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Is this the right choice? (Synth suggestion)
Hello everyone, I found an AKAI Miniak for cheap, I had in the past an Alesis Micron, but I sold it because it was a pain in the ass edit\make presets.
The miniak looks cooler and has better keys, the sound engine is the same, but the UI sucks like the micron, and it doesn't have a usb connection.
So, with the all the bells and wistles of cool ipad synths, is it a stupid thing buying this little synth?
Comments
I can tell you from my personal experience (bought a Roland JV-1010 back in the nineties which has a great sound engine but is horrible for editing), that I will never again buy something that requires another device or computer to program it. If it isn't editable out of the box, I won't buy it. Your device seems to fit into the same category for me.
Now, that said, you may not be able to return it, but I could have SWORN that there was an app for the iPad that just came out that allows you to edit the sounds directly from the iPad.
Edit: Scroll down on this page, and you'll find several editors on several different platforms, including iOS:
http://ion-micron-miniak.wikia.com/wiki/Common_FAQ
Edit2:
Here's the one I was thinking of:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/megamicron/id671736918?mt=8
I hope this helps! :-)
I knew something about the existence of an universal app for synth editing via midi CC, but I've forgotten its name.
Thank you!
I have another question: I have (like many people on this forum) a lot of powerful ios synths like Thor, Nave, Sunrizer, Cassini, Magellan etc., is a good choice buying a cheap virtual analog synth? (with a twelve years old sound engine)
For what I remember I found that my micron sounded like a sterile\cold toy compared to ios synths, that's another reason why I sold it.
^ That is a good question, mainly because I think it will get quite a bit of subjective debate.
Personally, I'd say it's not worth it, and here's why: MIDI controllers are now so in-depth, and most softsynths these days have decent-to-better MIDI implementation and usable "learn" features, so a good MIDI controller can essentially make Sunrizer (for example) the fully-blown JP-8000 copy it was born to be (I mean that as a compliment, btw, love the JP-8000).
I have a couple Virtual Analog hardware synths, and since I've got into iOS stuff, I haven't turned them on once. I plan on keeping my SH-32 'cause I love the layout and it's fun to write patches on it, but whenever I think about turning it on, I don't, 'cause it's just so much easier (and deeper) to get into some synths on my iPad.
I used to be of another mind on this, but I'm now all about softsynths and crazy hardware MIDI control.
@Dramatispersona13 said:
I agree with @CalCutta. I used to think hardware was the way to go for top notch sound, but I'm finding that my iPad apps sound as good as my JV-1010. I was in Guitar Center the other day, and was listening to some of their hardware synths, and while granted the sound is only as good as the speakers, I was surprised that these synths didn't sound any better than the top synths that I currently have on my iPad. There are those who will argue that hardware is better, and further that true analog is better still, but I'd say that I'm pretty happy with the sound quality of my iPad synths, and have little to no desire to pay huge prices for hardware synths. If you have a good midi controller, there really isn't that much difference (the 80/20 rule again applies to this situation). :-)
Just an added note of trivia: Gary Numan only uses software synths these days too.
For an opposing viewpoint, it's great to have something where you don't even think about polyphony,latency or dropouts. A hardware synth with a good keyboard and a bunch of knobs and faders- the perfect compliment to all the great iOS synths.
Unless the hardware digital synth does something your iPad doesn't, I would skip it.
Considering that most digital synths are a computer, UI, hardware controls, keyboard and audio/midi I/O you have to ask yourself "what part of that setup can I not recreate with my iPad"? At this point, for most sub $500 digital synths, not much of it! $2000+ Dave Smith digital synth is a different story.
All that said, there is something wonderful about single purpose devices. There is no chance you'll check your email or visit this forum on it. When you use it, you'll be using it and not dicking about with other apps or wishing iOS midi didn't suck or loading a memory clearing app or adjusting buffer sizes or dealing with latency... Plus, it's all one unit vs iPad + cck + one or more USB device + controller keyboard. Definitely a bonus if it does what you want and you're playing live!
My two opposing cents.
Ha, what @zymos said 30 seconds sooner!
@Audiojunkie said:
I've been wondering how it would go over at the store to bring in an iPad with the Focusrite 2i2 and test some iOS synths against their hardware synths on their demo speakers. Anyone tried that?
Headphones would probably be the best way to do a side-by-side comparison. Like audiojunkie said, comparisons usually are only as good as the speakers they're on. Guitar Center doesn't use high-end speakers in their synth section. Then, if you go into a studio, you have to take pre-amps/etc into account.
Sure, that makes sense, but just for grins I wonder how the staff at the stores would respond to hearing what an iPad can do.
hehe most likely (if the store's not busy) they'd be cool with it, I bet a lot of them are probably already using ipads for music (the local guitar center here has had classes on recording into the ipad)
@Hmtx said:
Good question! I bet they would let you if you were cool about it. I've thought of bringing my iPad in and comparing things myself--I'm going to be getting a new set of headphones soon (most likely Audio-Technica ATH-M50x). :-)
Thank you for your advices and your points of view.
I think that is fantastic adjust synths' parmeters with touch screen and\or with midi CC learn instead stupid and annoying lcd's displays with endless menu and shortcuts.
What I miss is the feeling of a "real" instrument, I have no problem of latecency and polyphony with my ipad, I know that a digital synth is a computer, but sometimes I need a real keyboard.
For example I found that Nave sounds more warmer than Blofeld (another synth that I love), or that Sunrizer kicks in the ass the roland gaia, Magellan blows away many entry level synths, Thor is huge. I don't like Animoog, but it's a beast of synth compared to many many hardware synths.
I think something like a Virus, a Prophet 12 or Clavia Nord Lead A2 could destroy an iPad, but they are on anothor level!
I think I'll keep my money.
PS:
Hardware synths don't have audiobus
I have a Miniak, cost about £150 new, bargain, I even had a go at programming, three hours later I was very pleased with my blip with delay, I do like the combination thing though, and it has a nice retro kind of drum machine, and you can assign a different sound to every single key, and it has a vocoder built right in, no USB though, but you can get around that with midi. Oh and over 600 presets. Is it as good as the iOS synths....nah, not really. But do I regret buying it, no, its a nice synth with a great keyboard action.
On the other hand for a little more money have a look at the Novation Mininova I have that too and its brilliant even with its small keys.
@thesoundtestroom £150 is an excellent price, but I found it for 250 £ on ebay.uk, two years ago Thomann was selling it for 200 euros, but I had the micron...
A friend of mine has an AKAI MPK 49 and the keys are awesome, i think the keys are the same of the miniak.
If I found an akai miniak for £150 I'll buy it!
Several good external keyboard controller options around to give the iPad that "real instrument" knobby feeling. I use a Samsun Graphite 49 at home for that, and a QuNexus when portabling.
Had Miniak. I bought it for £150 off ebay sold it 2 months later on ebay for the same price. Had to give £15 to ebay of course. Sounded ok but I found it too narrow in sound but really liked the 3 octave keyboard. Now I have a novation x station 49 and hardly ever play it.
I like my Miniak. Terrific pre sets, pretty good action, vocoder and sequencing. Paid like $500 for it a few years back (sheesh). The folks at Guitar Center were very receptive to me hauling my iPad and io dock in there and experimenting with different controllers. They ought to be, they sell audio interfaces.