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I'm interested in purchasing a small synthesizer, and would like to know which you prefer, The Alesis Micron, or the MicroKorg, and if you have a better synth which you prefer over either. I've already looked at the M-Audio Venom, and the Novation UltraNova, but I plan on purchasing from Craigslist/eBay (whichever gives the best deal) this also includes synths without a keyboard (I have a midi controller)
Thank you!

I've always liked the Novation K station, I realize it's an older VA but I used to own one and I loved it! Probably find some good deals on one too since it's not the latest thing.

This thread has been done here a few times, consider a search on this. BUUUT, I don't know what you're looking for but for a little more than these synths new, you can get an arturia minibrute. It is a monosynth, no fx, but it is APPARENTLY a humdinger of a fun little true analog synth.

Out of those I would pick the Micron. The Microkorg isn't horrible I'm just not a fan. Might be due to using an MS2000 a lot in the past and expecting too much out of the Micro. Also look into Waldorf Blofeld and some of the Dave Smith synths in a similar price range.

Counterpoint: if you're going to get a micron, just get a vst.

I would pick a Microkorg personally cause of the vocoder and formant utilities.

micron is way more versatile and has keys you can actually play that are meant for adult hands
if you're considering a micron look at the akai miniak as it's just a repackaged micron with an xlr slot and included mic for the vocoder

ROLAND GAIA=AMAZING

Just speaking my opinion here, I tried that gaia and was astonished at how bad it sounded Really surprised. I'm a run of the mill roland fanboy, like edm was birthed on roland gear you know?, I use the sp404sx very frequently, and just capital L Love it, but the gaia... no. Just saying.

nowaysj wrote:Just speaking my opinion here, I tried that gaia and was astonished at how bad it sounded Really surprised. I'm a run of the mill roland fanboy, like edm was birthed on roland gear you know?, I use the sp404sx very frequently, and just capital L Love it, but the gaia... no. Just saying.

Well, I mean to each his own I guess. I happen to absolutely LOVE the GAIA!! IDK Why but I think it's awesome. Then again I love the Microkorg too. Of course music and sound reside in the realm of the subjective so no one can really say that one sound (or machine that makes sounds) is good or bad, unless the thing just doesn't work. And I assure you the GAIA works beautifully!!!

i would personally go for an MS2000R... You get the microkorg engine (which in my personal opinion sounds better than the micron, sounds a bit nastier. More digital but in the good way, it has plenty of VERY cool and usable waveforms in the DGWS bank plus the vowel ones, the filter sounds a bit more "analog" than the alesis to my ears, i dont know if the alesis has something like the virtualpatches... in general a better unit for me), plus you get ALL the knobs your hardware lust might even dream of... you get a very cool oldschool vocoder with plenty of options to do amazing sounds (not just your classical robot voices)... and the BEST part of all is the mod sequencer, with that little badass you can do the most amazing sounds you could come up with! Turn your pads into some crazy amazing sounding b**ches! Bass turns into something totally different... i don't know, you can get really in depth with it and get some complex sounds (playing with EG intensities and LFOs gives infinite options)...

So yes, i would defenitly go for the MS2000R...

the dave smith synths need to be mentioned in this thread. i love my microkorg and use it all the time, but i wouldn't turn down a MoPho if it landed in my lap.

I'd get a blofeld. I had a microkorg (sold it) and still have a micron. I don't use the software editor. I just program it directly from the front panel using that one fucking knob. it's a pain in the fucking face to work with tbh. but I like it. I like the sound out of it. usually I just tweak presets to my liking and sample the results for further processing in my DAW.

I'd get a minibrute (haha, infiltrating every synth thread with this, and have never even touched one).

I really love almost everything about the minibrute. except chords. I need chords.

Minibrute poly, wait for it, wait for it.

Go with the Microkorg,

Please don't buy a venom, used to work in a music shop where we had one and it is not nice to use in the slightest. In that situation I'd rather save up a little more and go with a Roland Gaia

Try that before you buy that, strip a patch down to just its oscillators and listen to them, yuk for realz!

In this kind of class of low end va, the ultranova is pretty crazy good. Who was saying the korg ms2000? Wholeheartedly agree with that!

^^Korg MS2000 allll the way

That mod sequencer can get REALLY interesting if you take the time...

and those DGWS can get really powerfull, I like using these waveforms one octave up while the other Osc is a square or so, add the korg's digital distortion and you have a crazy powerfull sound! just set one of the mod sequence destinations to Filt EG and duuuude, the magi happens, it can get SO complx without requiring huge amounts of time and knowledge...

The micron always sounded a bit chessy to my ears, do not know really, maybe way to bright... and the "knobs" are a real bitch

The GAIA is cool as a FIRST synth if you dont want software, so it really helps to learn programming, but the sound is really really bad imo. Thin as hell, if you pretend to do bass and serious stuff you better get away from this (probably the worst saw i have heard)

If you are looking for analog... I would suggest the Mopho over the Minibrute (I guess I cannot make an opinion from the Arturia as its not even out yet...)

The mopho is nasty, deep, powerfull, pretty versatile (in fact VERY versatile)... although the KB version is a bit more expensive than any of the synths mentioned...
who needs chords? you can just play all the chords note by note (I do this sometimes with my Phatty, and dude, that is the thickest sound i have ever come up to... you can just play with different parameters for every note...)