jimmarchi1's Reviews

very solid synthesizer and a huge bang for buck

I got this well below retail as a black Friday deal. I don't always use sweetwater, but my sweetwater rep really looked out for me this holiday season. Shoutout to Jim Black!

First off, I wish I had gotten the bigger 16 voice. The couple extra features like the compressor I don't miss, however, voice stacking is kinda weak when you go down to 4 voices. For the jump in price though I really wish Korg had added a fully variable high pass and that burned me on sending the $400 extra for the big one.

On to the synth. The main engine is a bread and butter early 80s poly. It falls a bit short of the Jupiter8 having only 1 fitler mode (12db/oct) and 1 LFO. it schools it with wave shaping on each VCO and a nice ring mod in addition to the hard sync option. To my ear the fitler character is Japanese at lower resonance settings, very Yamaha-ish (does a good cs80 impersonation) and as resonance creepy toward 50% it gets oberheimy. This synth has very primitive routing capabilities. Its backward looking in a cool way (most of the time). The analo engine architecture makes me think OBX. Not the OBXA with extra features, but the original OBX. The sound is right there in OB/CS turf. Preset 1 is blade runner brass and its actually really good. Most Vangelis based presets suck. This does not. The synth has THAT sound.

This thing wouldn't have been worth the asking price to me if it weren't for the array of digital options. The user oscillator is genius, although the limited modulation routings mean that each oscillator type is only as good as the internal modulation capabilities programmed by the developer be that Korg or a third party like Mutable Instruments. All that said, the ability to load wavetables (!), various TX81Z like FM oscillators of varying complexity, additive modules and physically modeled plucks etc eally expands the versatility. And you always have that ebating analog heart of the VCOs, filter and VCA to reinforce all that. This is a true hybrid. The stock waveshapes are really analog and the digital oscillator is as versatile as all get out assuming you're willing to drop a few bucks for add-ons that go beyond the freeware options. I have got a lot of cool stuff in my user oscillator right now. Of course, if you need a plain old saw so you can tune one VCO as a sub and detune the other an octave up? The user oscillator can do that. Its a digital saw, but surrounded by all that VCO goodness? Its okay!

The digital effects sound stunning overall and if you want a more analog sound there are 3rd party addons that can provide that. There'ssoem good choruses out there as well as a fixed frequency rng mod, comb filters, you name it. Of course, any digital effect without a mic control is fully digitizing your analog synth, but the conversion is great to my ear and we're all digitizing our stuff when we record into a computer anyway, right?

This synth needs another LFO. Period. It also needs a few more routings for the envelopes. This could be achieved with the shift key. Hopefuly now that all the bugs are worked out in firmware 2.0 korg will see fit to add these features. I'm still docking it a star for the limiting architecture. Limits are good, but a little more deep editing would help me a lot in patch creation. Sorry Prologue, you have a great sound, but when I'm trying to realize a sound I'm imagining using your more modern features I'm wishing the whole time I was using a Peak. Maybe if I buy a Summit I'll be happier with this synth as-is. Its not an apples to apples comparison so I shouldn't make it.

The other reason I dock it a star is because I like windows at home and the midi drivers and patch librarian (which controls transfer of oscillator and effects as well as patches) is very wn10 unfriendly at this time. Its a frustrating process getting it to work and every other time you try to use the USB you wind up having to start from scratch and reinstall, reassign midi ports. I'm sure its better on mac. I'll try it eventually. Then again, macs aren't so USB friendly these days LOL Korg needs to get their shit together in this regard because we all know Microsoft won't. Work AROUND win10 guys... they won't work with you.

The prologue also has a really fast and comfortable keyboard with modern sharp edges to the black keys. You really know what key you're hitting when you perform live on this thing. Like my DSI Mopho, this synth has the modern placement for its pitch and mod wheels and that annoys me, but now that I'm using 2 synths with this arrangement I'm getting used to the wheels being up by the synth engine editing knobbies. It'll cease to bother me in by summer '20 I'm sure.

