Donner B1: the most affordable analog synth of 2024

Donner Essential B1 Analog Bass Synthesizer & Sequencer: datasink.rantion-admin.com/t/XR
Price is $130, but it's less with PROMO CODE “supmilesaway” for 15% off Donner sitewide
Review and demo of the most budget friendly / cheapest analog synth! Is this a good first synth?
Custom Synth Patches:
shop.milesawayofficial.com
Stream my music:
beacons.ai/milesaway
0:00 - intro / what is the Donner B1 synth?
1:17 - original demo song
2:54 - how I made the song, every synth sound is only the B1
4:05 - synth panel walkthrough
4:49 - making a basic sequence
5:59 - synth controls
7:19 - built in effects, delay and distortion
9:17 - editing the sequencer
10:08 - editing slides, accents, gate length and ratchet
12:53 - performance mode and randomize mode
14:20 - jamming on the sequence we made
14:40 - i/o and midi connectivity
15:34 - combining the B1 with pedals
16:13 - final verdict, pros & cons
#synthesizer #analogsynthesizer #synths #budgetfriendly #donnerb1 #sequencer #dawless

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Get this synth for $115 after using PROMO CODE “supmilesaway” for 15% off! datasink.rantion-admin.com/t/XR

[@OMNI_INFINITY]

PS: Thanks for posting that! The production quality sounded surprisingly nice!

[@yourcitysleeps]

Great video! I'm a believer now 🎹

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you for watching and enjoy!

[@EchoKraft]

Wow ! Great video!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you! Glad you found it helpful!

[@meistudiony]

This is fantastic!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you for watching!

[@Naikonenko]

Great review m8

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks so much!

[@RaverOperatorGeeza]

Great video, and i liked your Erica Synths one too! New to your channel... I love these little units. I picked up two (separately) at a nice price secondhand online recently and looking forward to learning more on the programming/sequencing elements to it. I've got a TT-303, but I'm blown away at how much this unit squeals and love it, acid sound on steroids!! A few drawbacks on the background noise and the slightly wobbly 3.5mm jacks, but overall it's a great unit and at a nice price even as new

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you for watching and welcome to my channel! New videos weekly :) that’s pretty much my thoughts on this too, for the price it’s great

[@RaverOperatorGeeza]

@@MilesAwayOfficial thanks my man! Keep doing what you're doing! Excellent breakdowns on the two videos I watched already and looking forward to discovering more 🤗

[@Jason_Drums_]

Wow 😃 I think Donner will be blown away with that demo 🤩 Incredible 👌 a joy to watch and listen 🎶 🎧 🤩 🙌

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching man!!

[@Jason_Drums_]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Absolute pleasure always 😊 have a fantastic weekend my friend 🙏🏼🤩🙌

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@Jason_Drums_ you too !

[@jmd76family]

Great video. Was looking for a sequencer for other synths that could be used on the fly no computer.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

yea this is great for that, the sequencer is arguably even better than the synth, its really usable and fun for such a cheap unit

[@EnochDark]

I wanted one of these when they were announced but hit some financial troubles... Also thought since I've already got a Bass Station 2... But there's still something appealing to me about this B1, I think it's those rubbery pad keys. Thanks for reminding me about the thing!

[@tomn.8475]

Great song!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks so much!

[@djkanyon]

Finally this one gets recognition it deserves. One of the absolute best piece of gear i've ever own. Bought it about a year ago and could not imagine my life without it. My only regret is that i only bought one instead of three.

[@dankeplace]

You probably think this analog needs 24 bit depth too eh?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you enjoyed! I agree its a lot better than it has a right to be at this price. What do you like using it for mainly?

[@djkanyon]

@@MilesAwayOfficial everything bro, from sequencing Crave to providing analog arps to work along Electribe, as a midi - keyboard for Volca Keys and of course to sink stuff. I don't even think anybody anywhere can do something cheaper and better.

[@dankeplace]

@@djkanyon you wanna sink stuff, like the kitchen sink?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@djkanyon yea for real I actually like the sequencer better than the synth itself! It's genuinely such a powerful little unit for the price

[@realmchat6665]

Good review, I have one and I love it.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Nice! What types of sounds do you mainly use it for?

[@jarikensenat1282]

Got one a year ago. Love it👍

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

congrats and thanks for watching!

