Alesis Micron

I thought it was pretty easy to use. The sounds and knobs are right in front of your face. You have to mess around with it a little to find effects. But, it's overall pretty easy.

I thought the features were very good. Though there are only 3 knobs in front of you the other effects are easy to get to.

I think this is the best synth I've ever heard for it's price. I've heard more expensive synths that don't sound comparable to this one. The sounds are all clear and can be used in multiple styles of music. I write ambient, techno, trance, IDM, ghettotech, hip hop, r&b, electronica, d&b, jungle, and some others. The sounds on this thing fit all these genres and some others.

I've only had it about a week but so far it is 100% reliable. No problems.

Never had to deal with costomer support.

I think it's excellent. The are some cons I think you should know though. The keys are full size, yet very flimsy and quite fragile. It is also pretty heavy for when you have to take it with you on the road. The knobs are also extremely fragile. Don't screw around with them. Everything else is perfect.

The menu editing is cumbersome and really kills inspiration. I have gotten better at it over time, but it just holds back my creativity in having to edit the synth this way. The presets are generally bad, so editing is a must. The manual is good overall, but I don't like reading manuals.

The keyboard action is good, but not great - I would rate it as "slightly above average". I'm a player, and don't just play around with this in the studio, so keyboard action is very important to me. There are plenty of other nice features about the synth, though, and Alesis (and by the way, I generally really love Alesis gear) has done their best to pack a lot into this unit.

Hmmm....well, this is the important stuff in my opinion. It sounds good, but, to be honest, not great (to me, at least). I have owned literally 100+ keyboards and synths since the early 1980's - no kidding - and I know what I like. Something has to really move me, emotionally, when I play a keyboard / synth for me to want to keep it and use it, and this one doesn't do it for me. This is actually the second Micron I have owned. I felt this way about the first one, but got a great deal on another that I couldn't pass up, and gave the little synth another chance. Again, it really didn't do it for me. Overall, I think the Micron exhibits a certain quality on ALL patches (no matter how much they are edited) that you just can't get rid of. I suppose all synths do this to a certain degree, though. Anyway, I would best describe the Micron's sound quality as slightly digital, thin, but "brassy" sounding. Approaching an FM synth, but not quite there. This isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but it just doesn't appeal to me, personally. Just a matter of opinion, and I know lots of people love this thing, but it's not for me. Believe me, I WANTED to like it....the size is perfect for gigs, especially the small venues I play! I also own a Korg MicroKorg, which is the main competitor of the Micron, and really prefer the Korg's sounds. The Korg is simpler, in many ways, and more straightforward (as compared to the deep complexity of the Micron), and has a more grainy, aggressive sound, which I really like. To me, the Korg is more raw and "analog" (and I have owned many, many analog synths over the years so I have an excellent basis for comparison).

The main control knob, as everyone knows, is very fragile. In fact, the first Micron I purchased had a broken control knob right out of the box! Otherwise, it appears very solid. Because of the knob, I must give it a lower than perfect reliability rating.

Alesis customer support, when I have had to deal with them in the past, is generally very responsive.

As I said above, I really wanted to like this synth. The idea behind it, and the overall design of the synth, suits my needs for a live instrument. But, it all comes down to 1) the sound, and 2) the difficulty in editing the parameters. These are deal-killers for me. I may keep this one around to play with for awhile, but will most likely be passing it along. Once again, though, this is my opinion, and I truly do think that Alesis has packed a lot of great stuff into this synth. It is very usable. It's just not for me.

Really good presets. Editing patches is simple once you read a few quick directions. The manual is VERY helpful. Whenever I have a question, it's answered in it.

The features of the Micron are great. The setup function (a mini-sequencer more or less) is great for coming up with ideas and writing new ones. Everything is editable with a few button pushes and a knob turn. 37 keys is a great size for the Micron. Easily transposable by octave (just one press per octave). Three knobs is definitely sufficient for a beginner/intermediate synth user and they can easily be mapped to different functions.

This board is geared towards the electronica crowd judging by the presets, but is fully capable of adapting to any environment. The effects included are great (I use the fuzz pedal effect a LOT). As close as I have heard to analog on a digital board. Sounds even better through tube preamps.

I have heard of the main knob breaking from overuse, but I have had no problem as I am VERY careful with my instruments. I think the Micron is very reliable.

Haven't had to talk with Alesis. So no opinion.

If I had to buy again, I would go with a Micron again. I love the ideas that Alesis put in it. Rhythms, step sequencer, vocoder, yeah, it's all great. It makes a great complement to the rest of my equipment for very little cost for the features it has. I honestly can't think of anything they could add to it that would make me happier.

Straight away, it is incredibly easy to dive in and start using the vast array of voices, rythyms and patterns. These are very diverse, from deep moog-like sounds to baba o'riley, to your typical dance club beats.

As for the patch editing.. well, you can't just create from scratch (as far as I'm aware!). You need to copy another patch and then edit and tweak that. Obviously a basic knowledge to Pulse, Sawtooth and Sine wave sounds are needed here, and the booklet doesn't make clear what the LFO filters exactly do, so if you're a bit of a novice (hands up on that), you do just have to play about but this works just as well..

Polyphony varies from voice to voice. I have to say, it would be nice to hear some chords with some of the bass voices but even on their own, its an incredibly irresistable sound.

Effects.. well, there's a basic vocoder. Unlike the MicroKorg, this doesn't come with a standard mic, so you have to supply your own. It's not fantastic but if you're looking for a vocoder, a microKorg might be a better bet.

You can split the keyboard. I'm not sure how many parts but I'm sure it's at least 4, which is incredibly useful. If you're looking to make some solo stuff, having a beat, rythym and still having almost the whole keyboard still to use the voices..

No expansion capabilities, as far as I know.. although I'm told you can transfer voices over a MIDI-to-USB cable.

