Name me a good hardware synth for around $1200 bucks

What up cobras!.....as you can see, i'm in the market for a good hardware synth to add to my arsenal thats right at the $1200 mark...My main focus is being able to make up some good bass/sub bass sounds and some decent pads, efx, ehatever....
Heres some of the models i've been looking at-
Alesis ION
Access Virus Classic or the black Virus C
Novation K station
Korg MS2000B

I prefer something with alot of knobs so I can dig into it to get the sounds I want.....I'm worried about the lack of knobs on the ION even though from what i've read, its a pretty good machine.......
If need be, I may go on ahead and move to the S/W realm which in that case, what would you recommend as a decent synth program?
I've been looking at Absynth and Reason to use with a Novation REmote controller(that thing just looks hella sexy)....
What would you recommend?..Thanks again cobras....

I had that Novation REmote, it was pretty cool, I think you'd be disappointed with the Reason synths, the ION and Virus boards sound best to me as far as hardware synths. As far as software, I'm rockin' the Minimoog V right now, it sounds real nice to me. Absynth is cool but I never got too deep into that one, if you decide on the software route dl the demos of all the programs so you can decide which one or two or three(they're cheap compared to hardware) you like best.

Arturia has a few really nice soft synths available right now, check 'em out at http://www.arturia.com

You don't know what synth to get, and you like to fiddle with knobs.....
For $1200, i would get this:

1. Korg Legacy collection: A whole lot of korg synths, including the ms20. it comes with a small keyboard with loads of knobs, and even has real patchcords.
http://www.portlandmusiccompany.com/kor ... LEGACY.jpg
http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?A_PROD_NO=Legacy

2. Novation V-Station. A K-station plugin.
http://www.novationmusic.com/nov_route/ ... n_over.htm

The Access Virus is also available as a plugin on the Powercore dsp card. Powercore is expensive, but comes with lots of usefull plug-ins. The V-station is also available for Powercore.
http://www.tcelectronic.com/PowerCore

All the software i mentioned is made by the same companies that made the original synths, and they really sound as good as the original.

$1200, New or used?

preferably new...but i'll go the used route if i'm feeling impatient.........

Ion or K4/K5/Kstation.

Damn for $1200 i would fuk with the Supernova....

im obly getting a ION (used) cause my budget is $450.

The ION is real dope. The Waldorf Q is sick but out of the price range I think...

for $1200 i would buy a laptop. start building a virtual studio. the future is now.

im seriously leaning towards a used mac tower or a tricked out pc so I can run Absynth and reaktor with the novation controller........i hate gear buying...too many options and never the one you want for the price you want......

Swissmaster Cheese wrote:im seriously leaning towards a used mac tower or a tricked out pc so I can run Absynth and reaktor with the novation controller........i hate gear buying...too many options and never the one you want for the price you want......

well, you can get a new g4 imac for around 1299.

what kind of sounds are you going for? thats the most important question cause all of the above keyboards will give you differant results. ASK YOURSELF WHAT sound do you want?

You could go with a triton le if you want a rompler, I WOULD GET a midi controller keyboard and a RACK version of a synth. Like the motif rack, or ROland XV5050 and a midi man radium controller. that would still hit under 1200 and may do you more good than an ion.......depending on what genre you are. If your hiphop, you may want to look into a "rompler" like the motif, unless you like the darker type synth ish. ya know?

SOme dudes are like "everybodys got a motif or a triton" yeah, but its what you do with it. GET what you like......dont not get something because someone else has it, thats just as bad as getting something because someone does have it. GET it because you can use it as a tool.

oh, and mac would be nice, but if you love the mpc, youll love a synth. how are you gonna sequence software synth from mpc? yeah i know it can be done, but that defeats the purpose of the mpc......in that case you should just go all software, and get a mp16 pad. BUT if you really need a computer for recording, it may be worth it. How do your beats stand alone just on the mpc?

the thing i'm going for is Basslines and just complicated fuked up sounds....which is why I would need a synth(Nord Lead, Access Virus, Novation etc..) and not a Synth(Motif, Triton, Fantom, etc)........the problem is that you cant necessarily produce these things from the MPC..well, you could but it would be incredibly hard on its own hence why i would need a synth...the Triton Rack is already on my list though if I can find something in software form thats comparable to it then i'm gonna be all over it.....in other words...i need synthesis and not a Rompler as you suggested...

"oh, and mac would be nice, but if you love the mpc, youll love a synth. how are you gonna sequence software synth from mpc? yeah i know it can be done, but that defeats the purpose of the mpc......in that case you should just go all software, and get a mp16 pad. BUT if you really need a computer for recording, it may be worth it. How do your beats stand alone just on the mpc?"

well you see, if I could produce pads, sweeps, whatever with the mpc then I certainly would and yes I do intend to sequence my software with the mpc but how does that defeat the purpose? do you even know what you're talking about?

with a laptop, native instruments komplete 2 and reason you will be set for years to come. cost $2000.

komplete 2

intakt - sampler drum machine
kontakt - sampler/mangles sounds
konpakt - sample play back machine
reaktor 4 - synth/create new synth and effects
pro52 - emulator - vintage sounds
b4 - organ
fm7 - emulator dx7
battery -sampler/drum machine
absynth 2 - badest synth out
vokator - effects
spektral delay - effects

reason

nn-19 - simple sampler
nn-xt - advance sampler
subtractor - synth (s*cks)
malstrom - synth (s*cks)
redrum - sampler/drum machine

this set up will beat (anyday of the week) a hardware setup and plus it is portable.

the future is now.

Logic Pro 6

A Powermac G4

or just get a tight PC for a lot less - install Reason (seriously dawg, that's all you need) and use the rest of the money for a trip to Jamaica and visit hedonism II or go to the www.bunnyranch.com in Nevada - seriously!!!

I just sold my last piece of hardware (I still have the 1000) but I'm going completely digital - with Live 4 coming out and Reason 2.5 on the hard drive - gear lust is a thing of ther past

The money I'm not spending I'm saving for my bachelor party at The Bunnyranch in Nevada - seriously!!!

Good Luck yo...

by the way, korg is making a triton vsti.