Xpantastic!

Hello Karl !

 >>>

Karl Schmeer schrieb:
>  
>
> Hi,
> I have a M12 and believe it or not, there are times I wish I had an 
> Xpander. It would be nice sometimes to have the CV ins and the output 
> per voice. (Currently my M12 does not have the individual outputs.) 
>
Yep,- in multi patch mode and playing different patches via different 
midi channels, the separate outputs for each voice are a great approvement.

Next,- I have my Minimoog modded w/ keyboards CV and gate outs,- so I 
can trigger one voice of the Xpander by CV/Gate, doubling the Moog, 
using the other 5 voices  w/ midi,- just an example ...
>
>  
> You would think that 12 voices layered up in mono mode would be a 
> thicker solo sound, but it doesn't work that way. With 12 analog 
> voices droning, phase differences start
> canceling out some of the voices. So at the end of the day 6 voices 
> layered up is just as
> thick as 12 IMO.
>
Right, but there�s difference between M12 and Xpander,-  layering all 
the voices (or only 6 maybe) in unison,- the detune page, which the 
Xpander doesn�t have.
It�s only a detail, but also a small advantage, being able to select the 
same single patch in every multi-patch slot, setting the voice 
assignment to unison and easily detune all the voices against each other.

THIS is not possible w/ a Xpander,- instead, you have to copy the same 
single patch to six single-patch memory locations, edit each of these 
for different tunings and store, before you�re able to set up a 
multi-patch-unison-detune sound the way you can do in a M12.
Will say,- you lose 5 more single-patch memory locations in the Xpander 
to do this, but not in the Matrix-12.

B.t.w.,- I never layer the voices that way w/ my Xpander,- so I don�t care.

Voice cancelations are always happening by layering exactly same sounds 
and detuneing �em,- so I prefer layering of slightly different sounds,- 
best different synths,- even these do similar sounding patches then, - 
lets say creating a super saw,- together.

According to the keyboard,- I never liked the keyboards/keybeds of the 
Oberheim synths much,- not in the OBX nor the OBXa or OB-8 and I 
absolutly don�t like the levers for pitch bending,- I prefer wheels,- 
best non sprung wheels,- like the Minimoog has.
So,- the Xpander was best choice for me,- also because of size and weight.

In addition, Obies keyboard synths are relatively large beasts.
I never toured w/ a Matrix-12, but I got probs w/ the stiffness of the 
enclosure of my former OB-8 in the past,- maybe a prob which also 
happens w/ a Matrix-12.
With the OB-8, this stressed the circuit boards mounted on the bottom of 
the case.

>
>  
> Oh Yeah, but your Xpander also does this.
>  
> b.t.w.
> I have played the A6 Andromada and DSI stuff. IMO The keyboards on 
> these synths are just as clunky as the M12.  
>  
>   
> Karl Schmeer
>   
>