Al in all I'm really fond of this synthesizer. Out of my current production synths its totally unique. Even used only as an analog poly it really has a totally different voice than my DCO based DSI. Is it a Prophet6 or OB6 killer? No, but neither do those synths beat on this one. They're all nice. Up against the Mopho its softer and more lush, darker, mysterious.... capable of very Japanese sounds from Yamaha to roland that my Mopho struggles with because it has so much presence and punch. Patch creation is a breeze compared to the mopho that ahs layers deep editing if you want it. I would recommend this synth to anyone. Even a beginner can easily start with an init patch and build a great sound with no hassle and minimal shift/menu use. Its a fast synth in every way that is geared towards playing. I would not sell it unless it was to get a 16 voice one.

hrrm

this is an incredibly powerful synthesizer with a wave memory based engine for attack sounds coupled with a DX7mk2 engine with a multimode digital filter that's not bad for the era. It sits squarely between the DX7 and roland D50 in character.... it is a huge pain to program your own patches. This synthesizer is cumbersome physically and that carries over to the interface LOL. It really sounds cool but I dock it 2 stars for the interface which would be great if it weren't a multilayer synth engine, big step up from the dx7.... but since it has all these extra parameters? meh. A software programmer or an ipad app is a must. For live performance its pretty much a preset box. You're going to want to spend days on end making patches if you want to use this thing with a band. Its also highly multitimbral to the point of being a proto-workstation, but I'm just not a workstation guy. I don't like all in one solutions. Well, baked potato soup is okay, but typically I would rather have soup AND a baked potato.... savy? I vastly prefer the SY35 at the moment. Similar sound, vector joystick, smaller footprint.... and not a single feature I don't try to use :-) I'm not sure the 99 will stick around. These type of boards come in and out of my life. I get passionate about acquiring them and then they get stale fast. The performance angle is just not thought through and its not like Yamaha can't focus on that. This is a stop on the road to the Motif. If you like that type of thing then try an SY99, they're pretty affordable for all that they can do.

I'm not putting stars on this because mine needs love

I acquired this on the cheap recently because its not in full working order. This was before I purchased my Korg Prologue. Now I'm not sure whether to fix it up or sell it on. I'm really fond of the korg and it has a similar feature set overall and actual VCOs in addition to a 3rd user defineable digital osc for wavetables, FM etc.... and nice modulation and time based effects too. I remember the JX synths having very sluggish envelopes and mainly being pad machines. I also remember them sounding pretty bright for rolands and my DSI has that bright, in yo face DCO/Curtis filter thing in spades. Deep thoughts.

You can thro these things off a 3 story building and then play a gig.

it doesn't sound good, it doesn't sound bad.... it always powers up and amplifies what you throw at it.

WTF

this is my wildcard for single line parts, its so weird

this thing is just great

there isn't a piece of hardware I know of that can do what this guy does. I bought a muse receptor yesterday just so I could use this software when I play live. Its a very cool counterpoint to all my analog gear and yet it doesn't do the same sort of soudns as my digital hardware (dx7, sy22, esq1, cz101)... it cna cover soem of those types of sounds but its got a whole other level of what the fuck going on. Deep like absynth.... beyond razor, massive and serum

they shouldn't have discontinued this

bang for buck... and this has THE sound... its gritty and cutting... Its highly playable... deeper features (and even a few standard features) can be a bitch to access which makes live tweaking patches a pain. Still, it sounds great. My favorite CEM synth on a chip synth hands down, sorry prophet 08 and rev2.

bass station plus 2 sequencers and CV sequencer? yes

I think I got the last one of these from Novation last night. Thanks to the good folks at their artist relation program, by the way. I was able to create sequences, longer patterns of multiple sequences and easily get the sounds I wanted from the synthesizer and mod matrix within about 30 minutes. The manual felt rather arcane before it arrived but with the machine running the learning curve got easier. Its very easy to interface with other gear. I need to ask the Novation team if this guy is discontinued. I took my sweet time getting one from them to review and they may have just dropped the whole product since them. Such a shame. My only gripe is that so far it seems that if you want to use the 2nd note sequencer for another synth then you have to be caution with the use of oscillator 2 because the 2nd sequencer's note data is permanently locked to that sequencer in both modes even though the gate can be triggered strictly from sequencer 1 in mode 1... but maybe I'm not totally figuring the machine out yet. Detailed review coming soon to the equipboard articles section... and Novation needs to make a sequel to this guy if they discontinued it, because this is a wonderful machine. Intuitive and fun with the great sounds of the bass station right on board. I think this is going to be the heart of my live rig, clocking everything and providing Depeche mode basslines when needed. I like this more than the peak for mono and it contends sonically with a lot of my other monos. With the sub engaged its pretty well just as thick as the moog sub phatty if not as wet sounding, and it schools an odyssey for low end. I had a bass station 1 back in the day and they've really stepped up their game, and that synth was no slouch. When I'm enjoying the bass from your unit as much as a minimoog? you done good.

