I retire in a few months’ time, and some of my lump sum is going on one of these. Not before time- I first lusted after the Synthi A in 1973, so it’s taken fifty years for the dream to come true.
Hey, I love your videos...I've been noticing that most people on their SYNTRX II videos while using MIDI, have had to tune the oscillators way low just to get a midrange sound...I had that problem until I read that you can offset the SYNTRX to your controller...the way to do it is to get into the Globals by hitting the shift and the < patch buttons at the same time to put you in the Global menu, and use the left encoder to scroll down to the one that says M-NO (MIDI note offset), and use the right encoder to go to 36, or 24, or 12 depending on the offset needed....I needed 36 for all my MIDI stuff, it sets just about perfect now!
Great review of the Syntrx II. As an owner of this synth, it's great to see someone show both the tradition and experimental side of it. Love your panning reverb trick. Cheers. :)
Thank you for this video. It's really nice to see a video where someone uses one of these Erica synths in demo tracks that sound like actual music and not just crazy experimental noise.
Glad you enjoyed it! I try to make my demos as musical as possible. I've got a couple other really unique boutique synths I am working on demos for so stay tuned!
Hey Miles - Really neat unit for EMS lovers. I really want to press the LEDs rather than use the X-Y knobs. I sorta think this was amissed opportunity. Anyway, waiting for Mr B's version so we'll see how they compare 😊
Thanks for watching Ian! Glad you enjoyed the history too :) i think what sets SYNTRX 2 apart is that it’s not just a clone, they really do add a lot of cool new things. But the soul of the synthi is for sure there!
That would be super fun Ian, but I can imagine that would be technically difficult to cram in a bunch of tight knit actuators underneath those lights. Might also be prone to failure. DOn't get me wrong, still a super fun idea! Cheers.
@@swanofnutella4734 There's always a way 😊 I sorta think it would be easier to use the original patch pins than the X-Y controls. Guess you get used to it 😄
@@MilesAwayOfficial The wanted effect was all successfull lol !!! For me the matriux appraoch is the best implementation for routing and modulation imho ./...
Looking forward to this! Just bought your P6 patches. Curious to hear a musical demo that won't be just blips and horror movie soundscapes, like most of the Syntrx demos have tended to be! :)
Thank you so much! And fair, but Boutique synths are always more expensive than Korg, Behringer, Roland etc . For what you get Syntrx is a great deal, building this in eurorack would cost much more!
This is going to be cool to see. So far I find this SYNTRX II marginally better than the original but still not musical. It's aggressive and experimental. If that's your thing - batter up!!
I'm excited for you to see! The last 2 demo songs in the video are extremely melodic and pretty, as I wanted to showcase SYNTRX is not just for aggressive/experimental sounds (though its great at those too)
@MilesAwayOfficial How many tracks of Syntrx were in the first Jam? Sounds amazing! I was just about to purchase a sequential pro 3 till i heard this beast!
Late reply! But it was quite a few tracks. At least 8 main tracks + a bunch of random little one shot samples I recorded from the Syntrx to act as fills. Which synth did you end up getting?
czcams.com/video/fKIjz7syjCM/video.htmlsi=JvIW3sbyPybZJBwp either a virus ti @$1200 or pro 3 @ $1100 havnt decided one of my tracks above was serum n reason and didgeridoo
great review! Heavy midtemp tempo demo is great but bass has very weak attack... is it fixable? and your synth collection on the background is awesome! prophet and 2 obie's! do you have moog?
Thanks for watching! Tons more synth videos coming. Yep, I have a Sub 37, did a video on it last year, it’s one of my all time faves. Used to have a voyager and matriarch but sold them both and kept the 37. As for the attack, it’s definitely not the snappiest envelopes but I don’t mind, I never ran into an issue
Beside the fact that the oscillators and filter do not have a lot or carachter, I just wonder how many years a led matrix like that will last. Certainly not decades.
It can do both! Syntrx is best for experimental sounds though. Check out my video on PERKONS, their drum synth. That might be exactly what you are looking for
Tough choice! For me personally I prefer more modules over speakers and real spring reverb (I’ve got my 2600M for that), so I’d go for Syntrx 2, but the original Syntrx is wonderful too!
@@MilesAwayOfficial Yeah, the speakers are not necessary - they just look cool (like the big knobs on the oscillators) - and as much as I love the sound of the spring reverb on this, it's super sensitive (starts feeding back if you don't get the levels just right), which can be cool as a special effect here or there, it otherwise can be a pain in the ass.
