The Worst Reason When Buying New Gear

[@entropybentwhistle]

I only get gear that I think has features I will use, but when Korg put out the MS-20 full size in 4 colour options I was taken with the look of the blue version. I wanted to get an MS-20 forever so I would have got one anyway, but having that colour choice at the time was kind of nice. There is another synth I thought looked really good re-surfaced and that was the Juno 106 that Syntaur restored and upgraded, but that was a one-off and they haven’t done another, but I would have snatched it up in an instant if I knew of it while it was still on offer.

[@enochroot9438]

That overhyped Barbie movie has a lot to answer for looking at all the Pink special editions floating around...

[@ThePlughugger]

Or could it be the other way around? Soma released a pink Lyra8 before Barbie....

[@cursortoxyz]

I like special editions, but only if they look better than the original and also work just as well on stage. I used to buy full black gear, but stopped that when I started playing live on stage.

[@ThePlughugger]

Right - that's an overlooked aspect actually. Playing live. Yes, some colours are way better than black for Live use. Maybe that's why Nord do their things in bright red.

[@badfeng]

My GAS hasn't yet gotten that bad, but I no longer feel immune to reaching new levels of depravity.

[@ThePlughugger]

You need a gold-plated Minimoog.

[@andrewstanworth529]

I saw that someone reskinned the Roland MC303. And although i already have one. And have previously owned one, & am aware of their (ahem) shortcomings, i almost bought it. It just made it look amazing. Although it was basically just a big sticker. Getting me to buy something i already own AND No longer use because Ooooh! Shiney! Is soooo dumb. But thats Synths!

[@ThePlughugger]

I agree - It's so incredibly dumb, yet it's sooo much fun :)

[@RockyMountainSounds]

I would love to get the white Prophet 12.

[@ThePlughugger]

White synthesizers look so classy.

[@lukeautosymbol2668]

Virus TI Polar is awesome too

[@AkaiS1100]

One of the coolest looking synths @@lukeautosymbol2668

[@countyfair74]

I don't want the Keystep Pro Chroma version. It doesn't have the bold green, orange, yellow, and red panels to remember what is on each track when jamming. I have the black version.

[@ThePlughugger]

The black version looks great though.

[@Tripwelleverday]

I want the black perköns soooo bad

[@ThePlughugger]

:)

[@holgerbahr8961]

... when you own a standard Studiologic Sledge 2 in yellow and think about getting the black edition or the "20 Synthesizer from Axel Hartmann" instead ...

[@ThePlughugger]

I don't know how many times I have been thinking about buying either of those two! How is the Sledge 2? You like it?

[@holgerbahr8961]

@@ThePlughuggerI don't own one. I just thought the GAS is crazy if you compare the Sledge 2 with the 20 Synthesizer from Hartmann. It's basically the same synthesizer. Only that the "special edition" of this synth was 19.000 USD more expensive than the "base model" :-)

[@ZipSnipe]

My problem is it took me a long time to realize that VST's will do everything hardware can do, mainly it took a lifetime to really learn my DAW, and now music flows out non stop. Had I stayed the hardware route I would still be lost as far as compositions go, learning my daw helped me get whats in my head out. Plus I was done with the constant noise and break down of hardware. But pretty hardware still makes me look and if I had the money and space, my studio would be packed

[@ThePlughugger]

I must make a deep video on this one day, because it's such a fascinating subject. If you can find an inspirational workflow with only software, then the distance between you and your ideas are very close. But I would lie if I would say there are hardwares that inspires me much more than software. But I agree. Software these days are remarkable.

[@wolfunplugged]

oh yes...I'm guilty, too. I'm more into samplelibraries and software. but also hardware. but that colourthing is indeed a very perfidous form of obsession. I can understand that. I several times bought a piece of hardware only because it was orange...

[@ThePlughugger]

Orange is a cool colour. Of course you have to have one of those :)

[@wolfunplugged]

😅😅@@ThePlughugger

[@vjrei]

I got a Virus Ti2 Whiteout Waldorf Q Blue Waldorf XT Black I pimped my Emax II with an orange LCD I painted my Quasimidi Raven to look like a Variator I changed the LCD of my Roland MC-505 to red I changed the LCD of my Roland D-70 from blue to white on black I am about to do the same to my Ensoniq ASR-10 And I want to buy a Roland JD-990 just to replace the green LCD for a white on black as well. I am guilty. And the best thing is that I do not use those synths. They are all in the storage in boxes. I just have the Virus Ti2 Whieout keyboard with headphones. And I am about to put it away as well. I much rather jam with my Roland D-50 that is in the storage.

[@ThePlughugger]

I feel like I've met my soul brother :) My Emax I have a white on black LCD and it looks gorgeous! But just like you, I am never using it. You've got a lovely collection of synths, that's for sure.

[@Screaming-Trees]

I have a bunch of hardware. Reason is RSI and too much screen time during the day. It does kind of frustrate me though. I like a minimalist approach. Don't like clutter. But hardware is clutter. And it causes other problems too. You need inputs. High quality AD channels are expensive. I haven't found a way to reconcile the need for hardware and preference for minimalism. Latest approach has been to just use one hardware thing plugged in. I have a Prophet 10. I been just using that. Not because it's the only thing you'll ever need but because, well, it's plugged in already. The colour stuff and special edition nonsense is just that, nonsense. If anyone has ideas on how to reconcile this dilemma I am all ears.

