To

[@tomschaefer4748]

My OBX8 arrived the same day i saw Espen's video. It's an amazing synth.

[@shaft9000]

I'm sure it's a fine synthesizer. I think a not-so-well conveyed part of the point Espen was getting at is: if one has ever used a good-condition OB from the 70s or 80s for an extended time, they'd know that it's a completely different animal than an OBX8. New instruments CAN "sound exactly like' the 40+ year old real thing in some ways (after all a synth is a synth), but they can never play like them (or break down like them lol...my OB-Xa is a b*tch in this regard). Cheers

[@XanderEwald]

If I learned one thing being an old man working with synths, it’s not to care what other old men working with synths think. It’s usually not good.

[@jairkerker2821]

I agree. Furthermore it strikes me that Espen has an opinion and this guy does too. Kraft may be off, and this guy may be to close to the subject and that's both fine But being a grown up means you don't look for other people to tell you what you should like, especially in a preachy, frustrated or bitter tone.

[@AdamTheAd-vanc3d]

Exactly , I buy .... What I need What I can afford What inspires me to make music.....or even just enjoy listen to. Same with most things in my life.

[@joeBloggs-yo6jw]

words to live by. Interest in synths seems to be dominated by 50 year olds and upwards... nostalgia isn't what it used to be. :)

[@shaft9000]

THIS. Do whatever you need/prefer to do to get your music completed as best you can. The rest is caca and noise fueling an inevitable regret; regret that I ever lost focus for long enough to give even a minute about caring about it in the first place.

[@rhill109]

Dave Smith never struck me as a mustache twirling villain who was trying to scam us poor, hard working musicians. I thought he designed and manufactured products we could(with our own free will) decide on whether to purchase based on our wants and needs. Who knew?

[@dankeplace]

He was, he tied a Moog Grandmother to the railway tracks, trying to lure people in to his trap, buy my synths or watch the Grandmother perish. R.I.P Dave.

[@timothydahlin5321]

Dave Smith remind me of Steve Gibson.

[@jarls5890]

...and he sits there complaining about "paying extra for the label"...with a Macbook in his lap.

[@RussArteaga]

⁠@@jarls5890paying extra for the label? So let me guess you don’t use Apple for your puter. Good for you. What do you use then?

[@lukeautosymbol2668]

Dave Smith gave us uncompromising quality. I've bought and sold a number of synths (the selling part hurts); I had a buyer lined up for my Prophet 6, already quoted him a price, and told him I just needed to test it one last time to be sure. Well, you can imagine how that went--I ended up keeping my Prophet 6 lol

[@retrosound72]

We are different like the synths we love.

[@jameshumfry1256]

The jaded Rockstar look is strong 👌

[@entropybentwhistle]

⁠I had forgotten why I had unsubscribed to him and recently resubbed. I have both the OB-X8 and P10, plus the 3rd Wave and many others, then he says I was robbed and should have bought a VST. I momentarily stared at my ceramic busts of Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim (and Bob Moog and Wolfgang Palm), shook my head and unsubbed again.

[@FreeThink1984]

Where can I get those busts

[@bangmateo7481]

He spoke facts. The 3rd Wave was robbery.

[@trebleboost7]

Mr. Cooper needs one too!

[@dankeplace]

@@bangmateo7481 3rd Wave is one of the most inventive modern synths to have come out recently. You would know this if you have used one, it sounds better than anything I have owned or played. It is literally 4 synth engines in 1 case, with 4 sequencers, 4 pair stereo outs, can you show me any other synth like this please? Irdium sounds nothing like this so there's that out of the equation. So voice count is 24, 12 if you want binaural, that's 6 more than the similar priced woeful PB12, or you can have 2 x 6 binaural synths if you want to stack. Please show me anywhere that this synth exists and is capable of sampling, wavetable, PPG and VA with all the things mentioned above at the price point with 72 oscillators if wanted? If you knew anything about Bob Coover, you would probably hand your head in shame. I'll continue to enjoy my 3rd Wave, whilst you complain and make false claims that are all based in your head.

[@MykiVonFerro]

Espen lost the plot when he was going off about VSTs…

[@companyofquail]

thank you for letting people know the amount of work it takes to make these products, this often times goes unnoticed. I have been involved in some products that took 3-4 years in engineering and prototyping, that doesn't even include the conceptual phase.

[@dankeplace]

You also have country regs to pass too, it took 6 months before it was certified in my country, people think they know so much, when they know so little like Espen and some of his followers.

[@dankeplace]

@@aoterou no, because no VST of the 3rd Wave exists so Espen's tirade was just a bunch of bullshit.

[@shaft9000]

It depends on precedent. In the '70s polyphonic synths were bleeding-edge music tech and were priced accordingly. Today cloning a vintage synth requires very little R&D or guesswork or failed prototyping, which - combined with Economies of Scale - is why Berhinger utilizing mostly cheeeeap labor and often cheap material can sell product for so little and still turn a big profit.

[@LousyFacelift]

Hmm... Espen was fully aware he would trigger responses like this, he said so in his video. I can't help but agree with a lot of what he said and think the problem is more in how he presented his opinion, how he phrased things. And he sure doesn't beat around the bush, he's straight forward and brutally honest and sure doesn't mind stirring up a little controversy, so please take it with a grain of salt. When I saw pictures online from someone who had opened up his OBX8 and there was so much empty space inside, I couldn't understand what justified its extremely hefty price tag. I realize not every company can do what Behringer does but if they can make a 16 voice version of the OBXA for just about € 1000,- it really makes you wonder... When Roland puts out digital versions of the Jupiter 8 and Juno 106 and makes them look so very close to the vintage models, how on earth can they use their ZenCore engine for these two models and have the Fantom series - that looks nothing like the originals - rely on ACB tech which is clearly the more accurate, much more detailed emulation? Sometimes I feel like some of these companies don't always take their customers seriously and a lot of other gear seems overpriced to me, as well. I mean, do you remember the Prophet 8 with its quirky pots? As much as I respect Dave Smith, I would feel totally scammed had I bought that one and see the pots fail on me and instead of offering a free fix for the bad ones he makes a completely new model and sells it with now actually working pots as a brandnew "special feature"? I could list more examples like this... Maybe he could have phrased it a little more respectfully but - What's there not to understand about Espen's opinion?

