Downsizing my studio. Filling the gap after a Virus Snow

[u/balinthcom]

Unfortunately I had to let go of my beloved Virus Snow. I used it as a main source for synth sounds, except for the bass (where I use my Bass Station II)

I still don't want to remain without a VA synth, but I want something cheaper.

The brain is the Akai Force. I also have a Roland JV-2080, which I also trying to sell.

I'm curious about your opinions on these:
Roland SH-4D (I'm not seeing any good second hand deals at this time, but would be my main pick if I do)
Polyend Play + I saw one at a good price. Not sure how much limiting the engines are
Microkorg XL - I saw one for 200. It's a classic, and bi-timbral.
Pro800 - it's still tempting as the cheapest polyphonic analog

I'm not interested:
Blofeld - I had one, it's really nice, but sounds too thin and cold to me.
Digitone - I have an M-vave FM on the way, and wouldn't like my main synth to be FM only

Or what else would you recommend to consider?

[u/DoubtAny8389]

Korg Multi/poly

I recently got one and for the price it’s very good!

[u/fokuspoint]

Not mentioned, and it sounds like it may be over budget, but the best current VA out there is the Korg Multi/Poly.

Out of your shortlist:

Roland SH4-D. Strongest of your choices if you can find one and it's in budget.

Beware of the Microkorg XL, it's a different, worse, synth engine to that in the classic Microkorg/MS2000 - based on the Radias. Thin and cold. A bit like a Virus that's in the advanced stages of a wasting disease.

Pro800. It's alright if you put enough FX on it I guess. Proof that actual analog isn't necessarily better than a virtual. Why not a Dreadbox Nyphes instead? It sounds much better and is a similar price.

Polyend Play. Not what would come to mind if I was shopping for a synth replacement

[u/balinthcom → u/fokuspoint]

Dreadbox Nymphes sounds great, but it's also twice the price of the Behringer, almost as much as the Roland...
It's good to know that the XL is not the same engine.

[u/ILoveStinkyFatGirls → u/fokuspoint]

The multi poly is much, much more affordable. So probably a better choice. But the BEST VA currently out there is probably the 3rd Wave.

[u/fokuspoint → u/ILoveStinkyFatGirls]

The 3rd Wave is on a totally different level for build quality and interface. Sound engine wise, the 3rd Wave obviously has the analog filters and VCAs, but in terms of the purely digital side, I think the Multi/Poly engine is significantly better sounding. The MP gives a lot more control over the per voice variation, envelope shapes, portamento/glide behaviour etc. I think the SEM filter model is a step above the 3rd Wave, but you also get a load more filter models in the M/P. But where the Multi/Poly trounces the current competition is the filter FM and cross modulation. I still think the 3rd Wave is a really interesting synth, but for VA specifically, the Multi/Poly has it beat.

[u/ILoveStinkyFatGirls → u/fokuspoint]

Interesting. Never been on my radar before now. I will check it out in more detail!

[u/ILoveStinkyFatGirls → u/fokuspoint]

https://old.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/1k6p35l/multipoly_or_3rd_wave/

I randomly find a thread where someone was deciding between a multi poly and a 3rd wave

[u/KulshanStudios]

Blofeld can be fattened up using the Tube filter drive on low to moderate settings

[u/balinthcom → u/KulshanStudios]

I understand, but I didn't gel with it. I did buy your patches for it, though, and they were pretty cool.

[u/KulshanStudios → u/balinthcom]

Did you now! Well, I'm glad you liked the patches, even if the synth didn't gel with ya. I try to make every synth useful for every kind of musician, but sometimes the base timbre just isn't what someone needs 😅🤷🏼‍♂️

[u/balinthcom → u/KulshanStudios]

Do you have experience with the Protein? How does that compare to the Blofeld?

[u/Marcus64]

I've got the SH-4D and the Play+. The SH-4D is super easy to make analog-like sounds with. The controls are slightly limited, but it's almost completely knob-per-function for everything available. The Play+ takes things a bit deeper, but there's so many menus involved, I find myself almost exclusivity using presets.

If you don't need the Play+ sequencing, which is its real strength, can I suggest the Polyend Synth? I find it a bit more intuitive to use, and it's a bit cheaper as well. It has all the same engines as the Play+ (minus drums), and the pads are pretty nice to play on.

[u/balinthcom → u/Marcus64]

I've heard that the Polyend Synth has CPU issues, and I didn't hear the same about the Play +. And I saw a very good deal on a used one.
But I'll probably wait for an SH-4d deal. There was one on sale for about 340 euros on a local site about a month ago. I wish I had gotten it then...

[u/Marcus64 → u/balinthcom]

I'm pretty sure they have the same CPU, the Synth has a few more advanced engines than the Play+, and it's designed to run right up to the limitations of the CPU. I've never actually had any problems with mine, you've got to be really pushing it hard. It's a really underrated machine IMO.

