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My first impression of Andromeda
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| CynepMeH |
You've seen the thread... probably took a guess at what I was waiting for... Well, as the topic indicated - it is Alesis A6 Andromeda.
So, without any further adeu, here's my first take on "Andy":
First, I think I got a great deal on the synth - $1700 US and it was in a as good as new spanking shape. Manuals, box, the works - even plastic bags and shape as if it was never played. Judging by the patches - it hasn't been.
Just like many other reviewers said (check sos website) - it takes about 3 minutes to warm up before you can play it. I guess that's one sure way to make sure it's analog. After about 3 mins, the synth can be played. Out of the box - THE PATCHES ARE TOTAL . No single patch caught my ear. There are 256 patches and 128 performances plus user banks. Overall, they're probably good starting point but if I was judging the synth by its patches I would have probably been very disapointed.
It looks friggin cool with lights low/off - all the LED's and the LCD just look amazing in the dark. I love the way it looks and the way it feels. All knobs are smooth as butta and synth action is probably one of the better ones. I am currently using Virus KC as my master but I am thinking of switching over to Andromeda.
Ok, now on to the sounds. As you probably know, just about every single parameter is accessible by knob. There are tons of other features if you choose to dive into the menus but you can get on by with most of the surface stuff.
Once this puppy is running, it's hard to imagine it's analog, as it sounds just as cold or as thick as a VA out there. Probably because its tuned automatically in the background. However, if you turn it off, after a while it may become detuned, adding some of that analog inpercision. However, to call this synth a true analog is a mis-nomer. I think that it should be called "almost analog". The reason is that filters are digital and if you run your sounds through filters, what comes out is an analog sound filtered through DAC/ADC. You can bypass that, though and get the gritty analog spewed out through your speakers.
Like I said before, none of the sounds out of the box are noteworthy. However, after rolling up your sleeves and overcomming the fear you've had ever since you sold that cassio keyboard and bought your synth, you realize that it has some unfathomable potential. I have to tell you though - you got to know your . Just as any other synth, it's hard to master it if you don't have what LFO, OCS, VCO, and all that fancy speak means. But.........
I thought I'd never say this in my lifetime - the manual is awesome. Actually, it's so good I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to understand how synths work and what all these cute little acronyms mean. About 80% of the manual can be applied to other synths and are easy to understand. I actually found out quite a few new things while reading through it. It's written in a plain english and unlike Roland Manuals don't send you off running in another direction. If you're looking for a fancy electrical engineer-oriented diagram of sound routing, open your roland manual. If you want your simple explanation, andromeda manual is the way to go.
Ok, moving on. So, if I had to associate the synth to a bike, this one would be a Harley. Definitely American, definitely luxurious, definitely abnoxious, in your face and all about stomping the competition. If you have spartan desires and willing to overlook some minor shortcommings, what you have in front of you is one hell of a tool. Unlike narrow-niched "trance-oriented" synths (you know what they are), this one is sweet for just about any style. You want ambient - you got it. You want techno - ok, here ya go. You need hip hop, rock, electronica, trance, whatever - it will do it. One thing it will not do, no matter how hard you try - piano. Forget it and move on.
It's got plenty of neat fetures but it also has it's own share of "what the k is that all about" type of features. I am also scratching my head at the limited number of patches available. Also, considering that at the time when it was released you already had SD cards available, this thing only works with PCMCIA memory card and small one at that! That's just stupid.
But, you can easily overlook that when you start messing around with all the knobs and I got to tell you, having that large lcd is a great help.
Now, since I already own several other VA's, this one did not impress me as much as I was hoping. I am probably spoiled by Access Virus and all it's following, availability of patches, software upgrades with new features, etc - not even mentioning that I know quite a few AV experts, one of them is actually one of the main sound designers of AV patch sets and has been written up in a leading synth mag.
Anyway, Andromeda definitely has it's place in the studio and if you're not too intimidated by all the control that's given to you at once, you'd probably enjoy it. However, note of caution - if you're just starting out and looking for synths, do not buy this one as your first one, you may be disapointed. While it's logically laid out and easily tweaked, in order for you to realize its full potential you got to dig into its guts and go to town.
Well, that wraps it up for now. I will post more info if there's interest or if I find something of "post worthy" going forward.
If you got questions about this synth, I'll try to answer.
L8r:toocool: |
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| Red Room |
| Nice review man! I downloaded that manual on you're recommendation, so I'll be reading some about this synts. I'm very curious of it's sound, can you post some samples that you've made with the andromeda? That would be great. Well, enjoy you're synth now... |
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| Cryogenic |
Good review.
Would also cheer for some samples you made.
But how come you bought this synth in the first place ?
Cheers. |
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| Etherium |
Thanks for the honest review.
For those of you wanting the Andromeda sound without the Andromeda price, try the Alesis Ion. Many say that it comes very close to the Andromeda for a fraction of the price. |
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| hey cheggy |
I sware you disqualified my post cos you didn't want to pay postage to Australia.
Anyway, hope it stays reliable for you. |
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| CynepMeH |
| quote: | Originally posted by hey cheggy
I sware you disqualified my post cos you didn't want to pay postage to Australia.
Anyway, hope it stays reliable for you. |
hahahahahah!!!! :stongue: Dude, how come I knew you were going to say it? That's just bitter ;)
Man, quite honestly - I threw you several bones along the "contest" - I wanted you to win and if could have made it simpler I would just give it away to you. Seriously mate, I had 3 runners up - it was you, some other dude that posted all the synths and 3rd one that gave a complete answer. If it was someone somewhere in Timbuktu or North Siberia, I could care less - it still would have cost me 5 bucks to ship it, if you read what it states in the rules.