[@Iceleben]

I owned the First series of the Prophet 8 with the bad encoders and could retrofit mine with the new pot Version. I still own some Sequential Synths because their Customer Service is really good. I had the Behringer UB-XA for some days but send it back because I didn’t like the Keybed and also soundwise something was off. I saw they released FW Version 2 some weeks ago, so maybe it’s better now. But I wouldn’t trust to go on stage with the UB-XA while you can gig with Sequential Synths without a problem.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

⁠@@Icelebenyep. Also, you can tour for years with a Sequential synth. Try bringing a Behringer, watch what happens. You’d end up replacing it so many times you’d be spending the same as just buying something well-built. These hobbyists roll out these bizarre arguments like this dude’s nonsense about ‘there’s empty space inside the case! Why is it so expensive!’ 🤦‍♂️ There are design reasons to leave space inside a chassis, proper airflow to keep the instrument cool. Basically, hobbyists tend to not know anything about the technical (and R&D) aspects of product development. And that complete lack of knowledge has them fooled into thinking they know everything.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

That said, Roland really does do scummy things with their pricing, and their interface design is generally trash. (Why I don’t buy Roland unless it’s something small.) Lumping Sequential / Oberheim or UDO or whoever, in with Roland, just shows a lack of understanding.

[@LousyFacelift]

@@sub-jec-tiv Yeah, we all know the best of all synths are smd, have plenty of empty space inside and digital envelopes, that's also why they cost more than $ 5000,- Amateur idiots don't know this of course.🙄

[@LousyFacelift]

@@sub-jec-tiv Btw. did the guy who uses his Behringer 2600 on tour with Hans Zimmer ever report about technical issues? Serious question, I really don't know...

[@jfn467]

Nobody takes Norway's own Pet Shop Boy wannabe seriously, after having promoted his vintage hardware workflow promptly for years, now all of a sudden idealising virtual instruments, we all understand that his career choices didn't pan out as desired, a decade of mediocre PSB inspired releases, finally selling his gear, serious lack of critical mass followers and views, and finally he's convincing himself it's for the better with his scam rant. Poor old Espen!😊

[@ArmaGeddon-iu1vv]

"Nobody takes Norway's own Pet Shop Boy wannabe seriously" Honestly, nobody from the past gets any respect these days, including the original PSB. This generation mimics everything from the vast archive -merely a collection of unoriginal followers lacking any flair. What would they accomplish without the pioneering figures of the genres they copy? Despite having access to more resources than any previous generation, they still suck -- where are their music revolutions? They got none, even if the norwegian sounds like a pet shop boy clone -- he is authentic.

[@ZTAudio]

I really think Espen is pulling our leg.

[@EBMZEQUENZER]

these folks are ready to go to war over synths : got my popcorn ready 🍿 I'm a VA guy myself and don't care much about the ANALOG cult ...... Meh, I own what I can afford and I'll be fine Cheers 🥂

[@LousyFacelift]

Best comment! 🥳👍

[@EBMZEQUENZER]

@@LousyFacelift 🍻🍻

[@jonasness]

All of my synthesizers are from DSI / Sequential & Oberheim. - Mono Evolver Keys, Tempest, Mopho Keys, Prophet ‘08, Pro 2, OB-6, Matrix 6, Xk, Toraiz AS-1, SP-16. - The amazing customer service and tech support I have received from DSI / Sequential in the past 14 years is enough in itself to show that they care very much for their customers. Never once would I think they are scamming anyone with their products. They put a lot of effort into wanting us to continue making music and having fun with their synths. I’ve been to their office / studio in SF three times and met several of their techs. All amazing people. ~ I’ve got Inhalt patch banks loaded in some of my units too.

[@dankeplace]

I would like to see EK even get close to anything you have done live, I doubt he could. Your play style is one of a kind and I love the stuff you have made. You have worked well with the DSI gear you have, it's mesmerizing to watch you do what you do. I can't say the same for EK though.

[@keekeefries6298]

Dude, I just thought that video was satire. I mean he literally had a Sequential Circuits keyboard right behind him which he bashed….😂

[@synthsamuraiproductions]

Im blown away people dont realize this is the ultimate troll job by espen…. Hilarious.

[@payt01]

@@synthsamuraiproductions Not so sure about that. He's been hammering away on harware synths with vintage knobs etc for a while now.. I;m afraid he means it. He thinks they're VST's because they're digitally controlled.. lol

[@dankeplace]

@@synthsamuraiproductions People know he is trolling, just like people know you're trolling, I mean didn't the whole Weaver Beats teach you anything?

[@dankeplace]

@@payt01 The guy you're replying to knows very little about synthesis, he's proven this time and time again on his channel which is just click bait like Espen's misinformation.