Velocity sensitivity is assignable on each voice, and is very good. Some voices have it and some don't, but you can change that. No aftertouch though.

Sounds.. well, there's a vast range. Bass, Lead, Brass, String, Pads, Comp, Keys, SFX, even drums.. The organ sounds are good, strings are alright, as are brass (I don't want to comment on these too much because I tend not to use these!). The Bass and Leads are very varied, and have very nice sounding settings. One thing I did find myself needing though was a piano sound. Nothing even close... and I couldn't find anyway to model it! The thing to remember is, as much fun as the existant sounds are, you can always create new ones.. (although it does take a while!)

I play it for a pop/rock function, but I can see it working well for anything in a kind of electronic vein, so trance, dance, hip hop.. the settings and sounds seem just to be made for that.

Once a setting is saved, you can forever rely on it to be there.

I've not (yet) played a gig with it so I don't know how it goes, but I am lead to believe that The Automatic's keys player's top keys is the Alesis Micron. It can't be that unreliable..

Right, yeah.. this was a bit of a let down for me. I bought mine from America, and they obviously have a different voltage and power system to us. Well when mine got here, the keyboard wouldn't work. It would turn on (so I thought) but the screen as unreadable and it wouldn't produce a sound. Apparently, according to my eBay seller, this could be due to the power pack. You can't run an american power pack through a converter.

Getting in touch with alesis was slightly difficult, but I did find an email address and contacted them. After a few days, they referred me to a company which could sell me an English Power pack. It cost me ??40 for a new power pack. Not nice.

It's a very enjoyable synth to use. My family loved it even though they can't play and its controllable, assignable knobs make editing the sound easy. Worth the price.

I've only played Keyboards about a year now, self taught without books or any helpful material. I bought this keyboard as a synth that had a nice "synthy" sound, and it certainly does what I expected and a whole lot more!

The micron's user interface is crippled by design. Fortunately the shortcuts make it at least usable. The idea of managing programs by name and category instead of fixed banks is very cool. The setup mode lets you keep ideas together and adds much to the usability.

These features really rock:
+ setup mode ??? very powerful
+ built-in sequencer (only good for realtime-recording and I love it big time)
+ mod-matrix (+++)
+ 20 filter types ??? some of them sound great!
+ rhythms / very cool drum sounds
+ compact size, desktop-friendly


Missing features:
- no usb connectivity
- effects per program: there is only one global effects module - which means your programs lose their effects in a setup ??? which means most probably you wouldn???t want to rely on effects???

The micron ist the poor man???s substitute for Arp Odyssey + Mini Moog + Oberheim OB8 + Roland Jupiter ??? so this is basically what it sounds like: old style, 70- and 80-ish. Of course the real thing sounds different???
In theory 8 voices polyphony should be just okay. The trouble is that in reality you have less than 8 voices. In a setup with different parts playing simultaneously the micron sounds lo-fi beyond recognition, especially if you have it play more than 4 voices at the same time. Rhythms tend to consume a lot of dsp resources.
You can record slider movements in patterns. Unfortunately those high-res sliders often produce very ugly crackling noises in recorded patterns ??? especially when recording slow movements.
The filters sound good to superb and so do the raw oscillators. This does not mean that you can create very complex sonic textures. Somehow the micron sound always remains ???micron???, soft, silky, wannabe-analogue, old, a little bit warm and also friendly. When creating a new sound you will probably spend most of the time in the mod matrix which lets you do a lot of really interesting things. The more I play it the more I like it.

Dear KNOB, please don???t let me down! The knob story is a real design flaw???..BUT: No problems so far!

If it was lost or stolen I would maybe go for a Waldorf microQ or Blofeld this time but I have absolutely no regrets about the micron. For my purpose it???s much better than the ???synths??? that I owned before (Korg EA-1 MKII and Yamaha CS1x)
I am a bass player and the micron is my backing machine. It does a great job. The built-in sequencer makes sure that ever single tone and chord comes perfect - especially when things become a little complicated. It plays all the stuff which I would not be able to play myself too well ??? no creativity-killing pc required. The sound is good, funky and interesting enough for me.

OS 1.10 My first impression was "wow", my second one was "get f...". But after a few month of using it i??am quite fast editing the patches and make them wired or smooth or anything between it. Of course.. when you got this little silver-dart first and you spent a whole night on it, it maybe a little frustrating, but then when you learned the interface-concept it is easy as hell. The presets can give you a good intro in "how-to-create-this-and-that". But consider - you could make it better. Some presets like those in the string-section are at a good quality. And yes - ALESIS - when you ever again creat a synth like this, take a deep look inside yourself and programm an editor for those many people out there in the world which using software for editing! In some cases it would be realy useful!!! The manual itself contains enough info for understanding how this little engine works.

8 Voices, 3 OSC/Voice (SAW (TRI), SQUARE and SINE can be waveshaped), NOISE-Generator, 2 Multimodefilter and 3 ADSR, an INSERT per voice, 2 LFO??s, a SH-Generator, a Tracking-Generator, 12 Modulation-Options/Patch and 2 FX-Modules (i like the superphaser most with its 64stages) which are usefull but an outboard-fx would be definitly better. I am missing a second pair of audio-out. The Micron has also two Mod-Sliders which sadly don??t show their values and three endless-knobs (three more would be a hype)! You have some velocity-types for keyboard-action but i don??t use the keyboard very much because i sequence the Micron from my PC. Therefore i can??t tell you very much about its onboard-sequencer ... so far i??ve seen it is very basic and i only use the SetUp-Mode for external sequencing ... also no comments. MIDI on the Micron is a extra theme. You can??t controll it??s paramteres via NRPN as it seems that they are some sort of strange programmed (negative NRPN-values - never seen before). But you can assign CC??s from an external knob-box as modulation-sources operating on Mod-Targets you defined.

