 |
|
|
|
Average rating:
4.4 out of 5
|
|
I've had an SD-1 since 1991, bought new, used extensively for songwriting and recording. I'm not a keyboardist (bass player), but the sequencer in this machine made me an instant empressario! The sounds, with few exceptions, are intensely true to their multi-point sampled originations, though cymbals are a little thin, and my particular unit has a nasty habit of making noise at the end of a piece that decays in approx 1 second, almost like a noise gate with the threshold set wrong...I compensate with a gated compressor, but that doesn't always work.
The piano sounds are awesome...
|
|
The Ensoniq SD-1 is one the best keyboard workstations every build. I bought mine brand new when it first came out over 10 years ago. It is still kicking butt even now. The sounds on it are still very realistic and unique. Way ahead of its time. Listen to that rude guitar! It is soooo powerful and so easy to operate. The sequencer is by far the greatest asset of this keyboard. It is so intuitive and has so many functionlity not found in most other sequencers. I use the keyboard sequencer to record all my best tunes. Because it is so quick and easy to record. Two clicks and you are recording from any menu screen. No need to lug around a noisy complicated computer around to record or play live. This thing is rock solid. This keyboard has given me solid performance throughout the years. It was well worth the investment of $2400. After experimenting with Kurzwie k2000's Tritons, Yamahas EX's and Motif's, I still favor the ease of my Ensoniq. I use it to control all my other midi gear aswell. Two thumbs up.
For those of you who are experimenting system bugs. The internal battery might need to be replaced. After all these years mine still has 75% life! If the sequencer becomes unavailable, just reload it from disk which contains the OS. Remember to make backups of the OS disk on brank new disks. Most of these failures are due to loading songs from an old floppy disk which has become bad.
|
|
I´ve been truly blessed since 1991 when I first laid my hands on a brand-new Ensoniq SD-1. Never having owned any other Ensoniq product ever before, I didn´t know just how much I was gonna stick to this board. Almost 13 years of faithful service and without a single glitch or failure, I still keep turning heads at recording studios when I download my music into CD! This is pretty exciting when it comes to being an amature composer and song writer but don´t get me wrong, there´s nothing amature about how this baby sounds! User friendly beyond belief, I myself am not interested into altering presets nor synthesizing but the sounds are awesome! I truly believe that this masterpiece should be in anyone´s intrument repertoire if he/she takes their music making seroiusly: I´ve personally have been challanged in making Karaoke-type playback of known hits and the sounds are so good, professionals have been fooled into thinking that the voice of the original soundtrack has been taken off, but when they´ve seen me feed the diskette to the SD-1 and let it perform, you can only imagine their faces! I´ve been blessed that someone finally came along and heard us composers out there and gave us this powerful, stand-alone, one-in-all, workstation that really works! I´m quite upset that Ensoniq doesn´t exist anymore but I´m sure that there are a lot like me who love their SD-1 and treat it like a baby, no scratches or dents or put-out cigarettesand it´s those people whom I´ll be asking, hopefully never, if my SD-1 ever dies on me to buy theirs. Untill then, to all the lucky ones who feel identified by the above...enjoy!
|
|
When I got my SD1, I started selling off much of my home studio. Great sequencer, great sounds, and easy to use. I am not big on altering sounds or creating my own, so I can't rate that part. What I can say, is that I sold my SD1 around 8 years ago when I stopped playing. Now that I am playing again, I am actively searching for one in good shape!!!
|
|
I love the sounds and the sequencer ( when the sequencer worked ). I bought it used and have been real good to it. I think the previous owner dropped it. I haven't found out how to send sys ex messages to computer for recall at a later time. Also, all the sounds distort when played after about an hour of use, then it's pretty useless for prodution or live work. Does anyone know how to fix at least the distortion problem? Does it have anything to do with the fuse? Also, my disk drive doesn't work. Anyone have any suggestions for me on fixing these problems? Or should I just buy another one in better shape? They don't seem to be easy to find. I like it's sounds, effects, and ease of use, better than my rolands and especially more than the korg I had.
|
Add your post to the Ensoniq SD-1 thread
You can post reviews, comments or questions here and SUBSCRIBE to the thread via email.
Comments are moderated by humans, please be patient.
|