[@keekeefries6298]

@@payt01 remember this is a guy that’s says ‘I’m Espen Kraft and your not….’ at the end of his videos. I’m guessing it’s weird Norwegian humor…

[@TranceJedi]

Guys like you bring the magic to all keyboards and synths that eventually feeds down to even the cheapest keyboards, so i thank you for your hard work that you and guys like you share because of youre passion for music .... keep sharing that passion 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@michaelkoehler7441]

Excellently said my friend! Wise words from another who makes records and instruments for a living. Hopefully, this will help give more context for those who have not spent decades - like us - creating music for radio, TV, Movies, video games, etc as well as the very instruments that many use on a daily basis. I will add that at the end of his video, I heard his tagline "I am Espen Kraft and your not..." My first thoughts were "Thank god I am not!". I don't really understand the man anyway. Say all this about hardware, yet he has a room full of the very instruments that people spent countless hours developing.... Roland D-50, JX8P, etc... These are legends to him, yet not an OB?!?! Well, I think if he scraped and saved in the 80's to be able to afford one like I did in my studio in order to get a job, perhaps he would understand. He would know how profound it was to have one to make that song that has become magic and timeless for the last 40 years. I know the labor of love that the OBX8 was - if you ever owned a real X, Xa, 8, etc., you know how special that instrument is...

[@INHALTVIDEO]

Absolutely. It breeds an air of cynicism his kind of thinking.

[@stevejhkhfda]

I think he was trolling, look at the views he got. But nothing wrong with jumping on the bandwagon to comment on it. His video was ludicrous.

[@83Philip]

Thank you! Could not agree more.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@83Philip what a time Phil. So many new choices we didn’t have so many new proper synths to tour and write with …

[@83Philip]

@@INHALTVIDEO 100%

[@djdksf1]

Good on ya! I was also pissed at that ignorant take. As a long time analog enthusiast (and classically trained musician and songwriter) with several high end synths (including my new Moog Muse - which is heartbreakingly beautiful BTW,) this just sounded like a whiny toddler complaining about the price of ice cream. Those of us serious about this stuff make investments. People like Espen just make noise.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

I think the Muse sounds great. Unison bass sound is v ebm

[@scottharris7222]

The vast majority of musicians will never be more than hobbyists or weekend warriors. There is a market for $4000 and up analog synthesizers but very few people will afford that. The clone makers are leveraging expired patents and doing things at a scale with robots and inexpensive but skilled labour that they can bring production costs down to a fraction of what Oberheim and Sequential can or will do. This is pure a capitalism at the global scale. There is nothing more American than that. Kraft is wrong to assume that the makers of the modern Sequential and Oberheim companies are scamming consumers but you are wrong to assume that we need to spend that kind of money to chase a classic analog sound and be inspired. Geddy Lee isn’t going on stage with a clone but thousands of weekend warriors are doing just that because they are making less than beer money at their gig and the dream lives on. They played their cover songs, and many recorded their EPs that they can’t even give away. Tomorrow, they are going back to their day jobs but last night they had a blast and dreamed a little. That class of musician is driving the industry and they are budget constrained. Enter the clones.

[@PacifierMusic]

I subscribed to your channel and unsubscribed from Espen’s. Espen Kraft is being antagonistic for views. Your message is genuine, Espen’s is not. Thank you for posting

[@joeangular]

“that’s what I do for living” summs it up pretty well! lol

[@yanickborg3118]

Yeah, it's called an appeal to authority. I.e. " I do this for a living therefore I know better". Yeah... BS.

[@Lethoscorpia]

As someone who's not a professional musician but loves music and writing my own stuff and always wanting to improve my studio gear i found espen kraft's video interesting but i felt he was wrong on some points and that the synths were much more than just a vst with a keyboard. Really good to see a perspective from the inside thanks.

[@cinemalulli]

Dude, you're one of the best sound designers I know, and you finally said what’s real: people who do this for a living know how much work goes into a machine, an instrument. Unfortunately, I’m afraid our Espen is just trying to get some more views with stupid topics and misinformation, probably because he’s run out of valid ideas. The worst part is, he hasn’t even realized it yet

[@NicoHolloman]

Espen also misquoted the prices of every instrument he named by several thousand dollars

[@dankeplace]

why doesn't that surprise anyone? Given he only made a video recently how he deals with trolls, maybe he should watch that video and take his own advice.

[@MacXpert74]

@@dankeplace Yeah it's kind of ironic. He made a video about trolls, and then decided to become one himself. 😂

[@dankeplace]

@@MacXpert74 I think he's been one for quite a while tbh, he did the same content 3 months ago as a live stream and it only got 5K views.

[@MacXpert74]

@@dankeplace I guess he's desperate for clicks or just ran out of video ideas. 🤷‍♂

[@dankeplace]

@@MacXpert74 the fact that he is using this to promote his new channel would be a certainty that he has become irrelevant. He even made another follow up video of the performance of his trolling. He's the type of person that does a mic drop, then comes back on stage and tell everyone he just did a mic drop, then explain why he did it. That's just thirsty.

[@klinikat5313]

A lot of years ago I bought a VIRUS TI Keyboard for 3,5k Euros. Almost 20 years ago. In this time a good synth cost that much. Maybe a Nord Lead was more affordable. After Covid supply shock, Inflation, Geopolitics, War consequences we should very be happy to get such great synths for a "good" price at the moment. Except this blue Wave, which looks really expensive to me and I am anyway not interested in. I use both at the end, cool plugins and cool hw synths. I think Espen should further do kuul Tutorials about 80s music styles.......btw it remembered me to order the Moog Muse for Santa Claus time 😂❤

[@fredrikh9299]

I think Espen lost his wife to a software engineer 😂

[@musichandymanoscar]

Lots of good points. However, your "lives in a socialised country" somehow detracts a little from your seriousity, at least for me, an tells me something about your atitude. 1. What does "lives in a socialised country" have to do with Espen's attitude? 2. Norway is a capitalist country, but with better control of the not so good sides of capitalism than the US. For the time being I far prefer living in a country like Norway.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

Ive explained my point a million times. Also I’m FROM a socialized country. I was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

[@ThomasKobrick]

RIght on! I am a very proud owner of both a Prophet 10 and OB-X8, and my purchase decision was largely made because of who made these instruments, as well as how excellent they sound, feel, and perform. These are works of art and dedication and are labors of love. You can't say that about any clones. Also a fraud is something that does not deliver what it promises. My synths deliver far more every time I used them, which is daily.

