this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023
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Synthesizers

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Need some advice/perspective on my next gear purchase (self.synthesizers)
submitted 1 year ago by licherally to c/[email protected]
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I recently moved into a smaller apartment, and I currently do not have room for my usual hardware setup (model:samples, liven xfm, volca sample 2)

Because of this, I'm trying to figure out if there's a decent groovebox that I could get to take over for all of my current boxes?

Right now I'm really digging the look of the mc101. Sampling, resampling, editing patches and sound design with zencore all sound great. I'd love to be able to use samples and occasionally create or edit custom synth patches.

Anyways, do y'all think the mc101 is a good pick? Is there another synth/groovebox that would do this for me?

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your time!

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[–] JackiesFridge 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I found the MC101 to be too menu-divey for my taste. It sounds great, though, and there's no denying it's capable. It doesn't have sound input though, so it can't sample.

It doesn't sound like your current hardware is overly large. I wonder if you could build a vertical stand for everything. Footprint-wise it would be as wide as the Elektron or Liven box, but tall instead of wide.

If you need a small new device capable of sampling and synth sound design, it doesn't get much smaller than the GameBoy-sized Dirtywave M8 - IF you can get into the tracker workflow. Used prices have come down now that the M8 Model:02 is on the horizon (both models offer nearly identical functionality). You can even try the M8 "headless" on a $35 Teensy 4.1 board using a laptop for screen/sound/input. While the Headless M8 lacks audio input, I believe you can sample via USB, since it acts as an audio device when plugged into a host computer.

Apart from the M8 and the Synthstrom Deluge, I don't know a single small device that offers on-device synths, sampling, and editing. Maybe an iPad with Koala, AUM, and a few synth apps.