But man, I was waiting for that one from you - I swear, this is just too funny! :stongue: :haha: :happy2: |
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| CynepMeH |
| quote: | Originally posted by Etherium
Thanks for the honest review.
For those of you wanting the Andromeda sound without the Andromeda price, try the Alesis Ion. Many say that it comes very close to the Andromeda for a fraction of the price. |
Etherium - I'd beg to differ. I had ION which I returned shortly after I bought it. IT has some decent sounds and Andromeda-like interface but it's nowhere close. As I look back on my experience with ION it's like riding a dirt bike versus a decked out Harley. Sure, both will get you from point A to point B but Andromeda will do it with ease. Quite honestly, I would not pay $3000 retail for Andromeda, I wouldn't actually pay a dime over $1800 and if faced with a hard choice of choosing between Access Virus or Andromeda, I'd say that Virus would win. But... Andromeda CAN add that bit of spice to your sounds that Access Virus couldn't, even if you were trying hard. I personally think that if you slapped an Andromeda controls and interface on top of Virus you would have a synth to die for. In terms of sounds, they are close yet different. This is how you can tell that synth has a "personality". If it sounds just like everything else in your rig - you wasted your money.
With ION - I found too many shortcommings, like OSC's being cut of when you transpose, the MIDI drift and "less than acceptable" level of technical support. Furthermore, ION feels .... cheap and flimsy, while Andromeda leaves you no doubt it will not disintegrate in the next year or two. I dunno, to each his own and if you're on the budget - ION is the way to go, however, if money was a concern, I'd rather recommend spending money on Vanguard and FM7 VSTi's, which just blew me away.
BTW, thread highjack - I am becomming increasingly infatuated by FM7 - it's the most amazing VSTi I currently own. Especially for pads, FX and "ambience" - it just killz the competition.
Bottom line - don't compare ION to Andromeda - the similarity stops and ends on the manufacturer name and color of keys.
If you're lusting after Analog - and one of few people that can tell the difference, "Andy" will make you happy. However, if you want real analog granddady of them all, get a Jupiter 8 or 6 (if cash is tight). Considering you can get a Jupe 6 for the price of ION, I'd go that route, even though it doesn't offer many of the modern perks such as full MIDI implementation and such.
So, that's all I've got to say about that. :D
P.S. Etherium - thanks for the tip on Atmosphere - that's also is fantastic and definitely curbed my cravings for Jupiter sounds. Though I don't like few things about it, namely, the time it takes to load a patch and stupid stupid stuipd fact (actually, many vsti writers are guilty of this) of having a knob instead of a slider. You have got to play with your mouse to get the knob to move where it needs to go, where's with a slider it'd be so much easier.
Ok, time to work.
Later!
:toothless |
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| Etherium |
I mean, yeah, you're right, but a lot of people have compared the sound of the two and when faced with spending the 3 grand or the half a grand, a lot of people go for the Ion. Thus, some people have the opinion that the Andromeda is overrated, but what they probably mean is "Is it really worth that much money?". But you got a great deal on yours so good for you man. I think the Ion has more balls (I have one), especially in the bass category than pretty much any other VA synth, but it's not quite analog in it's heftiness of sound. And the Ion has too many quirks.
Anyway, congrats on the purchase. By the way, what are you using to monitor this synth? What monitors and sound card that is? |
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| CynepMeH |
I must state that Andromeda is analog in all aspects - not only it has to warm up itself, you have to warm up to it yourself. It sure is a somewhat different way of working but I got to tell you, after about a week with it I have changed my view drastically. I'm definitely becomming more infatuated with it with every passing day. I was literally scratching the surface in the first few days - kind of kicking the tires. Now that I had some time to become familiar with what it does and how it interacts within I am just .... FECKING OWNED! :crazy:
ANDROMEDA IS THE MOST AMAZING SYNTH I EVER TOUCHED. Period... Virus doesn't hold a candle to it anymore. You must appreciate how easy it is to get the sound you want or how to get completely lost in tweaks and come up with something unreal - it is a wondermachine. No other words to describe it. I promisse to post some samples soon - let you be the judge.
Meanwhile, start saving up ;) |
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| CandyRaver666 |
Quit it with the all that pure analog crap.
| quote: |
Let's get one thing out of the way before I begin. Despite Alesis' claims to the contrary, the Andromeda 16-Voice Real Analogue Synthesizer (as they call it) is not a real analogue synthesizer — at least, not completely. Huge chunks of its architecture are digital, and I'm not only referring to the digital effects, the microprocessor-controlled operating system, or even the memories. No... the controllers in the sound-generation system — the envelopes, the LFOs, and the Sample & Hold — are all digital, as is the oscillator tuning (although not the oscillators themselves). This makes the Andromeda a hybrid analogue/digital synth, much like, for example, the Sequential Prophet T8. However, the signal path is analogue. Alesis has even placed the digital effects section in a side chain. This means that, if you avoid these, the output from the Andromeda remains pure analogue, all the way from the oscillators to the outside world
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http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr...e0a5ecc164ae776 |
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| CynepMeH |
Did you bother to read the initial post??? No??? Here's some quote:
| quote: | Originally posted by CynepMeH
Just like many other reviewers said (check sos website) - it takes about 3 minutes to warm up before you can play it...
...Once this puppy is running, it's hard to imagine it's analog, as it sounds just as cold or as thick as a VA out there. Probably because its tuned automatically in the background. However, if you turn it off, after a while it may become detuned, adding some of that analog inpercision. However, to call this synth a true analog is a mis-nomer. I think that it should be called "almost analog". The reason is that filters are digital and if you run your sounds through filters, what comes out is an analog sound filtered through DAC/ADC. You can bypass that, though and get the gritty analog spewed out through your speakers.
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Thanks for chiming in, Mr. Obvious...
f-n n00bz.... :rolleyes: |
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