If you had to start over...

D

dj funkifize

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what gear would you buy instead? Costing the same amount of money as your current setup...

say what you have now (only the main stuff... don't list all your specific mics/power conditioners/patchbays/etc... ) and what you'd replace it with...
 
I'll start...

current
casio keyboard
ESi 4000 sampler
Akai S2000
Lexicon reverb
Behringer 8chn mixer
PC
Stanton Str8-80 turntable and ESM-11 mixer
+ $350 of extras (the patchbay/power conditioner/etc... I was talking about... list those as exras)

what I'd get instead:
MPC2000xl studio plus (w/ everything)
Event EZ Bus
Kurzweil PC2X
cheaper PC (well I can get the same thing I've got now for less than half what I paid for my current PC... so same specs)
cheaper TT (used this time)
and same dj mixer

and I think that's about the same price as my current studio... a little more is ok...

so... what about you?
 
i have a roland vs-1880 as my main piece.... i would have went for more of a computer setup with a little digital mixer and some kind of recording software.
 
If I could go back, I wouldn't have bought cheap gear just for the hell of it.

I bought an MMT-8, S612, and a DDD-1 just because they were so cheap. I'm in the process of getting rid of it.
 
logancox said:
i have a roland vs-1880 as my main piece.... i would have went for more of a computer setup with a little digital mixer and some kind of recording software.

how is it? what can it do? can a computer program do the same....?
 
the 1880 is a really rad machine but there arent to many ways to upgrade it other than buying those effects cards. if i would have gone with a cool little digital mixer(or analog), more ram, a descent sound card and a really nice recording software i could always upgrade software or get a new sound card or anything that got out-dated. i could still go into the all computer domain though by using my 1880 as a mixer... but i am already familar with everything on the 1880.
 
Yea when i first started buying stuff i was only 15, so a lot of my purchases were cheap ones - i got a Roland MT32 and a Roland TR505. Later I sold them - and now i regret it. Okay maybe not the MT32 (I have a D110 in the rack now which is the same but with front panel editing and the biz). But the TR505 was useful.

DON'T SELL THE Akai S612. I'm currently on the lookout for one at the right price because they're so cool. Failing that i'd like an Ensoniq Mirage. When you start producing some real cool stuff with great gear, you sometimes wish for the cheap crustiness of older gear.
 
You've convinced me not to. I do like the crustiness and I got it for a good price. The sampler itself is in perfect condition.. it looks like its right off the assembly line, the disk drive's got a few dings though. The MMT-8 is gone though, I tried going all hardware, but computers offer too much. I sold the DDD-1 to some guitarist that doesn't need the sounds, just something to play along with. I don't have any tolerance for claps that sound like someone stepping on a bag of chips. Some people do though.

If any newbie is reading this, take this advice:

Do NOT buy cheap gear(Cheap as in low quality) even if you're just looking to learn on it, you will be mad that you did in the end. The only exception would be if you if you're looking to make your sound crusty, like Ukcoolat.
 
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Unless you want to sell the S612 to me? hahaha

Yeah I had an MMT8 for about a week - a mate had bought one and I wanted to borrow it (cos orbital used them), but didn't like it. Rather use a computer for my sequencing (but there it stops really on the computer - i hate soft synths or samplers! - YES that INCLUDES reason.)
 
Give me a price that you'll pay for it and I'll see what I can do.. I don't like it that much.
 
Nah i've actually got higher studio gear priorities other than crusty samplers, I want a JV880 right now. But thanks anyway.
 
Heh, I hear that. That's why I've been thinking about letting it go.
 
Nah, If i get one I'll buy one from someone also in England. but thanks. :)
 
UKCC,

I *highly* recommend you check out a JD-990 instead of a JV-880. The JV-880 is characterless, and editing parameters is a pain in the *** - tons of menu scrolling.

The JD-990s go from anywhere between 300-450 and blow the JV out of the water in character, effects, and options for sound manipulation. Plus the OS is very easy to use.
 
Yea..

I've seen the JD990, but never actually used one. I know that its basically a rack version of the JD800 keyboard (is that right?) which would lead me to believe that its not got 'real' sound in it, which is what i need. I already have a JP8000 and an AN1x which are great for analog reconstructions, and 2 real analog synths - so im not looking for more of the same - I just want a module with some real strings, pianos and general bread and butter sounds in - i know the JV880 can give me those and at a low price (on second hand market its dirt cheap!) - but if the JD990 is capable of such things too - I'll check it out...

What do you think?
 
It went like this:

JD series
JV series

JD-800 and JD-990, pretty much the same except that the 990 is more flexible effects wise and has ring modulation as well as cross-modulation and an "analogue" feel for patches.

The JV-880 is pretty much a bread and butter synth, and is at the low line of the JV-series, where as the 990 is at the max of the JD series.

The JD has all the bread and butter sounds the JV has and more. Trust me, I own them both and would easily get rid of the JV way before the JD. The JD is actually an inspiring PCM synth.
 
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