping, booming, kettle drum-type quality if you get my drift.

might have to buy one of these babies to try it out. shame it isn't CV/Gate though.

a big part of "that" sound is the voltage controlled envelopes.. that's where the "snappyness" comes from.. Very difficult(if not impossible) to get that kind of response from digitally controlled ones.
Even my Evolver and Pulse can't get close.. try and get a play one one (not easy I know), you'll be sold




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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

Quote Chevytraveller:

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a big part of "that" sound is the voltage controlled envelopes.. that's where the "snappyness" comes from.. Very difficult(if not impossible) to get that kind of response from digitally controlled ones.
Even my Evolver and Pulse can't get close.. try and get a play one one (not easy I know), you'll be sold

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From what I have also found have to totally agree with you there... SH-101 had some wicked fast envs, gone are the days where you could easily pick one up for 250 or 300 quid :-(

Quote Chevytraveller:

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there are a number of machines available to do what you are asking and they can probably all perform that Bass task very well.. but the Leipzig-S will all that and much more.


Hope this helps

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It sure does!! Thanks for the in depth answer... I love the old Rolands, but those days are nearly gone. So the Leipsig-S seems to be the one to fit the bill so far.

Thanks again,

R.

There's an SOS review of the Leipzig-S very soon.

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http://www.bogusfocus.com/

There seems to be a boatload of analogue monosynths to choose from these days.
The Minitaur does look good though, and doesn't sound half bad in the demo's either. And I like that it has full midi control of every parameter (plus a good amount of CV connectivity too)
No sequencer like the Leipsig however. But with something like the Minitaur and say, a Doepfer Dark Time sequencer (they even look kinda similar to each other), you'd have similar capability and still scrape in under budget.
Then again, the Leipsig sounds good too! I look forward to the review.

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Paul

it's all in the sound. and the leipzig sounds like it's got it in spades.

another emerging contender though is the mfb microzwerg. sounding good for not much cash.

Quote The Elf:

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I'm keen to check out the Moog Minitaur. If it's anything like the Taurus 3 (which it is said to be based upon) it will be a very nice synth for bass work.

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Sod off!

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

If you're buying Moog etc then I suggest hardware. If you want a bass vsti then there are countless contenders that can dish out some low end and grunge madness.

Personally, I like synths that afford me the circuitry and filters that others don't. A polivoks sounds a lot different to a Mono/Poly which sounds different to a Moog to a Roland etc...

I don't bother with vsti synths anymore. I build my own now. But if I had to go down the bass route then hardware it would be.

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

Quote Zukan:

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Quote The Elf:

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I'm keen to check out the Moog Minitaur. If it's anything like the Taurus 3 (which it is said to be based upon) it will be a very nice synth for bass work.

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Sod off!

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I think I just successfully picked the scab from that wound that was healing nicely.

Suffer, baby, suffer!



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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

That's why I said sod off!

Man, they look gorgeous!

You have 'them', now stop going on about gear. You don't need anymore.....



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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

right, so i just bought a leipzig-s and got it today.

the early signs are promising. lots of nice slappy pro-one type bass.

good unpretentious mono analogue knob twiddling fun. back to the early 80's.

anybody want to buy a voyager?