Alesis Andromeda

Using latest OS 1.40.12

The presets sound impressive in the shop but are not that great for actual use in compositions but the downloadable extra sounds banks are better but still not top banana.

Manual is detailed but the adromeda hints and tips guide, available for download, is much more helpful for getting the sounds you want from it.

I found it really great fun for creating and messing around with patches ubt I never quite got the evil screaming dirty lead noises that I so wish for.

I'm not a synthesis expert and so find myself lost changing controls and not sure what I was doing. Beginners will be disappointed by the lack of really great sounds straight out of the box.Experts will find themselves in synth heaven with the screen constantly updating following your every movement.

16 note polyphony in a truly analogue synth is not to be sneered at but remember that as soon as yor start using unision that number drops dramatically. ie 1 patch with unision of 16 will use up the entire polyphony of the keyboard.

The in built effects are of a good quality and easy to use with stacks of parameters BUT and it is a BIG BUT!!! You can only have one effect per mix going at any one time. This is either a stereo effect or a combo effect ie reverb and delay, but even these are limited to preset combinations so I am unable to run a delay and a flanger at the same time. A big let down for me but if you have outboard effects this wont worry you.

PCMCIA memory card allows up to 8 banks of 128 patches (+3 onboard banks) but is around #70 in the UK.

Midi has been fine as far as I've used it. In/Out and Thru all present. The modulation matrix is pretty damn impressive and can be assigned to 16 midi conrollers as you wish. So one contol can affect multiple parameters at once.

The arpegiatior is pretty lame and I have never used the sequencer.

I can't help feeling like it's trying too hard to pull of something that it never quite manages to. Don't get me wrong, I have had some quality twisted noises coming out of it but don't expect it to be the one and only synth you'll ever need.

I think it can be tailored for all types of music but remember that it's analogue so if you want really crispy precise digital sounds this may well disappoint.

If you have the time and patience to really get inside the sounds and create log winding pads that evolve and change over thime then this is the king of kings, but don't expect it to sound at it's best straight out of the box.

Great attenuations can be set to aftertouch and velocity, the possibilities are there for some bending, twisting, distorting sounds.

Has not let me down yet but it does have a few glitches. Sometimes when changing between mixes it does not reset all of the altered midi contols so you may find that on one mix the filters do not work as you remember. I overcome this by switching it on and off between changing mixes, but this is not an ideal solution but this may be something to do with the setup that I am using.

I use it at gigs a lot with no back up and it has been fine.

The built quality is pretty solid but I would still cry if I dropped it.

When I took it out the box and fired it up it didn't work!!!! But I sent it back to Alesis and they fixed it and returned it promptly. They were helpful but on other occasions that I have spoken to them they did not really seem very well informed about it as if they were reading from a sheet or something. With persistance they can give you a number for someone who does know what they're talking about.

To be honest if I had #2200 again I would buy a Virus TI, a novation supernova 2nd hand and a Nord Lead 2 2nd hand, but I have this synth now and I love it dearly, remember the grass is always greener on the other side. In a direct comparison it rinses the f@*% out of the nord lead on almost all fronts.



I love the filters and the updating screen following your movements, I also love the modulation matrix. I hate the LACK OF BASS!!! And the LACK OF MULTIPLE EFFECTS!
It looks like a big blue beast and the lights look great in the dark.

It helps me to write music but I wish it could be more of a power horse all in one music production beast.

Very easy. Dedicated pots and switches. Great display that shows graphic representations of values of parameters. The presets are good. lots of arpeggios etc. All sensible, sober stuff, by and large. This synth is capable of sooo much more. If you are used to programming, this synth is a breeze. It's not one for beginners, though.

It has and does everything. Nuff said.

Sounds never heard before, aplenty. Analogue synthesis has been taken forward by this synth. It can emulate any other poly out there and then some! Loads of performance options. I love the chord tracking. This synth is suitable for all types of music.

This synth will stand up against any other synth, analogue or digital, for reliablity. It looks well made. You can gig with it with the confidence you would have if gigging a Triton.

I've dealt with Alesis before. They're very nice people. Miles better than Roland. I've had no problems with my Andromeda.