I'm probably not the person to ask sorry, I just use one of my synths as a midi controller! I hear good things about Arturia Keystep/Keystep pro though
Any chance you could give any insight on the ambient outro patch? It really really makes me wanna get this thing, but If it’s partially replicable that might save me 2g. Or is it mostly FX based?
Glad you enjoyed it! Honestly that outro jam a lot of the vibe comes from running the entire mix bus through the Gen Loss V2 (or honestly any tape plugin, I like Arturia MelloFi the most). The syntrx is absolutely making the vibe of that main patch, but its pretty simple, just filtered saw waves and noise!
No sir! I will never sell my Prologue! It’s sitting in a box just temporarily since I’ve had so much new stuff making videos on recently, but once that slows down it’s going back on the rack! Prologue is a forever classic
There's nothing wrong with VSTs at all, my entire 2019 EP is almost all softsynths Diva and Serum. But nothing matches the feeling of hardware, and there are certain sounds that just sound so different, like really fast modulation, distortion, feedback, detuned oscs, etc :)
Yep exactly! Budget wise you are best going for software or stringing together a couple Behringer Neutrons (but then that's not as feature packed or characterful as this), the Syntrx is a really cool middle ground between a full eurorack system ($$$) and a re-issue of an AKS Synthi. Really unique item! I will never sell my Syntrx 2
It's a fully modular signal path, and the only real difference between this and say, a non-Eurorack modular "System" like those from Buchla, Bugbrand, ELBY, etc, is the connection-format (pins instead of cables). *DEFINITELY* qualifies as a modular system in that sense - "modular" doesn't only mean rackmounted & singular units.
My definition of modular is that you can take pieces out and replace it for another piece of your choice. But let’s not go into a whole debate about it :) It has a modular structure, I agree.
@@Asyouwere Agreed, the Erica Synths SYNTRX II should at best be referred to as a semi-modular synth, not a modular synth? As far as semi-modular synths go, the SYNTRX II has limitations that probably disqualify it from being called semi-modular since each section/circuit doesn't have externally patchable I/O?
@@MilesAwayOfficial they had the dada modular system, it's like radio for the ethereal, you just make a patch and your transported in to the land of odd. Its on my list for sure.
Just looked it up and those on the other side of the pond pronounce “trapezoid” the same way we do here, albeit with a different accent. FYI, they pronounce “aluminum” differently because they spell it correctly: aluminium. The spelling aluminium makes more sense when you locate it on the periodic table and see that other elements end with -ium, not -um.
None of my content is sponsored unless I note that it is. Like most synth channels, I use a review unit sent over , but I never get told what to say or talk about. I make my income off of my Miles Away artist project (if you want to check my music out), the synth review stuff is a side hobby.
Most of my early songs were made on only VSTs, so yes you don't "need" hardware. But for someone looking for a complete boutique modular system, the price on this is reasonable and it sounds incredible
I retire in a few months’ time, and some of my lump sum is going on one of these. Not before time- I first lusted after the Synthi A in 1973, so it’s taken fifty years for the dream to come true.
Congratulations! I am excited for you to get your Syntrx 2! I hope you enjoy and learned something from my video 😊
enjoy
You deserve this hope you got one
"Heavy Midtempo Techno" .. back in the late 80's we called that "Industrial music". Loved it!
Yes! Industrial. So awesome. Grew up on NIN, and now Mick Gordon is my hero. Love the genre.
Miles Away has gone full Gesaffelstein and I am 100% here for it!
One of the greatest electronic artists of our time, huge praise thank you!
Hey, I love your videos...I've been noticing that most people on their SYNTRX II videos while using MIDI, have had to tune the oscillators way low just to get a midrange sound...I had that problem until I read that you can offset the SYNTRX to your controller...the way to do it is to get into the Globals by hitting the shift and the < patch buttons at the same time to put you in the Global menu, and use the left encoder to scroll down to the one that says M-NO (MIDI note offset), and use the right encoder to go to 36, or 24, or 12 depending on the offset needed....I needed 36 for all my MIDI stuff, it sets just about perfect now!
Is that why my beatstep always sounds so high even when the oscillators are turned very low?
Late reply but that is a fantastic tip, thank you so much!
