The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Dave Smith designed the Prophet 5. He then went on to work at R&D at 
Yamaha helping them design physical modeling. Then Yamaha decides to 
build a physical modeled synth and guess what synth they decide to 
model?

I just re-read Keyboard's review of the AN1x, comparing it quite 
favorably to the Nord II and Roland's synth, noting it had more 
features for substantially less money. They also compared the AN1X 
favorably to the Prophet 5.

My main complaint about the AN1X is the EQ. It's always on, and the 
presets boost the highes (and at times the bass)way too much. It's 
not a big deal, but I find myself going through all the presets and 
resetting the eq. I also find myself lowering the filter keytrack 
value-the programmers really like to hype the highs.

Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.mp3.com/spaceanimals
http://www.spaceanimals.com

Hi Jimmy,

>My main complaint about the AN1X is the EQ. It's always on, and the 
>presets boost the highes (and at times the bass)way too much. It's 
>not a big deal, but I find myself going through all the presets and 
>resetting the eq. I also find myself lowering the filter keytrack 
>value-the programmers really like to hype the highs.

Your complaint is really with the FACTORY PROGRAMS of the AN1x, not the device itself.  Like most modern-generation synths, the AN1x was programmed to sound "right" with a very neutral-sounding PA or set of studio monitors.  When you add a tube pre- or power amp -- which I think is a GOOD thing, as it adds a little character to the digital sound -- the tubes add their own coloring to the sound, which makes the coloring already provided by the reverb and EQ the AN1x redundant.  The same thing would hold true if you had a Virus KB or a Waldorf; the reverb and EQ would probably sound like overkill.  But you (and I) are not the target audience, so don't expect the manufacturers to accommodate your needs any time soon.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions\ufffd   http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389  voice/fax
bruce@...