The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

From: <tomfinegan@...>
To: <AN1x-list@egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 24 May 2000 21:35
Subject: [AN1x-list] Re: Wishlist for a new AN1x


--- In AN1x-list@egroups.com, Peter Korsten <peterk@i...> wrote:
> > I compare it head-to-head with my EX5, and whereas the AN1x is much
> > more immediate and elegant in its simplicity, the EX5 kicks serious
> > ass. Well, it should be, for the price. :)
> Hm, do you mean the AN-part of the EX5 or the AWM/FDSP part?
> And if you mean the AN-part, why does it kick ass, when the AN1x is
> almost the same? Better audio/digital converter?

Like I said, the AN part of the EX5 is identical in every aspect to that of
the AN1x, except that you don't have the FreeEG, and I think you do have the
better arpeggiator/sequencer of the EX5. And the polyphony is only one fifth
of the AN1x.

But the AWM part is where the ass-kicking is done. For instance, you have
three full envelopes (ptich, filter, amp) with either five or six slopes. An
envelope can start at another initial value than 0, and you can influence
the steepness of the slope (either make it steeper or less steep) by
keyboard velocity. So you could get a faster attack and slower decay by
hitting the keys harder. You can also specify four zones of the keyboard
where the pitch, filter and amp get boosted or lowered.

Then there are static filters, and one or two dynamic filters per layer.
There's a maximum of four layers per voice. Each layer can have it's own
envelopes, filters, keyboard zones, scale, everything.

The sounds itself are richer than those of the AN1x, simply because you have
a larger range of oscilators (samples) you can choose from. You can even use
you own samples.

So the AN1x is a polyphonic analgoue modelling synth, with the typical
analogue sounds. The EX5 is a super-synth with sounds that range from good
to unbelievable. Together, they make an excellent pair.

> > If this were the case, nobody would buy sample-based synths anymore.
> > Samplers don't offer instant gratification: they need a lot of work
> > to set up, program, getting the right sounds.
> But these things are also the advantage of a sampler, makes it more
> flexible. You are not stuck with a cheesy piano-sample out of your
> MU100, SW1000, you can upload the 1GB Piano in your Gigasampler and
> use that instead. Ok, i agree the S30/80 are in advantage here,
> because the Piano PLG-card sounds excellent.

Please don't compare the MU100 and SW1000 to the S30 and S80... the
synthesis engine is completely different. The S series are synthesisers,
whereas all those XG devices play samples, that you can tweak just a little.

A sampler is a different beast than a synth. It takes work, preparation, and
it works not nearly as fast and intuitive as a dedicated synth, whether it's
a rompler or something else. I can play a tune on my EX5 and not worry about
the sound. Or I can tweak the sound a bit, and save it. It's halfway towards
a sampler anyway, because it can sample, take up to 64 Mb RAM and 16 Mb
Flash RAM.

> > The XV's are nothing new, except that they now sell you 32 Mb boards
> > as 64 Mb, instead of 16 Mb boards as 32 Mb. The sound engine is the
> > same as it was eight years ago.
> But for the same price as the JV/XP line, years ago...
> See...more ROM for the same price...;)

I'd rather take something new... the JV's sound good, really good, but it's
getting dated technology.

The VP9000 VariPhrase Processor is very new, but it's kinda expensive for a
six-voice sampler that's not really a sampler and doesn't even have a
filter.

> > The CS6x/r and S80 are a clear break from the past, with card slots,
> > PLG slots, and the promised mLAN support.
> mLAN is one of the most interesting thing on these synths. So if
> Yamaha would make a new ANxx, with mLAN...that would be new as well.
> The most modern output i\ufffdve seen on third generation VA\ufffds was the Q
> with it\ufffds Digital I/O\ufffds.

And the Supernova II. But digital isn't all-important, it doesn't mean that
all will sound better. And besides, we're talking VA synths here, so a
little noise will give that extra authentic feeling. :)

Another difference between the AN1x and EX5: if I turn on my AN1x, it gives
a very nasty spike on the left audio channel.

> > I would hazard a guess that they're different. The EX5 knows AN,
> > and it's a direct copy of the AN1x (except for the polyphony). In
> > AWM mode, however, the EX5 has totally different filters, with a
> > static filter and one or two dynamic filters per layer. The AN part
> > is completely seperate from these.
> Hm, does the EX5/7/r has Audio-In? Can you use the internal AN with
> it?

The EX7 has a mono sample input, the EX5 and EX5r have stereo inputs. You
can only use these to sample, nothing else. The AN part is identical to the
AN1x, so no external audio processing.

- Peter