| I've attempted to summarize my experiences on this
page.Others, however, are based on a cursory examination, perhaps of a demo
product.Thus, as with all things, take this information with the
appropriate side order of salt.If you can only afford one synthesizer, this is the one to get, as it can do everything from VA emulation to acoustic instruments, to sampling that would make an Akai blush.With its onboard sequencer, you can literally produce all of your songs without ever leaving the keyboard.There's almost nothing bad I can say about this synth, except for the fx (rather thin Digitech fx, unless you get the KDFX option for the K2500).If you can get one, get one.And they're an incredibly good deal right now on the used gear market.There's nothing bad to say.And at today's used prices for a Virus a, there's no reason not to get one.True analog monosynth in a 2U rack format.The leads would scare away Godzilla.The synth is monophonic and monotimbral, so it may not be the best synth for live performance.Virtual analog modular synthesizer.Allows the user to create and construct their own modular synthesizers, and patch them as desired.Powerful, fun, and there are literally tens of thousands of synth patches out there for the downloading.Has been superseded by the G2, so Clavia isn't supporting this any more.Nord Modular can only be programmed via computer.The UI is, put simply, GORGEOUS.It can create wonderful, evolving pads and wild fx like there's no tomorrow.This is not a true Oberheim synthesizer; it is a Viscount synth with the Oberheim brand painted on the outside.Destined to be a true classic.Wow, this synth is something else.The flexibility of the synth is astonishing.This thing is EASY to program and it sounds awesome.It has that distinctive Q sound, and I love it.If you want analog warmth, get an analog synth.This synth isn't particularly warm but it is fat, powerful, lush, and very flexible.One of EMU's ubiquitous "command stations", this is a portable workstation with a sound set geared towards percussion.While they aren't exactly what I'd call rocket science, they are great bread and butter romplers.Finally, it is also a very competent sequencer, making it even more useful in a live setting.Not much I can say negatively about this thing.The EMU operating system hasn't changed substantially in a decade, and you might find yourself lusting after one of those Korg or Roland touch screen interfaces.Also includes a nice collection of onboard sounds.Only thing I wish is that the sounds were upgradeable or editable in some way.If you're into jazz or easy listening, you will probably adore the sounds on this board.It can do lush, dreamy sounds, punchy bass, screaming leads, crunchy syncs, wavetable synthesis, even true FM sounds.Probably the most flexible VA on the market today, and one with a signature sound.If you love electronic music of any kind, get one of these.The OS is also not quite as stable as I'd like.It's never failed me or anything major, but there's the occasional anomaly in the sound under certain (very avoidable) situations.Still, it's an annoyance.VA synth that combines the best features of the vintage MS20 analog synth, the VC10 vocoder, and the DWGS synth line, into a thoroughly modern and powerful VA synth.Omigosh, this synth sounds wicked.Knobs are EVERYWHERE, and very nicely laid out.This synth will become a classic, mark my words.Is that really two complaints?Like all synths of its era, it is monotimbral, which becomes annoying at times.Now I know why Keith Emerson always had so much gear onstage.The desktop version of the classic Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, the most popular synth in history.Cold as a dead fish in the Bering Strait.FM synthesis is incapable of warm sounds, so you should expect to be adding chorus or flange or phase, or *anything* to get a little juice flowing around.Combined with the huge digital delay, this thing can produce pads like there's no tomorrow.It's still a very nice part of any electronic studio.Tons of polyphony, at 128 voices, although this is mitigated somewhat when you layer sounds (each layer consumes separate voices).Firstly, the sound quality can vary significantly.But a few are a bit rough around the edges.But some of the loop points are painfully hearable (inexcusable in a module as pricey as this one).This is fairly easily rectified by using monotimbral performance mode rather than multitimbral program mode, but then you are giving up multitimbrality.Like all FM synths, this unit is geared towards a specific type of sound.Altogether, an inexpensive and worthy addition to an existing rig.It's a bit noisier than I like, but this is probably as much a characteristic of the synthesis method (aliasing distortion) rather than a high noise floor.This unit has the absolute best percussion sounds of any rompler I've ever heard, bar none.The percussion is just plain beautiful.Usable, just not superb.Programming it is also rather difficult, as you have to assign sounds to each pad.MIDI controller with nice sounds, oriented for the live musician.Nearly perfect for the live rig.Sure would be nice to be able to switch MIDI setups under remote MIDI control.Limited sound selection, but it does have those Kurzweil strings.It's not exceptionally flexible, and sounds pretty digital and cold (due to the lack of any internal effects).Put the result through an external filter, and you have some incredible sound design capabilities.That's right, it has no filter.Try to use it for anything except pads and atmospheres, and you'll be disappointed.Good sound and great ease of use.Nice patterns out of the box.Audio does not support USB hubs at all, and so if your product blows