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Average rating:
4.4 out of 5
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I was first lucky enough to learn to program synth sounds on this machine. Since then (1987) I've looked high and low for a comparable synth....and I haven't found one! This really was years ahead of it's time and this (and the Matrix 12 I presume) really were the final answer (thus far) in analogue synthesis. I have an OBXa which is far fatter and rawer, but for subtle, complex and deeper and more controlable sounds this is the beast. After learning to love the Access Virus Indigo, this is like having a true analogue version of this plus and then some. 5/5.
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i just recently sold my xpander. i dont feel that this synth is as great as everone makes it out to be..ill explain why i think it was good and why i think it isnt so good..first off,it is an excellent built machine with a strong metal chassis,easy controls to do tweeking of all parameters,and its distinct sexy look.but in electronic aspect,it was way ahead of its time.even today(2002) many new synths still dont have such a great modulation matrix as the xpander,and variety of lfo and other parameters and choice or filters..great quality and great analog sound without question..but the problems i find with the xpander is the vca envelope is much too slow and its really hard to get a super punchy patch such as a hard bass line or quick sequences sometimes..if the music you do requires quick punchy sounds-the xpander isnt for you,as i have found out for myself,i think most of the low end sounds dont sound very good in the xpander to,they seem to break-up easily and of course dont have punch-they sound loose and soft-but the mid to high range freqs sound very good and seem punchier.for the most part you are better-off sampling the sounds you need and using your sampler to make more punch by cutting off the beginnings of each sample-it worked for me..but i mostly used the xpander for strange pad and string sounds-which it excells at! but for the going rate of $1500-2300 the xpander isnt worth having just for some good pad and string patches..ill just stick to the silky raver synths with more punch and better dynamics..thanks
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This is one of only five synths that I would give a five.
It is the most refined, most elegant analog module ever produced. The flexibilty is mind boggling. The LFO and Modulation Matrix system are still the industry standard 15 years later. You either love the oberheim voice, or you don't. I have a MemoryMoog Plus, and for comparable patches, the Moog cuts better, but doesn't have the expresive refinement or the sonic range of the Xpander. If the Moog is the Blown Hemi of Synths, the Xpander is the Jaguar. Particular, but powerful and refined.
This is one of four indispensable machines in my studio, and it was the cheapest! The other fives, Arp 2600 Mark II, Waldorf Wave, Nord Modular, Minimoog. Three of the four are holes you can fall into for years and never emerge.......
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This is one of only five synths that I would give a five.
It is the most refined, most elegant analog module ever produced. The flexibilty is mind boggling. The LFO and Modulation Matrix system are still the industry standard 15 years later. You either love the oberheim voice, or you don't. I have a MemoryMoog Plus, and for comparable patches, the Moog cuts better, but doesn't have the expresive refinement or the sonic range of the Xpander. If the Moog is the Blown Hemi of Synths, the Xpander is the Jaguar. Particular, but powerful and refined.
This is one of four indispensable machines in my studio, and it was the cheapest! The other fives, Arp 2600 Mark II, Waldorf Wave, Nord Modular, Minimoog. Three of the four are holes you can fall into for years and never emerge.......
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Possibly the best sounding REAL analog machine ever.. its got brute power in the sound right from the outs without using any special DSP chips like the supernova (and the person who previously said the supernova has more strength is very wrong, i own both). Simply a joy to edit patches on if you know what you are doing, programming is a cinch. That great oberheim sound with tons of mod routing, just select the destination, hit one of the source buttons and you have a mod routing. As said before nearly modular, or as modular as a boxed synth can get. Not the most reliable however, since I got it voice chip 1 has stopped working properly but I just use the rest of the voices till I can get it fixed. Capable of that great, well, dark n evil sound that real analog can do and virtual analog cannot. Push the resonance up on the filters and it only makes the sound STRONGER unlike some older synths that just cut out the bass when ya do so. This baby's got a helluva character-if ya wana hear what she sounds like just pick up some of the latter clock dva like man-amplified or sign-practically every synth sound is the xpander, or I suppose it could also be the matrix-12, same difference. Way better than any silly VA if you are into programming. If you want rediculous silky raver dance stuff go get a VA. ;]
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