[@SixteenVoice]

Espen had some issues in his vid but your point at 5:20 is non sequitur. Nordic countries have plenty of innovation and class leading engineering, just not in music. Not their thing. But to tell me Scania, Kongsberg, Koenigsegg, etc are all chopped liver in design and engineering land is laughable...

[@INHALTVIDEO]

I’m saying he’s far from the united states where these particular instruments are made

[@larsuk9578]

And interestingly Espen didn’t say that Elektron and Nord (Clavia) , both quite expensive Nordic brands, were scams and should not be bought! 😂

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@jumpstar9000 neither obx8 nor p10/5 are made in china

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@jumpstar9000 everything’s been made at the same factory in san francisco since the prophet 12 to the best of my knowledge.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@jumpstar9000 I have no idea where yer comment is but I can tell you i’ve been to the factory myself where the instruments were made … it was in san francisco

[@MikaelJohnston]

I was shocked by what Espen said, he seemed bitter, like he had an ax to grind. Hadn't seen his videos in a while and it made me kinda go "huh!". I've followed him for a while, he's kind of a relic as an artist in an endearing way as his music does capture the essence of the 80s albeit in a very cheesy caricature kind of way. Also he actually does seem to know a lot about vintage synths. However. this video was out of character from what i'm used to from him. Curious what sparked his rant and if there's any truth to what he said about some of these newer analog recreations having digital envelopes, especially the OBX8. I honestly haven't dug into the hardware of the examples he gave enough to comment other than to say most modern analog synth recreations do have some software controlling them, but so did the originals (albeit a lot less sophisticated and certainly didn't have digital envelopes). I may agree with him on one manufacturer, I am not a big fan of the Roland virtual synth stuff, to me their emulations fall short of the originals, they should come out with an analog line rather than emulating classics with virtual analog. With that said I know Tom Oberheim personally, I have a two voice pro, prototype built by Tom himself in his personal shop #004. I've worked on a ton of records, many with well known artists which is how I met Tom. I can attest to Tom's integrity and that he's driven by the love of his work. I never knew Dave but met several colleagues at his company; some of their products were a hit in my book, some not so much but I don't think Dave was disingenuous and over all his stuff is great. I don't think Espen is going to stop too many people from buying an OBX8 or similar. Regardless of the envelope architecture and software control, the OBX8 sounds great to my ears; far superior to any software emulations I've played with. This isn't the first time some reviewer slagged a stellar product, I remember when Sound on Sound wrote a scathing review of the Studio Electronics Omega 8, saying it sounded like a software synth and this was back when soft synths actually sounded like shit. Their review was ridiculous and obviously not motivated by reality; they eventually retracted it and re-reviewed it. Despite this I still occasionally read SOS and most of their reviews are fair. My point is I wouldn't get too worked up over Espen for being cranky, he's entitled to his opinion and I'd be curious for him to make a video backing up some of his claims in more detail, especially about the OBX8, I wonder if he's ever even played with an OBX8. People who know better won't be swayed and those that don't aren't buying $4000 boutique analog synths anyway so who cares. Not worth the anxiety getting so worked up over Espen despite working on sound design for some of these manufacturers my friend. Like I said, it's no different than the SOS review of the Omega 8, this shit happens occasionally and I honestly don't think it sways too many people.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

There are digital envelopes inside the Prophet 10 and OBX8 but an insane amount of work went into getting them behaving like 3310. I sold my vintage rev3 p5 and ob8 because these new models were far superior. OB8 had analog envelopes under digital control so at a certain point … if it has the response curves of the original … also … it’s a control circuit not a sound generator but it’s one that’s designed to behave in an exact way. Took a lot of talent to make that happen (Tony K 🥂🥂). Really though, it’s the culture of widespread misinformation and inexperience that’s really the aim of what I’m saying.

[@zxy7529]

Digital envelopes have been a thing at least since the Jupiter-6 from 1983. But I agree about Roland, they should just stop dishonoring their legacy with these bonsai toys and build some actual analogs again, like Korg with their love letters to their and ARPs legacy with the 2600 FS, 700FS and PS-3300 FS

[@SYNTHDIMENSION]

Dear Matia! First, thanks for your video and sounds! It's always interesting to listen to your comments. I've also been making music professionally since I was 17, or more precisely since 1999, when my setup included a Kurzweil K2000R and Roland XP-80, as well as an extremely slow Yamaha A3000 sampler. Over these 25 years, probably all synthesizers produced have passed through my hands and studio, including all sorts of "exotics" like the Hartmann Neuron. I love hardware. But not for some unique sound (today there is none, don't lie to people - 100% of sound possibilities today will be provided by virtual, this is definitely true). Hardware is unique in its soul. Interface. And this, in the end, is important for inspiration. But, nothing more. And here I want to talk about the soul. I wonder what soul they put into DSI Tempest, when this machine CANNOT play even two samples stably in sync... Try making a layer from two ROM samples for, say, Snare or Kick. And listen to how it sounds from as the song is being played... The phase (sample start) constantly diverges! I'm talking specifically about the PCM-samples of Tempest, not about its analog synthesis! Damn it, any virtual sampler (for example Ultrabeat, built into the Logic Pro) does it better, more reliably, punchy! I also wonder what's wrong with the Prophet-6 circuitry, when it produces noise like the SidStation data bus noise... Hmm... Professional synthesizers, nothing to say... These are all cheap knock-offs! And the Prophet-6 filter... Extremely unmusical and "lousy", if you compare it with the real Prophet-5 of the third revision... Many digital synthesizers sound more musical and warmer. I'll be honest, I have no experience with the latest Oberheim and Sequential synthesizers. That is, OB-X8 and P10. But, I have 6 years of experience with Prophet-6 and 10 years of experience with Tempest. In the end, I can say that these are extremely cheaply made instruments with extremely mediocre sound. And now they are in the closet. There is no point in using them in my work... Things like DSI Tempest and Prophet-6 are just a delight for amateurs who care about "possessing" and "twisting the knobs", replacing the result with the process. P.S.: Normalised to 0 dB out of the Prophet-6 (EFX, of course, is off). Just listen this "soul". drive.google.com/file/d/1676u6gF7xsZpqOQ5L5jzUVrF7CExLbbR/view?usp=share_link