Great review of the Syntrx II. As an owner of this synth, it's great to see someone show both the tradition and experimental side of it. Love your panning reverb trick. Cheers. :)
Thanks so much for watching! Yea the reverb panning trick is great eh, really interesting stereo image
Moog is in trouble with this monster..I love versatile gear and this baby GROWLS..thank you
Thank you for watching! I agree, it’s definitely the most versatile monosynth I own
Duuuuuude! So good. You coaxed the gems from Syntrx II.
Wow, thanks! Really appreciate the kind words :)
Really appreciate your videos, presentation style and generosity showing off the gear!
Thank you so much! Tons of new synth videos soon :)
First jam was superb
Thank you so much!!
Thank you for this video. It's really nice to see a video where someone uses one of these Erica synths in demo tracks that sound like actual music and not just crazy experimental noise.
Glad you enjoyed it! I try to make my demos as musical as possible. I've got a couple other really unique boutique synths I am working on demos for so stay tuned!
That Midtempo Techno thing MUST be released NOW!!!!!! Soo insane 🤯
I might release it on a side project! I’ll announce it here if I do!
Bro you’re a BEAST!! 🔉🔥
Thanks man! Love your content!! 🔥🔥
Really, really dope tracks on this. Legit compositions and sound design. Great demo vid overall!
Thank you so much for watching! More synth videos soon 😊
Marodichuvdu junction
മാരോട്ടിചുവട് ജംഗ്ഷൻ
best use I've seen of this synth -- didn't know it could sound this good (for more "musical" uses)
Thank you so much!
Loved the outtro. Lots of character.
Thank you so much!
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VIDEOS PRESENTATION STYLE AND GENEROSITY SHOWING OFF THE GEAR ❤❤❤
Really glad you liked it!
@@MilesAwayOfficial HELLO DEAR FRIEND ❤️❤️ GREETINGS 👍👍 FROM SERBIA HAVE A HAPPY DAY 👍👍👍
@@MilesAwayOfficial CHEERS DEAR FRIEND 👍💐🌺🏵️❤️👍
Dude that first jam. Geez
😊 glad you enjoyed! Syntrx 2 is perfect for that kind of jam
Hey Miles - Really neat unit for EMS lovers. I really want to press the LEDs rather than use the X-Y knobs. I sorta think this was amissed opportunity. Anyway, waiting for Mr B's version so we'll see how they compare 😊
Thanks for watching Ian! Glad you enjoyed the history too :) i think what sets SYNTRX 2 apart is that it’s not just a clone, they really do add a lot of cool new things. But the soul of the synthi is for sure there!
That would be super fun Ian, but I can imagine that would be technically difficult to cram in a bunch of tight knit actuators underneath those lights. Might also be prone to failure. DOn't get me wrong, still a super fun idea! Cheers.
@@swanofnutella4734 There's always a way 😊 I sorta think it would be easier to use the original patch pins than the X-Y controls. Guess you get used to it 😄
@@MilesAwayOfficial❤q!
That's a cool synths, out of this world sounds.👍
Thank you! Hyped you enjoyed :)
Incredible, love it
Thank you!
Bravo !!!
Thank you!
Wasn't ready for that "Syntix " on the mic !!!! lol
Exlelent as usual !:!!
Haha! Had to use the ring mod with the microphone for something 😂 thank you!
@@MilesAwayOfficial The wanted effect was all successfull lol !!!
For me the matriux appraoch is the best implementation for routing and modulation imho ./...
Erica Synths makes amazing gear. I have a bunch of their eurorack modules including Blackhole DSP, Black wavetable VCO and Polivoks filter so good!
Ooh the Blackhole dsp looks sick! If I ever build a eurorack I’ll get one
my favorite effects module next to Mimeophon and 100 Grit@@MilesAwayOfficial
Looking forward to this! Just bought your P6 patches. Curious to hear a musical demo that won't be just blips and horror movie soundscapes, like most of the Syntrx demos have tended to be! :)
Thanks so much for the support! Yea demo 2 in particular i think really showcases that Syntrx can do much more than noise! Enjoy!
@@MilesAwayOfficial Well guess what dude I'm gonna build a clone of it. I just gotta get the parts that's it of the synthesiser
Great demonstration, lot of work and time has been put into this video. I enjoyed. One thing about the Syntrx II : $2000 for a monosynth
Thank you so much! And fair, but Boutique synths are always more expensive than Korg, Behringer, Roland etc . For what you get Syntrx is a great deal, building this in eurorack would cost much more!
