Turtlerock Forum

I'm hoping to find a Korg MS-20 that is in good condition and 100% functional.
In an ideal situation i'd like to swap my DSI MEK and Roland SH-2 w/Hard case for it, otherwise get in touch with a price and we can sort something out.
I'm also after a Moog Source and to a lesser extent, Moog Prodigy
I'm located in Sydney's inner west.

Thanks for your time.

I may be going against the grain on this one, but I think the MS-20 is way too overpriced / over rated.

Most people use it as a processor and use it's filter, and while its filter is pretty cool, I honestly think that the frostwave MS-20 filter clone sounds better!
The pitch -> CV feature is pretty cool and good for a few tricks.

I've got a moog source, and recon it's one funky synth, and while some people think that it looks ugly, I think it's damn sexy.
Fundamentally tho, the Source is a simple 2 osc synth with no PWM, and simple routing. But it is meaty, aggre
Just to re-iterate, i feel it out 'funks' my minimoog, and patch memory is brilliant.
I've never had a good mash on a Little Fatty, but maybe try one of them out.. similar specs, not as much of a chick magnet tho

And if you have checked the international market for a MS-20, Moog source or Prodigy, I guess you'll know for how much clams you'll be forking out for these fella's.. no longer as cheap as they used to be..

I'm another ms-20 not-lover... disagree that a frostwave resonator replaces an ms-20 for signal processing duties, because the MS-20 is so much more than a filter. `And the ms-20 I last played with had some cool sounding overdrive happening in the signal path that the resonator doesn't really capture. but yeah... $1800 for an ms-20? I'd take the MEK and the SH-2 over that any day. or chuck on another few hundred and buy that minimoog that just ended on ebay.

I would love to hear a moog source directly against an SH-2.
from my memory of playing about with a source, I don't see it being that much better.
and I found that single edit wheel pretty slow for adjusting the sound.

Yea, of course the MS-20 is not just the filter, but it's funny you mention about the overdrive..

the MS-20's I've used didn't have the overdrive thing going on that my Frostwave does.. go figure?

Come to think of it, wasn't there 2 versions of MS-20's? Something about the filter?

As for Source Vs SH-2.. I got both.. hehe.. Obviously one is covered in sliders the other ain't. The SH2 has that good old-school roland sound going on, the Source has a better sounding filter and OSC Sync... Source has memories and a nippy and weird arpeggiator, but yep, similar breed of sound.

Certainly the SH2 type sound is very 'of the moment' right now in the pop tracks..

Lets not ever fight again julian.. xox

Thanks for the insight lads!

I've always wanted an MS-20 and do agree they are a little overpriced now, but it seems if I really want one I'm going to have to pay. I agree that the Minimoog for a little more is a better deal but I've already got one.

As for the SH-2... I think i'm one of the only people in the world who doesn't really like it. Of all my synths it is the one I play the least, it just sounds very sterile to me. It may be blasphemous to use the word 'sterile' to describe a vintage analogue synth, but it just doesn't inspire me in the way my other synths do. The only things I really like about it is that it has a Sine waveform and perfect interface.
It does of course live up to it's reputation as a bass machine, but I dont really make music that requires huge bass. I keep it around hoping that something will click and i'll suddenly *get* it, but it's been over 2 years now.

Having said that, it is a good synth. I think i'm the strange one. To make an analogy - if it was a lover I was breaking up with I'd use the 'It's not you, it's me' approach and actually mean it.
I'm all ears if anyone would fancy swapping an analogue mono for an SH-2.

Mike, how does the Source's sequencer work, is it like the SH-101? as in load > play notes > hit play?

Cymatics wrote:Mike, how does the Source's sequencer work, is it like the SH-101? as in load > play notes > hit play?

nah, it's a horrible, real time seq with no quantisation.. avoid thinking it will be useful. The arpeggiator does not clock to anything, but i modded mine so that it does.

it's interesting you feel the SH2 sterile.. do you think the 101 is sterile too? When Sequenced up, the SH2 is a mighty machine.. have you slaved it off your 101 ?

But then again, if you are not looking for heavy bass, maybe get rid of your analogues & I'll trade them for a D-50

Actually, check out the yamaha CS-5 / 10 / 15 series.. nice clean sound.. cool filters that are not mushy.

Hey Cymatics,

as far as korg's go - check out the minikorg700s if you can - don't believe the bad things people say about these until you try one - best filter i have ever heard - high and lo pass simutaneous - it never drops out in level - very smooth and powerful - the oscillators are massive sounding,

then there is the ring modulator and other stuff - very fast envelopes....

they can go for cheap - like $300 ect.... couple pricey ones on ebay right now - wait around for one in the $500 range..

the ultimate korg would be an ms20 in terms of features with the sound quality of the minikorg...

as for the sh2 - i wanted to like it but it just didn't work for me - although its worth having around for it's sine waveshape....


h.a.r.r.y.a.r.v.a.n.i.t.i.s

Futureman wrote:

nah, it's a horrible, real time seq with no quantisation.. avoid thinking it will be useful. The arpeggiator does not clock to anything, but i modded mine so that it does.

it's interesting you feel the SH2 sterile.. do you think the 101 is sterile too? When Sequenced up, the SH2 is a mighty machine.. have you slaved it off your 101 ?

But then again, if you are not looking for heavy bass, maybe get rid of your analogues & I'll trade them for a D-50

Actually, check out the yamaha CS-5 / 10 / 15 series.. nice clean sound.. cool filters that are not mushy.

