which rack synth would approach sherman filter bank as a external filter ?

[kribee]

Hi all! After years of fun with FLstudio, I have decided to start from scratch. I have some free time and a little money, so i want to take it seriously a bit.

I bought a macbook pro, so I cannot go back to FLstudio (I know I can bootcamp, but don't tell me...), a pair of rockit and a yamaha sub., my mpc, maybe a fireface 400, some old guitar fx. I use logic xpress + ableton live 7.
I would like to get a synth, even a fairly basic one. Main point : the sound, and the filters as I would like to experiment with my mpc drums and whatever I will put in the synth.

I am not a synth master, by far, and I'd like a good and direct hand control surface on it, which eliminates Blofeld, access virus snow and the likes.

I did not really follow what happened recently on the synth front, so I am a little lost... I have notices some esoteric brands like Cwejman, Sonic Sore, Mfb, Spectral Audio and so on...
I know the best would be to go in a shop where I could compare them, but there's no such thing
in my little country...

My music is mainly minimal dubby house and abstract hip-hop.

Thank you in advance for your tips/advices.
chris

[Bhang]

NONE ! The Sherman was designed to do things no other filter could do. And it does a lot of things that nothing else will do. All the various distortion and harmonic options as well as the wealth of control options. Nothing comes close, it is a unique animal. I also don't know of any other filter that you have to learn. The Sherman is incredible, but that doesn't mean it always does cool stuff. I have spend days getting garbage and other times minutes for really cool processing. There is no Sherman substitute.

[d1rtynyc]

What about a Virus TI? It won't be a Sherman equal, but it gives a MASSIVE sound bank with great filters that you can route thru. Plus the GUI interface will be a great plus using logic.
I am getting a Snow this month & I can't wait.

[kribee]

yeah I'd love to catch that beast, altough I think it's expensive. Also, I am afraid to blow my new speakers...

[kribee]

...talkin' about the Sherman, of course. Even if the Access stuff is not especially cheaper either...

[Bhang]

For Filterbank sound, must have filterbank, however if you are just looking for a synth that has flexible filters/routing + inputs, then +1 on the Virus. You don't need and TI (and probably don't want one if you are pretty new to synths or just happen to be flowing in $$). Actually even the older virus' can be a bit intimidating if you don't know synthesizers, but more flexibility in a synth? I don't know of one.

Check this out - on the Virus ( B at least) in multi mode you can use internal aux sends to jump from one part to another so you can, for instance, jump in a stereo sound and route it through aux 1& 2 and 3 & 4 ( each one an entire synth ) basically giving you 3 X's the effects and filters ( your first synth, your aux 1&2, and aux 3&4) + you can send them all out of the virus on their own outputs ! Sweet !! you can use mono configuration too.

[Tibbon]

If you want a Sherman, why not get one?...

[Reptil]

jeh Sherman filterbank is cool. don't like the interface, but that's about the only thing.
for alternatives, buy a 3u or 6u eurorack with psu and connectors and build a modular.
most flexible, and you can grow, or sell it off piece by piece. don't buy a switching PSU. they work but after a few years start to buzz.
I think there's rack ears for the sherman too.

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by Bhang

NONE ! The Sherman was designed to do things no other filter could do. And it does a lot of things that nothing else will do. All the various distortion and harmonic options as well as the wealth of control options. Nothing comes close, it is a unique animal.

You can cover everything with a modular system, which is why I'm always raving about them here. Of course it would be more expensive than a Sherman, but more flexible and creative (different filter types for example). And if you started your modular set-up purely as an audio mangler, it wouldn't be that expensive.

[kribee]

Thanks for your good advices! I have just ordered
the Sherman II!! I really want to explore some gritty soundz!

The modular way seems marvelous, but I am afraid it would make me start chasing new modules, and I don't think that would be very productive...

Have a nice day !!

[Beermaster]

I have to give a word of caution to anyone thinking of using a Sherman Filterbank in a conventional 'filter' type way (- EG as part of a signal chain in a modular patch or as a post filter on the end of a normal synth triggered with EGs etc ) as the Sherman acts more as a distortion/overdrive/lo-fi type effect and less like your typical 24dB filter or multimode. This maybe exactly what you're looking for to add to your normal filter but its not going to be a first and only filter of choice for many applications.

( I had Quad-filter-bank number 3 for a number of years before selling it - great machine but not really me )

[kodomo]

well it is hard to believe
but if possible go check
metasonix s-1000 wretch machine
it is the vacuum tube synth
I thought it was a gimmick
but it is such a wild wild synth
I am a sucker for screaming gritty synth sounds so I am a sucker for filters, I sit and listen to my Korg ms10 for hours
this synth is even grittier than that
sherman as a unit has a lot to offer
but like I said this wretch is something to hear if you love screaming synth sounds...

[lhm1138]

Ah yea, Sherman FBII. Not much like it, unless you get a bunch of expensive modules. The Schippman Ebbe & Flut looks similar in scope, but way more expensive.

Don't get discouraged if you can't get what you want out of it at first. You'll think, oh, it's all knobs and switches, piece of cake! Wrong. It takes awhile learning what tracking settings work for which types of sounds, which cable routings will yield wanted results, etc. It can do so much though, from standard filtering to phaser effects.

[Bhang]

Originally Posted by lhm1138

Don't get discouraged if you can't get what you want out of it at first. You'll think, oh, it's all knobs and switches, piece of cake! Wrong. It takes awhile learning what tracking settings work for which types of sounds, which cable routings will yield wanted results, etc. It can do so much though, from standard filtering to phaser effects.

Yes indeed you do. This thing can do some unreal mangling, but I have spent days with it getting nothing useful at all. It even says in the literature that this is the case. Once you get some serious craziness out of it though, you won't regret buying it.