I swapped mine for a Jupiter 6 and #500. Roughly #1100. It came with a sound card and flight case. What a bargain! It makes the Jupiter look very sad and over priced and I loved that synth. This is the best analogue synth ever. It's an instant classic. It makes Jupiters, Prophets and Moogs look very pedestrian and ordinary. It takes the best of the past and links it to the technology, reliability and ideas of the present...and future. It looks great. I tried to buy one new. Sites claiming to have them at 'low low prices' didn't! They either didn't get back to me or tried to sell me something else. I think the supply has finally dried up! As a second hand bargain it is the most sensible in synthdom.

good, although steep learning curve.
starting of by reading the manual , the tips and tricks document ( on the code 404 site) and the manual again is neccesary. thereafter making your own default patch would be a good start.

no remarks, best analog besides from very old and elaborate/ expensive modular systems.

just analog, not as clean as a jp8, nor as bad as a ms20, but much broader pallet.
effects are usable although external effect processor will mostly be better.

test it well when bought. weak spots are plastic-sidecaps and tuning of all 16 oscillators. (stays well in tune after warm up but initial tuning of oscillators and keyboardscaling might be too much deviant.)

very good, delivery of parts could be a bit faster though.
no updates of os/system software will occur anymore

would certainly buy it again!

patches( + swapping) and other info can also be found on:


http://electro-music.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=90

Latest avaible, think it is 1.14.12, thought there seems to be a 13 around. Presets are pretty much as presets are most. Those user programs avaible at the alesis site are better.
There is a lot of knobs, that's great by me, i love them and i can not see anything other than a real analog giving more than this.
Manual is ok, but lacks some practical guide like designing sounds from scratch, but sites on the internet goes into this.

16 voices of analog, that's about it. Keyboard action is ok but i've seen better, but the real deal is al thoose knobs and they are laid out very clever, internal effects are ok. Midi also works as supposed with my OS version. ARP and SEQ onboard and working as expected.
But all besides this machine shines in the sound construction department and that's what I want.

This is an analog synth and nothing else compare to that. I've to spent at lot of time before just scratching the surface.
So far it have done exactly what I wanted from it, and my Yamaha CX6
has just gone under the bed. I like knobs and this is truely my heaven come through in that respect, there is a lot of them. Minor issue is that the display, there is a lot of info. A PC editor would have been nice.
Otherwise it seems alive and responding to everything I can throw at it.

Have not had it for long, but seems well built

No answers here, web site could be more informative

I've love the sound and all the knobs, and it's actually a clever layout. It will keep me happy for a long time to come, and that's all I could ever ask

Presets are mostly show-room gloss, but simple editing makes a big difference. The manual is clear and thurough. Editing patches is about as easy as it gets on a 16-voice almost modular synth.

You van adjust key touch from 0-100, which comes in handy if you want to control other synths from it. The effects are nice sounding, like the Wedge, but not something I'd use for recording. The distortion is useful, perhaps a bit crude. Expansion cards are available, and highly recommended. The on-board sequencer kicks butt, with the arp you have a full-fledged analog workstation!

The basic sound is very good, both the oscs and the filters make you very happy. The routing possibilities seem endless, and the only real limitation is the programmer. If you want an analog synth today, look no further! The release velocity is a great feature.

The current os (.14) still has a couple of bugs; the envelope delay doesn't work 100% and the envelopes can be clicky at some levels. I feel that it's dependable, but nonetheless I'd hesitate taking it to a gig - I care so much about her... :-)

If you want an analog synth, this is it! it's like having something that reminds you of all the yesteryear beasts, blows all modern VA:s away and has a sound quite of its own. I'd definately buy another one if I had to. Analog synthesis has not come further than this, and will probably not.

All of the immediate adjustments are right there. All synth's today have some form of deep editing and this unit is no different, but the display is large enough to read and once you have a grasp of the way this machine edits, it is a fast process to make adjustments.

Without cut and pasting the manual and placing it here, I would say that the biggest noticable feature of this synth is the 16 voices /oscillator count under the hood. It has a strong compliment of built in effects which are usable. You can still buy memory cards from Pretec. The 16 separate outs are unique with endless options. The filters are grade "A". It becomes very noticible as you start to construct bass lines and the strength continues to build as opposed to dropping notes along the way. The controls and knobs are solid and feel like they will last a long time.