Well the Micron doesn??t sound like synths starting with 2000 Euros and above. But with patience you can get some very smooth sounds out of it. In the higher octave-range, but this is my personal opinion, he sounds realy great whereas at lower levels and specially for deep basslines this isn??t the right synth at all - use real analogue gear instead or another VA which is capable doing this stuff. I mainly using this synth for leads and pads or FX and other things. As i mentioned before - outboard-FX and a second pair outputs would do there job well ... the only FX which i like most is the superphaser. Overall i would say the MIcron is capable of many type of sounds ... but it also depends on the quality of your monitors you are using in your studio

The Main-Knob seems to be problem at extensive use. I hope this nightmare never came true - A BROKEN MAIN-KNOB

Nothing to do with Alesis since i bought it

I don??t know if i would by it again - maybe. Over the time i was getting into an interesting releationship with the MICRON ... Yes i would buy it again :-) Well i use Waldorf/Korg-Gear, and some exotic synths like the SoundArt Chameleon DSP (Monowave II). I am doing electronic music since 2002 rising fast from software to the hardware-universe. The Tracking-Generator is a cool addon ... none of my synths have it.
Overall: EDITOR for LOW-KNOB-AMOUNT-SYNTHS - ALESIS - EDITOR and improvements for a next OS (if it happens - you should do it - there are many customers in the world - consider that). The synth itself - well done ALESIS

This is my review for the Alesis Micron. I`ve got it 2 weeks now and now it is time for a few words.

The features can be read on the other reviews so i comment the sound and the use of this unit. First i must say that the micron defently sounds a kind of LO-FI. It had its charme. For those people who write that this synth is nearly as possible on analogue emulation: wash your ears!
I own a minimoog voyager and a Roland Jupiter 4 beside a XBase 09. Compare some of the presetzz from the Voyager vs the Micron, the Micron sounds not nearly analogue. It sound more like a mix of the sid chip from the C64 and a old casio CZ 5000 synth. If you compare the two things (real analoge vs digital) it is like to compare a "Dresdner Butterstollen" vs "Pumpernickel".
The moog filter of the micron sounds completly different from the moog. It pumps up the volume at hight resonace levels and give u a not very musical siren tone. The real thing sound silky and fat while the micron sounds LO-FI and digital.

The other drawback are the crappy keys. Compared to good keys (again Voyager) you fingers hurt if you playing longer than 5 minutes. Fast playing is nearly impossible cause the action is spongy. I dondt like the keyboard at all.
A design drawback is also the bad placement of the mastervolume knob. Every time i want to add vibrato when i play my finger touches this volumeknob. That sucks.
This pitchwheel is also placed wrong. Normaly you play with the right hand and pitch with the left hand, so why the pitchwheel is placed in the middle of the board?

BUT:

The micron in perfect for other things. I use it for C64 like sounds and connectet to a sequencer this mashine rocks!!!!! You can use 16 midi channels to creat 16 instruments in the setup mode. I come from old style seq.music so i use the awesome "renoise" tracker programm to sequence the micron. I have built a lot of cool C64-basses, snares, kicks, leads and more. This synth have alot of great noise sounds. The cool thing is that you can create the typical arpeggio sound of the c64 using the trackinggenerator triggerd by a lfo routing to pitch and synced to tempo. Great! I composed complete chiptunestyle tunes with the micron. 8 voices are more than enough for that. The sid only has 3 voices.
I wish the FX1 unit have a reverb and i can use the FX2 for tempo delay. Effects on FX1 are most useless and cant compare to real effect processors. But, hey for chiptune all i need is a tempo synced delay.
The micron responds very tight for midi commands.

So i cant recommend the micron for analogue tone. Buy the real thing! The difference is huge!!! But i can recommend the micron for 80`lo-fi sounds.. Gamemusic, effects, weired noises, fat computersounding basses and cheesy leads.
I guess you can make the soundtrack of "tron" only with that mashine.
Funny thing....

built cheap - you get what you paid for.

This is ridiculously easy to use, Its fast too. I just got mine yesterday, and I was making a patch and then the note sustained forever, which is something I didn't mean to do, but it was unfixable till I shut off my micron, so other than that, i have had no problems, it was likely something on my programming (obviously)

Presets are for the most part cool

8 not polyphony is fine what this synth does, analog drift sounds wicked, but I can compare its analogue-ness to real analogue synths, cause i havent played one of those before. no expansion. midi in out thru, rythm sequencer and arpegiator

amazing!!! I love it, I have it set up on my kitchen table and have been playing it all day. Its really good for beginners who are just learning how to use synthesizers. its straight forward, and the menus are well laid out. You can make some good sounds from it. Mostly geared towards tecno, electro, trance, dance electronic music, it certainly has room for other genres.

Im assuming you could rely on it fine but have not used it in a gig yet

N/A

Really really good, if your deciding between this an a microkorg, I would pick this. Easier to program, better sounding, more sounds (im pretty sure, including user patchs) better vocoder, normal keys

YOU SHOULD BUY THIS. If your in the "thinking" or "research" stage, debating whether or not to get this, various soft synths or buying a vintage analog one off ebay, don't. Get this. I'm not sure what software version I have but I can download the latest software update at the alesis website anytime so doesn't matter much. The presets are awesome. You can tell who ever did these really loved old analog mini korg (k 700) arp odessey, Roland juno and jupiter and mini moogs. Within seconds of turning it on they are all there. I've played drums, keys, bass and guitar all my life and I BA in broadcasting. I know my way around equipment and sound processing. "Back in the day" hehe I owned analog units, earliest classic digital ones, then various sound cards with built in synths and finally soft synths. I am so pleased and tickled with the micron. It's like a new girlfriend I find myself spending every second with it. It's possible to edit on the unit itself but so much easier and fun if you download some of the software for this. There is microzune on ebay for $33 or there is this free one I think called the micronizer that I have. I will get microzune soon. I imagine otherwise can be a daunting task with that little knob but can be done. I liked the way the manual was written out. It's very readable and will tell you everything you know. If you lose it can download another from the alesis site. There is a unofficial micron site up too. Endless resources for this unit which is good

