With the SN2 you get the lushness and precise programming aspects of the JDs, adding increased parameter resolution and smoothness. Awesome performance features: 2 pedal & audio ins, heavy mod/pitch wheels, luxury keybed, minimal to non-existent menu diving, 8-part multis/layers/splits w/ discreet FX for each part, 8 banks of 127 programs AND performances, 8 outs, dead-easy excellent 40-band vocoder, blah blah. Its FX section is nearly unbeatable, maybe Kurzweil and Oasys are better quality-wise but not as immediate and performance-friendly. Soundwise it cops Junos, MKS, OBX-a, Synthex, and others very well, but i feel it's at it's best blurring the line between digital and analog. It can sound even more like a D50, SY99 or DX7 at times, only much more tweakable! The SN2's detail, presence and variability in the midrange is very effective in particular. Clear, ballsy pads with graduated smooth, glassy highs and a sub-bass register that likes to be turned up loud. A Korg M/T-series it is certainly not! The highs could perhaps be a little more open in subtractive mode, but the FM is where all that comes through. I've played a few DX's and while i like the overall sound, programming them is frustrating. Imo the SN2 offers a little better full-range sound - while operators are reduced to 3, you can factor in a delicious multimode chorus, comb filter, the 'analog' waveforms, ringmod and LFOs to thicken stuff up a great deal - so i don't feel shorted at all, ever.... Using multis you can have up to 24 operators under your fingertips if desired! Grungy and clean organs, marimbas, Rhodes, bells and stranger-sounding keys abound. The arpeggios are incredible. Infinitely tweakable, and pretty easy on the ears, too.

With the SN2 you get similar lushness and precise programming aspects of the ole JD-800/990, adding increased parameter resolution and smoothness. If you want an imititator VA, get an Ion or Creamware box. Better yet, get the real analog deal - digital just ISN'T the same, no matter what the magazines and ads tell you. Awesome performance features: 2 pedal & audio ins, heavy mod/pitch wheels, luxury keybed, minimal to non-existent menu diving, 8-part multis/layers/splits w/ discreet FX for each part, 8 banks of 127 programs AND performances, 8 outs, dead-easy excellent 40-band vocoder, blah blah. Its FX section is nearly unbeatable, maybe Kurzweil and Oasys are better quality-wise but not as immediate and performance-friendly. Soundwise it cops Junos, MKS, OBX-a, Synthex, and others very well, but i feel it's at it's best blurring the line between digital and analog. It can sound even more like a D50, SY99 or DX7 at times, only much more tweakable! The SN2's detail, presence and variability in the midrange is very effective in particular. Clear, ballsy pads with graduated smooth, glassy highs and a sub-bass register that likes to be turned up loud. A Korg M/T-series it is certainly not! The highs could perhaps be a little more open in subtractive mode, but the FM is where all that comes through. I've played a few DX's and while i like the overall sound, programming them is frustrating. Imo the SN2 offers a little better full-range sound - while operators are reduced to 3, you can factor in a delicious multimode chorus, comb filter, the 'analog' waveforms, ringmod and LFOs to thicken stuff up a great deal - so i don't feel shorted at all, ever.... Using multis you can have up to 24 operators under your fingertips if desired! Grungy and clean organs, marimbas, Rhodes, bells and stranger-sounding keys abound. Extremely good at string-machine sounds (Omni, Solina etc), and very adept at glowing, detailed evolving pads. The arpeggios are incredible.

Got the SN II keboard on ebay for 1200USD. Had mine for about two months now. Also own a Korg MS2000, Prophecy, OB Matrix, Tassman, Micro Modular, Waldorf Pulse. The Sound : Round and warm, a lot like a Jupiter but can get gritty and dirty, too. Not SCREAMING like the Prophecy, but still plenty nasty. For 'nice' sounds, it's cake. Envelopes are very snappy and the sliders feel luxurious. The filter is one of the best of all VA's - and with the overdrive feature it really pumps. Usability : Bread & Butter is covered. As are Meat & Potatoes. Also the modulation features are extensive if a bit baffling at first. Rather than 'sending' the source to a destination, all the connections are already made; you're simply altering the degree to which it is effected by the LFO's,ModWheel, Velocity, Env2 or 3 etc. This really puts it in the league of a Matrix12 in this regard. Add the Polyphony plus 7 independent FX on EACH PART and this is a real live performance MONSTER. Shoot, even if you play in a band with other synth players this could work as the ONLY synth you need...just put each Program on a different MIDI channel in Performance mode and set each controller keyboard to the appropriate MIDI channel to play it remotely! That's 8 full-featured polysynths at once, with discreet stereo outs!!!

So...I hear the vocoder on this thing's pretty good, too. Gee.