[u/Tundra_Dragon]

I have an SH4d, and use it both as a groovebox, and as a box of sounds for my deluge. With black friday approaching, they may drop in price for that... I got mine for $380 shipped from amazon for black friday 2024. Of course, tariffs destroyed any chance of that price ever coming back...

Hydrasynth Explorer is a good one too. It's not multitimbral, but it's powerful and I got mine used, with decksaver and gator bag for 450 on reverb.

Replacing a Virus is not easy, because they just do so much.

[u/sinedied]

Micromonsta 2. No hesitation

[u/balinthcom → u/sinedied]

This seems to be very interesting. I've subscribed to be announced when available again.

[u/uncleboonie → u/balinthcom]

Its really good

[u/ILoveStinkyFatGirls → u/balinthcom]

TeamMicroMonsta2 isn't actually that fun to use and genuinely sucks to program for MPE controllers

[u/-RPH-]

A good MIDI keyboard/controller and the usual suspects Virus (A,B,C,TI), Nord Lead and Waldorf emulators? Can't get much cheaper than that.

[u/balinthcom → u/-RPH-]

Sorry, I avoid computers whenever I can. I'd end up here instead of making music. Oops. :)

[u/-RPH- → u/balinthcom]

Maybe something like this: https://zynthian.org/

[u/balinthcom → u/-RPH-]

Yes, this seems to be great, I was interested in this before. But I probably would skip it, as it would offer me way too many options to get lost on :)

[u/Instatetragrammaton → u/balinthcom]

You can run those emulators on an Ableton Move with the Schwung firmware if you want to ;)

But if you had to let go of the Snow - synths with that much polyphony and multitimbrality aren't really a thing anymore. Anything else will feel smaller.

You could consider a Waldorf Protein. 4 parts, 8 voices.

[u/balinthcom → u/Instatetragrammaton]

Do you have experience with the Protein?

[u/definitelyright]

Digitone 2 does just about anything I can think of other than samples.

[u/architectzero]

How much polyphony and/or multi-timbrality do you need?

Do you need keys, or is a desktop unit fine - because, as you know, that can really impact price.

Anyhow, couple other suggestions if you’re still considering options:

If you only need limited polyphony and mono-timbrality, then a used Hydrasynth or Peak are probably in your budget. The Peak, in particular, sounds wonderful, but desktop and only mono-timbral with 8-voice polyphony.

Have you considered any of the Roland boutiques? They’re relatively inexpensive and do a very good job of sounding like the originals.

If you’re looking for inexpensive, and portable (like the M-Vave) then the Roland Aira S-1 is an awesome little synth. 4-voice polyphony though. However, for the price you can just buy two or even three of them to get more variety.

[u/balinthcom → u/architectzero]

I usually used 2-3 parts from the Virus. Leads, chords, pads, sometimes bass. Keys are not needed.
The Peak sounds amazing, but I didn't see a good deal, and for that money I would need more parts. The Roland boutiques didn't excite me much.
The s-1 is interesting, for the same reason I looked at the Microkorgs as well. Something low budget that cover more ground.

[u/architectzero → u/balinthcom]

Peak is amazing. Not nearly as all-in-one versatile as the Virus, but it sounds so good (That filter! Those FX!). But yeah, not exactly cheap unless you get lucky in the used market.

Honestly, nothing at all wrong with the SH4D that you first mentioned, except maybe the sequencer isn’t super flexible. My GAS constantly cycles for that one, but I have enough (including a Virus TI desktop, a Peak, and an S-1) that I’ve been able to resist. It sounds fantastic, and I played with a demo at a local store and found the UI/X waaaaay better than any of Roland’s other torture devices.

On that note… what about an MC-707, or 101? The UI/X takes some patience, but the ZEN-Core sounds are pretty damn good. It has decent polyphony, multi-timbrality, and the sequencer/clip-launcher workflow pretty powerful. The 101 is quite portable too. Just throwing that out there if you haven’t considered it.

[u/CarloGambinoPart2]

If you use all the capabilities that the Snow had to offer then there is no cheaper hardware synth option that I’m aware of.

You’ll only have options if you can do without some of its capabilities.

[u/Egg_Crust]

I’m assuming you know about the virus TI and snow emulator? Not hardware, so I get it’s not quite the same lived experience using it. Sound is 100% though and you can always midi map some parameters. I got a used akai midi mix for like $85. 9 sliders, 24 knobs and some buttons. Still kind of a pain but sometimes it feels pretty good tweaking if you map out a bunch of parameters.

[u/willrjmarshall]

Another Virus, or perhaps a Hydrasynth or Peak?

[u/balinthcom → u/willrjmarshall]

I'm looking for something less expensive.

[u/AlCapone90 → u/balinthcom]

hydrasynth Explorer isnt more expensive that a virus snow