It has 8 voice polyphony. I read somewhere someone griping it didn't have 16. It is designed to replicate early classic analog synths and part of the reason the early analog synths sound that good and is the limited voices. If you slapped 16 on this it would not sound as vintage and would defeat the purpose. Action is great. The set up reminds me so much of a Korg k700. You have the sliders there and minimal knobs, 37 keys. The pictures for this unit are very deceiving. It does not photograph well and looks cheap in the pictures. When you get it you will be shocked. It's a nice looking, classy looking little synth. The colors always look garish in the pictures but in your hand very pleasing. Seems very sturdy. Looks like it can take a lot. Like everyone else though I do worry about that little knob and I really suggest to everyone use with care and download that editing software to save the wear and tear. I would chose this unit over the ion for a lot of reasons one of them being size and weight. It's about the size of 2 laptops placed next each other and 14 pounds. In that small space you have everything need to record or play out and I don't think there is a synth out there that can touch this. This little synth does a lot of things great and is dead on for any type of music you want to use. I love the fact you can use this as a sound module for computer sequencing or to plug into another controller. Actually it's only slightly bigger than some sound modules I've used. But, in a pinch or if your on a budget you don't need a computer or a lot of gear here. It has all the effects built in (sound great and I am vintage effects collector, I've had everything good efx with this one.) You have MIDI, stereo outs and a on board sequencer. Also, easy to download any updates. No one should have any complaints about this unit because it truly can do anything you can conceive. If you can't find your sound on this synth maybe you should give up because it has everything and it's easy to use. I love the fact I can sit on my bed with this and watch tv and workout songs. I guess I approach keys in a very musical way. Sometimes I will get an idea or a melody in my head at an odd time. It's always a race to get to the instrument to get it down before I forget it. What I love about the micron is that it facilitates creativity. You just turn it on and can get your idea down. If I was working on my pc or with some of my other synth equipment it's such a job to turn everything on, open programs and set up mics. I even have a project studio but it's still a job. With micron just turn on and play.

First off, let me tell you something about this unit. If you want a synth that will exactly replicate a tenor tuba or triangle get something else. Hell, you can get all that stuff from GM on your computer or with just about any budget synth out there. A Korg x5d is a good example of this. It's a great workhorse I used it for years and is a great all around synth. It doesn't have a special sound of it's own just does realistic replications of instruments which was kind of a 90s thing. Let me tell you what the micron does. It pretty much duplicates mini moogs, early Korg, roland, arp, prophet analog synths. Does really good vox contential/farisfa 60s transistor keys too if the "Doors" or new wave bands (blondie, elvis costello, b-52s) are your thing. It's nice to have on there to play around with but can get a little scooby doo after awhile. The micron will cover all synth sounds from classic rock and all those early 80s synth songs (cars, flock of seagulls, human league, cure.) Nails them. Let me clue you in on a little secret about the micron. As soon as I got mine the first thing I did was turn off the digital effects that came with it (they are great and I would use them for playing out because that way I don't have to take stuff with me and can just save/store as presets and pull up with no problems.) For recording or home practive I would use old analog effects. I have a pretty good collection of early 80s guitar pedals and part of what made the old Korg/Roland analog synths sound so great were the built in analog effects. I threw together a quick set up of analog delay, chorus and phase and ran the micron through it. Instant Korg k700. Couldn't stop playing Cars, Cure and all the early mtv classic songs from the early period. Another trick I used for both the analog presets and vox organ sounds was running the micron through my Tech 21 GT amp simulater. It's simulates all old classic amps (vox jmi, fender blackface, marshall, etc) perfectly and with analog circuitry. I notice the micron does the best on the "classic" or "off axis" setting on cabs. I've pretty much owned everything in my life: vox jmi amps, marshalls, vintage fenders. This little pedal does them all and with any piece of electrical musical equipment the sound is not just the unit by itself but the processing gear, the amp and the speaker. I ran everything through two practive amps. A little peavey solid state one with reverb and a epiphone valve junior tube amp and the micron sounded more analog right now to every blip and bleep, every filter sweep than any I've ever used. You couldn't tell the difference with a blindfold on. Unit is quiet. Recorded with it allready sounds awesome. Best synth sounds I ever heard. I researched for over a year before I bought this thing. The micron does sound better than virus or nord to me. I think that Alesis has a better sound engine and understanding what analog is I guess because of they made the Andromeda analog synth (I think that's what it's called.) This is my opinion. I also tried every soft synth I could and they are good and fun. But, for so many you are dependent on your CPU, need to buy a half way decent soundcard, have the right interface, etc. But before you buy a soft synth do some searches online because you can find a lot of free analog mono synths and vst host software out there that will do the same thing as arturia or some of the others for free. I'd rather have the micron though because it sounds warmer to me, more analog, has everything I need or will need, is so portable and easy to use I can take anywhere. I'd get the micron before you get a soft synth you can always use midi and use your micron on your computer if you want. With soft synth you get a CD and a picture of a synth. You can make the same software/skin with synth edit and do your own. I'd rather have a real hardwared synth. Long live hardware.