up while plugged in to one, you're more or less screwed.PG800 programmer it can pack a pretty good punch.Biggest issue is the MIDI implementation, which makes it very hard to save entire banks of sounds (you have to save them one at a time).Without a PG800, this synth is fairly hobbled, as you cannot really control synth parameters via MIDI controllers.On the one hand, it is true analog and has that warm analog sound.On the other hand, this synth also blows.It's relatively noisy, the envelopes are painfully slow, and nearly every waveform sounds like a square wave.All samples are at 48KHz, so it sounds really full and warm.Broad array of bass sounds, very usable for most styles of music.Only thing I wish is that I had a bit more control over the sounds, such as a bit of attack or decay control.An incredibly small multitimbral sound module with a full sound set.How did they cram all that ROM into this tiny little thing?This little thing has the full sound set of the QS6.Where it shines most is in the multitimbrality and polyphony.The sounds are also surprisingly customizable.The tiny footprint of this beast makes it nice for the live rig.The main thing I'll complain about is that some of the sounds are very thin.At least the MIDI out continues to work fine.Another vintage curiosity, this is a digital synth module from the early days.You can produce truly unique patches using this beast, assuming you figure out how to program it.The interface on this synth, put nicely, completely sucks.Could Roland have made it any more difficult to program?If you want to make weird and distinctive digital sounds, though, this one might be for you.Reaktor can do almost anything and can support almost any genre.Because this product is so powerful, it does come with a VERY substantial learning curve.I've never heard anything like this.Its ability to analyze a sound and reconstruct it through additive synthesis is just mind blowing.Yeah you can use it as a sampler but if you do you're missing the point.And it's done in an accessible manner too.Innovative digital synthesizers incorporating features of romplers, samplers, and more advanced digital synthesizers.The sound is even better.If you're doing anything electronic, particularly if you need beds of lush sound or elements of ambience, you owe it to yourself to check these out.The free versions of the synths are eminently usable, but the low cost of the full versions is just an insanely good deal.They do the job perfect and without an inordinate CPU load.Put simply, these plugins ROCK.But what just kills me about these synthesizers is the filters.They are so fat that they remind me of the Korg MS2000 filters, in fact.And to top it off, PolyIblit is one of the more flexible virtual analog synths you can find anywhere.The user interface isn't quite as beautiful as some plugins, but who cares.Unapologetically digital synthesizer with an extensive array of features.Be sure to grab the newest version, which has a vastly improved skin, making the synth quite a bit easier to program.Prior to this new skin I would have rated Crystal a 4 due to what I felt was an overly goofy UI.Green Oak has definitely rectified that.Therefore, I've decided to give this synth a '5'.Who hasn't heard of the M1 or the Wavestation?Who hasn't heard these synths in action on more than one major release?Put simply, these synths are classics and it is utterly brilliant for Korg to bring them back as VSTi plugins.One would be correct in assuming that.Did I mention they sound good?Holy moly I love the sound of these plugins.They can load sysex files for the original keyboards as well, which tells you how closely Korg tracked the originals.There are a couple of user interface annoyances relating to patch handling that I thought were a bit of a hassle, but not enough to knock this out of the '5' spot.USB copy protection dongle that they require (I loathe copy protection), but in the end decided not to.Folks, this synth is DEEP.Seriously, there is more under the hood of this synthesizer than I've been able to discover in months of twiddling.It is easily one of the most powerful synthesizers in existence, and it is offered at an insane price.CoFX dodginess that sometimes causes problems.The biggest issue is that while the synth is playing, if you save the file in your VST host you'll get all kinds of stuttering and CPU overload.CoFX synthesizers are the only ones that exhibit this effect.Plus, the Kubik skin, while totally serviceable, isn't the kind of eye candy you'd see in a Native Instruments plugin or a Korg plugin.An extensive collection of unusual synthesizers ranging from virtual analog to odd synthesis forms you'll find nowhere else.The standouts for me were Cygnus, vurtbox, Lizard and Gargoyle, but believe me there's something here for ANYBODY.Krakli has done for the music community.It can do squelchy acid bass.Possibly the best software bassline synth there is, bar none.So huge and phat it's threatening to your cholesterol level.While it can be used for other things, it lacks some features like amp envelopes that you may take for granted.DSP tips the scales in favor of Native Instruments.The program is not quite as easy to use or as stable as Reaktor for that matter, but it does have a nice UI and is fun to play with.Not quite perfect, but getting there.The bass sounds are fat and alive.Only two significant complaints.It does its job very well, but it will only do so many types of jobs.Good price performance and good support.But then again, this product costs MUCH less than Kantos.An unapologetic digital synthesizer that emulates the SID chip made famous in the Commodore 64 home computer.Having owned a C64 for many years, I can attest