Elektron Musical Instruments

>Recently got a SID workstation. I had been warned about the noise, leaking
>and high S/N ratio.

hey, you were warned!! ;)
didn't you believe it?

>Even using all the tips and tricks, compressors, NR, etc, is still is a
>noisy machine and which is a great shame.


Use a noise gate. Compression and noise reduction won't really do it. In the
case of compression you'll get MORE noise! .. in the case of noise
reduction, you'll get other types of noise which are usually like noise
underwater or strange submarine sounds. A noise gate is best --- cut the
noise out when it's just the oscillators leaking (a property of the SID
itself!).. i'm sure you'll find the signal loud enough to come through, and
then the gate will cut the ambient noise out..

>Will further updates improve the situation so the problem is no longer the
>difference between having a curious, novelty synth but a good tool to work
>with. Or will it be forever a problem with this chip/machine?

It's the chip itself, so no i don't think the situation will improve. But i
disagree with you about the novelty thing --> the sid is a unique
synthesizer ... and the synthesis architecture on the sidstation is quite
powerful. I guess your only solution is to find another synth...?

andrew