> Everywhere we take the ATC, peoples' jaws
> get in the way of our precious stage-space...
> they are amazed, baffled, dumbfounded... as they
> scream "what's that amazing, powerful sound?!!"
>
> As with the Waldorf... <snip>

This is interesting... because we usually have to compare the SE
products to pathetic digital imitations... i.e., "virtual analog",
a.k.a. "analog modeling"... which is still a joke, even in 2002 (soon
to be 2003). And even since the first that I heard (the original Nord
Lead) digital emulation has NOT improved... at least not in regards
of making the emulation sound more analog like. Listen to the Pro-
5/52 for example... yeah, you can import/export real P5 patches, but
they sound nothing alike, and they did a ton of research and
modeling. Even the closest sounds lack even the slightest amount of
richness that the real Prophet 5 had (and the Prophet wasn't exactly
the FATTEST analog synth, but it did at least have a richness to it).

The thing about the Pulse is that it's one of the only real analog
synths available today (besides what SE has to offer). The Andromeda
is another... and a few select others as well (most of which as
cheap, at least in their construction and design, except for the SE
products).

Since the mid 80's... when analog was being replaced by digital
synths, no one has focused on quality in analog synths, except SE (at
least that I am aware of). The few real analog units that have made
it to the sales floor since 1990 (or even much earlier) have been
cheap toy-like synths, with tons of cost-cutting parts to get the
prices closer to their digital competitors.

I like the Waldorf Pulse... but only because we have almost nothing
of any real quality to compare it to now-days (except the SE stuff).
But if the Pulse were released in 1980 it would have been a JOKE!
Serious synthesis musicians and sound-designers would have laughed at
it... comparing it to a toy Casio of the day.

To me the Pulse reminds me of the Novation BassStation. Both are real
analog, produced in a day of digital (when their is almost no one
left who cares about the quality of analog). As for the BassStation,
it was released before "virtual analog" was widely available... and
so it was designed to impress those who miss "knobs" on their
synths... and not to impress those who have analog synths to compare
it against.

I have to refer to the latest Sweetwater catalog to point this out...
If you take a look at the Andromeda, the Sweetwater quote in big bold
letters is this... "May cause hand twitching in knob jockies". It
does not take any serious steps to point out that it is real analog.
Now, check the rest of the pages and you will find AT LEAST 3 more
synths that say they are "analog"... what-a-load-of-crap! None of the
synths that say "Analog" in bold lettering are real analog... and
they don't even specify that they are "modeled" and/or "digital".
i.e., the sales priorities of synthesis these days is showing us how
little users care about sound, and how much more they care about a
good sales pitch and some cool knobs to have some fun with.

I think the Pulse works well for Techno/Electronica (which I'm not
personally into, but that's just me). I use analog synths for R&B and
HipHop... plus when it comes to analog synthesis, my ears tend to
think of the great Jazz Fusion synth players of the 70's (ala Chick
Corea, Herbie Handcock, and Jan Hammer). I am a R&B producer, and an
avid jazz listener (jazz is my favorite music, but it doesn't make
the BIG BUCKS ;)

Kind Regards,
Dan Duskin (of DC LABS Productions)
http://www.studio201.com/dclabs/