k. hehe. Like everyone else I worry about that little edit knob. It doesn't seem very rugged to me and I'd like to buy a couple to just keep in my supply section of my project studio just in case. Besides that the unit seems as rugged as my old Korg P3 module which is like a bathroom scale. I think this unit will go 10-20 years easy and survive a few drops. Not so sure about that little knob which is why I suggest to anyone who has this unit to get the software online and save some wear and tear on the unit. I think the micron comes with a year warranty. I am not worried about it

they seem good. I like there website

Yes, I would buy again even if I had my choice of virus or nord. I would also take this over a vintage analog unit because it exactly duplicates there sound, has great effects and sequencer built in. And, can cover several analog synths instead of just one. In fact, I do definitely plan to buy a second micron just in case. It's great I love it totally satisfied. I've been playing since I was five and from a musical family. You know, most analog synths were not designed to have 30 year life spans of gigs and use. I would not buy one because if the ICs go out on that you have yourself an expensive piece of junk. Micron will do everything any of the old units will do and more. I do have 2 suggestions for the Micron. I wish it had a USB out in addition to the MIDI also that it came with a CD software for the editing so I wouldn't have to download micronizer or buy microzune. Alesis should have there own edit program for the micron you can just download. No big deal though. I love this. I've owned all the classic gear and I can tell you that not only is some of the new stuff as good as the old stuff it's better. Along with Sansamp Tech 21 GT 2 pedal, epiphone valve junior (it's like a mini marshall and loves pedals) I would count Micron among my best gear purchases ever. I get all the synth sounds from classic rock and early 80s MTV classics. As well hip hop, rap, techno, dance sounds. This is just a great synth and the best VA out there. Yes, the best VA sound engine out there is just $399. I don't want to start any opinion arguements with virus, nord or soft synth owners. This is just my opinion. My suggestion to anyone considering a synth purchase is to try them all and let your own ears make your decision not a bunch of reviews. Also listen to as many analog synths as you can so you will know what they sound like it. It's really easy to just name a present "moog something or other." Doesn't mean that it sounds like it. Micron is so analog sounding I can't tell the difference between it and a real one which is why I say buy it

OS 1.1
I would say the presets are pretty much useless for electronica
It is very poorly set up for editing with the one knob. Thankfully there is a new editor out called microzune which makes editing patches very easy and nice. It also integrates the micron as a vst plugin. without the editor I would say 2 or 3 - midi knob controller + microzune 10 so a 7 to even it out.

I like the keyboard action a lot. Great size.
Again brutally hard to edit on its own.
The sequencer is a shining feature and the drum section is surprisingly great.
The Micron is all about the size!!! Very small indeed.
As far as raw synthengine features this thing is probably the most powerful little guy of all time.

I like the sound. Unique, it compliments my sizable collection nicely. Offers things that I can't get on any other synth. This actually sounds very close to analog to me. Especially the basses. Compared to my other VA's anyways.
It's no virus though that's for sure.

I know other people are complaining but I've banged mine around tons and it just seems solid. I really do trust it for some odd reason that I can't explain. I saw a display model in the store about a week after they came out with a busted slider so only a 7 here.

Asked for some NRPN info. They responded in a timely fashion but didn't go out of their way at all to personalize the experience or help me along at all. THey could have been more helpful

If you can afford it, skip this one and go for a virus.
Otherwise this is way way better than the MicroKORG but only with the editor. This thing is so annoying to edit on it's own that it is rediculous. I'm surprised I kept it so long but I had already made quite a few great patches and was holding out hope on an editor. I have to say, the editor is a big winner.
I'd definately recommend it but only to people with a MIDI computer setup who can run the editor. I'm giving this a 9 but without the editor it would probably be more like a 6 or 7. It really is retardedly set up!

I'm using the latest OS (version 1.10).
As everyone has mentioned and I won't re-iterate here, it's method of editing patches is ship-in-a-bottle. I can deal with that, I usually just take an existing patch and modify it. I would like to make more patches from scratch, but am not committed enough to all the scrolling and hey, you get what you pay for. This is one inexpensive synth.

8 voice polyphony
Keyboard action is a little mushy, velocity sensitive, no aftertouch (but the os supports it from and external midi controller), and has key-off velocity which adds another layer of expression (nice if your sequencer supports it). The pitch wheel is good, and has 2 sliders, one for cc 0, the other which emulates aftertouch. These are on the top of the board, but it is easy to get used to the positioning.

The voice structure is 3 oscillators, the option of using some preset fm algorithms on those (equivalent to 2-3 operator), ringmod, noise and external audio input. These are fed into two multimode filters, either side-by-side or some amount of serial signal flow from filter 1 to filter 2. These are then fed into the amp mixer and drive fx, and then onto the fx1 (pitch) and fx2 (delay/reverb) effects units.

There are lots of modulation possibilities, and there are 12 mod routings. Plenty for any sound I can think of. 3 envelopes, 2 lfos, s/h and a neat tracking generator round it all up to one versatile VA.

It's good and it's bad.

Basically as everyone else on here had said, it sounds great. Great filters, good oscillators, good drive fx, decent fx (except the delay, which is next to useless), great mod possibilities, etc.

And now we come to the reason why I am writing this review. There is one problem which makes this synth a bad choice for any sound that is bass-driven. For those of you who already have a micron and wish to test/dispute my reasoning, load up a bass patch and listen carefully. There is an aliasing/zipper noise on attack and release of bass notes. That isn't the only place where this occurs, just the most common one.

The sole cause of the problem is too few discrete levels of amplitude in the last stage of the signal process. This amplitude parameter is modulated by envelope 1, and, in bass notes in particular, audible stair-stepping zipper noise can be heard. Especially when using a drive effect e.g. compressor. If the amplitude level values were interpolated, this wouldn't occur.

It isn't just the last stage amp which is affected by this, it is all level params (osc1lvl, osc2lvl, ... filter 1 level, etc.). It is just the amp stage which is most noticable, and the most unavoidable- the modulation of program level by envelope 1 cannot be disabled. This seems normal, I mean, who would want to disable it unless there was a problem in the first place?

Don't get me wrong, this is a great synth in all other regards. It is just this point where I get really annoyed at my purchase, and reinforces the "try before you buy, stupid" advice.

It is fairly reliable, however it crashes at certain times when editing sequences (usually long ones, after changing the length down). Not perfect, but seems ok for performance. I would gig without a backup, but that's because I'm adventurous :)

Also the buttons on my unit are now sometimes triggered by other buttons- probably a contact problem where the faceplate is pushing other buttons down when I use the tap-tempo and so on.