[@ThePlughugger]

I am having the same issue as you do. My work requires me to sit in front of the computer all day, and the idea of spending more screen time with the computer to create music doesn't inspire much. One approach I personally found to be slightly better, is to work on a self-contained hardware box, like the Deluge or OP1. Both have their issues, but I found that changing your mental confinements of the computer, to something smaller and self-contained puts me in different state of mind.

[@hrvstmusic]

When I found out a friend was getting paid to make custom Serum skins it’s blew my mind people would pay for that

[@smaller_cathedrals]

Well, I don't know how much they are paying but I don't see what's so weird about that. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@ThePlughugger]

Share a link! I need to see it.

[@ThePlughugger]

By principle I have nothing against skinning software synths, but in my practical experience, they often add a layer of bugs that I simply don't want to deal with. I bought lovely looking skins for Diva just to find out some functionality was missing or some button didn't do what was intended.

[@Petsublak]

Totally admit I have GAS, though could not care less about the colour editions.

[@ThePlughugger]

Try keeping it that way. Going doing the coloured edition path is the height of insanity :)

[@jeffreyhanc1711]

Recent Bitwig converter. Taking steps to build and rebuild all I need in its Modular Grid environment - FX, Synths, Sequencer, everything! Super fun. Thus far most of my noob efforts sound like crap. But hey: why buy overpriced crap 3rd party VSTs when you can just build your own unique crap ones!?

[@ThePlughugger]

As long as you are having fun :)

[@stevewoywitka3258]

I didn't think I'd get a maschine plus but I saw the ultraviolet edition so I got one

[@ThePlughugger]

Welcome to the club! :) How do you like it?

[@stevewoywitka3258]

@@ThePlughugger The operating system is second to none but NI is so money hungry I can't afford anything else now not even a expansion. The sampler engine that is highly satisfying also

[@ThePlughugger]

I'm happy to hear that you really like the Maschine+. I was interested in it, but then Push3 came and now I don't know what to do :)

[@KeltyVince]

I must be lucky, I have never bought a different colour of any synth, if I was ever interested in a certain colour of a current synth, then possibly I'd buy a particular colour if it was available in more than one at the time I wanted to buy it, for example the Lyra-8, I'm thinking of getting one of those, they come in different colours, and I'd chose the light green, but if i bought that and Soma made a different colour that i liked in future, I just wouldn't be tempted to buy another Lyra-8 just because its in another colour.. I'm more interested in the sound, always have been, I couldn't really give a sh*t what colour a piece of hardware is, as long as i like it's sound, and interface, those are the main things I look for in a new piece of hardware, but if people like collecting different colours then all power to them.. oh and if I decided i wanted to buy say.. another Lyra-8, I'd just buy the same colour again.. so it matched the first one i bought.

[@ThePlughugger]

That's the pragmatic approach and I completely agree with you. What makes me scratch my head is that, if a small company like Soma, release something like the Lyra in 4-5 colours. It must mean it people are generally interested in coloured versions. Didn't their Terra come in different wood materials as well? Anyway, Soma makes seriously cool gear.

[@KeltyVince]

@@ThePlughugger Yeah it seems there are plenty of people interested in different coloured gear, I am sort of interested in different colours when they are available at the time i'm going to buy a piece of gear, but buying another colour version after already getting that piece of gear.. just to have it in another colour has no real interest for me, if it had new hardware capabilities as well as a different colour, hardware upgrades so to speak, that made it more appealing than the version I already had, then I might go for a different colour, but colour alone certainly isn't enough for me to buy another piece of gear that has the exact same capability.. maybe if I had a lot of disposable income things may change with my decisions in this case, but even then.. the colour really isn't that important to me.. saying all of that, I don't really care if others like buying gear of different colours, and if its important to them fair enough, my view isn't trying to influence anyone's buying decisions, its just the way i think of it all, after all life would be kinda boring if we all thought and did the same things, as far as the Lyra-8, I was thinking of getting one, and the Cosmos to go with it, but I've been thinking about this for years now, I just can't seem to pull the trigger on it, I already have many many synths and fx units etc, although none that are similar to those Soma machines, I wish I could actually get some hands on with them first, as they aren't cheap, but there are no places around where i live that have any Soma gear, so all i have are YT video's to watch and try decide what to do.. oh jeez this has turned into a rant, sorry lolz..

[@Tripwelleverday]

Have u seen that company custom painting Juno’s

[@ThePlughugger]

Synth Spa? I am almost willing to sell my lungs for one of those! The old Junos are one of my favourite synths ever.

[@MSM5500]

I'd stay away from anything that has ornaments on a control surface as getting things like that is the same as a man would buy woman's either closes or footwear to put on. It just look stupid. I'd stay away from anything that has timber panels attached to a contemporary piece of gear as it look totally tasteless. I'd stay away from anything that has steel housing just for the sake of making it heavier as a manufacturer probably thinks that crowd likes it. I love light plastic stuff just because it's reasonable and practical. I'd stay away from different discrete dedicated boxes with knobs which require massive preliminary intercabling. I appreciate what Roland, Akai & Casio companies do. Thankfully none of them do the BS from the above. The fact is that there is not much use of a hardware nowadays unless you're a keyboard player and you need to have some comprehensive standalone instrument by your side. At some point I collected a bunch of different gear then sold out most of it but still keep JD-XA, System-8, JD-Xi (White), CZ-101, and a stack of 19" rack Lexicon, Akai & DBX just because it looks cool. I have no GAS anymore cause life is too short to use many things.