Ok wow..fire
Thanks so much!
Awesomeness ❤
Thanks for watching!
Gorgeous outro!
Thanks so much for the kind words :)
Sounds amazing!
Great review. Thank you!
Thanks!
So awesome!
Thank you! Cheers!
This is going to be cool to see. So far I find this SYNTRX II marginally better than the original but still not musical. It's aggressive and experimental. If that's your thing - batter up!!
I'm excited for you to see! The last 2 demo songs in the video are extremely melodic and pretty, as I wanted to showcase SYNTRX is not just for aggressive/experimental sounds (though its great at those too)
@@MilesAwayOfficial GREAT! I love your work and will watch intently.
Great demo, jams!
Thank you!
@MilesAwayOfficial
How many tracks of Syntrx
were in the first Jam?
Sounds amazing!
I was just about to purchase a sequential pro 3 till i heard this beast!
Late reply! But it was quite a few tracks. At least 8 main tracks + a bunch of random little one shot samples I recorded from the Syntrx to act as fills. Which synth did you end up getting?
czcams.com/video/fKIjz7syjCM/video.htmlsi=JvIW3sbyPybZJBwp
either a virus ti @$1200
or pro 3 @ $1100
havnt decided
one of my tracks above was serum n reason
and didgeridoo
i just found a syntrx 2 for $1000
hope i can groove with it
So sick
great review! Heavy midtemp tempo demo is great but bass has very weak attack... is it fixable?
and your synth collection on the background is awesome! prophet and 2 obie's! do you have moog?
Thanks for watching! Tons more synth videos coming. Yep, I have a Sub 37, did a video on it last year, it’s one of my all time faves. Used to have a voyager and matriarch but sold them both and kept the 37.
As for the attack, it’s definitely not the snappiest envelopes but I don’t mind, I never ran into an issue
That got cyberpunk real fast hell yeah
Most of my monosynth demos either go Cyberpunk or DOOM 🤣 what can I say I love my game OSTs
@@MilesAwayOfficial Me too man ! It’s sick !
Beside the fact that the oscillators and filter do not have a lot or carachter, I just wonder how many years a led matrix like that will last. Certainly not decades.
I definitely don't agree with the character part, I will personally say the build on this is A+. Its up there with my OBX8 and 3rd Wave for build.
Is this synth more for hard techno or for Berlin School Music?
It can do both! Syntrx is best for experimental sounds though. Check out my video on PERKONS, their drum synth. That might be exactly what you are looking for
I have a SYNTRX I and am considering getting a II - can't really afford to own both, so I'd have to decide which I like better.
Tough choice! For me personally I prefer more modules over speakers and real spring reverb (I’ve got my 2600M for that), so I’d go for Syntrx 2, but the original Syntrx is wonderful too!
@@MilesAwayOfficial Yeah, the speakers are not necessary - they just look cool (like the big knobs on the oscillators) - and as much as I love the sound of the spring reverb on this, it's super sensitive (starts feeding back if you don't get the levels just right), which can be cool as a special effect here or there, it otherwise can be a pain in the ass.
Hi what would be an ideal midi keyboard/ sequencer to use with the syntryx?
Regards
Dave
I'm probably not the person to ask sorry, I just use one of my synths as a midi controller! I hear good things about Arturia Keystep/Keystep pro though
Any chance you could give any insight on the ambient outro patch? It really really makes me wanna get this thing, but If it’s partially replicable that might save me 2g. Or is it mostly FX based?
Glad you enjoyed it! Honestly that outro jam a lot of the vibe comes from running the entire mix bus through the Gen Loss V2 (or honestly any tape plugin, I like Arturia MelloFi the most). The syntrx is absolutely making the vibe of that main patch, but its pretty simple, just filtered saw waves and noise!
@@MilesAwayOfficial sounds good thanks! Well dang it’s still so sick. Deciding between that, the OB6, and the Solar42
Just wish I could afford these boutique synths
There's some cheap boutiques! Check out my video on the Dreadbox Nymphes. Sounds absolutely insane and its affordable.
Ever since I got a perkons I suddenly have gas for this lol
They go together really well!!
Well done. Excellent 🎉😂❤
Thanks for watching! New synth videos weekly!
thx@@MilesAwayOfficial
Nice video - but did you sell your Korg Prologue?