CORRECTION: you can still buy a monostation, novation just ran out of them for a while in 2019 because they're that sweet

fun right out of the box

this synth was fun right out of the box, but with some extra patch cables and some hardware sequencers? damn. It came with enough peripherals to enjoy right in the box, but more is always better, right? It feels like if roland decided to make an ARP2600 clone in the 80s. Its both an instrument and an intimidating sound fx generator... both musical and alien and it bridges the gap between 70s and 80s subtractive sounds perfectly having the cutting power of an Odyssey, a filter that can go from roland to oberheim and a lushness that makes me think mono Jupiter. I'm absolutely in love with this thing and I own a lot of synths. It feels awfully sturdy for a Behringer product. The value for dollar is insane. Expect an extended review with demos published on Equipboard soon.

untouchable flange effect!

I truly regret selling this. I picked it up on the cheap in the early days of ebay and I was too young to know what I had. I never found myself flanging/doubling so I sold it for a small profit but could have gotten much more if I had held onto it.... and honestly I wish I had kept it. It really had an amazing sound. As far as I know this was the first flanger processor, prior all flanging was done with tape.

not bad

my best friend gave this bass to me as a gift, I need to get it set up but its quite alright

very solid signature speaker

somewhere between a low gauss fane and a medium magnet greenback, not unlike the 80s fane 50 watt speakers that came in laney AOR combos and some rose morris vox amps.

a winner

the original oahus are like the valco/supro version of the magnatone made Leilani amps...I had a dual 6v6 one for a while. Mine had like a 5y3 and octal preamp tubes, I think a couple 6SL7s. Very fat deluxe type tones. Stock speaker was a black frame Rola made in Chicago. Not bad, but not my favorite amp of this type. Definitely not as cool as a deluxe, a Gibson GA model or the Leilani I had... tone was like a supro model 24 or Coronado but tubbier so to speak, definitely farted out when overloaded but it woulda been a shame to mod it. I believe someone is making copies of these now with either 6V6 or EL84 tubes... I remember seeing a couple hiding in keith Richard's stage rig at one point.

buyer beware

these amps sound really neat but can be a shock hazard due to their AC power supply

a fender by another name

not a jet at all, actually a brownface fender deluxe with one channel... handwired by the hardworking people of wherever, this amp is a gem. Transformer set could be better and the stock no-name alnico speaker will not be to everyone's taste, but the amp is no jock. Only really serious flaw is a mistake on the input wiring. There's an easy fix that can be found with a simple google search. If you see a J20 jet do not hesitate....

one of the great oddball brands of the 70s!

This is basically a twin reverb clone ina head dressed as a Kustom. Good quality components and solid build quality throughout. I think it would sound better without the reverb, but that's me. Plush and Earth amps are still a great deal in vintage amps. Most of them are hand wired too.

sort of like an original clone theory in conception...

this has become my favorite chorus pedal.... all analog, it ahs some of the tone of a CE1, but it also has the feature set of the EHX clone theory... capable of andy summers 'flanger as a short chorus' type tones... excellent noise floor. True stereo in and out and an nput gain button to tailor it to line level gear as a synth or studio effect! Very musical. Can't recommend this highly enough. The reissue is indistinguishable from the originals. By the way, this was TC's first guitar effect as far as I know. They hit it right out of the park first try.

the grab and go V series amp

vt40 in a head…. I owned an early one and a alter one. The later one with the distortion knob didn't sound as good and the whole 'OD' master volume circuit on this amp is a bit stupid and pointless. You see some later VT40s with the rocker switched and distortion knobs. If you're going tot ake on the tube/maintenance hassle of a VT40 or V2 get an early one though.

in a pinch...

this does a pretty solid job of impersonating an NS10 woofer sued as a microphone ona kick. its fun on electronic drums. I always prefer to move some legit air for sub kick, but if I'm in a hurry? this guy.

love it

this thing is great for increasing perceived depth of field... I use it on room mics a lot to increase the sense of distance when the source was in a room that wasn't so large so tehre's some ncie reflections but the direct part of the signal is too up front, or like on close miked acoustic guitars in a dense mix... but I also dig it a lot on whole busses when you want a group like drums or maybe backing vocals to be more forward or distant sounding... apart from the abss and HF adjustment its like an 'un-reverb' if you use the reflection engine. It just sort of reorients the phase in the mids or something as well as realigning those subtle room reflections, I dunno. It can really bring a mix a live. Its even useful with DI synthesizers sometimes.