what are the issues with the minimax?

Discuss the Creamware ASB and Klangbox hardware boxes

Moderators: valis, garyb

Post Reply
User avatar
the19thbear
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by the19thbear »

so..
i have put my moog voyager up for sale and want a substitute (+ a new computer)
..at first i wasnt impressed... then i kind of liked it, and then i decided that its a fine synth.. but really doesnt sound analog--- even though it is! - maybe im just weird:)
-
so im thinking of getting a second hand minimax asb instead..
i actually have the plugin, but really like knobs!:)
-i remember reading somewhere that the minimax had some problems.. something about not being able to fine tune the osc's without hearing stepping, and something about the envelopes..
is that still a problem with the "newest" update?
any other problems?

I really want a synth that has no audible stepping pots..


i dont remember: are the bugs mentioned above, fixed in the software version (the minimax for scope)? then i might just buy an extra bcr2000 instead..
thanks alot!:)
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by garyb »

afaik, the stepping was cured in an os revision almost immediately.
User avatar
next to nothing
Posts: 2521
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Bergen, Norway

Re: what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by next to nothing »

you probably saw this before but i'll post it anyway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0-SrpzCis
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
User avatar
the19thbear
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by the19thbear »

ok. so i finally got one!
I have only tested it for 10 min. And i have a question:
Is it normal that the conttrols lag? there is a noticable (not much though) latency when i turn the cutoff knob, till the sound reacts to it. is that normal?
Im on firmware 1.7 something... i'll be upgrading to 2.0 as soon as SC email me the code.

Thanks!
User avatar
the19thbear
Posts: 1403
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by the19thbear »

Played around with it today for about an hour - all i can say is WOW!
It doesnt have the same grittyness and uglyness as my jupiter 4 and my modular... there is something more raw about them... and the sound is somehow more "high resolution"... hard to explain - but still: WOW!
It can really make some amazing punchy basslines, and some really nice pads in polymode as well!
I already have the minimax for my scope card, but its amazing how much REAL KNOBS mean to me. Sound is really one thing, another thing is to feel like a musical "oneness" with whatever you play - and you certainly get that from the minimax asb because of instant tweakability!

-I like it just as much as the moog voyager i had - they both lack the the same grittyness that comes to mind when i think of early analog synths, but the minimax is ALOT cheaper and has 12 note poly ( the voyager has some extra modulation possibilities though).
So im basically really happy.
I got the new key from SC and an email:

Be aware that wrong update can cause the lost of sound
until an update is successful. Better use PC for doing update.


The key is only needed for updates of the DSP software with the editor.

ftp://sonic-core.net/software/ASB_Boxes ... S_2_00.ldr


If the Feedback LED is working on feedback, than you have already the latest software.
The version displayed in "Prefs" is the hardware revision.

Manual: ftp://sonic-core.net/manuals/Minimax_ASB/


Regards,
Ralf


I havent applied the firmware upgrade yet - - but i already have an LED that works... but i can hear stepping when i glide between notes... not alot but its definetly there. Smooth glide seems so essential to a minimoog, so is it really true that it hasnt been fixed?
Any experiences, anyone?

thanks
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: what are the issues with the minimax?

Post by garyb »

i'd try the update.

btw- the card can easily have real knobs too. it only needs to be set up once...
Post Reply