Sliders and pitch wheel are great. The knobs on the top of the unit, as someone else mentioned, aren't at all useful for fine editing control, but ok for performance.

This is another issue I had.

There are two types of customer support- support from the retailer, and support from the manufacturer.

The retailer, audiosyncrazy, was great. My unit arrived with a key that didn't work unless it was depressed very hard. I emailed them about it and they were quick to respond saying they'd replace the unit, but I wasn't too happy about sending it back overseas so I thought I could get it fixed locally (hah!). After being quoted $300+ from the only qualified Alesis serviceman in the state just too look at it, I rang the local electronics repair shop, and the serviceman there said it was probably a dirty key contact, and we figured I could fix it myself. So I opened up the micron and had a poke around, voiding my warranty of course, but nonetheless curious. It turns out the key in question was not moulded properly- the hammer which hit the contact membrane was half a mil too short. I stuck some hard plastic of the right thickness to it and now it works without a hitch.

Second problem- I contacted Alesis about the sound problem I mentioned above, and after several emails back and forth, I received the reply below:

"I have forwarded the mp3 as well as the .syx file to the
engineers and heard back from them. It appears what we hear is a normal product of the joys of analog synthesis in the bass frequencies. I do not believe a software update would be able to alleviate this. I would check out the Ion/Micron forum as other users may have found ways to tweak the patches so it is not so apparent in the bass frequencies at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alesis-ion/."

Although the customer service rep appeared to be acting in the best of intentions, it was nonetheless misleading. The cause of the problem is detailed above in the "Expressiveness/Sounds" section. And for those who aren't too sure how obvious the error is- real analog synths don't have discrete levels at any stage of the signal process, and they definitely don't use truncated, non-interpolated digital signal amplification for extra-added zing.

It is for this reason that I give Alesis a 2 for customer support. Nice one guys, next time don't try to pass off a stupid answer to a valid question.

Lost or stolen, I would consider buying a rackmount second-hand VA, probably a supernova or something similar. This is simply because I have too many keyboards :). I have a DX-7 which has great key action and I would be happy to just use that to control my other synths. However, considering that I've made quite a few patches for this synth, it's sig path is quite unique, and in most respects sounds excellent, I would buy it again if I saw it second hand. I'd then probably try to mod the case and rack mount it.

Really straightforward to use. Basically you turn the dial to select a function, press the button to edit that function. It reminds me very much of the Juno 1 although the Micron has keyboard shortcuts to all the menu function to save scrolling through all of them.

The only daunting thing is routing all the modulation matrixes but this is more of a thrill than a confusion as you never know that you might get sometimes.

Effects are a bit minimal but they are enough to add an edge. Some synths rely on effects to improve the sound. The Micron doesnt actually need them as the core synth is great already.

It has a very handy pattern generator for basslines, chords and ryhthms. It will also record control changes on that riff. you can have up to 26 if i remember rightly in setup mode. Imagine what you could do with that. Very complex sounds and patterns layerered or split not just twice but many many times. Can also have individula midi channels assigned to these parts.

This is not high on polyphony but its not meant to be. Its all about expressiveness and sound quality.

Great. Best sounding synth I have had since my Juno 1 and SH101. All other synths I have used including the very nice Korg Moss expansion or the Novation KS synths dont sound as analogue even though they are both good in their own right. This inst your digital sounding analogue synth sound you get from most virtual analogue synths.
This really does have a warmth you get from real roland analogue synths.

Dont expect to get realistic drum sounds . Its a proper synth not sample based synth

I wouldnt take this anywhere as i woudnt want to damage it

This could quite easliy be twice the price i paid for it. I looked at every kind of synth available. 5 years ago i would have got the JP8080.
I have heard the Korg MS2000 and that sounds a bit digital - similar sounding to KS and some Access virus Synths.
Its great for inspiration. You can make nice sounds like Boards Of Canada does.
Its fat and smooth

Personally i think the presets are spot on, if you want to change them though its actually very easy. even though it only has four knobs they've come up with a menu system that makes it very easy.

far more then i was expecting i really want to list them but thats what the manual does that and its 150 pages long with no chinese. it essentially has four sections, programs, setups, patterns and rhythms but within those has alot of lovely hidden suprises like the vocoder.

Sounds are incredible but are semmingly biased to modern dance music electroclash / new rave kind of thing. wonderfull if youre me. if youre looking for really tuff analog stuff though its not a roland jupiter or a nord lead, equally it wont do a stienway grand piano but for ??260 you dont get any better.

now this is where alesis are a bit crazy, make sure you get it from a reputable seller. with alesis 90% are good ones and are top notch i would gig with mine without a backup without any question the 10% unlucky. Im sure some peoples came out of the bow worked fine for 5 mins then died. buy it from a reputable seller and you wont have that whole long stream of problems. if yours has problems just send it back and get another.

no idea alesis just pass the buck to shop in the uk, so again make sure you dont get one from turnkey.

Its great, a synth of my dreams. a small little candy bar of sweet noise thats just about the most usefull gigging tool it also weighs about 4kg so is easily the most portable keyboard i have ever owned. very clever menu system and top digigtal sound quality. the only improvment could be usb and a software editor. but for the money you get so much with this.

I am using OS Version 1.10 (currently (12/2006) the most up to date OS for the Micron).

Some of the presets sound quite impressive regardless their Style. Most of the Presets have an 80ies or 90ies like Style. Quite a few Presets are more up to date.

