Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

...just arrived yesterday (and now i'm stuck at work without it).


first impressions:

well, i have to admit that i have lousy speakers on my computer, but 
i got a little nervous after ordering the evolver...i listened to all 
the mp3's on the evolver site, and there was something (digital 
artifacts...not quite a "shimmer") that botherd me about many of the 
sounds.  the good news is this must have been some combination of mp3 
compression (which i usually do not find objectionable, although i 
rarely listen to mp3's) and my lousy speakers...this thing sounds 
alive!  i bought a microkorg just over a year ago, and the next day, 
found out about the evolver (which was $100 more expensive).  i love 
the korg and it sounds wonderful...but it doesn't boil, bubbble or 
gurgle like the evolver...the evolver feels "real" (and i know i'm 
preaching to the choir here).

i did find (and was warned by one user) of some nasty digital 
distortion when you have too many modulations going on (i have not 
pinpointed where the problem occurs, but i could hear it when i 
messed around with some of the presets, even though the clip light 
was not blinking...i was told by another user that this happens when 
many modulations are being used at once).  this is a little 
disapointing for a standalone hardware unit (as part of the point of 
such a device is that it is designed not to try to perform beyond 
what it is capable, unlike a computer).  perhaps there is something 
specific going on that can be avoided...any suggestions here would be 
appreciated.

and, uhhh, feedback (in all 3 of it's forms) absolutely rules...i've 
never had a synth with feedback built in (but i have done so with 
patchcords and guitar pedals in patchable units, and the old 
headphone out > external in on a minimoog)...i think this makes the 
synth...it would not have nearly the personality without the feedback.

i plan to use this in my "gig" setup along with the windcontroller, 
vl70m, and the repeater.  a few things that are "missing" from my 
perspective (and perhaps only from my perspective):

1.  additional cc mod sources (especially those used by the wx5)
2.  it would be nice if the sequencer could run another synth, while 
the evolver is being played by the wx (ie, the sequncer could be 
sequencing the vl70m, and the wx playing the evolver)...i don't think 
this is currently possible (although you can almost do this).  i 
don't know of another sequencer (besides dr t's stuff for atari, and 
a few people i know who have written their own sequncing software) 
that allows you to run 4 sequences at differant lenghts...i've always 
done this, but always had to use multiple sequncers.

that's all for now, and if anyone has any suggestions/insights, i'd 
be happy to hear them!  this thing is wonderful!

deknow