As with all production models, they send them out the door with the top programmers versions of presets. There is a link at the Alesis site which have additional presets from world renowned programmers to download. In the presets, Alesis like most included everything from violin, choir, techno appegiated emulations which this unit can do but if you had an option, you would use a different high end sampler for. I own over 12 different virtual synths and few softsythns and none of them can match the overall low end drive of the Adromeda. The gain and overall 3-D presence of this unit over powers everything I own, and I do love my Nords. The Adromeda preset "Muscular Fifth" is your $3,000.00 Moog. This alone demonstrates the potential of the unit. Initially the idea was to make music as opposed to becoming a programmer and this synth truly inspires. I have the luxury of a 1,300 watt plus tri level sound system that I can actually use and this has been the testing ground for all of the toys.

It still works as good as the day I bought it, and that was 4 years ago. The keyboard would probably be the first thing to go however, if something was going to tank. In all fairness, keyboard action is the major downfall for most synth manufactures. I would not take this to gig with as it is better suited in a studio. Yes, Alesis has had problems, but so has Waldorf. When they finally break and I try to go somewhere,then I will be able to add to this column.

If they still have a website, there is still hope.

If it were lost or stolen, I would replace it. Actually, I am actively trying to buy as many as these things as I can get my hands on, as it is terribly underated. I have been banging on music instruments for over 30 years and find keyboards to be the best outlet for creativity. The Adromeda truly is a "Musical Inspirational Machine", specifically for bassline grooves. With the revival of analog synth modules popping up everywhere, dollar for dollar, you will find more here in one single unit, unless you are wealthy and can buy everything.

1.40.12

Considering what it offers a 9 is justifiable

Manual is Ok. I wish it had some examples for newcomers

There is no other analog synthesizer that has the features of the A6. Most of them are very well implemented and inspiring.

Lovely analog sound. With some clever programming it can do wonders!

The reliability is good but remember that this is an analog instrument and that the OS has some bugs. It never crashed though.

Good support.

I think it is worth every cent of it. If it was stolen I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

For both simple and complex sound design, the Andromeda is a breeze to program. All the usual suspects (oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, etc) are laid out beautifully and all the esoteric parameters are no more than 1-2 pages away. I can't think of a better way to implement this vast amount of features.

The OS that ships with new models is 1.40.12. There is also a version 1.40.13 but this is beta. Both are not bug-free (although ver. 1.40.12 is very stable) and it's a shame that Alesis hasn't announced new versions :-(

The current list of presets don't do justice to the A6. A lot of them depend on the sequencer/arpeggiator (which is not a bad thing per se) and plenty of them make great use of effects. However, some of them are beautifully programmed and they can lead your imagination to other worlds! If you don't like the preset banks, don't worry because they can be overwritten (whole banks though, not individual presets)

The manual is well written with very few syntax errors. It explains a lot of what's happening in the A6. I wish it had more examples and diagrams though. (Tip: Do yourself a favor and subscribe to the A6 mailing list. Also download the Andromeda Tips and Tricks document. You'll be glad you did)

Beneath the panel there are 16 analog voices. The Roland Jupiter 8 had eight voices, the SCI Prophet 5 had five. Aren't you happy yet?

The effects section is servicable but not great. According to Alesis it uses the same technology as the Wedge. Chorus is fine, delay is fine, other effects are fine, but reverbs suck big time. The effects section messes a bit with the analog quality and it's a real shame when you program a lovely sound to loose all this detail in a wash of this lousy reverb. It's OK to give you a rough indication of the final sound but I wouldn't use it on recordings. (I plan to buy an Eventide very soon. He he!)

A6 can store patches on a PCMCIA card. Great.

MIDI capabilities are fine. It can send NRPN when you want to use it with external sequencers, it syncs to incoming MIDI clock with no glitches, blah blah.

The keyboard feels great! It responds very nice to velocity and aftertouch (which are both programmable). Just tweak the respective parameters. Moreover, it is very easy to setup splits and layers.

The on board sequencer is designed after the analog step sequencers of yesteryear. It has 16 parts, with provision for type, velocity and gate. These types appear as Sequencer levels A, B, and C respectively in the modulation matrix and they can be routed just about anywhere! Each of the 16 voices can have its own sequence pattern or arpeggio, so there you have it: instant Tangerine Dream! The Arpeggiator provides just a few basic modes... they could have implement this better...anyway. Tempos speed up to 600 bpm and they have fractional values so if you want to sync them with precision to external devices you may need to re-trigger them every now and then. Missing from the front panel are dedicated knobs to latch the Arpeggiator and Sequencer.