[@INHALTVIDEO]

I opened for Front 242, Skinny Puppy and Clock DVA playing a Prophet 6 and OB6. I never found them to be cheap or shitty sounding. I dunno what noise you had issues with, maybe was a faulty unit? It happens. My first hardware synth was an ms2000 and I had to take the first unit back because it had issues. It happens. Tempest I cant comment on as it was before my time at Sequential. I do know Ryan from Youth Code loves it.

[@McEnroe911]

Well said Inhalt. I'm actually surprised at the amount of ire Espen Kraft raised across the internet with his video. I had never even heard of him until two days ago. I watched the video in question and a few of his others. Why anyone even care what that clown thinks about anything is beyond me.

[@smokey5100]

Preach!! 💯🎹

[@jasonbelcher4476]

Right on brother! Truth!

[@sapinit4322]

This was a genuine and reasonable reaction to something what was over the top and childish

[@ddemulling9722]

I was shocked at Espen’s hot take. He is certainly entitled to having an opinion, but his opinion begs to be called out as nonsense.

[@MykiVonFerro]

After a couple rounds of listening to it I was convinced it was satire. It had a very doubling down flat earther defense vibe.

[@MorbidManoeuvres]

Thank you !

[@matthewcragg3607]

He implied that the OB-X8 isn’t analog because it has digital envelopes and is thus not significantly distinguishable from an all-digital VST. This is obviously factually incorrect and in a fundamental way (it’s still analog even with digital envelopes). I’m not saying that is actually what he is saying. But what he said implies that. So it’s a very sloppy remark to make. So that whole video is suspect.

[@dankeplace]

GOAT, wise words, the fact that you work with companies, commissioned to do patches for well known brands, thanks for AS1 work and 3rd Wave, the ones that I own. Eternity grateful. Make music, who cares how you make it, it should be what you make, not how you make it. If you use hardware or software, it doesn't matter, but to look down on how it's made is just poor judgement imo. 1 thing I will say, if it wasn't for hardware, the software people take for granted, and more than likely get for free (I wont say how), would not exist. People should just be happy both exist. Thx for your vid, I appreciate your forward stance, well done.

[@SynthAddict]

Great points, that guy was out of line He used to make decent synth tech vids but now he’s Mr ClickBait ☹️

[@leo_polo]

Seems like Espen’s prophet x freezing up really got him heated! 🧊 🔥

[@xiaoxia5]

@leosaucedo6862 in all fairness, he bought his PX used. there’s no telling when that particular PX was made. the first batch of PXs(like all new synths) had it’s fair share of bugs, etc. the batches that were later produced had less problems if any. i’ve had a PXL, and currently a PX. neither has given me any problems.

[@johnhardig5557]

I have a synth shop in Cincinnati Ohio. (yes it does exist). Clones and plug ins are ok by me. they bring music to he masses. But Espen has spit in the face of actual makers and innovators. Thank god you have made this well expressed video to refute Espen's ignorance. I totally appreciate your point about his socialist perspective. Capitalism truly promotes excellence and creativity. Truly innovative people like Tom, Dave and yourself bring products to the market that make a difference in music culture. Our industry is struggling right now in this horrible economy and those of us who can, choose to spend money on well made beautiful instruments.

[@trebleboost7]

Good for you! Well said. That video indeed was insulting and surprising.

[@BlackMan614]

Espen raging on software envelopes sitting in front of a Sequential Six Trak which has software envelopes. Bad take. I bought a Six Trak when it was new. It was not cheap back in the day. $1k in 1984. $3200 in today's dollars. And he complains about prices?? Bad take.

[@Nunchuckstraberry]

I was thinking the same thing when the first few seconds in. He also praises the 106 and 3p which have a myriad of digital controls.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

Prophet 5/10 and OBx8 are more analog than those 100 times over.

[@bangmateo7481]

He never said the six trax was a robbery he mentioned the synths.

[@BlackMan614]

@@bangmateo7481 It's the optics. You understand? Too complicated for you?

[@HenritheHorse]

@@BlackMan614 Most likely bought it used for way cheaper.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Kept thinking ‘is Espen deadpan trolling? His take is sooo braindead.’ Hobbyists like Espen don’t even have the ears to hear the obvious difference between a plugin and the real thing; one of several reasons why they’re hobbyists. Professional instruments made for professionals are a legitimate thing. Using the Prophet X i use less layers, and my musical ideas can be more creative, because the sound itself has the kind of beauty intention and authority you hear in an acoustic instrument. You can write discordant stuff and it just sounds brilliant, rather than wrong.

[@dankeplace]

@@shivermetreason7592 sounds like your writing his biography, are you also his PR?

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

@@shivermetreason7592 Hi Espen.

