Anyone excited for reface?

picoVolt · July 7, 2015, 2:49pm

@LyingDalai So hilarious, yet so true.

docshermsticks · July 7, 2015, 4:00pm

an fm synth full of knobs would have been amazing. theres really not much else out there like that right? seems like a slam dunk…?

+1 fm4 is great, tf7 aint bad either)

LyingDalai · July 7, 2015, 9:12pm

About FM synthesis and proper interface... Have you guys read dubbhism thoughts about FM ?

I learned a lot from it.

For me, OP-1 FM synth offers the most usable interface so far.

wingo · July 7, 2015, 11:35pm

SonicState has demos of them all. Basically, meh, especially if they are going to be $500+ each. The FM one seems slightly interesting, but overall it just looks like they took the existing engines from a workstation like a Motif or whatever, and broke them out into 4 mini synths.

Nothing wrong with VA per se, and little battery-powered synths are always fun (as we know), but there doesn’t seem to be any ground being broken here.

http://www.sonicstate.com/news/

picoVolt · July 8, 2015, 1:38am

I was negative at the sight of them.
However, upon hearing them (via YouTube) I have to give Yamaha credit. They all look decently fun to play based on the Sonic State first look. Plus he notes that they feel solid, which I didn’t expect from the sight of them.

Might have to get a Yamaha FM synth Birthday present to myself…

LyingDalai · July 8, 2015, 6:34am

I don’t like the controls of Reface CS, I prefer endless knobs with lights ^^

More convenient when you change of oscillators, more precise and solid !

They could even have used touchscreen like the DX.

I bet CS controls would not last 2 years. Poor choice imo.

I would have prefered Rebrained modules than those Reface kb.

Good for my GAS, at least ^^

Unflattered · July 8, 2015, 12:32pm

To be perfectly honest, a basic controller and a few iPad apps, and I’m there. The OP-1 merits its price tag because of its combination of rock-solid construction, genre-busting workflow and unparalleled mobility. All these nostalgia keys are totally superfluous, IMHO. I sent back a Volca Sample in 24 hours. I have a hardware habit, but only for gear that has unique functionality, and cannot be easily trumped by a $20 app.

Roland’s Aria “System-1”, on the other hand…

Tribrix · July 8, 2015, 3:35pm

I thought $800 was a joke. Now that they are $500 the CS and DX look more interesting again, but still seems steep to me, for what it is. They do sound amazing though, and that alone may be the key.

KrisM · July 8, 2015, 3:46pm

It almost seems like Yamaha is trying to play catch up to Korg, Novation, Arturia, and now Roland with a quick cash grab at the growing mid-range “small synth” market while taking minimal risk.

I guess it’s smart and safe, but it feels really uninspiring.

Unflattered · July 8, 2015, 4:42pm

I just wish I could get a sub-$300 Tenori-On!

Tribrix · July 8, 2015, 4:58pm

@Unflattered you can, it’s called the Bliptronic 5000, lol

Unflattered · July 8, 2015, 5:20pm

@Unflattered you can, it's called the Bliptronic 5000, lol

Hoofah!!

If it had MIDI, I’d consider it!

In all seriousness, is there a cheaper MIDI-capable grid sequencer on the market?

KrisM · July 8, 2015, 5:46pm

I just bought a “Hella UNTZtrument” kit from Adafruit @unflattered it’s an 8x16 DIY/open source grid with USB MIDI powered by an Arduino. Which means DIN MIDI isn’t too far away (Leonardo’s serial pins are free since it has built-in USB-to-serial). There is an 8x8 version, too, and even a 4x4 which uses only one of their Trellis modules.

Of course you need to be handy with a soldering iron and be willing to solder 256+ leads for the 128 lol…

$225 with a Leonardo, iirc the 64 is $125.

But I digress…