to the authenticity of the sound.It's probably as close as one can come in software.It's also priced very nicely.The biggest is the MIDI interface, which doesn't expose all the controls via CC as one might expect.Patch handling is also sort of odd.Finally, the way you interact with the various synth parameters is somewhat counterintuitive at first (although easily learnable).This is one of those plugins that people either love or hate.Plus, did I mention it is free?Like any tool, how well it is used depends on the craftsman.The feature set is very extensive, with more envelopes, LFOs, oscillator layering options, wavesequencing options, and effects than you can shake a stick at.The included sound sets are also deep and broad.Adding new sounds to the synthesizer is very easy and a complete hoot to play with.The sound is clean and straightforward.The price is amazingly low considering what you get.I've heard out of a CoFX product.One of the more innovative music tools available.Starting to show some age.Would be nice if it could be used in a more realtime fashion.VA synthesizer, with a decent sound and lots of controls.The sound is clear and precise, and maybe even warm, but it just isn't quite as vibrant as what you might hear from, say, a Virus b or a SuperNova.An odd digital synthesizer that specializes in additive sound scapes.This beast can make digital pads and textures like there is no tomorrow, and you'll not find any other synthesizer that sounds even vaguely like it.In the occasional patch it can be a refreshing curiousity.If you love the sound of digital aliasing, then this synth will be a '5' in your book.In mine, the aliasing set it back substantially.An essential part of any studio toolbox.Waves, so take all this with a grain of salt.If you have the coin, this is probably the only suite of plugins you'd ever need.The reverb is one of the most crisp and clean I've heard.The EQ is easy to use and sounds nice.My only real gripe is that the single band compressor distorts much too easily.The price is also right.But I still find uses for these plugins from time to time, and it doesn't cost anything to check em out.Also, Steinberg seems to have forgotten about it.Finally, there are alternatives nowadays that sound even better (see Voxengo Elephant), so this plugin's days are numbered unless Steinberg steps up.MIDI and audio sequencing package, competing with Cubase VST, Logic Audio, FreeStyle, etc.Very very nearly the perfect product.And the depth of this thing!Seriously, it looks simple on the surface.Imagine using VSTs as modular synthesis modules!But when you do, all of a sudden you have a glimpse of just how much power this thing gives you.There is a relatively steep learning curve for this tool.Not as steep as something like Reaktor, but it's not trivial either.All in all, highly recommended.The biggest is that Audiomulch has quite an array of compositional and performance tools, including an unmatched ability to animate the parameters of any internal component or VST plugin, from an innovative 'strip chart' metaphor.VST parameters with a single mouse.In particular, there is no way to route MIDI around the way you can in something like energyXT.But this is really the only thing I can complain about.This tool is good enough to compete with eXT and I consider eXT to be almost perfect.Can you really make complete songs in P5?More than one of my favorite tracks started in P5, and although I've never done a track end to end in P5, I still find it extremely valuable.This product is also a bit pricey given how I use it, but if you're a dance music artist you might see that differently.All in all, I recommend you check out the demo and see if you agree.Supports VSTi and DXi software instruments.If features were all it takes, this product would put Cakewalk and Steinberg out of business.However, it's been awhile since I looked at this tool.The biggest issue with CONSOLE is that it is not updated very often.The last update, in fact, was in 2004 and the previous version was from a few years before that.Also, it lacks the depth of something like energyXT, so you'll find yourself working in other environments instead.The fastest audio editor on wheels.Steinberg seems to have forgotten about the Wavelab Essential product.It is easy to use, very powerful, and does the job with all the precision of a titanium scalpel.Nothing to complain about.It does one job, and it does it better than any other available tool.Kurzweil CD in your life, this is the one to get.The sound quality is simply extraordinary.Another stupendous product from Pyramid Sound.This is one of the sweetest CDs available if you are in the new age or ambient genres.Kurzweil K2K library from one of the best sound designers on the planet.Brian Cowell produces some of the most exotic and inspiring sounds there are, and his Astra collection for the Kurzweil K2000 is no exception.Very very highly recommended.If you own a Kurzweil, get this library!Another sample library from SoundEngine, this is a great value and a great set of tools.The drum sounds are the highlight of the package, sampled at a multitude of EQ and wetness settings.The best stage vocal microphone there is.Gets the job done better than any other.Use it for what it's designed for, and you can't go wrong.Clear, transparent, with zero coloration but still pretty smooth, this is a great studio condenser.One of the most sensitive mics I've ever heard.Not a tube mic, so it doesn't sound warm.Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as sometimes you want a microphone that doesn't color the signal.High end could be smoother, but then that colaration creeps back in again.In fact, back in the 70's and very early 80's, they made some relatively innovative products, including this awesome little microphone.Does it sound like a thousand dollar Earthworks mic?But does it sound good enough to make very credible and high quality field recordings?Plus it has a switch that lets you switch between 'normal' and 'wide' modes, which allows you to control how much stereo separation there is.Would be nice if the output was balanced XLR instead of unbalanced TS, but that's really not a huge deal.High end tops out at 16KHz, which makes this microphone less ideal for some applications.Plus it is incredibly inexpensive.There is only one flaw in this microphone: the output level is much too low.Your mileage may vary, however.Two preamps available for the occasional mic signal.Standard on nearly every tour.The best design for a project studio mixer that I've ever seen.More channels for the dollar than any other mixer, bar none.Unlike competitors you might find from companies like Behringer, this is a robust professional quality mixer that can be used by artists at any level.If you want to rack it, however, you may want to look elsewhere.Sweetest little mixer I ever heard.Clear as a bell, built like a tank, and incredibly transparent.I'm serious, these preamps are just about the best you can buy at any price).There are tons of mixers in the world, but not enough splitters.Which means it has amazing bang for buck but the reliability may be a question mark.Only time will tell how well this thing lasts.Think Behringer but instead made by a Chinese company.Power supply is a line lump, so you don't have to worry about a wall wart hogging space on your power strip.Not quite as reliable as I would have liked.Overall, it's not a bad purchase, but I would say you would do just as well with a Behringer.MIDI interface card for PCs and Macs.Khz (the LynxTwo addresses this, by the way).MME drivers are very stable, but the ASIO drivers have burned me more than once.Does one thing and does it very well: power studio monitors, accurately and cleanly.Reliable, well designed, and perfect price point.If you like your music VERY loud, you may need a more powerful amp.Great design that assigns the EQ spectrum against both stereo channels.For a studio you probably are better off EQing in software anyway.The overdrive is warm and nasty.Great bang for the buck.The line out is not line level, and thus the amp is not suitable as a direct box.Not powerful, so you can't use this little guy live, but hey in the studio it's tone, not volume, that counts.Oh wait, forgot about Line 6.....Sweet compact studio reference monitors.If I can get my mix sounding great on these, they'll sound great on anything.Incredibly compact and inexpensive digital effects unit with some nice reverbs.Chorus effect didn't seem to do much.Customizing the effects is severely limited.Unique little stereo compressor that gets the job done.Finicky to setup properly.There are better options for compressors these days even at the same price point.The only translation software product in existence that writes Kurzweil K2K files.Excellent support as well.We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser.Palancar Reef
19,621,937 Travelers from 191 Countries Planned Trips Here This Week!Register Now
Already a member?Puerto Morelos: A Yucatan Paradise.Traveler Description: This beautiful reef sits in about 80 feet of water and is a popular diving spot.Familiar with Palancar Reef?Write your own description and share what you know with other travelers.Online travel from American Express Low fares.Cozumel Vacation Packages
www.Book Your Cozumel Package.We have cruised to Cozumel many times and Palancar Beach is my all time favorite place to visit.Not only is the beach free of charge but there is everything to do without all the crowds.Palancar Reef last week with Migual for my first scuba dive and it was beautiful.We swam with sea turtles!Eduardo makes sure that your dive is safe and tries to make it a learning experience.Last week we dove Palancar.Current wasn't too bad, but present as...My friend and I went out on the...Both trips were fun but my favorite was the one that hits the Palancar and Columbia reefs.Snuba at both and thought it was incredible.The Palancar reef was my favorite, it is just so large.Palancar beach: 25 USD for about one hour snorkeling along the reef.All this within 20ft deep.My husband and I both love snorkeling, and decided to try SNUBA so we could get a "diving" experience without being certified divers.On April 20th, 2004 I took my family to Cozumel.Playa San Francisco had the most to offer, but beware of the restaurant scam of not presenting your...Been to Palancar Reef?Reef_Club Air and Resort Packages.Travel Now and Pay Later.Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more!TripAdvisor LLC All rights reserved.TripAdvisor LLC is not responsible for content on external web sites.Welcome to Palancar Trading.In addition Michael designs furniture and custom builds to your
specifications.We are not a mass production furniture site.You would think that living in Vermont, Mike would be focused
on country styled furniture.To get a better feel of what he has to offer, take a view of
the Gallery.Palancar Reef is a large coral reef located on the southwest side of Cozumel island off the Yucatan peninsula.Cuenca, es un punto de enlace entre Valencia, Albacete, Madrid y Cuenca.Altitud: 836 metros sobre el nivel del mar.Ayuntamiento de Motilla del Palancar.Se celebra el 17 de enero.Ayuntamiento de Motilla del Palancar.The visibility is fantastic!Palancar Bricks is just the beginning of an almost three mile stretch of caves, canyons, overhangs and gardens.Text and photos by Bonnie Pelnar of Under Watercolours. |
