Looking for a synth with easy editing controls + reliability

[hairymonster]

Hi everyone,

I have a Roland Alpha Juno 2 from the last 80s which has served me well through many bands, and apart from one minor glitch performs as well today as when I bought it. Mightily fed up with editing sounds through the alpha dial, which is a right faff. I can't find a Roland PG200 programmer for love nor money (Roland would sell a ton of these if they made them again, given the number of Junos and Jupiters still in existence)

I'm looking for something with easy editing capability, such as the Roland System 8 or JD-XA, one of the Nord Wave range, Studiologic Sledge V2, Korg KingKorg, Behringer DeepMind 12, or possibly even the Arturia MatrixBrute, though that last one looks a bit OTT.

Anyway, I'm sure anyone of these will fit the bill - though I need something reliable. It will always be moved in a proper made-to-measure padded flight case, but I don't want gremlins creeping in.

I have already read enough about the Behringer's reliability (or lack of it) to knock that off the list. Rolands are tough, though the two mentioned here are only 4 octave keyboards. I like Nord, as my main keyboard is the superb Nord Electro 3, though I'm quite drawn to the StudioLogic Sledge V2, not least because it's a lot cheaper than the Nords and Rolands.

Studiologic are Italian, though the Sledge uses components from the Waldorf Blofeld synth. Does anyone have any experience on reliability for these synths? Any other recommendations?

 

[happyrat1]

I own both a Sledge V2.0 and a Deepmind 6.

I dearly love them both but they sit comfortably in my home studio never moving unless I am someday evicted and sentenced to live in a cardboard refrigerator box at the corner of Yonge and Bloor.

I can tell you the Sledge is OK build quality but nothing spectacular. Plastic upper shell with solid metal baseplate design. If I were gigging with it I'd invest in a good hard shell road case.

The Deepmind, on the other hand, is a surprisingly solid build quality with solid metal and wood all around. I'd be much happier lugging the Deepmind around since it is considerably smaller and lighter and less likely to crack under its own weight.

Both have their own built in power supplies with standard line cords instead of annoying power bricks or wall warts but this adds to the weight of the units.

As far as Behringer reliability in general goes, I've owned many Behringer products over the past two decades. Mortality rate has been surprisingly low with only one mixer going back on a DOA RMA and another one that had a failing channel after ten years of faithful service.

I'd say unless you are willing to drop big bux on a new model Minimoog or a Prophet 16 Rev2 then the Behringer would be a decent budget option that would be lightweight and easy to transport.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, if you're worried about reliability after transport there's also the Behringer Deepmind 12d which is the rack module form of the same synth. Then you could crate it up in a mixer case and use any of your other keyboards as the controller.

Gary

 

[hairymonster]

Gary, thanks for your replies. I've been looking more and more at the deepmind12 and I think it's a great bit of kit. I also found a video by some guy comparing the Jupiter 8 to the Deepmind and showing how you can get that fat analogue string sound frp, the DM - I think I might be in love! (see video link below) I've also found a DM for £600 lightly used, down from £1,000 new - about the same price as i can get the Sledge V2 for. Decisions decisions.......

I guess when you've heard enough stories about Behringer kit to put you off, it takes a show of faith to invest in their stuff. I just know I would be so pi55ed if it went wrong, having had the Roland for so long, fault free. I have no experience of Behringer, as I've always avoided buying it!

I hear what you say about the case and build - mind you, the Roland Alpha Juno 2 is a metal base and a plastic uppershell, and that hasn't stopped it going on and on and on.....Gonna have to find a dealer with some demos.

https://www.gearnews.com/deepmind-12-jupiter-8-shoot-close-can-get-behringer/

 

[happyrat1]

One problem with buying used is that the warranty has bit the biscuit.

And Behringer addresses the QA issues by giving a 3 year warranty on the Deepmind series.

Chances are, if anything will go wrong it will happen in the first 6 months or so. But that 3 year manufacturer's warranty is well worth the extra cash for the price of a new one

Gary