WATMM, help me find a synth (or sell me one!) for my birthday

My birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and I'm most likely going to get a synthesizer. I'm not sure what my price range is; my parents are likely going to help, but on the other hand I think my mother might want to get me an iPhone so we can more easily contact each other on the fly (my parents live in Taiwan).

If I'm spending my own money, I can't really go over 250, maaaaaaybe 300, but with my parents' help this will go up to 400-500 probably.

Currently, I'm thinking I want a nice vintage digital synth. I prefer analogue, but for the price range I'm looking at digital is usually higher quality (300 is usually lower quality for analogue). Nevertheless, I would love a decent analogue synth, and have considered more of them than I have digital, actually.

Synths I've considered, from most considered to least considered:

- Casio CZ-5000 (this one sounds great and is oddly cheap)

- Juno106 (out of my price range, but I want it bad! Also the cheapest of the Juno line)

- Akai AX 60 or AX 80

- Roland JX-3P or JX-8P

- Korg Volca series, preferably the keys

- Yamaha DX series (including the TX stuff and the rack mounts, also not the DX7 because it's too expensive and not even the best)

Anything else I should consider? Got something to offer me (I live in Ohio in the United States)?

the xox

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:55 PM, MIXL2 said:

the xox

Hmm, definitely willing to consider this. Although I would like something polyphonic, It would be nice to have a good bassline synth, could make some sweet acid jams. Seems like they go for about $400+ used. How does it compare to the Volca bass?

I don't see the Alpha Juno on your list.

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:59 PM, gmanyo said:

 

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:55 PM, MIXL2 said:

the xox

Hmm, definitely willing to consider this. Although I would like something polyphonic, It would be nice to have a good bassline synth, could make some sweet acid jams. Seems like they go for about $400+ used. How does it compare to the Volca bass?

 

lol, no idea I was just brainstorming.

I'm one of the "we are the music makers" members who doesn't twiddle knobs .

edit: Akira

  On 3/10/2014 at 6:00 PM, LimpyLoo said:

I don't see the Alpha Juno on your list.

My friend had a Synth Plus 10 once, didn't like it for some reason. Not sure why. Programming was hard and the sounds were OK, but the hoover thing was fun. Good suggestion though, relatively cheap, decent sounding analogue synth.

You want to buy my Volca Keys?

Quite possibly! Still want to look around a bit, but PM me for sure.

edit:

Fair warning, I have moved more away from the volca idea recently, not sure I like the sounds as much as some older stuff, but absolutely still in consideration, especially since I have friends with the beats and bass.

  On 3/10/2014 at 6:09 PM, gmanyo said:

Quite possibly! Still want to look around a bit, but PM me for sure.

 

edit:

Fair warning, I have moved more away from the volca idea recently, not sure I like the sounds as much as some older stuff, but absolutely still in consideration, especially since I have friends with the beats and bass.

I still back my assertion that the keys can be quite nice, Polyphony, man

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kv4l1wdqdwqyc9e/jam.mp3?dl=1

^All done with korg volcas

The main thing that's helping convince me is that you can program the knobs into the sequence, which is sick af. Can you easily program one step at a time? Imo, that was the biggest drawback to the monotribe. Also I think you can get about the same sounds out of softsynths as the keys, but 100-150 dollars is still a great price. It's the best deal so far, although I still kind of want something a little meatier. If I can get a CZ-5000 for cheap I might even get both, although they might be a bit too similar in terms of functionality.

Anyone have experience with the AX-60? I've heard it's a good juno-106 alternative.

If you keep an eye on ebay you can sometimes get a Korg Delta for $350 to $500.

Single osc + string section. Paraphonic though, so you get envelope the re-triggering. Pretty bold sound for the price...

Another really good option is a DSS-1. You can sample sounds to use as waveforms or you can us two additive or custom drawn oscillators per voice @ 8 note polyphony. Analog filters, two digital delays, unison and sync. Pretty versatile!

$200-$400

  On 3/10/2014 at 7:36 PM, DerWaschbar said:

DSS-1

$200-$400

jinkies, is that what they go for? Friend of mine picked one up for $40 at Value Village, ended up giving it to me. Had fun with it but ultimately donated it back to the same Value Village a few years later, because the thing was way too heavy to carry around.

Good piece of kit but I probly wouldn't shell out $200 for one (unless I was doing some sorta lofi digital sample music), even with the wicked sick filter & delay

Yeah not too sure about the DSS1, but that Korg Delta sounds sick. From what I read, you sacrifice some of the versatility of its contemporaries for an overall better sound. Putting that in my list for sure.

  On 3/10/2014 at 6:01 PM, MIXL2 said:

 

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:59 PM, gmanyo said:

 

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:55 PM, MIXL2 said:

the xox

Hmm, definitely willing to consider this. Although I would like something polyphonic, It would be nice to have a good bassline synth, could make some sweet acid jams. Seems like they go for about $400+ used. How does it compare to the Volca bass?

 

lol, no idea I was just brainstorming.

 

I'm one of the "we are the music makers" members who doesn't twiddle knobs .

 

edit: Akira

 

*Aira

lol

  On 3/10/2014 at 5:54 PM, gmanyo said:

 

- Juno106 (out of my price range, but I want it bad! Also the cheapest of the Juno line)

 

Roland HS60?

Ah, thanks for the tip, those seem to go for a bit cheaper. Is there any technical difference between them?

Alright, I think I'm going to get the CZ-5000. The demos have me hooked. The Juno-106 and HS-60 will probably come in a year or so after I save up, and I'll probably trade this synth for it (I want that synth more than anything, except for a CS-80).

Unless someone has a really cheap link to a Juno they're willing to share...

Novation do incredible analog modelling synthesizers, check the Nova, and the K-station, bloody brilliant!

Just got myself a Nova, it's practically like having 6 synths with their own individual fx chains and outputs, with every parameter fully controllable via midi!