Editing Patches in my opinion is the most problematic Part of the Micron: Because of the reduced interactive Elements (2 Sliders (m1,m2), 1 PitchWheel, 3 free assignable Pot-Knobs (X,Y,Z), 1 Menu-Knob) this Synthesizer is probably less suited for Beginners, who want to twist and turn Knobs to learn how to create Sounds or Patches. Even the more advanced User could feel a lack of inspiration because he has only a few Knobs to manipulate the Sound.
The 3 360-degrees Pot-Knobs X,Y,Z (which are free assignable with any Patch-Parameter) have a Hard- or Software limited turn-velocity based Threshold which has the following disadvantages:
1st: Because of the Knob-Threshold you cant fine adjust a Parameter, which is assigned to one of the 3 Pot-Knobs. If you turn a Knob and reach the Threshold, the Value "jumps". If you turn the Knob and dont reach the Threshold, nothing happens at all.
2nd: Because of the Knob-Threshold you cant change a Parameter continously and slowly
3rd: Because of the "features" mentioned before the already very minimal interactive Interface of the Micron is additionally limited.
Having these limitations in mind, in my opinion it is problematic to talk about "Realtime-Controllers".
Search Youtube for "Alesis Micron Realtime" and you will see what i mean.

The Micron-Wiki gives some hints how to use the 3 Pot-Knobs X,Y,Z to create Patches. In a squential and multiple-Stage process the following Parameters are assigned to each of the three Pot-Knobs:
1. oscillators
X=waveform, Y=waveshape, Z=pitch(with 2+ osc)
2. envelope
X=attack time, Y=decay time, Z=sustain time; use control knob for release
3. filter/env
X=freq, Y=resonance, Z=env amount; substitute flt env parameters
4. LFO
X=rate
5. drive
X=type, Y=level, Z=pgm level

There is a nice plattform-independent Patch-Editor available for ION/Micron at http://pwp.ibl.bm/~rgonzale/audio/midi/micronedit.html which requires Perl and tcl/tk as well as a working MIDI-Connection from your Computer to the Micron. This Editor can help in creating Patches.

The Manual is existing. One of the most powerful and crucial Features of the Micron (the Tracking-Generator) is explained on half (!) a page with a following example which does not help you to understand the Tracking-Generator at all. The Manual should be re-written.

8 polyphonic voices which can produce sounds. I find it quite interesting how different people talk about the Sound: Some say, that the Micron is the most virtual sounding VA Synth with the most "Silver-Dust" inside. Some people (f.e. at Harmony Central) say, that they love the vintage sound.

The 37-Keys Keyboard is OK.

The Micron has several built in effects. They are easy to use.

The Micron has a Modulation-Matrix which can be used to create up to 12 different Modulation Routes. Think of it as 12 additional Hands manipulating a Sound/Patch when you play a note. For each Modulation Route one out of 38 Sources can manipulate one out of 77 Destinations .(Hope i counted them all). The Modulation Sources are (for all Sources look into the Micron-Manual, available for Download at Alesis):
Amp Env, Filter Env, Pitch Env, several LFO-Types, m1/m2-Slider, ...
The Modulation-Destinations are (for all Sources look into the Micron-Manual, available for Download at Alesis): Osc123-Pitch, Osc123 Shape, Osc/Noise/Ext/...-Level, Env123-Parm,...
The competitors in this price-segment have no Mod-Matrix or a much less featured Mod-Matrix. For example the Novation X-Station or XioSynth has no Mod-Matrix, but instead a good interactive Slider/Knob-Set. So here is to choose, what you want.

As i mentioned before, there is a Tracking-Generator, which can use on e out of 38 Sources (same as the Mod-Matrix) and transforms the Level of the Source Signal through a quantized 32-Step Curve, which can be defined by the User. The Output of the Tracking-Generator is in turn a Source in the Modulation-Matrix. For example, the Tracking Generator can be used to generate a Curve which could be used as a Complex AmpEnv for Percussive Sounds (Handclaps) in the Mod-Matrix.

There is no way to add more expansion boards to th Micron. Maybe you are interested in what DSP/CPU-Power is already inside the Micron:
U13 Motorola MCF 5206E FT54
"Coldfire V2 Core" RISC-CPU:
50 MIPS @ 54 MHz, I2C-Bus-Interface
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MCF5206&nodeId=0162468rH3YTLC00M91277:
U20 Wavefront AL3101 DSP-1K
DSP:
Effects DSP, 50 MIPS
http://www.wavefrontsemi.com/index.php?id=11,13,0,0,1,0:
U21...U28 Wavefront AL3101 DSP-1K
DSP:
Voice 0...7 DSP, 50 MIPS each
see URL of U20:
--> 1*50 MIPS (Coldfire V2 CPU) + 9*50 MIPS (Wavefront DSPs] = 500 MIPS

MIDI: In/Out/Through

The Micron has an on-board Sequencer. It is quite flexible and hard to find in this price-segment, but cant compete with an dedicated sequencer in HW/SW.

Velocity and release velocity sensitive. No aftertouch.

The instruments are easy to use. You can create VA Drum Sounds with this Machine. Hand-Claps are poor. Bass-Drums are good as well as the Snares, Toms and Metal-Percussion.

I bought this Device to make virtual Sounds for electro/minimal based Tracks. I also wanted to emulate the powerful ARP Solus or ARP Axxe Sounds. Could be that it is more suited for 80ies or 90ies Pop- or Italo-Disco Music...

The On-Board effects seem to have only limited effect to the sounds to me.

I use the internal Sequencer for little sequences. So i cant really tell about "playing" the Micron and how it reacts.

Before OS 1.10 i had several glitches in the sound. I had one hang-up so far.

Support is there, but to me it seemed to be a first Level support to keep the customer away. The essentially Problems could not be solved:
I had a long and frustrating discussion with the Alesis-Support regarding the so-called "Realtime-Controllers". So i think i will never use the Support again as well the Alesis-Support has put a Spam-Filter on my email-Adress ;-)

If it were lost or stolen, i would probably buy another Machine with more Knobs ("real Realtime") from another Company.
For Beginners like me i see these possibilities:
1) You've tested the micron for a given time. If you are happy with the interactive Possibilities and the Machine keeps you inspired you should buy the Micron. In this price-segment there are only a few competitors reagrding DSP-Power or Sound Possibilities.
2) You spend some more money to buy a bigger Machine (f.e. Nord Modular G2) with more (interactive) Possibilities.
3) You spend the same money to buy an Novation X-Station or XioSynth which has all the important Knobs and Sliders to be constantly in touch with the Sound-Creation. But it has a much less powerfull DSP Engine and no Mod-Matrix...

