Elektron-Users

I'm considering a few different desktops to play using the user mode with my Ableton push or another controller and syncing to my Elektron chain (A4-CV outs to MI Anushri, MDUWMKII, soon to be OT):

Tetra 4: Seeing them on CL for around $600

Local guy selling a Blofeld for $350 on CL

Scanning for a TI Polar, but not sure if it's worth it and the Virus sound had been done to death.

Mutable Instruments Shuthri ($375 assembled and modded with extra filter and CV in/out)

Mutable Instruments Ambika ($1,100 assembled)

MnM (you can rig that to be a Polysynth, right?)

Any other suggestions: I'm willing to go vintage, 2x chain, or a rack- whatever. Just some playable leads, quick "noodles" and some nice FX drenched chords/strings are kind of a missing sonic element here separating my hardware setup from being all knobs and sequencers.

I guess I can throw my computer out the window (nod to LCD Soundsystem there...) after all this comes together.

I'd add the Nord Lead 2X to that list. Great quality. A safe bet.

Thumbs up to the Tetr4. I'm using it as my desktop poly when I don't use the big boards and for my live rig.

There's some of 80/90's digital polys in desktop format too if you want to go that way that are very inexpensive.

Ambika.

You can do a lot with it and MI is an awesome company with a great user base. Definitely worth the money.

Loads of options -

Tetra,
Blofeld
Novation Nova (with the last OS - makes it pretty much a 16 voice Supernova) -This is what I use as a desktop poly expander.
Nord Lead Rack
Yamaha TG33 - far better than you'd think (poor mans wave station)
Yamaha DX200 or AN200
Something like an older Roland JV Rack or 1010
Roland SH-32
Older model Access Virus
Korg MS2000

Good places to start IMHO

I also will vouch for the TG33. Great pad machine. Unique sound. Especially great when layered with something more analog-ish.

a nicely well-kept vintage korg Prophecy, perhaps? just a thought ...

I would strongly recommend the Blofeld. It's synth engine is... elaborate and the interface is quite good.

Keep in mind the Shruthi is mono.

I have an older Indigo 2. I wouldn't say it's overplayed. It's a VA but I think it has a wide palette with the modulation routing and lots of voices. I'm planning to somehow trade for a prophet 600 though.

'elaborate' - i like the sound of that descriptive word ... intriguing.

i still have no idea what the blofeld is, after all these years of reading the name.


okay, sound-wise, would, say for example Left Field have considered using one on their breakout mid 90's record?

sometimes i wonder what synth they used on the hit radio song 'you're original, " etc etc.

maybe it was a Prophet?
[not refering to the korg Prophecy which is a different synth].


after being shown the Prophecy by two owners over the years, i have always been impressed by the synth's ability to create incredibly intricate and cool soundsphere's, for want of a better word.

first met the Prophecy in Melbourne, in '98, by way of jamming with a psy trance producer art pal and then once again in 2006 by a progressive dj who said i could borrow the Prophecy if i bought a power adapter for it. the Ribbon controller also works in quite nicely with the ability to design multi-layer sounds that sound almost impossible to make in a synth that is supposedly monophonic.

monophonic the Prophecy may be, but it is multi layered, and would yield many treasures in the right hands.

as far as i remember, the Prophecy also does nice bass and cool lead sounds.