[@keekeefries6298]

Can you modulate the filter during the sequence to store a nice sweep as it plays? Nice review!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching! No filter sequencing, but it does store the ratchet, hold, slide, etc

[@travisthornton1792]

This plays well with the Arturia Drumbrute Impact.

[@leolovetoparty]

Thanks for the video. I would be surprised if they had used an actual BBD delay as these tend to go for more than the price of the synth. This is the only thing that was a bit misleading to a pedant like myself ;-) I won't be buying one but if I was starting out I would choose it over the Behringer. Thanks again.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching! I could be wrong but I am pretty sure it is a real BBD, just a cheap noisy one with very little ms of delay. I'm pretty sure they just ported their 30$ Yellow Fall Analog Delay mini pedal into this thing, cause Donner sells bucketloads of those BBDs (pun intended)

[@tylerzerbe6861]

wish i woulda seen this 6 months ago. this looks way easier to use than my dueling td3s

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I definitely find it a lot easier, I did not like the Sequencer on the TD-3 which is why I sold it, but it sounded great! Made it onto a couple songs before I let it go :)

[@djtomt]

Badass little synth!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

thanks for watching!

[@scottpatrickvest]

sick song, subd

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks and welcome!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

That sequencer is making it do things I've never really heard in a single osc 303 clone. I think my 1010music blackbox needs to feed on sequences created by this little monster. Also, bet this thing will really scream, running through the tc electronic tube pilot with a 1960 long black plate Baldwin branded Raytheon 12AX7A. (Which came out of an early 1960's Baldwin tube organ.)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Yea the sequencer really takes it up a notch! Biggest plus over the Behringer model imo, delay too. I'd love to put this through Tubes! It already sounds epic through my Walrus Eons fuzz

[@payt01]

Hard to underestand that people used to pay $3500 for a genuine 303 a couple of years ago. And now you get an improved version almost for free with a bag of potatoes. Times are a-changing :) Anyway it reminded me that I still have the Roland TB-3 lying around unused in a corner. Maybe I should give it a whirl again :)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

For real! It's a golden age for synths. 303s are tons of fun but the price of the originals has always astounded me. Enjoy your jamming friend and thanks for watching! :)

[@alexwestconsulting]

I finally got one very recently. I'm well aware that when this came out there were many paid reviews "a la, this is a sponsored video, but I'm going to give you my honest opinion (wink, wink)". Never mind that they are giving the PR at all. Anyway, I have to say that it's a great machine. It's simply stunning for what I paid for it used, and even the retail price is amazing, but that kind of talk rather unfortunately takes away from the basic fact that this is a good device and that I would keep it around no matter price league it's at. I'm a sucker for it's industrial design, I have and have had quite a few tb-303 clones over the years, and while this isn't my favorite, it's a solid device nonetheless.

[@dankeplace]

Yeah paid reviews, just like your paid subs eh? Wink wink!!!!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you enjoy yours and congrats on the good deal! For what its worth, pretty much every company sends free gear to reviewers like me, I can't speak for other channels but I get messages asking me to review terrible stuff that I decline pretty frequently, so if something makes it on this channel, its gonna be solid. Life is too short to spend 10+ hrs making a demo video for something I don't like!

[@PlayBackRate]

Hi! Is it possible to edit the seq during playback?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@PlayBackRate yes!

[@joshberrios3604]

if i can only have 1 but thinking on have more in the future (not near) Prophet 6 or Ob66? Thanks man also, great video, sad that only have decay, i would priorize ADSR instead of effects

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Good question! If you have no other synths, Prophet 6 is pretty hard to beat, as it sounds great doing literally anything. But if you go for a more distinct (and imho beautiful) raw character and tone, then Ob-6 for life. I sold my Prophet 6 and kept my Ob-6 if that tells you anything!

[@joshberrios3604]

@@MilesAwayOfficial thanks for answer! now im thinking on have the OB X8 Desktop hahah ur fault not gonna lie, that beast sound amazing, but well.. il just gonna think more during these days , i think that also the prophet can sound a bit more plugin and i have dozens of cool ones... while the ob's can really be a differential sounds to my trakcks.. so idk, lets see what the pillow say during the week hah

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@joshberrios3604 I agree 100%! The Prophet 6 sounds can be more easily achieved imho with UHE Repro, whereas a real OB SEM filter to me still just sounds bloody unreal. Even though the Gforce plugins sound pretty damn close! If you like the classic OB sounds go for the OBX8. If you want a modern synth with OB flavour but some Prophet DNA, go OB-6.

