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[The Elf]

Firstly it seems ODDYSEY's are starting to ship from Thomann so we should see some user reviews/unboxings soon.

Looking forward to trying mine out before it heads off for its PSU mod. It's a shame it missed the deadline for the last gig.

YESSSS. We just successfully tested our first Poly-Aftertouch keyboard. Our engineers designed a new and very consistent way of pressure sensing.

Guess which products (plural!) we will be applying this new technology to?

It doesn't need a great deal of brain-power to figure out one of those targets, but others? Let's hope this paves the way for a new golden age of poly aftertouch keyboards - or any aftertouch at all (I'm looking at you, Roland and Korg!! :protest:)

[DGL.]

RD-8 now seems to be shipping from the factory, guessing Thomann will probably air-freight some so could be in the hands of consumers very soon.

The W8 is over

[The Elf]

It's going to be an expensive month... :?

[Dave B]

Sorry - brain fried at the moment. Other than the CS80, what other famous polyAT keyboards are there?

[desmond]

Sorry - brain fried at the moment. Other than the CS80, what other famous polyAT keyboards are there?

Haven't you heard?

Behringer are doing the DX1, GS1, Prophet T8, and the Synclavier 9600 + VPK clones...!

I'm lobbying them to do an EX42 clone too, as I'm just that ostentatious...



(They said they wouldn't do an SQ80 though, as even they couldn't make keyboards that bad...)

PS All the above is untrue. Apart from the EX42 thing. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the Blake's 7 theme...

[The Elf]

I can't think of anything that needs it, unless the OBXa clone is about to get a PAT keyboard?! I'd be happy with that, even if it didn't respond to PAT itself - it would make for an excellent controller keyboard.

Maybe Uli is even thinking of a range of PAT controllers?

[The Elf]

Desmond - I'll take the stool! :mrgreen:

[johnny h]

I'd like to see the Jomox SunSyn and Alesis Andromeda. Both excellent synths undermined by their unreliable interfaces and buggy software.

[Dave B]

Desmond, we don't talk about Synclavier 9600s ... I've just been a good boy and not sprung for the one on eBay. Or the Polymoog. Frankly, I think I deserve medals ....

:D

[desmond]

Desmond, we don't talk about Synclavier 9600s ... I've just been a good boy and not sprung for the one on eBay.

Well, your electricity bill is at least grateful... :headbang:

Or the Polymoog. Frankly, I think I deserve medals ....

Nah. the Polymoog was always crap... :thumbup:

[BillB]

(They said they wouldn't do an SQ80 though, as even they couldn't make keyboards that bad...)

Don't knock the SQ80! Yes, a clackety keyboard, but most folk don't record them with a microphone - except on Youtube :D

It is one of a very small number of 'affordable' Poly AT synths, the only other ones being other Ensoniqs and the GEM S2 and S3.

All interested in Poly AT please refer here:
https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... 23&t=63796
and note my link to a Gearslutz article and Desmond's link to a Muzines PolyAT search.

The interesting thing about the GS listing is not so much the limited number of Poly AT keyboards as the much larger listing of keyboards/modules which respond to Poly AT (as at 2014).

So I agree with Elf, if Behringer are ushering in a new era of Poly AT keyboards (and presumably gear that will respond to it), I'm all for it. Poly AT should not be a rare commodity.

[johnny h]

Don't know why anyone cares about polyAT when the ROLI exists. Its light years ahead!

[desmond]

Don't know why anyone cares about polyAT when the ROLI exists. Its light years ahead!

In control yes, but not feel. Some people just want a conventional keyboard, with poly AT, it's not difficult to understand why.
BTW I (briefly) tried a Roli, and didn't like the "feel" of it at all, for various reasons.

But, as someone who always advocated for vibrato from the fingers, I love the existence of non-conventional keyboard controllers - the first I tried was Animoog on the iPad, and while obviously the iPad interface is not great, the ability to control notes was really great.

I guess what I'd really like is a conventional keyboard, with velocity/poly aftertouch, with side-to-side sensing for bends/manual vibrato, and perhaps even front to back sensing as well for another dimension of control.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Don't know why anyone cares about polyAT when the ROLI exists.

It's a very clever thing... but the largest Seaboard currently available has only 49 notes, and the feel of the keyboard does not appeal to many classically-trained keyboard players. So for players that require a larger keyboard span, and who want to employ their existing performance skills, a polyAT keybed is a far more attractive proposition.

H

[johnny h]

Don't know why anyone cares about polyAT when the ROLI exists. Its light years ahead!

In control yes, but not feel. Some people just want a conventional keyboard, with poly AT, it's not difficult to understand why.
BTW I (briefly) tried a Roli, and didn't like the "feel" of it at all, for various reasons.

Yes, its somewhat of a learning curve. Its almost like learning a new instrument, but the expression potential is far, far greater than a standard keyboard with polyAT. I'm still very much a beginner but I can already do things I would never be able to achieve with any other synth controller keyboard.

[The Elf]

Don't know why anyone cares about polyAT when the ROLI exists. Its light years ahead!

I'm a convert from being a bit sceptical. I LOVE my Roli 25, and I'm going to be springing for a 49 very soon!

I really wish Roli would give me 5 octaves without having to go for the inferior (IMO) Seaboard Grand.

But it's a whole world of different from a 'normal' keybed!

[Wonks]

I really wish Roli would give me 5 octaves without having to go for the inferior (IMO) Seaboard Grand.

One hasn't grasped the fact that Roli now don't make any keyboards bigger than 49 keys, dear chap. If one can still find a larger-sized Roli, it's either old stock or used.

[The Elf]

Was meaning secondhand, my good long eared friend! :D

[Arpangel]

Heaven.

[DGL.]

In regards to the recent update vis-à-vis the RD-8 Uli has posted an update on gearslutz,

Our German retailer Thomann has decided to airfreight in the first batch and you should be seeing the RD-8 on their portal very soon. While it's a limited batch, be assured that we're heavily ramping up production.

Back orders for the RD-8 are the highest ever in our 30-year company history.

Thanks for all the support.

Uli