Doepfer

(Originally written by didzedid/translated from Audiofanzine FR) I love modular analog synths with many controls and cables. You can finally be the master of sound but watch out because you'll need a good knowledge of electronic sound synthesis. Otherwise you'll spend hundreds of hours unsuccessfully trying everything out. If you already have some basic knowledge (oscillator, filter, amp, etc.) you'll enjoy the delight of combining sound building blocks and have the possibility to create any sound you want. The only limitation is the number of modules of your system. UTILIZATION The mini system is equipped with a Midi module to connect it to any controller. After that you can build your sound step by step using oscillators, filters, LFOs and amps at the end of the chain... Modulation and polyphony possibilities are virtually endless. Once you found a sound make a patch either writing everything down or taking a picture of the system (make it large enough so that you can see the position of the knobs). The knobs on Doepfer gear are too close together, which makes it sometimes difficult to manipulate them when the patch is complex, but you'll get used to it. Use quality patch cables because the ones provided are pretty average (they have a short life because of the plugging and unplugging). Quality cables are easy to find and not too expensive. SOUNDS Everything is possible from real instruments to extremely bizarre sounds (like in your dreams)... For me the most interesting thing is not to recreate a real violin or piano (although it's possible and very funny when you master it) but to look for new sounds experimenting and fiddling around. OVERALL OPINION I used it many years without ever getting bored. It's also great with a sequencer. The only problem is that some controls generate noise with aging... It's not cheap. But the sound is unique. If I could, I would fill a whole shelf with them (which would be extremely expensive). As a summary, this mini system is excellent for beginners. It has the basic modules required to learn and experiment with analog sound synthesis.