[@joshberrios3604]

@@MilesAwayOfficial thanks! i ended up buying the obx8! haha

[@Naikonenko]

But does it makes kebabs ?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

synth lines as tasty as kebabs!

[@Naikonenko]

@@MilesAwayOfficial :D Indeed!!

[@Cameronwatt]

Shiiish

[@audiolego]

Stopppp, you're giving me the munchies.

[@JesusChrist-vf3xd]

Is has been done !!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpCkiaSlac11l7Msi=Y-qpX3_rmajRasUF

[@butsukete1806]

Sounds like a fun party, but how does it do in the snow?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

hah, will have to take it up next time i make a song on the mountain!

[@butsukete1806]

@@MilesAwayOfficial I think you missed the joke, search "Donner Party". You don't want to be on that mountain.

[@leftmono1016]

Can this do the original 303 style sequencing? I know it’s quirky but to me it’s the essence of the 303 sound.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

What were some of the quirks of the 303 sequencer? If you tell me I can confirm!

[@leftmono1016]

@@MilesAwayOfficial - hard to explain if you’ve not programmed the original style sequencer before!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@leftmono1016 I've used the Behringer clone! But I must confess I hated the Sequencer, one of the reasons I sold it a while ago.

[@leftmono1016]

@@MilesAwayOfficial - I love the original sequencer, you never quite know what’s going to come out!

[@sound-wizzard]

I know its stupid but i wish they would rebrand their name, it puts me off buying any of the gear soooo much 😂

[@theallseeingarmpit5519]

But it's eating the competition

[@karlofandango6108]

I guess it's not all that kebab afterall

[@planetclay]

dang!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Much love!

[@planetclay]

@@MilesAwayOfficial No doubt were i in the market for a hardware synth this would be the one....and were i requiring suggestions/instruction as to it's various possibilities, tasteful possibilities might i add, this would be the place to go. am i correct to assume this could double as a keyboard controller?

[@disomniatijuana2363]

Is it better than the volka keys?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Totally different beast! It’s not polyphonic, but the keyboard is nicer, the sequencer is mint, and the tone I prefer

[@jfn467]

Wow, a full track with everything can be created with this little machine, it beats the MPC big time both in terms of size and price, stunning!!!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching, I mentioned this in the video but to clarify, all the SYNTH parts in that track are made on the Donner. I recorded the guitar myself and the drums are samples from my computer. This is a analog subtractive synthesizer, it can’t do guitar or drum sounds

[@Mecha_Mothman]

This isn't remotely comparable to an MPC...?

[@ludwinhooi6982]

Hi what analog stand for?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Analog is a type of synth meaning it uses real analog circuits and parts

[@Hyperslob]

Do we have to pay a subscription for every key on the keyboard?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

No! Absolutely not! :)

[@EnnioPalanca]

Is the manual useful? Sonicware's manuals are freaking nightmare...

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

It’s a good manual! Really easy synth to use, trust me I hate cryptic manuals and confusing synths. The biggest advantage of this over the Behringer 303 clone is how much simpler the sequencer is to figure out

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

So if I have a Hydrasynth Deluxe and a Roland Fantom 8, what will this add? 😂

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Mainly just the authentic analog sound of the 303 style filter! Nothing squelches like that, love it or hate it, haha

[@AveragePicker]

Your setup and your gear and you know what you do so...how is someone else suppose to know if this suits you or not?

[@fakshen1973]

Nice.. but the resonance on the filter just... no.

[@scott_glasgow]

Behringer Pro VS Mini Hybrid Vector Synthesizer! Better and less noise. Also both of the Modal compacts Skulpt and Craft kill this synth

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Those aren’t analog oscillators though right?

[@boogway]

synth is doodoo

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

what don't you like about it?

[@boogway]

@@MilesAwayOfficial sounds like ass lol

[@boogway]

@@MilesAwayOfficial sounds like shit

[@theouterplanet]

I like my women like my synths....random, saturated, and a total pitch.....

[@EvilWaysGaming]

And cheap