[@skullhqx]

Maybe we all should ignore Espen Kraft’s take and just go on. It’s not like he really influences the market is he? At least we’ll avoid the fallout of polarization that has become commonplace online. There already is too much of that going on outside of the music channels. Just let him be and swim in his own misgivings. Meanwhile I can enjoy my Roland Fantom and all it means to me, besides my other synthesizers. I don’t want to own an original Jupiter-8 for the hassle it would entail. But I want the sound and the hardware form factor. I disagree with Espen Kraft and actually I don’t care what he said, him knowing it would trigger outrage. Maybe that’s what I found to be the greatest disappointment in this. His rant only divides unnecessarily imho. As if we needed it or as if the world turned into a better place. Wasted time, wasted emotions etc. Such a shame.

[@krazywabbit]

You’ve got a point. Ignore and play more. It’s hard being a human being and ignoring things that don’t matter.

[@adrianmuller4189]

Espen went from being arrogant until he realised he will never make it and now is just bitter. I do love the 80s and think he has good taste in music and good content. His own music is okisssh but the vocals are just bad. But have never liked his attitude and tone. He has worked for Roland. I agree 100%. Except the socialist comment.

[@scottmcauleysounds]

Very very well said! 👌👌

[@dirkeusterbrock2665]

I don’t agree with Espen‘s point of view in that video but his sound design is top notch. He makes outstanding patch banks.

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

@@shivermetreason7592 Hi Espen.

[@dankeplace]

@@shivermetreason7592 so Espen makes sounds for TV? Does he make the sound where you hear your TV turn on and off?

[@FreeThink1984]

Thank you for doing this. I downvoted him and moved on but boy was I mad lol

[@FakeGlasses]

Wall of noise of mediocrity is the name of my next album.

[@irradix213]

Did you work on the Pioneer AS-1? So many presets,I know you're a great designer bc I've listened to your sysex patches or sample packs, but the point I took away from Kraft was just reminding me that the Minitaur is the same garbage inside as the Alesis SR-18, how's smd trusted at all? more of a dislike of modern manufacturing processes, and I will go ask my friends that worked at Moog how wrong I am

[@INHALTVIDEO]

Yes I did. It was a really fun synth to work on.

[@irradix213]

@@INHALTVIDEO thank you, i love it

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

You’ve probably made plenty of valid points in this upload, INHALTVIDEO. It could be that Espen was clear out of line with that video of his. Yours is the second reaction that I’ve seen to it since it went up for my part, but it is more important than authenticity, and those flagship models coming out of the Sequential hierarchy are simply out of reach for me, a disabled citizen of the US who lives on a fixed income, has no credit cards and has had an especially difficult time marketing his skills as a musician. It could be that I’ve got two main synthesizers of my own, considering the statement I just wrote, but I do try using all of them as often as possible. If I were to get another one, I can’t say too frequently that I’m tempted by two of the budget models from that hierarchy, Take 5 and what I affectionately refer to as “Thomas Elroy Oberheim Five”. Copied below are links to three recordings that I made under my real name during the summer of 2024 and just went online on September 22. The synthesizers I played between the three cuts include an ASM Hydrasynth Explorer (which also acted as a MIDI controller for), an Oberheim Matrix 1000 module, a Roland MKS-70 module, a Roland VR-09 and a Korg clone of the ARP Odyssey, none of which is a flagship model. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6C8YYpropKLhsUsi=ikq8NFkVWjveSFP1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWW9gKtpjLR7n7ssi=xKNZ4VTQjUd-CAQa kzbin.info/www/bejne/fai7ZWWOprB3iLMsi=KDj5y3LYo_wB0dPo

[@INHALTVIDEO]

The point im trying to make is not even to contradict using what means you have to do the best. I’m specifically talking about his use of his platform to spread blatant misinformation and speak from a place of ignorance regarding certain instruments. We all do the best that we can. I’m constantly selling equipment to get new equipment to change the sound or to finance a tour … so on and so forth.

[@oriomenoni7651]

I think Espen makes nice vintage pop music, but he seems to suffer from mood swings, and that can sadly make him unpleasant at times. I actually agree with many (not all) the points that he made in that video... but he surely would have better word his opinions in a more respectful way. I have huge esteem for people like Tom Oberheim or the late Dave Smith, they do not deserve that bashing. Although I have to agree with Espen on the fact that there are many softsynths today that sound great and very close to the originals. But espen should have mentioned also the performance aspect: playing on a synth with knobs is far better than adjusting parameters with a mouse.

[@SavageAudits]

I don’t know bugger-all about this controversy but I do know that INHALT makes excellent music.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

🥂🥂❤️

[@Mellowmancz]

Rigor of US ??… 😂

[@pupkid8613]

👏

[@audioartisan]

I unsubscribed from Espens channel about a couple of years ago. I only ever liked when he shared old Electronic Musician magazines I used to have back in the day. Espen is good for Nostalgia, not advice lol.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

muzines.co.uk is your friend

[@nobuyoshikitano3305]

I do agree with your point that "engineering time costs money" and it stuns me how often this seems to be overlooked in pricing discussions. And some -mostly- hobbyists seem to believe that designing instruments should be a "labor of love" or a "service for the synth community" (but of course demand speed, quality and free 24/7 support). Well, if designing product x takes 10.000 hours (5 people 1 year) of highly specialized engineering work, that means that 1.000.000$ wages inevitably go into the unit price, and if it´s a niche product with projected sales of 2.000, that´s $500 per unit for the engineering alone. Surprising to some, people who design synths also have to pay rent and buy food. However, as a hobbyist with limited funds, I generally do appreciate the opinions of other hobbyists, as mosf of them have to work hard and save up to buy a synth. These people are usually more critical of a synth´s price performance ratio than someone who either gets stuff for (nearly) free or earns enough to not to care about price tags. I know, for example, that a 3rd Wave or a real Oberheim sounds great, but where the pro tells me "If you want THAT sound, you need THAT synth", a hobbyist might focus on whether it´s possible to achieve 95% of the sound at 25% of the price (and yes, that also includes buying clones by he-who-we-will-not-mention-here). ALL advice, come it from pros or hobbyists, has to be taken with a grain of salt anyway.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

Or just use your ears and decide for yourself. But yes, god forbid I pay my rent in service to the synth community lol

[@asleep909]

Seems Espen got to you. I understand why. The funniest part of the exercise is that I'm sure his 'hot take' was only really meant to stir up views and get the algorithm pumping for him. Guess what-my room full of synthesizers could give not one single solitary fcuk about Espen Kraft, and we in the US associate Kraft with boxed macaroni and cheese...and other processed cheese items. NOT music. Have a great day!

