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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

1625.0. "Electronic Equipment Buyer's Guide ?" by NRADM::SWARTZ () Tue Aug 16 1988 16:43

	Does a "Synth Buyer's Guide" exist ?.

	I am interested in hopping into this expensive field but
	wanted to get a good overview (da big picture) of the different
	synths (plus other associated hardware and software) available now
	on the market. I like to see information on all the models available
	so I can understand why I am buying or not buying something.
	I have not seen anything like this mentioned in any of the electronic
	keyboard magazines. My preference would be for something which
	gives the technical information in table-style format.

Ed Swartz
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1625.1read the magazines, get the flyers2427::CHADWed Aug 17 1988 07:3816
>	Does a "Synth Buyer's Guide" exist ?.

I wouldn't trust any book-type buyer's guide that came out on MIDI
hardware.  Things change quickly and these types of things are in my experience
almost always behind the times.  What I did was get all the brochures I could
from the various manufacturers (visit local stores) and read them all, as well
as reading the ads and articles in the magazines.  I also played with various
toys at the stores themselves.  Music-Computers-and-Sofwtare magazione did a
1988 MIDI buyer's guide that listed most things up to about December 87 and
a short 'press-release'	type blurb about each one.  It was good just to know 
all the different manufacturers and the names of their various products so as
to be able to find out real info about them.


CHad
1625.2partial listSUBSYS::ORINAMIGA te amoWed Aug 17 1988 10:0658
Ed,

I have seen such "Buyer's Guides" in local music stores and advertised
in Keyboard, but I agree with .1. It is better to get the mfg literature,
visit the stores for demos, read reviews in KB and EM etc.

The most familiar current products are:

Roland
	D-Series   LA Synths	D10,D110,D20,D50,D550
	S-Series   Samplers	S10,S50,S330,S550
	P-Series   Pianos	P330 (replaced MKS20)

Kurzweil
	K1000	   Piano,synth	sample player
	PX1000	   Piano,synth	rackmount version
	MIDI board master controller
	K250	   very high end pro gear

Yamaha
	DX7	   FM synth, very popular, various models
	TXxxx	   FM synths, lots of rack mount variations

Ensoniq
	ESQ-1	   wave table synth
	SQ-80	   wave table synth
	Mirage	   sampler
	EPS	   new high end sampler

Korg
	DSM-1	   Digital sampling module
	DRM-1	   Digital rhythm module
	DSS-1	   
	707	   FM synth
	DS-8	   FM synth
	C2500,C3500,C5000	Concert series digital pianos
	SGX-1, SGX-1D  digital pianos
	M1	   wavetable synth

Casio
	FZ-1	sampler
	VZ-1	phase distortion and FM
	HZ-600  bi-timbral synth

Akai
	S900	sampler

This is only a small list of the currently advertised products. There are
hundreds of models and variations, with different options, price ranges,
portability, rackmount vs. keyboard, etc. The common theme is "MIDI compatible".

If you gain a familiarity with the instruments on this list, you should have
a good start towards understanding your options. I think most of the info in
this list is accurate.

happy shopping,

dave
1625.3NRADM::SWARTZWed Aug 17 1988 11:3322
	Thanks, Dave, for taking the time to enter the long list of items.
	This will certainly help me to get a good overview of the
	market.

	If someone publishes a GOOD UP-TO-DATE "Buyer's Guide" I
	would think this would be rather helpful to lots of people.
	For those people who are interested in buying used equipment
	the technical data may not (guessing) be available anymore
	from the company if they don't manufacture the product.
	Also for people interested in the historial growth of the
	products. ie. Gee, in 1984 keyboards had 3 widgets but now
	look they have 6 widgets but the price is one-half the 1984
	model. And then of course for my case where people are new to
	the market they would get an overview of the products available.
	I just got a copy of "The Macintosh Buyer's Guide" at the
	MACworld Expo and found the book to be extremely helpful 
	already. Maybe the same is needed for the electronic world.


Thanks,
Ed Swartz