new synth $400

The term "synth" is way too broad, you have to know specifically what kind you need. A lot of people go to rompler style ones first like emu boards, which is good if you want preset sounds. If you want to synthesize your own sounds, then you want one of the virtual analog ones like the kork MS2k. This is a good synth but bery limited polyphony at 4. I'd recomend the Roland JP 8080 over that as I've seen them go for 400 on ebay these days and have 10 voices. Knobs don't feel as cheap and is very versatile.

McSmooth wrote:The term "synth" is way too broad, you have to know specifically what kind you need. A lot of people go to rompler style ones first like emu boards, which is good if you want preset sounds. If you want to synthesize your own sounds, then you want one of the virtual analog ones like the kork MS2k. This is a good synth but bery limited polyphony at 4. I'd recomend the Roland JP 8080 over that as I've seen them go for 400 on ebay these days and have 10 voices. Knobs don't feel as cheap and is very versatile.

True....but i just want to back up the emu boards. They are romplers, but you can accomplish alot with them, and mangle those sounds so they just arent "presets" If you really work at it you can get some O.G. sound out of them.

I back the emu up because if you are just exploring synths, i dont think you want to neccessarily dive into a va synth, but like what mcsmooth said, it depends on what you want to do-What type of tracks are you gonna do? if its hiphop, id say a rompler will be better than a va (at least until you get your setup straight)

if you have a computer get propellerhead reason. it has 2 synths, n number of samplers (depends on cpu) plus effect. you cant go wrong plus you will have a $100 left to buy sonic refills for reason which is like have hardware workstation. check it out, mpc and reason is a very flexable setup. go to a local music store and check out reason you will not go wrong.

If you are looking for a non-analog synth (something like a Motif, or Triton), then most definitely, without a doubt, cop a Roland JV-2080. Room for 8 expansion boards(which are all dope), killer effects, ****loads of dope patches from the factory, and a crazy large graphic interface for easy editing and navigating menus. I copped one last month off ebay for 399.99 and it was well worth it. I already installed 2 expansion boards and I've been making dope ass beats with just the 2080 and a cheap free sequencer on the PC(Computer Muzys, free with Computer Music Magazine).

A lot of the sounds on this thing are recognizeable from hit hip hop tracks. Its been used by a lot of famous producers. I think the sounds blow the TR Rack out of the water (they aint messin with the Triton though...).

ive got a ms2000r in shipping right now. thanks for all the advice. yall check for my next list of hiphopwax up for sale, im breaking out some of the gems this time around.
peace