Post by JohnG on Nov 24, 2007 11:50:37 GMT
Now for those of you looking for a lightweight, inexpensive, truly decent sounding set up, I'll give my opinion.
A laptop that will run the 'show' program of your choice, be it Cakewalk, or whatever.
The Ketron SD2 Orchestral Wizard sound module.
A USB to MIDI cable interface. There are tons of them on the market.
Here is the manual for the Ketron SD2. It's pretty sketchy but the Italians are not known for decent manual writing....at least not for THIS product.
www.ketronus.com/Manuals/SD2.pdf
At least this manual will give you an idea of the patches available in the different banks and what system exclusive messages you can send to the unit through a MIDI file.
According to the brochure there are 1000 percussion sounds available including electronic drums and drum loops for the live Drums feature of this unit are downloadable from Ketron's website.
Demos of the SD2 can be found at: www.ketronus.com/demos.html.
Cat's Review:
The unit has stereo RCA audio outs. I have used a simple RCA to 1/4 phono plug adapter for Right and Left outs and have plugged it directly into a stereo channel strip on my Mackie 808-S mixer/amp. I have had no problems with this. Set up is quick and easy and using it is a snap.
It has MIDI In and MIDI Thru. There is no MIDI Out as it does not need it, as it is not a keyboard.
It uses a wall-wart type of power supply.
It has an on/off switch and a volume slider and that's it. Easy Peezy!!
Fact is, more than 99% of the owners of this module have been happier than hell to have it and most users use them on stage.
I have recommended the unit to several people, and the ones who have taken the leap and bought one have thanked me up and down for turning them onto the unit.
It has sampled sounds that are quite good, although on a few of them I consider the vibrato to be excessive, meaning too much depth rate, but that is a matter of personal taste.
Some of the sampled sounds could have been key mapped and velocity mapped with more sensitivity but, for the cost of this thing and the sounds themselves, I don't think you can go wrong.
The average punter and even most skilled musicians are going to love the sound of this thing.
Paul and I did a 'poll' on the this forum comparing MP3 files made with Reason samples and the SD2, and quite surprisingly to both of us, the preferred sounds were from the SD2 !
The longer I own this thing, the more I like it.
Keep in mind though that MIDI files that were sequenced and mixed for Yamaha or Roland sound modules will need to be repatched and remixed for this unit, but that is true of ALL sound modules!
The outcome of a MIDIfile's sound solely lies in the skill of the sequencer, or 'tweaker' of ready made MIDI files.
--------------------------------------------------------------
JazzCat I hope you don't mind me moving this here?
It's an excellent review IMO.
JohnG
A laptop that will run the 'show' program of your choice, be it Cakewalk, or whatever.
The Ketron SD2 Orchestral Wizard sound module.
A USB to MIDI cable interface. There are tons of them on the market.
Here is the manual for the Ketron SD2. It's pretty sketchy but the Italians are not known for decent manual writing....at least not for THIS product.
www.ketronus.com/Manuals/SD2.pdf
At least this manual will give you an idea of the patches available in the different banks and what system exclusive messages you can send to the unit through a MIDI file.
According to the brochure there are 1000 percussion sounds available including electronic drums and drum loops for the live Drums feature of this unit are downloadable from Ketron's website.
Demos of the SD2 can be found at: www.ketronus.com/demos.html.
Cat's Review:
The unit has stereo RCA audio outs. I have used a simple RCA to 1/4 phono plug adapter for Right and Left outs and have plugged it directly into a stereo channel strip on my Mackie 808-S mixer/amp. I have had no problems with this. Set up is quick and easy and using it is a snap.
It has MIDI In and MIDI Thru. There is no MIDI Out as it does not need it, as it is not a keyboard.
It uses a wall-wart type of power supply.
It has an on/off switch and a volume slider and that's it. Easy Peezy!!
Fact is, more than 99% of the owners of this module have been happier than hell to have it and most users use them on stage.
I have recommended the unit to several people, and the ones who have taken the leap and bought one have thanked me up and down for turning them onto the unit.
It has sampled sounds that are quite good, although on a few of them I consider the vibrato to be excessive, meaning too much depth rate, but that is a matter of personal taste.
Some of the sampled sounds could have been key mapped and velocity mapped with more sensitivity but, for the cost of this thing and the sounds themselves, I don't think you can go wrong.
The average punter and even most skilled musicians are going to love the sound of this thing.
Paul and I did a 'poll' on the this forum comparing MP3 files made with Reason samples and the SD2, and quite surprisingly to both of us, the preferred sounds were from the SD2 !
The longer I own this thing, the more I like it.
Keep in mind though that MIDI files that were sequenced and mixed for Yamaha or Roland sound modules will need to be repatched and remixed for this unit, but that is true of ALL sound modules!
The outcome of a MIDIfile's sound solely lies in the skill of the sequencer, or 'tweaker' of ready made MIDI files.
--------------------------------------------------------------
JazzCat I hope you don't mind me moving this here?
It's an excellent review IMO.
JohnG
