the sh-32 does have pretty steppy filters.
that is its ultimate downfall, and probably why they are 200$..
but beyond that the engine, i think is really versital, and pretty gritty. i use it way more then my nord rack. even though the nords filters are way smoother.
i think the reality is you can get good sounds out of all these guys if you work at it.
it's about how you use the synth. if you don't know how to program one. you not going to get good sound anyways. so witch one you have doesn't matter. i think the sh32 is an amazing deal, and a great, first synth. then you can get more as you feel it.
IMO i would rather spend on a sh32, then a mini moog, verse a microkorg and micron.
[assuming mini moogs are still under 1k$ ?]
or just save your self a lot of hassle, and get an old roland juno. [this should be in reality the defacto "first synth" imo]
panda
skycave wrote:Regarding the SH32
for cheap and nasty synth i highly recomend this bad boy here, esp since they're only about $199.
I'm a fan of analog boxes and VIs, so I don't consider myself to be an "analog snob" per se. I think that some of the sounds in the MicroKorg sound good, and a lot fo the bands that I am into (Apostle of Hustle, Do Make Say Think, Broken Social Scene, etc) use both the Micron and the Microkorg live and in the studio. I like what they do with both.
When I check out a hardware synth or a VI and the filter steps, I consider that to be a major problem. Sampletank and Sonic Synth both do this, and the only hardware synth that I had the misfortune of owning that had this problem was the SH-32. Audible steps while tweaking the filter. It just ruined it for me. However, the SH-32 does have a nice-sounding engine. It is a usable synth in some respects. I sold mine and bought a few VIs with the money. MiniMonsta and impOSCar.
Jeff