On Sun, 2006-08-27 at 08:44 +0400, Dmitry Baikov wrote: > On 8/27/06, Florin Andrei <florin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > I don't think that's accurate. The highest quality hardware is on the > > high-end workstations which are, at the core, digital synths. > > Possibly you are right. I always forget about this class of hardware. > I meant samplers, FMs and virtual analogs. > And even in this case I may easily be wrong :) Well, it depends more on the actual device, than on the class it belongs to. E.g., check out the Virus TI: http://www.access-music.de/products.php4 It's a virtual analog, but it's connected to the computer via USB 2.0 and, when you install the software companion, the Virus essentially becomes a sound card for your computer (you can use the analog inputs and outputs just like you would use a Delta 66). I didn't test it myself, but the reviews are very good. I own an Alesis Ion, another virtual analog... http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=9 ...and the quality of the analog input/output stages is excellent. Same can be said about Nord Lead, Poly Evolver and all the other big names in the virtual analog arena. Derek Sherinian and his signature rig of 4 or 5 big red Nords went on tour with Billy Idol, Malmsteen, etc. and it's not likely that musicians at this level would use low-quality gear. Samplers? My Alesis QS6.2 is the same: very low noise on the analog outputs, very low distorsion. Essentially, anything that's new technology from the big companies is pretty good. The only exceptions, maybe, are the cheap Casio keyboards and similar things. Ironically, it's the old true analogs, vintage Moogs and stuff like that which may exhibit high noise thresholds and "quirky" output stages. Again, it's the new technology that shines - Alesis Andromeda, one of the most recent true analogs, has excellent ins/outs. http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=10 -- Florin Andrei http://florin.myip.org/
