Alesis A6 Andromeda

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phunckateck

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This thing looks amazing, havent heard anything out of it aside from the flash demo on the Alesis site...

Anyone own one or played with one yet?? Any impressions? The more details the better!!!

Also, how much should I expect to pay for one in the US? I was planning on bringing an Access Virus KB back with me from Germany when I go next month, but I think I'll have to look into true analog first!
 
ouch. found out its almost 3 G's...

but still, any impressions from anyone thats used one?!??
 
A6 WOW!!!!

I tried this keyboard out for about two hours
at NAMM a few weeks ago. It really does live
up to the price tag and the hype.

Its a ture analog synth, it seven has a tune knob to
adjust for heat. You can even view the current temp
of all the important electronics, I guess this is good
for something.

The SOUND! Wow. They had this one demo called
earthquake. It was hooked to a sub-wof, and it made
the booth shake. Not really practical for anything,
but it was cool.

The hardware looks and sounds great, but the software
looks like its a bit behind. There are lots of features
that are not in version 1.0, like lots of MIDI stuff.

So, who should buy this puppy. If you have money
to brun, you can't lose pick one up for just giggles.
If your like me and think, "hey what could I sell to
to buy such a device?", then you way want to step back
and look at the other options...the DIGITAL options.
The Supernova II and the Virus really do sound great,
and both are about half the price of the A6. And,
they don't over heat and need to be tuned!

The A6 is excellent, but I would put it in the sound
designers studio. People who create sample CD, film
scores, and again for people that have money to burn.

It was funny, after tripping with the A6 for a couple
of hours, I walked over the virus booth. After trying
that product out for about an hour, I think I would
buy the Virus Indigo, maybe the VirusB, but I really
like the keyboard the added to the Indigo. Why you ask
after giving the A6 high marks, well.....It about half
the price, has a really nice interface to the computer,
and sounds really close. Again, if you place the two
side by side, the A6 would sound better....but at
a price.

I think version 2.0 of the software on the A6 will make
it more appealing for me.


SWAIN:???
 
thanks for your post SWAIN, that was really interesting man
i am a proud and happy owner of a VIRUS B by the way ;)

didnt know ALESIS were going to make a true analog synth.. that's so expensive (peopel like STUDIO ELECTRONICS still make those, but you pay G's)



ah.. for those who would like to see this alesis keyboard:
edj_1616_384376
 
Also you need to consider that the andromeda hasn't got very many voices and almost no multitimbrality.
I'd go for a SuperNova II or a Virus, definitely.
 
Ya...but...

Ya....the A6 does have limited voices 16,
but the VirusA that got the virus line
up and going only had 16 as well.

Also, I didn't notice the voices dropping
out as a played the keyboard. Now as I don't
have sixteen fingers, the 16 voice thing
was not a problem while playing. It would
however pop up really quickly once you start
using a sequencer. That is if you could
use a sequencer, I guess not all the midi
feature are done in V1.0?/?? It has midi
stuff, just not everthing at the moment.

Again, excellent for Sound Design, not really
a good workstaion for music production.

I will most likley get a Virus Indigo or
the SupernovaII, I leaning more towards
the supernova right now, it seems to have more
sequencing features. But, I have tooo much
stuff right now that I don't use all the time,
have to figure out what I can chuck.


SWAIN:
 
Actually, the supernova has UNLIMITED sequencing control. You can change an entire program inside out with both MIDI continous controller and NRPN data.

And the Arpeggiator is very cool. + 6 Saws at once! Imagine the Pads and Synths you could make. AAAARRRRRHHHHHH!

I have a Supernova I and I think It's very, very cool, But the Supernova II blows my brains out.
The Virus is also great, great, great. Alot better than the Supernova I.
Mano is in love with that machine. :)
 
Easy of use?

Ok....

SupernovaII simple to use?

Virus simple to use?


What is the answer?

I have a virus right now, and I find the
interface to be one of the most difficult
ones I've ever tried to use. The German
programers need to get out of the way and let
a user interface person zip in and fix the way
people use the synth. The hardware is great,
the sounds are great, but I really don't have
days, weeks, and years to learn how to use
the darn thing.

So, is the Supernova II this hard to use
as well. I will have to snag one of these
keyboards from a friend and try it out as well.


SWAIN:::
 
thanks SWAIN, thats exactly what i wanted to hear about the andromeda! i think i will be going with the virus KB, if only for financial reasons (i can get a new one for US $1100, as opposed to almost $3000 for the A6)... of course, i might change my mind again if i find a shop with the A6 and actually get to play around with one ;)
 
The supernova has an easy interface, I think. Perhaps it's because I knew all the expressions in advance since I've been working with Reality.
It's somewhat the same buildup, but the Nova got all those nice knobs and buttons. :)
 
Virus Price...

Wow,

A virusKB for 1,100US? Ok, then why is the
new indigo version something like 1,700 with
a small keyboard. I think its the blue LED's,
and that I want one!!!

As for the A6, yes I think if anyone, and I
mean everyone that tries the A6 will try and figure
out how to sell and vital organ to get one. One
of the best sounding keyboard that I've tried.
Alesis is make good sounding stuff, I have
the QS8, and I just recently started using its
sound banks for stuff, nice. I forgot how
good the QS8 sounds. And the A6 is the real-deal
analog machine, sounds worlds better.

So, my advice to everyone....don't try it until
they drop the price and put out better system
software. If you have to have something now,
go get the Virus or if you need analog & sequencing
get the supernovaII. Done.

SWAIN:::
 
well... the equivalent of $1100 USD about... a friend of mine in germany is hooking me up, best price i could find ;)

the indigo is the same SRP as the KB, but just out of curiosity why would you want the indigo?? i mean yeah it looks sexier, but the keyboard isnt that great compared to the KB, and it has no aftertouch...
 
Keyboards....

Hmmm...did not know it does not have after touch?

But,

I have an AlesisQS8 and it has an excellent 88 keys
that are fully weighted. Like that synth alot.

As for the virus indigo, I like the idea of
small devices. It seems like a device that
I could sit on the couch and create sound
patches. If you get the VirusB, you always
have to hook something up to generate
noise, thus the small keyboard helps out alot.
The after touch would have helped even more, kind
of a downer they did not included it.

I tend to think of the virus as a sound modual,
not a keyboard. I think its a device to create
and design sound, then play those sound using
a sequencer or a real keyboard like the QS8 or
similar....a fatar quality keyboard.

Don't know if you have a keyboard or you do live
stuff, but you might want to think about just
getting the VirusB. It's the same synth, just
no keyboard. One would think that would be much
less than 1,100. Do you use a sequencer? If so,
think about this alot.

And hey if its under a grand US, give me call
we should purchase 2.

Anyone else have thought about this?


SWAIN:
 
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