Gear preview 2017

[Jwar]

Dude the SE O2 will be mine!

[jrfox92]

Damn, talk about shots fired.
The prices and features on all those models have been suuuuuuuuper enticing, too.

[actual]

Just skipped through the SE 02 demos. While it may share the key elements of the Minimoog architecture, namely being a 3 osc synth with a 24db lp into a cascaded VCA, it just doesn't come close. I'll listen closer once I've gotten some sleep, it's probably cool enough in it's own right.
I am however happy to see Roland keep expanding on what they first did with Malekko and also moving on from the VA Boutiques.

[Jwar]

I think the point is that this is substantially less money than any Minimoog. Sooooo yea. Boners all around at the price and sound. I'm mega impressed.

[actual]

Well, duh. Like I said, it's probably cool enough in it's own right. I was comparing it to a Minimoog cause of the architecture.

[spacelordmother]

The Future. Redefined.

[actual]

What exactly are you so impressed by? Like, any particular sounds in the demo vids? The fact that they've made a 3osc synth for 499? Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, I just don't see it.

[jrfox92]

What exactly are you so impressed by? Like, any particular sounds in the demo vids? The fact that they've made a 3osc synth for 499? Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, I just don't see it.

Personally, I'm into the fact that it's almost as mobile as an OP-1, especially compared to any Moog/whatever the other synths are based on.
Sound wise, as long as it's close enough to fake it, I'm into it.

[actual]

The size can be a selling point and attract certain people, and it's cool that you think that, but I'm not impressed by SMD?

[jrfox92]

but I'm not impressed by SMD?

Do you work on your synths a lot (this isn't sarcastic, I swear )?
It seems like trying to repair the real deal (in this case, that'd be an SE-1/SE-1X which is $1800 new) would end up costing more than replacing the SE-02/getting the SE-02 refurbished by the factory.

I mean, I tend to agree with being against SMD, but that's mostly because I'm an electronics tech and that shit just makes my job more difficult. Considering that it's a synth and not a guitar pedal (*cough* it's not like people bitch about Mtl.Asm *cough*), I'm not that worked up about it.

[actual]

I think you misunderstood. It wasn't necessarily an argument against SMD, it's just that SMD is, I guess, what makes it possible to produce a fully analog synth with discrete circuitry the size of the SE 02. My logic was that, if one was impressed by the size of the SE 02, one would be impressed by SMD.

And no, I do not do work on synths like that I've repaired broken keys and fixed pots and sliders with contact spray, but that's as far as that goes. For now I guess.

[jrfox92]

Ah, yeah. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm "impressed" with the size.
Just that I like its portability and size compared to the Moogs since I have no space in my room.
It's a plus in some ways, but not necessarily in others (probably wouldn't be quite as preferable on a stage).

[Jwar]

I could care less if it's SMD. SMD works just as well as anything else. It's just surface mount versus through hole. It's the ease of application for a company versus hand soldering everything. A ton of people use SMD these days, as they should. It's easier, and cheaper to make. Think about it this way, if you're a builder, a fully loaded SMD board can cost a fraction (and I mean a fraction) of the cost of a through hole, plus, you can make things smaller and sleeker like so many are crying for these days. When I was developing my Aonys pedal, it was SMD and still huge because it had a shit ton of components. The only way to make it not a 1590 DD box was to go SMD, plus you can get board pre-loaded. I mean, seems like a no brainer to me. LOL.

I'm impressed by the price, sound, size and look. It sound great and seems to do a lot for a good price. Are there any good quality products that can contend with this price point? I don't know. I'm no that knowledgable of this stuff. I do like it however.

[Strange Tales]

SMD > Through Hole

Shit is so much easier to solder and you buy a hot air gun and it's so much easier to fix.

[whoismarykelly]

People talk about SMD as a problem because of repair fears and most of those people have probably never done any rework. Pull a DIP16 IC out of a plated through hole board and then do the same with an SMD application. One will take you 30 seconds. The other will take 30 minutes and you'll beat up the board in the process. .