[@timhughes4698]

Well said

[@flyhi1ghkomp]

Perhaps he's eager to hit 100k subscribers? 🙄Davie504's approach is way more constructive and helpfully enjoyable to the community.

[@JohnH108]

Well I just unsubscribed

[@unseenjungle5386]

Well said! Espen could have done it better. i think i get his point because there is a bunch of GAS driven non musicians who pay into the market. However, these are also adults who can do whatever they want with their money... in regards of new synths and one of his complaints having only a VST in a box. i think it is simply the next logical thing and it gives us more options and flexibility for crafting and designing sounds. - it took me a while to learn, that the so called Synthtuber contributes nothing.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

I have a Roland Fantom EX. It drove the entire INHALT shows including playback, 2 keyboard stations (one with a usb controller plugged into the fantom) as well as midi drum pads … it sounded great, far better than a laptop, nailed the sound of my old Jupiter 8 I used on the INHALT records and was far more reliable and playable than a laptop. Why rag on something if it’s not right for you? It doesn’t make it any less amazing. Plenty of touring guys LOVE the fantom. I can go on and on about the incredible keyboard zoning functions on it and how seamlessly they integrate midi gear with the fantom sound engine. Truly brilliant engineering …

[@alanmarcero]

i’m out of the loop on this, but just say “no” to youtube drama. it helps no one.

[@FreeThink1984]

Hater

[@mattkevin]

Are we going to get the first ever synthtuber diss track video? You know like Jake Paul vs Ricegum but it's INHALTVIDEO vs Espen Kraft?

[@dankeplace]

There is no vs, It's just Inhalt period.

[@jason.martin]

Really good post here and bang on with the socialized country where he is at, I agree he is clueless about the cost to make these synths. Also he has no evidence of those that have many HW synths don't make music.

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

What’s the state of the current forecast for the prophet x?

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

A butt-hurt Espen.

[@audiolego]

Oh oh, Espen and I had a fall out because he became a primadona, a know it all. That KZbin got his head big. He's basically a snooty dude

[@INHALTVIDEO]

If you’re gonna be snooty in music at least have a discography.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@shivermetreason7592 correct me if im wrong but … www.discogs.com/artist/6120525-Espen-Kraft

[@INHALTVIDEO]

@@shivermetreason7592 similarly www.discogs.com/artist/2595622-Matia-Simovich

[@sugarlessrobots]

@@shivermetreason7592 lol wut

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

@@shivermetreason7592 Hi Espen.

[@zerorossing207]

I love my Prophet 6, but when I opened it up, there was a kazoo and a card that said, "sucker!" Did you write that? Was I scammed? Do you have any extra preset packs to sell me?

[@INHALTVIDEO]

You’re welcome. That card will be worth a lot in 5 years

[@DrJ3RK8]

I saw the thumbnail of that video, and chose not to watch it. You've confirmed my guess as to why I didn't want to click on it. I even enjoyed some of his past videos, but I could just tell it wasn't going to be a nice experience to watch it. Anyway, love the work you do! As a synth designer myself, (small quantity hand designed/built) it's nice to hear someone discuss why things cost what they do, the work involved, the passion for it, etc. I agree that there is a lot of misinformation and skewed opinions that have zero knowledge of what it takes to build these instruments.

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

Those TANNOY DMT's in the background look like they have no ports ? wtf ?

[@INHALTVIDEO]

They are in a custom enclosure that extends bass the port is at the bottom near the floor.

[@IamSYNTHPUNK]

You are my hero ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤but your sound libraries really suck

[@dankeplace]

Nice gaslighting troll.

[@didadere7212]

Did he program Sequential patches?? The first thing to be erased when you play those iconic synths.

[@dankeplace]

@@didadere7212 He was commissioned not only but Sequential, but many other companies, compared to the work you've never done, or Espen, I mean that's quite the achievement both of you have.

[@dankeplace]

@@didadere7212 fwiw, the troll you're replying to bought a Cobalt8X and made a video saying how it was the best Wavetable synth around, when he was embarrassingly corrected by everyone on that vid that it was a VA synth, he changed his tune and said it could sound Wavetable, then deleted the video, then sent back the synth. That's how much he knows about synthesizers in general, bit like you.

[@dankeplace]

You should tell Inhalt how you made that video accusing him of faking the 3rd Wave vs PPG for Groove Synthesis. Remember that John?

[@saifeek]

👌🏻

[@Nunchuckstraberry]

Thank you for making this. I got into an argument with him about how he doesn’t understand that the rev 4 and x8 are in fact analog and require digital control to create an authentic experience. (Vintage knob and envelopes)The last video he did was hilarious because he got the prices wrong on every synth he criticized and made the claim the behringer used through hole manufacturing. He’s either a troll or an idiot hobbyist KZbinr who cosplays as an electrical engineer.

[@philippezsiga1125]

Many times i told to this guy ( Espen) that HE DOESN T KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT and he contributes to spread wrong informations about synthesizer….

