The audio also stutters when altering parameters with the alpha-dial when receiving MIDI sequence data.

Although I like the synthesis engine the operating system was far from complete and the inability to edit programs whilst playing without audio glitching seriously limited its usefulness to me.

Modelling is quite hard to understand, and there's nothing in the user manual to deal with it. In fact, this synth can sound great, but you generally make thin and cheap patches if you don't have precises idea at the beginning.

Controllers are great : wheels are fully assignable, keyboard is really excellent (I've sold my Fatar 'cause I prefer playing on the WSA) with easy-to-use aftertouch and great velocity response (fully adjustable).

BUT why didn't Technics use a 48 kHz sampling technology and good D/A converters ? It's, on my advice, a stupid choice since because of it the overall sounding quality is far under what it should be. My JD-800 and Wavestation sound very better. If you play vibraphones or pure waves and let them die, you clearly hear awful aliasing (bird singing). I tried to pass throught all modules (filters, resonnators, etc.) but there's nothing to do. On low level waves, you have noises. Don't know if the optional (where to find it ?) S/PDIF output solves this problem.

Nevertheless, I bring my WSA in all my gigs (gospel piano backing, funk keyboards, jazz big band) and when I work at home, it's part of all my projects. I just used to let my other synths play specific sounds.

Great machine for organs, keys in general, sound design, covers, demos and MIDI control !

Although the drivers are ROM samples it's all about the physical modelling resonators. The filters are OK, especially the 24dB ones, can't complain about having 4 layers per voice, each layer having its own Driver, Resonator, Filter, Amp and Digital effects. Having three DSP effects processors bolted onto the end (with OK MIDI controller modulation) is pretty handy too.

Alex T - the bottom end is very full on my machine, use the sine wave as a driver and it has all the bass you'll ever need.

The effects processors have their good points, unfortunately the overdrive is not one of them! Very nice reverbs/gated reverbs and phaser/flangers.

The big screen GUI is nice but inconsistant, parameter and value inc/dec buttons are differently assigned for various screens.

Value for money can not be questioned with this synth if bought s/h nowadays.

Programming is straight forward thanks to the large LCD and all the nav buttons round the screen make parameter selection easy.

The only things I didn't like were the thin-ness of the sound (not enough bottom end), the weak (IMHO) EP's and Filters and the limited selection of parameters you can assign to the 'REALTIME CREATOR' control.