No sir! I will never sell my Prologue! It’s sitting in a box just temporarily since I’ve had so much new stuff making videos on recently, but once that slows down it’s going back on the rack! Prologue is a forever classic
Do you sell the patches made on this video?
I didn't do patch banks for syntrx since it doesn't save knob positions, sorry! These are all my patches:
shop.milesawayofficial.com/
@@MilesAwayOfficial ohh I see. Some people just take pictures of the knob position 😂 thanks!
I hate asking this, but I mean is there a big difference between the arturia Synthi and this ?!
There's nothing wrong with VSTs at all, my entire 2019 EP is almost all softsynths Diva and Serum. But nothing matches the feeling of hardware, and there are certain sounds that just sound so different, like really fast modulation, distortion, feedback, detuned oscs, etc :)
Arturia did this with a Matrixbrute. Stop feeding the GAS🤪
I'd love to check out the Matrixbrute I've heard great things!
Yes it is awesome but rather expensive, but less expensive than building similar with eurorack?
Yep exactly! Budget wise you are best going for software or stringing together a couple Behringer Neutrons (but then that's not as feature packed or characterful as this), the Syntrx is a really cool middle ground between a full eurorack system ($$$) and a re-issue of an AKS Synthi. Really unique item! I will never sell my Syntrx 2
Great musical review! I just don’t agree that this is a modular synth. It is a synth with a mod matrix.
Thank you! My reasoning for calling it modular is no sound is made until you patch it - there's no normalized signal flow.
It's a fully modular signal path, and the only real difference between this and say, a non-Eurorack modular "System" like those from Buchla, Bugbrand, ELBY, etc, is the connection-format (pins instead of cables).
*DEFINITELY* qualifies as a modular system in that sense - "modular" doesn't only mean rackmounted & singular units.
And as Miles mentions, it also provides more patchability than a simple modulation matrix - which also has a specific use-case.
My definition of modular is that you can take pieces out and replace it for another piece of your choice. But let’s not go into a whole debate about it :) It has a modular structure, I agree.
@@Asyouwere Agreed, the Erica Synths SYNTRX II should at best be referred to as a semi-modular synth, not a modular synth? As far as semi-modular synths go, the SYNTRX II has limitations that probably disqualify it from being called semi-modular since each section/circuit doesn't have externally patchable I/O?
What did you use for the kick? Nice synthwave and darkwave tones you have going there!
Thank you! Kick is a sample from Oliver Power Tools.
I'm wondering why the first SYNTRX is more expensive?
Not sure - my guess is RND costs ?
Cool video, but… truh-PEE-zoid?
TRAPezoid bro
You heard that too. It hurt my ears. :)
Yup.. I heard it to😂😂
Behringer's VCS3 Clone is finally in its beta stage.
Curious how that will turn out!
@@MilesAwayOfficial The prototype looks like an exact copy of the original.
But I guess Behringer will put some extra feature, as usual.
aha, to jest to co robię teraz
Erica synths walk allover bucha, they're one of the best synth companies on the planet, up there with analog solutions in my poor opinion.
They are truly a great synth company. One day I’d love to get their Perkons drum machine as well, such cool machines
@@MilesAwayOfficial they had the dada modular system, it's like radio for the ethereal, you just make a patch and your transported in to the land of odd. Its on my list for sure.
Tra-pee-zoid? No. No. No.
British pronunciation dude, USA English isn’t the only English in the world
@@MilesAwayOfficial Exactly! That's why I say Al-you-men-ē-um here in the States.
Just looked it up and those on the other side of the pond pronounce “trapezoid” the same way we do here, albeit with a different accent. FYI, they pronounce “aluminum” differently because they spell it correctly: aluminium. The spelling aluminium makes more sense when you locate it on the periodic table and see that other elements end with -ium, not -um.
You forgot to mention Klaus Schulze.
replay a moog that cap like bro💀
Whut
Does this review include paid promotion?
None of my content is sponsored unless I note that it is. Like most synth channels, I use a review unit sent over , but I never get told what to say or talk about. I make my income off of my Miles Away artist project (if you want to check my music out), the synth review stuff is a side hobby.
cool thing but not affordable for a regular person. So its kind of useless anyway
Most of my early songs were made on only VSTs, so yes you don't "need" hardware. But for someone looking for a complete boutique modular system, the price on this is reasonable and it sounds incredible