Elektron-Users

Ok, I saw this section on this site's FAQ but I'd like some more "real world" opinions...how does the monomachine's SID emulation sound? Does it compare to the real thing? I have a SidStation on the way (got it for a great price!) but I've been wanting an MnM for a while now and would consider trading up. What do you guys think, do they sound a lot alike? Do you have to be a major synth snob to care about the difference, or is the Sid really that much specialer?

I really don't have much of an idea of what a 'real' sid chip sound like. I've listened to a few C64 only tracks and a few tracks with a Sidstation (as well as the demos on Elektron's site). Basically, what I'm trying to say is that my opinion isn't that of a Sid afficianado. With that said, whatever the Sid synth within the MNM is supposed to sound like, it sounds great, and I'm sure it's a helluva lot easier to program it with the Mono's intgrated sequencer than as a stand-alone synth.

I plan to build my own Sid-box in the near future, as I've begun to learn the fine art of soldering at work, and for a fraction of the Sidstation's price tag.

Not what you're looking for, but just my opinion. Taking away expectations as to what the Sid-emulation in the Mono is 'supposed' to sound like--on it's own merit--it sounds awesome...beautiful, tinkling, arpeggiated madness.

cchocjr

I agree that the Mono's SID emulator is a cool synth, and it sounds great on its own merits. However, an actual SID chip sounds more raw and alive. There is a big difference between the two. One might even say it's akin to the difference between virtual analog and real analog. After getting the Evolver, I noticed the difference for the first time. All my stuff before had been digital.

well - I can only compare it to the midibox SID which I built, but have not used in about a year.

Basically - the sound generation SID emulator portion of the monomachine is awesome as an emulator. Unfortunately, this is where the similarity is gonna end. The SID portion on the mono will generate similar waveforms and SID sounds - however, the emulator does not include the filter portion of the sid as far as I know. To my understanding, the filter of the mono is the same for all machines - its own thing, and is nothing like the sound of the SID filter.

The SID chip does have a unique sounding filter - its a grainy sound, and the resonance is hilariously tuned in my opinion - I mean, its awesome if you want that SID sound - but by no means is it a highly musical filter, or a very practical and useful filter. So, perhaps when they designed the monomachine they had this in mind and decided to skip the filter emulation of the SID, since you can do so much more with the onboard filter section that the mono introduces with every machine.

And yes, the sequencing that the mono adds is the gravy - I mean, I have no idea about the midi implementation on the sidstation - but on the midibox just about every single parameter can be accessed via midi CC, but I tell you what, its way easier to me to use parameter locks, and to see whats happening on with the sequencer.

That said, I really wish there was more emphasis on the filter and wavetable sections of the SID chip in the monomachine - however, the taste of SID that you can get out of the thing is more than enough for me.

*puts that in pipe and smokes it*

hmmm, maybe I can scrape up enough cash to get the mono and still hang on to my as-yet-unborn 'station. Thanks for the info, dudes.

Hehe, im building a sid at the moment or rather 2 from www.ucapps.de

how difficult is that project?

Thanks, Mr. Linker McURLerson.