The A6 can also process external signals and you can patch cords to the CV inputs to control the oscillators or filters. There are three LFOs and a S&H, both highly programmable. LFOs max out at 25Hz (this could be a shortcoming if you want to do FM) but envelopes can be loopable, so they can be used as LFOs! Envelopes, by the way, are fantastic. Period.

The modulation matrix is huge! It's really like a modular synthesizer. There are 79 modulation sources and even more destinations. Some of the modulation paths are hardwired and others depend on software (this is what CRoutes is for). It's a fantastic design underneath. The vast majority of modulation may scare people who know just the basics of subtractive analog synthesis and there's also a learning curve involved. However, the results can be breath-taking! This is an instrument that will be classic in a few years.

Well... as I said before this is an instrument that can be extremely rewarding. It can sound very warm or very clean and it can emulate other synthesizers to a great extent. Oscillators and Filter 2 are modeled after the ones in the Moog Modular whereas Filter 1 is modeled after the Oberheim SEM. It won't give you instant Minimoog sounds however but it can get VERY close (if you know what to tweak that is). It can also do Roland and ARP sounds. You can have thundering basses, you can have frenzy sequences, you can have multidimensional pads, bizzare effects, slashing leads, you name it. It oozes quality.

Other than that the A6 has a sound that is all its own. (Honestly I am bit tired with the word "Emulation". I prefer the word "Creation").

I haven't used it live yet. It has never crashed on me (I hope it never does, though I heard other people being afraid to use it live primarily because they had earlier OS versions).

Would I use this on a gig without a backup? What can back up an A6? Another A6 possibly?!?

Never had to deal with Alesis directly. The dealer I got it from seems to be a very helpful person. Never had to fix anything. But, again, I think it's a shame that Alesis doesn't release new OS versions. However, I know I can count on them for support. Mike Peake is a very helpful guy. (It pisses me off when people have outrageous demands from companies such as Alesis. For the A6's asking price we DO want great support, but hey.... has anyone tried to get in contact with Sequential Circuits recently???)

If it was stolen, and the thief gets caught I would take him to a room, pump up the volume on a huge PA system and start playing soaring leads on the A6 till he bleeds from the ears...

I will still get the other synthesizers I wanted before buying the A6. I just couldn't wait anymore...

The A6 worths every cent. This is what a lot of people have been waiting for a long time. Spend some time with it before cashing on a VA and if you can afford it then buy it. Some VAs do sound very nice to my ears but this is ANALOG.

I wish it had a boolean logic module, a second mod wheel, and an envelope follower. I also wish it didn't have this lousy reverb. Its Analog distortion needs refinement as well. But I didn't buy the A6 for its effects. I would be more than happy even if it didn't have any. Now that it does, this is just a minor niggle. (I can't wait to feed it some Eventide..yum!)

I love my A6!

This isn't for kids. I THOUGHT I knew Analog subtractive synthesis until I bought my andromeda over two years ago. I STILL haven't exploited all of it's capabilities. Having said that, if there's a parameter you want to change, bingo - there it is, right in front of you on a dedicated knob. The LCD screen is big and generally informative if you get lost. Assigining modulators is a bit of a pain, I would have preferred a "patch matrix" system, where all your modulations are in one place, rather than spread around the keyboard. Hell, maybe there is one in there, but it's certainly not obvious to me.

What does this thing NOT do? Well, it won't make you coffe in the morning, and it won't give you a massage after a hard day at work. BUT, it is the absolute KING of analogue polysynths. If you are a one finger player who prefers tweaking a single knob once in a while etc, consider the Mini Moog Voyager, but if you are at all into mucking with your sound, and use your synth for more than a bassline, then this is it. There is no competition in my opinion, at least none I have seen yet. Pads, basses, leads, arpeggios, you name it. Actually, come to think of it, there is ONE thing analogue that the Andromeda lacks slightly - the drum presets are thin and weak - more on that later. A Crack generator in the oscilator section (think Waldorf Attack) would make this a VERY fine 16 part drum machine with the sequencer et al. I personally don't use the 16 independant outputs - does anybody? I don't like paying for features I don't use, but I still shouldn't complain too much.

