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From: ach@pucc-h (Stephen Uitti)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Re: Polyphonic playback
Message-ID: <2462@pucc-h>
Date: Mon, 18-Nov-85 17:20:49 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.2462
Posted: Mon Nov 18 17:20:49 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 19-Nov-85 05:50:21 EST
References: <361@kepler.UUCP>
Reply-To: ach@pucc-h.UUCP (Stephen Uitti)
Distribution: net
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 31

In article <361@kepler.UUCP> steves@kepler.UUCP (Steve Schlich) writes:
>I'm looking for a synthesizer (with or without keyboard attached) that will
>play AT LEAST 8 (not 4, not 5, not 6, but EIGHT) separate and unique voices 
>at the same time.  The catch is I'm a working stiff and can't afford rock
>star prices.  The most I can afford is about $2000.
>...I can't seem to find any 
>hardware that can turn that output into sound for less than $10,000.
>Stevo

	For a list price of $4500, the Oberheim (sp?) Matrix-12 is 12
voices and does EVERYTHING you want.  12 things at a time.  I've seen
a dealer in Chicago offer this machine for $3000 (new).
	One hint is that there is seldom a good reason to pay list
price.
	The Oberheim Expander (6 voice) can also act as 6 individual
instruments.  It's priced fairly high also.
	8 Casio CZ-101's wouldn't be as good, nor would it be cheaper.
	Sequential Circuits (SCI) has several multi-timbral instraments:
"Max", the "6 track" and the "multi-track" come to mind.  I don't know
the list prices on any of these.  They are all 6 voice.  They are all
MIDI, but I remember one of them (Max) has been dropped or something
due to the queer (non-standard) way it handles MIDI.  Need 8 voices?
Buy two.  I think at least one of them can be had for less than $1K.
	I recommend getting a demo of whatever you're going to purchase
*doing what you want it to do* before taking delivery.  This goes double
when MIDI is involved.
	My own daily MIDI experience is with SCI Prophet-10, Prophet T-8,
Yamaha DX-7, and Commodore C64 running Passport's MIDI/4 4 track software.
I've studied the manuals for the Rhodes (ARP) Chroma, Casio CZ-101, and
the Oberheim Expander & Matrix-12 machines.
	Stephen Uitti (...pur-ee!pucc-h!ach)