[@OriginOfSmallPoxisEgypt]

I dont know, I feel like what alot of what Essen said is true. But I like hardware, and I like hearing about new products and I like getging excited about the possibilities of new products even though sometimes they can be derivative. But I do know he really wanted to like that Prophet X. He sold alot of his rare and vintage gear to sample and to afford the X. So I maybe a bit sour too considering the bugs and problems you hear about them.

[@dasczwo]

wellwell. nice synths. nice glasses. why the glasses?

[@_fig.8]

i wanna make a record with this guy

[@IamSYNTHPUNK]

You filmed in portrait mode? You are a hack❤

[@dankeplace]

Nothing you do is of any consequence, you should stick to your, oh you lost it all so why not just sit here on YT and complain?

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

stick to making coffee jingles.

[@dankeplace]

@@kierenmoore3236 that's why John uploaded his last 2 vids in this mode right?

[@dankeplace]

that's why your last 2 vids are in this mode right?

[@mitchelstephen7536]

LOL, I told him I thought he was trolling the same day he said this...And he answered me..... "No I never troll", and then he proceeded to troll everyone again. I think he might be going through a midlife crisis or something. I mean he actually thinks his voice sounds good and...I don't want to hurt his feelings.

[@klinkske]

I think Espen watched the video from Jeffrey Petro on overpriced synths and wanted to top it :)

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks for the ultimate flattery. The echo chamber is alive and well.

[@INHALTVIDEO]

We’re not in a chamber. You and me are in separate galaxies.

[@meskisable]

@@INHALTVIDEO Yes, you are :)

[@dankeplace]

The echo chamber is something you created for your channel and followers. Not many outside your very little world agree with you.

[@LousyFacelift]

I'd like to thank both of you for your honest opinions! Agreeing with a lot of what both of you said, I felt ripped off by manufacturers just like I very much enjoyed and fully appreciated most of the hardware gear I own. The truth, the way I see it, is somewhere right in between what both of you say...

[@dankeplace]

@@didadere7212 So in other words, you're trying to insult Inhalt (rhymes nicely right?) who has done a ton of commercial work for different companies, created patch banks for different companies and yes is on the payroll for some, but you're dismissing his work, working with the real companies over someone like Espen who likes to troll once in a while. I don't think you really understand who Inhalt is, but that's just you lacking some credibility me thinks.

[@LarryK-wy2jc]

HAHAHA! Someone finally said it! Espin Kraft just exudes arrogance. He's always come off as a bit of an entitled trust fund baby. I cannot stand the "Synthfluencer" scene, and he's one of the worst.

[@ZenModLabs]

there is a sayin' in Serbian - "Lako je tudjim qrcem gloginje mlatiti" .......... 🤣

[@IIIElijah]

Electric wire cloth weave or silicon chips? Both.

[@songar06]

I couldn’t agree more.

[@IIIElijah]

Espen is a nice guy tired of societies profitability construct.

[@hampsonpaul3531]

I agree .It is a that simple .

[@Danny-pq3wv]

Glad someone said something to Mr. "I am the 80's" sponsered by ... insert here --sell out, sell out. This guy used to be enjoyable to watch until he got paid to raise the prices of certain gear by showcasing it. Got tired of his lies about gear. We as musicians dictate what we buy and what things are worth to us, dont let kraft dictate your decisions. Inhalt, thanks for the awesome patches, night and day difference between yours and krafts. You can tell a lot of time has been put into yours. Well done.

[@dankeplace]

He out right lied about the prices almost doubling them on the 3rd Wave, he says 7K, 3rd Wave can be bought for 3.5K. Keybed is 5K but he is still 2K off, I mean when you lie to your audience, that's the red flag right there.

[@ColdGrayMorning]

But the new no more analog - it's all to known

[@Station2Station-du2gh]

100%

[@jlrcuesta]

Synth enthusiast here. I have had and played multiple top tier analog and digital synths. Unfortunately for our pockets, the quality of the sound and the joy and connection with the instruments is directly proportional to its price. There is no escape to this rule. As I dont want to have too many synths 😂 only two at a time, I am planning to buy the Moog Muse soon, because the sound resonates with me very deeply. I have a subseq 37 and I had a Matriarch and I love the sound of these two immensely. I considered very closely the prophet 10 and obx8. I played both last year, and they sound absolutely incredible. I liked the p10 more, but that's a personal preference. Both were equally good. Anyway. Very good video. Strange times that mediocrity is heard more than expertise.

[@MykiVonFerro]

Espen really screwed the pooch on this one. Also, awesome to see you in a vid. Love your sound design work across the brands and your sound vids on their own have taught me a lot about the instruments I’ve invested in and their sonic capabilities.

[@SBlighmon]

I don’t know either of you, but you seem like a decent guy and your music is great. Espen’s music is wack and I get serious douche vibes from him.

[@sunilsolanki]

Preach my brother. Shame on you Espen.

[@sandkipper1]

I'm more inclined to think that the people making cutting edge effects pedals are demonstrating more creativity and imagination than most analogue synth makers. The latter are essentially just providing oscillators, filters and envelopes in different shaped boxes. No wonder so many synth users add effects pedals to take their synths to the next level.

[@AynsleyGreen]

Well said. Empty vessels make the most noise

[@PhilipKayandtheDix]

Espen makes elevator music.

[@acidjack]

You are so rigth. A k is a hobbit. No talent just follower and nothing more.

[@allehooop]

I think Espen is now like the people who quit smoking and suddenly shits all over the smokers. He was the 80’s and now is the 20’s, i think he is just suffering from the jet lag 😅 He needs his time… I didn’t watch the video you are referring but i think it’s nice to make things clear if you feel it. Respect it’s important.

[@Trottelheimer]

!