Ah.. thats good to know about the sequencer. I dont think the 101 is sterile at all, the 'plastic' sound that a lot of people hate is what I really enjoy about it - the filter has so much character. I have a CSQ-600 for my SH-2 but it's acting funny at the moment so no sequencing lately. Perhaps sterile isn't the word, i just find it pretty boring sound wise.

I have a CS-5 - it and my 101 are my favourite synths. The CS-5 gets dismissed by many as boring but for it's limited architecture it can pull of a lot of sounds my other synths cant. I use the CS-5, 101 and a Mono/Poly quite a bit for live sets.

Harry - The minikorg 700s looks brilliant, but they seem quite hard to find though.

Cymatics wrote:The CS-5 gets dismissed by many as boring ..

Not by me.. I dig the CS-5 and it's cool little filter..

It's funny about the 101 with regards to 'plasticky' sound.. I've got 2 101's and one is plasticky / chirpy and defined in it's sound, the other has way more balls and growl. me likes growl

awww mike. it kills me too, but we have to fight so we can have the make up....


definitely agree the MS-20 would be worth everything people pay for it if it was based on the minikorg 700 circuitry. I have an old minikorg700, and it looks like someone skated down some stairs on it, but such a beautiful sounding synth, especially the less heavy "chorus" waveform. I would love a 700s one day. shame the minikorg is so limited in features.

Well just to take the thread on a different route, I really like my MS-20.
I will agree that the magic is with the filters definitely, but damn what filters! Osc's maybe not the smoothest, but due to the filters/nasty character of the synth I find it one of the most suited vintage mono's for modern dance music there is.

SH-2 is polar opposite IMO. Classy (very vintage sounding) mono from the heyday of Roland. Personally I far prefer the System 100 Model 101 - now that is one of the nicest sounding synth I own, albeit one of the worst double-triggering keyboards ever... SH-2 isn't a patch on the Sys100, I can't understand why the SH gets so much more respect/cred over the 100 honestly.

Hey Mike do you mind sharing what synths/gear you have? I've always wondered since you seem to be one of the predominent synth lovers around here.

Ryan, a Source would be a great choice soundwise but if you can't get on with the interface, definately don't discount the LP Stage II. Great little machine, I actually like it better than the voyager in many ways - if I had the space/cash I'd definitely get one, even with a model D around.

Cheers guys.

Hybrid88 wrote:Hey Mike do you mind sharing what synths/gear you have?

All the good ones.. none of the really good ones.

I have been off loading stuff that I don't use as much to fund stuff that I've always wanted.. (Dimension D, Mutron Bi-phase etc)
(Whats the point having a TB-303 if you hate them.. lol)

And I'm a big fan of buying stuff that doesn't work, but can be fixed, and is in good physical condition. (I can't really fix a dent or deep scratch in a synths face, but you (I) can fix a faulty filter)
If I look around my studio, about 80% I have fixed in one way or another.. The last was a Primetime93 that was a bit stroppy and messed up, but is now 100%

I'm also a fan of DIY.. the 1176's I built are thrashed.. Midibox stuff gets thrashed..

oh, and I like midi-ing up my synths if practical. It's nice to be able to plug my SH-02 easily into my setup with minimum fuss and not have to faff around with midi-CV's etc. (I just bought one of those oh so spiffy Juno60 midi interfaces that go in the DCB hole on the Juno60. brilliant!)

Regards,
Mike

Oh, I'm getting a feel for the sounds you like.. wot about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawai-K5000S-Har ... 1c156a2d21

Cool, I've been trying to fix some of my gear lately (trying being the key word!), so I have huge respect for anyone that can actually fix the damn things, I've got a ways to go I think before I can fix serious issues.

DIY, Yes! I'm seriously going to tackle one of those Hairball 1176's soon, ever since I saw your thread I've wanted to give it a go.

Would you mind maybe giving me some pointers or experiences that may help me? It'd really be helpful, cause I'm not sure how I'll go with it - was yours hard?

Sorry Ryan - getting off topic, I'll shutup now.

Futureman wrote:Oh, I'm getting a feel for the sounds you like.. wot about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kawai-K5000S-Har ... 1c156a2d21

Me?
I wouldn't know where to start trying to program something like that! I'm still getting my head around the s700!
I'm only really into analogue synths, because I really enjoy the hands on, one knob per function interface. Something like the Source would be on the fringes of what I can handle - I just really enjoy the intimacy of analogues.

The sounds I really dig are aggressive, Fizzy analogue sounds like the Mono/Poly, Filter FM on my CS-5, the Octave Cat, MS-20 etc.
The Source doesn't exactly excel in this area, but I've joined another band and would rather not drag my Mini around everywhere. The Patch memory is a plus too.

The Kawai K5000s is an additive synth, with lots of knobs.. google it.

It won't sound like anything you have. It's been a huge while since I used one, but fizzy, aggressive & clean it certainly can be.

(The K5000 does not have the knobs.. the K5000s does)

You can't spend your whole life playing with the cutoff slider.. sometimes you got to take a leap into a menu or two, it'll give you much more appreciation of synthesis and help yo' skillllzzz.

So it does.. If I was going to go menu diving i'd get a Kurzweil k2000/2500 or a Roland V-synth though. Something with sample mangling capabilities.

Futureman wrote: (I just bought one of those oh so spiffy Juno60 midi interfaces that go in the DCB hole on the Juno60. brilliant!)

What are these?

This

http://www.engineersatwork.nl/catalog/p ... anguage/en

I've got it in my hot little hand, but have not had a chance to install it yet, (New Dad etc..) so I'll get back once it's done. From memory, $155 delivered.

I like the concept tho..

Thanks mate, I'd be very interested in your impressions of it once it's in. (Sorry for the thread-jack)