Doepfer

I am wanting to buy a Modular Synthesizer.  I can't decide between a Deopfer 
A-100 or a Synthesizers.com.  I have done a lot of research on both but still 
can't decide. What do you think is better and why?

Spencer 
Lubbock, TX

Hi Spencer,

I don't think one company makes a "better" modular than another.  It 
all depends on what you want.  

The A-100 system is relatively easy to understand in a working 
situation and the modules are small so they don't take up a lot of 
space.  Their prices are fairly reasonable and more importantly the 
modules sound good.

I don't have any Synthesizers.com modules but my understanding is 
that they are very similar to the old Moog modules in sound.  They 
are also the "larger" size module so they'll take up more room.  
Price wise they seem to be fairly competitive.

Another company worth checking out is Blacet.  They make a fine array 
of very interesting and unusual modules in the "smaller" size.  
They're a little more fun than the other modules in my system (which 
includes MOTM, Blacet, Doepfer and Paia) because they have more knobs 
and jacks which means you get more control out of each module.  They 
cost a little more than some of the others but they're worth it.  All 
of Blacet's modules are available in kit form so you can can some 
money by building them yourself as well.  ...and no, I don't work for 
them!  :-)

Hope this helps.

Analogue forever,
Michael
      

--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com, SGaydon@a... wrote:
> I am wanting to buy a Modular Synthesizer.  I can't decide between 
a Deopfer 
> A-100 or a Synthesizers.com.  I have done a lot of research on both 
but still 

> can't decide. What do you think is better and why?
> 
> Spencer 
> Lubbock, TX

It does all depend on what you want, I have used both the synth.com 
and doepfer and am pretty familiar with both. 
There is definitely a "working" difference due to the size of the 
synth.com modules. When working with my doepfer I have to be a little 
more carefull not to pull out a patch cable while turning knobs. Due 
to the layout and size of the synth.com that's not as much of a 
problem. On the synth.com big knobs=happiness also.

But ergonomics isn't everything...

Doepfer has a far better range of modules and interconnectability. 
Synth.com is of the oldschool "musical insturment" camp of synth 
production and so don't make alot of the very usefull control modules 
that doepfer offers.

so you're interested in sound...

Both types of synths output a very high level, and a very thick sound.
I find that I am able to construct more "metallic" sounds with the 
choice of filters that I have in my doepfer than I can make with my 
friends synth.com. Both are warm and "phat" and I like them both, but 
as is true between any 2 analog synths they do sound different. But I 
wouldn't say that one sounds better than the other.

Even if size matters...

if size matters you can put the synthesizers.com modules in a rack 
frame just like doepfer, but one row of synth.com=5ru high, while 2 
rows of doepfer=6ru high. So a synth.com will take up more room even 
if you don't have it in the pretty walnut case that they sell :).

Or the cost analysis...

The synth isn't the only thing that's going to cost you, the cables 
are something to think about as well. the synth.com uses 1/4in jacks 
which means that you're going to have to spring for alot of 6 foot 
guitar cables (unless you have it racked). So unless you're going to 
make your own cables for it, that option gets expensive really quick. 
Doepfer on the other hand uses our fine little 3.5 jacks which are 
dirt cheap for a fistfull of them (which you WILL end up using all of 
by the way).

Um ok so I might have gone too far...

I've been having this conversation with my friend who owns the 
synth.com machine so we've got alot of it thought out. Lemme know if 
you have more questions... I'm sure we've covered it.

Best possible scenario?
1,000,000,000,000,000.00 of whatever cash your country uses so you 
can buy whatever you want and all the patchbays you need to connect 
them!

Ben

--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com, "Michael <dmichaelt2001@y...>" 
<dmichaelt2001@y...> wrote:
> Hi Spencer,
> 
> I don't think one company makes a "better" modular than another.  
It 
> all depends on what you want.