Considering an M3 and Nord Lead 2X instead of Kronos...

EXer · Post by **EXer** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:14 pm

aron wrote:Forget that Nord Lead and pick up a used JP-8000.

I have to strongly disagree.

The JP-8000 is great for pads, but it has very sluggish envelopes. It's absolutely impossible to bring punchy synth basses out of that thing, contrary to the Nord Lead which has enough balls to blow 15" speakers out of their cabinets!

FGTH · Post by **FGTH** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:50 pm

I would wait and get the mighty Kronos. Trust me, you won't regret it.

aron · Post by **aron** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:13 pm

>The JP-8000 is great for pads, but it has very sluggish envelopes. It's absolutely impossible to bring punchy synth basses out of that thing, contrary to the Nord Lead which has enough balls to blow 15" speakers out of their cabinets!

OK, so you have focused on one issue that is really important to you. Now why don't we talk about all the other things that the JP-8000 can do that the Nord cannot? Apparently the filters are so fast that you can get a click on the JP, so you have to slow down the attack.

Apparently you also missed that part where I said pick up a Kronos to compliment the JP.

Kontrol49 · Post by **Kontrol49** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:28 pm

EXer wrote:
aron wrote:Forget that Nord Lead and pick up a used JP-8000.
I have to strongly disagree.

The JP-8000 is great for pads, but it has very sluggish envelopes. It's absolutely impossible to bring punchy synth basses out of that thing, contrary to the Nord Lead which has enough balls to blow 15" speakers out of their cabinets!

And the filter makes an annoying click on fast attack times,I love the JP but it just doesn't sound analogish like the Nord I swear by the original Mk1 Nord lead had both a 2x and a mk2 and they just didnt sound as pleasing and ballsy to my ears as the original,Nord leads are kind of like the "marmite" of the synth world you either love them or hate them,I think most people are put off by the lack of efx but it has a raw edge that sounds just that and doesn't need gloss to get a good source sound out of it,the Nords have a distinct way of cutting through in a mix and it why I like them too many people are spoilt by fairydust patches that are modulated by fx in order to make them usable in isolation put them in the context of a song and they swamp the spectrum,I've always worked with minimal fx on patches so probably why I like using things like the Nords,I've owned and used all the virtual analogs and the Nord unlike some of the others that have come and gone has always had pride of place in the armoury and that's comparing them alongside real analogs I have like prophet 8,voyager and andromeda

The JP8k has a great interface and is IMO one of the sexiest looking synths ever made(shame it was plastic,unlike it's rack brother)it's hard not too enjoy using one for sure and it was a staple soundsource and still is for me but it just doesn't sound analogish to my ears
Nords are no fuss synths that are what you see is what you get attitude,and there Red.......

aron · Post by **aron** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:22 am

OK so you are saying pick up a Nord lead instead of a JP-8000+Kronos. Fine.

Kontrol49 · Post by **Kontrol49** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:40 am

It's a matter of taste,and ultimately budget just trying to give a non biased opinion based on experience,whether one is better than another is personal choice and preference I own both and each has strengths where the other may lack,whilst another view may question why you would need either with the polysix,ms20 and va engine already onboard with those engines onboard the Oasys too it pretty much catered for in my needs but having a connection with a synth is as much in a tactile way as it is in a sound context it's a different experience using a knob laden surface that you shape the sounds on the fly in a childlike manner both the JP and Nord will give you that I just never connected with or had half as much fun with the engines in the Oasys/Kronos

synthguy · Post by **synthguy** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 2:27 am

FGTH wrote:I would wait and get the mighty Kronos. Trust me, you won't regret it.

I forgot to say this, then I couldn't edit my post.

Still, I'll have to say that getting a good VA like any of the aforementioned with their wealth of sliders and knobs - or dare I say it, a real analog, would be ideal with the Kronos. You might not need anything else for the rest of your musical life.

aron · Post by **aron** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:19 am

> prophet 8,voyager and andromeda

Uh,,, write when you have real analogs that go out of tune and have slower envelopes!

You know you have a real analog when you have to constantly hit the tune button or turn the knob!

Slovenec · Post by **Slovenec** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:54 am

My Z1's reverb sounded fine but the effects implementation sucked big time. This is where Korg really failed with the Z1: They added some decent effect types but didn't allow you to use different effects on different programs in a multi. If you put a flanger on a synth lead then your brass or guitar also had flanger! Agghhhhh. There was also no dynamic voice allocation so you had to manually set the amount of voices for each part aggghhhh. I used the Z1 as a performance synth for 1 sound at a time after I realised how limiting it was as a multi-timbral synth. I also didn't like the amount of delay when changing sounds.

However, these limitations were put to the side when actually playing this awesome sounding synth. It's analog modelling allowed the Z1 to emulate so many vintage synths out there. I loved the trumpet and sax programs (when played using the correct controllers of course). Some of the guitar programs were also outstanding if played thinking the way a guitarist would play. I used the stock steel and nylon string guitars for a number of gigs and got some great responses from the audience when I layered these sounds with the actual guitarist in the band! The Z1 also had some amazing synthetic choir programs.

I wish that Korg would be able to add those brass, woodwind and bowed string oscillator modes found in the Z1 to the Kronos. I heard that the programmer who developed the Z1 oscillator models died (unfortunately) and that he took the programming secrets of the Z1 oscillator structures to the grave with him.

I'd like to buy another Z1 down the track (even though they're getting on a bit now in terms of age and could be unreliable?)

The real time controls available on the Z1 were fantastic (especially that X/Y touchpad). The 61 note keyboard action was also a joy to play.

Oh goodness... I've gone right off topic. Where were we???? Oh yeah... skip the idea of buying a M3 and Nord and get a KRONOS!!!!

EXer · Post by **EXer** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 5:49 pm

Slovenec wrote:My Z1's reverb sounded fine but the effects implementation sucked big time. This is where Korg really failed with the Z1

I don't know about the effects of a Z1, but let's not forget you could also have a Z1 on board your Trinity or Triton thanks to the MOSS-TRI or EXB-MOSS board

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 6:57 pm

True but it has the same limitation. You can divide the voices over multiple parts but you have to pick one fx bus where all the sounds go. Although on the Triton it's usually not such a problem because you can use non-MOSS sounds with different FX in the same combi.

Kevin Nolan · Post by **Kevin Nolan** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:10 pm

Mike -

Get the Kronos.

(and pick up a 2nd hand Nord Lead 2 or Nord Lead 2 Module in a year or so if you still feel you need it (which I'm betting you won't if you get into MS20EX)

Kevin.

PS - Get the Kronos !