Where do I start? Well, first thing to do is download the Synthtribe app and update the firmware as this thing sounds like complete **** out of the box. But after the update - wow! It sounds like a synth is supposed to sound! Snappy envelopes and squelchy filter! And other stuff, probably! Seriously, who signed Firmware v1.0 off?
Within the first hour I made the mistake of A/B'ing the chunky 'Unison Track' (i.e. monosynth) sound against a Behringer Model D - and the Model D blows this thing out of the water in terms of raw character, flexibility of tones, ability to get extremely odd sci-fi noises, warmth, did I already say character? The lot. Oh well, at least the Pro-800 can do more than one note at a time.
Second mistake was A/B'ing it against a Roland Alpha Juno 2, which again blows it out of the water for warm character, range of sounds and sheer versatility (albeit with an iPad as an editor). Oh well, at least the Pro-800 can... at least it has... oh, the filter can self-oscillate! Yay! Which no one outside of c.1988 Acid House has ever had any use for.
So, why am I about to buy a second unit? Eh, its kinda growing on me and I'm interested to see how two of them sound hard-panned left-to-right. As it is, it's super easy to get a (ok, decent) range of squelchy sounds very quickly, and the more time you put in to the on-the-face-of-it simple controls the more the unique sounds this thing can do reveal themselves.
The manual tells you how to plug it into the mains, how to switch it on, advises you to not get it wet, and then wishes you good luck because you're on your own trying to work out what the Polymod section does - which is unfortunate because this is where some of the more interesting stuff can happen. I still don't know exactly what's going on with 'source amount' and 'sync' and mucking about with the respective octave ranges of the two oscillators, but I'm getting some good results twiddling those knobs in particular.
To sum up - if you want an analogue synth full of character then get a Model D, a K2, hell even a Monotribe. They all sound better! If you already have one of those and want a decent polysynth to back them up, just get literally any old ROMpler off eBay, they'll sound better! If you're going to ignore all the advice and buy one of these anyway then for Bowie's sake update the firmware first! Oh, and somehow figure out how to reduce the 'velocity' settings (deep with the menu) for the Amp and Filter to 50% so you can get some dynamics from the keyboard. Otherwise the velocity sensitivity is at a flat 100% on every note.
Ok, I'm off to order another one.
