MC505

Originally posted by : Churchill

Someone experience with the enige? Any information is welcome...

what information are you looking for?

I have the MC-909 but can't give you any advice. I'm still learning on the thing :)

There was a great review in SoundOnSound. The MC-505 has a great (JV-series based) synth engine with handson controls but has a limited 8-track sequencer.

Personally, I don't really like the Roland grooveboxes and I'd also have a look at the RM1x if you're just looking for a live sequencer. A review in the same mag can be found here.

They both should cost about 350€ second hand.

Good luck!

Originally posted by : Churchill

Someone experience with the enige? Any information is welcome...

i borrowed an mc505, and for me those roland grooveboxes are more the playtoys for fakers: some "cool" features that you'll never use while producing (bass boost, turntable emulation, pitch shift of the master sound, etc..). i have the chance to buy it, but i'll refuse: i prefer separate machines, that i can control 1 by 1,not that they depend on eachother. the mc 505 is also a bit too complicated when you want to play live, but that is just my opinion

Originally posted by : firefrog i borrowed an mc505, and for me those roland grooveboxes are more the playtoys for fakers: some "cool" features that you'll never use while producing (bass boost, turntable emulation, pitch shift of the master sound, etc..).

try pitch shifting your drum tracks while playing live and you'll notice that pitch shifting can have very fine results. you can do very much with an mc505 only, but you need to delve quite deep into the programming before it sounds convincing. if you have a strong will to experiment and learn, it's a very nice machine, if you want something to play with without caring for programming and using presets, you need to look into something else, like emu's command station series. their presets are better, but then again, the fx, the sliders, real time fx control etc. are better on the 505.

by the way, i just posted an mc505 only track on e-bel: it's here

it's dating from the time i wasa poor student with an mc505, a sony hifi set and a portable minidisk. and that's all i used for the track. that means: it's all live, directly into the minidisk recorder.

give it a listen, you'll get a different impression of the 505 than the trance/house/techno patterns you usually hear, because i didn't use presets and didn't adhere to 1 style only. maybe it can help you in your decision.

Originally posted by : firefrog

grooveboxes are more the playtoys for fakers: some "cool" features that you'll never use while producing (bass boost, turntable emulation, pitch shift of the master sound, etc..). i have the change to buy it, but i'll refuse: i prefer separate machines, that i can control 1 by 1,not that they depend on eachother. the mc 505 is also a bit too complicated when you want to play live, but that is just my opinion

Sorry but that's utter bullshit.. I don't know much machines that are much easier to work with live.. Much easier then the rm1x as you have more sound parameter controls and the part mixer. As for those who consider the mc505 for a toy they didn't spent enough time with it or they just don't have skills. Much synth and sequencer for a very reasonable price. If you want good sounds go for mc 505, very powerfull synthesis, if you want sequencing go for the yamaha rm1x.

Originally posted by : Dezma

Originally posted by : firefrog

grooveboxes are more the playtoys for fakers: some "cool" features that you'll never use while producing (bass boost, turntable emulation, pitch shift of the master sound, etc..). i have the change to buy it, but i'll refuse: i prefer separate machines, that i can control 1 by 1,not that they depend on eachother. the mc 505 is also a bit too complicated when you want to play live, but that is just my opinion

Sorry but that's utter bullshit.. I don't know much machines that are much easier to work with live.. Much easier then the rm1x as you have more sound parameter controls and the part mixer. As for those who consider the mc505 for a toy they didn't spent enough time with it or they just don't have skills. Much synth and sequencer for a very reasonable price. If you want good sounds go for mc 505, very powerfull synthesis, if you want sequencing go for the yamaha rm1x. i said "but that's just my opinion"; if u don't agree with me, than that's your opinion, but i just don't feel well with a groovebox. like i said, for me it is just to compact, to close, to limited. i like to have everything separately in my direct environment, not that i can't do a certain thing with the drums, because i'm playing with the effects of the melodies. it is a matter of taste: some people like to have everything in 1 little box (even if it is a bit more limited of possibillities), and others like to have everything controlled 1 by 1 separately (even if they have to move 200 kilo's of installations). and i think i prefer the 2nd thing==> don't shoot @ me, i'm just the musician ;)

Originally posted by : Dezma If you want good sounds go for mc 505, if you want sequencing go for the yamaha rm1x. This sums it up quite nicely!

Originally posted by : firefrog i said "but that's just my opinion"; if u don't agree with me, than that's your opinion, but i just don't feel well with a groovebox. like i said, for me it is just to compact, to close, to limited. i like to have everything separately in my direct environment, not that i can't do a certain thing with the drums, because i'm playing with the effects of the melodies. it is a matter of taste: some people like to have everything in 1 little box (even if it is a bit more limited of possibillities), and others like to have everything controlled 1 by 1 separately (even if they have to move 200 kilo's of installations). and i think i prefer the 2nd thing==> don't shoot @ me, i'm just the musician ;)

the mc 505 was never intended to replace all synths, you can control synths with it so if you want you can have 7 synths on the 7 tracks and use mc for drums so you have hands on interface for each instrument at all moments. Look at the market of sample based sound modules and you'll see that the mc505 has quite a lot controls for sound editing. I dont know 1 synth that can control more than 1 track at the same moment. You CAN make full and semi-professional songs with it (of course it's sound and filters dont sound as warm as (virtual)analog synths). Do you really expect a 1000 € groovebox replaces a full setup of 10 synths, efx modules, drumboxes, ... worth 10x the price of the mc? Just consider it as a nice box with a lot of handy stuff and sounds. It looks damn sexy too :))