10. You cannot fault the sound of the oscilators or the filters. Most of the effects are thorough and of very high quality, except the reverbs, which I find metallic even when they're not supposed to be. Could be just me. However, if you want reverb on a synth, get a dedicated reverb unit. This thing's sounds steal the show in every track I write. It's that simple. They're not just the cliche "fat bass, screaming lead" every advertising dink writes about their product - these sounds truly evolve over time with a little clever modulation, and even simple sawtooth basses can get really intricate. Keep your mixes simple with the Andromeda, cause you will want to show off the sound you designed...

OK, a mixed review here. I broke the spring on my pitch wheel. Did I abuse it? Absolutely. I gave it utter hell. I wrote a track where I automated the range of my pitch bend, and then just rode the wheel for six minutes. Violently. Ultimately, when I broke it, I opened it up and took a look at the spring - it was sheared off completely. So, I had an industrial spring company create me 5 new ones for around $200 Canadian dollars. (it was like $180 for one)... So, I replaced it with a "newer better" spring, and I continue to abuse the pitch wheel with impunity. HAVING SAID THAT, it is the ONLY problem I have had with the A6, and believe me, if anybody has ever given hell to a keyboard, it's me on this punk. I get thoroughly aggressive on this thing, and it takes all my abuse like a marine recruit - and then begs for more. And I have been dealing this abuse since the fall of 2001.

Alesis sent me a second crappy pitch wheel spring after I broke mine - it arrived quickly, though they voided my warranty for improving on their design, the bastards. A point- torsion springs should always store energy by COLLAPSING their circuimfrence, not expanding it. You engineers should know what I am talking about.

I would not replace it - but I would mourn it's loss. I simply can't afford to replace this synth, and as a gigging musician, it's pretty heavy to haul around. I DON'T like Virtual analog, but when the choice is between a two octave controller plus a teensy VA synth to cart around on public transit to a gig versus a heavy monster like the Andromeda (with a 40 pound aluminum flight case) the choice becomes a lot clearer. However, as a studio tool I LOVE it.

Beautiful insperation editing patches on the A6, tweak till your hearts desires. Nice easy layout, no hassels scrolling throught endless editing screens. Everything is pretty much in your face. Presets get better with every new OS, nothing great, but who cares anyways.

Effects are the best I've seen on a synth. Each seperate effect has it's own set of detailed parameters. Some effects are grouped
eg delay&reverb, some are in a grouped into 4 at a time, with full editing for each. Midi is straight forward, nothing complicated there. On board 16 step sequencer is a delight. Very straight forward editing note/velocity/gate/type. I find it essential in the creativity aspect. Both sequencer and arpeggiator can used at the same time on any patch. Sequencer can be "suspended", while the arp can be "latched" allowing hands-free rythems while using both. Another feature I love is setting the range of keys for each patch in the mix mode. Set the range by pressing key desired and it shows on the screen, helpful when you don't know your notes. I find Poly is not a problem when in single mode, the presets actually sound better/fuller when dealing with one patch at a time. Mix mode is a differnt story, able to incorparate 16 voices at a time will give it some strain... obviously. The same preset in single mode will sound alot better than, using the exact same preset in mix mode when your using many patches at a time. Not a big deal really. Just touched on a few features, many more to explore, but these ones have made music creativity a pleasure.

2 Preset/User banks, and the Mix mode. Presets categories include
Pads/Bass/leads/brass/wind-insturments/hats/snares/kicks etc...
What types of music does it work well for? I'm guessing it can be used in evey genre, some more than others. I pump house/tech/experimental/ambient tracks all day long with ease. I'm guessing the contemperary artist would probably choose a Triton? for less $$$, rather than spending more $$$ for something not as pratical. Velocity and aftertouch can be manipulated to your liking. Turning on the synth always requires an "auto-tune", she starts sounding better once she's warmed up.

The sound is self explanatory, if nessesary have a tweak or two until
fulfillment is acheived.

Heavy piece of equipment, seems solid...no complaints.

Never inquired.

Appreciate this synth more everyday, especially after using other synths you start to realize what a good piece of equipment your dealing with. Everyday is a new adventure with this thing, finally a board that I will not get bored of.