The Realtime-Controller Issue is not new nor a tale created by me. You can read about it at the ION/Micron Group on Yahho.com: (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/alesis-ion/). At least one offical Bug-Request was sent from the ION/Micron Group to Alesis regarding the Realtime-Controller Issue. Nothing happend at all.

The Micron seems to me as a mixture of a sophisticted Groove-Box with a 37 Keys Keyboard.

The presets are memories of old synths I had in years gone by. Patch editing is like editing an old Keyboard, although I mainly want only to edit the assignments of the knobs or sliders to adjust the sounds in realtime. The manual ain't bad, but the glossary in the back is all goofed up.

I didnt want a lot of polophony in this Board because I wanted a vintage synth and if it is too slick it wont do the job ( I have owed vintage synths, when they weren't VINTAGE). I'm gonna use it when I play live with an 80's band I gig with on the side; and when i have a big stage setup and need another board. I don't care about sequencers, but it seems easy enough to use. The only thing midi I might do is use a controller to play the sounds out of it with sometimes, although it's octaves shift easily enough to use it's own keys. Action is good for a synth.

This is where I really love the Micron! It's made like an old Keyboard (where the geeks didn't have so many velocity points and couldn't over-do an envelope and make it hard to play). And..those sounds are so Retro it's just takes me back to playing 80's (in the 80's). Jump Brass is great, old Bells Pianos, quick attack Strings, and Square and Sawtooth Leads! It took me back in time, and I've been playing since 1974!!

It hasn't stop responding on me like I read it can, but I only use it as a supplement to my other 2 Stage Keyboards. It looks cool up there, and the Smallness of it, and the Red Color it shows up in the lights. The pot to the Alpha Knob is a continuous turn(it clicks) and mine has a little play. The sliders are better but it's just not meant to be Manhandled. Metal Case is sturdy and the keys can handle slams. Pitch Wheel is tight and performs great. Jacks are tight too, just that alpha wheel should be made better.

Alesis sound products have been good to me, but this is my first Keyboard from them I've had so I don't know about support,but for the money who cares?

I would buy another one, because I don't want to be without it because of the Vintage aspect of it. I have been playing Keys since 1974 so if I say it's Vintage, it probably is! I didn't want the Korg version because I don't like mini keys. I read about the Micron on the Internet and went and played it at Sam Ash and left, went home and thought it over, and went back and got it. It has been fun playing with it's sounds, and I'm gonna use it in the studio some too. Cheap price tag!!!! Worth the money it costs.

Software version 1.1 but didn't have any major problems with the previous version.

The presets as usual try to please everybody so most of them end up being useless to most people. There are some good presets though and many are good starting points to make new ones.

Editing is a nightmare because everything relies on that stupid knob. On some parameters you will have to turn it fully at least 50 times to go from one extreme to another. And there are no ways around this...

The manual sucks.

Polyphony is what it is, 8 notes and that's it.
The effects are mostly Ok, but the reverb is unpleasent to my ears. The vocoder is very limited, but can produce some nice sounds. The pattern sequencer is nice too.

I find it very expressive, but then again, that depends on the programming of each preet. With the modulation matrix you can make any parameter respond to anything. The possibilities are enormous.

The sounds are virtual analogue and it's extremely good at that. It won't do anything else, nor does it pretend to. It is the best VA I ever heard by far. You also have basic FM capabilites.

Didn't have any major problems. I think it crashed 2 times in 3 months and sometimes it stops responding for a few seconds but only happened when editing sounds, never while playing.

Wouldn't know

Sure I would buy it again. I might go for the ion though. In fact, I might get it also. They would make a good combination and 16 voice polyphony sounds a lot better. I have been playing for 17 years, but keyborads for much less. I own a micro-q and a AN1X and for VA I prefer the micron hands down.

Not really a breeze cycling through the menus and everything. Thank goodness for the semi-shortcut key feature. If you hate menu editing, you'll definately have headaches with it. One control button does it all, warning: dont get this mother button spoiled, but surprisingly for a limited control, there are tons to edit. You just gotta dig and dig and dig..if u're fine with it, or go with the Ion, played once b4, its more control-friendly definitely. Not much of a difference but lackes versatility to this. But for the money, the Micron is a bargain. Cool pads and lead sounds, ive to say, not to forget the mediocre written manual..rather confusing sometimes, but something u cant live without.

An 8 voice poly for a little small machine..im not asking for more. Its as good as it seems. reverb/delay is a bonus nevertheless, very Lexicon like. Also the built in drum machine is pretty alright, not the very best of either.Its kinda troublesome tweaking to the desired tempo..as the setting is at one end or another when frequently tapping the tempo button. Twisting is required here. Makes me feel bad for the main control knob speaking of this. Keys are pretty comfy, rubbery and all. With the weight and size, its excellent as a midi controller...but should there be more buttons...nvm, im not complaining really. On board sequencer isnt the easiest to tackle, but given some time should be okay.

Like most reviewers have said, this is an analog synthesizer; you wont expect any realistic sounds from this machine. But the organ sounds seemed real enough though, give or take a few. Its particularly easy, it will seem to blend into the music you play, very versatile, flexible and sounds really fat.The 8 voice polyphony is enough here, kicks your head goody good. Mostly it would be a compliment to play with genres mostly techno (pretty much), IDM, but mostly technoish/dance music, ive to stress. Its ambient friendly too.Do take your time to edit the presents for more possibilities in tackling other kinds of music here.Could be a headache, i know. No point to get this thing for its presets, but its pretty enough however, to rely on em alone .Onboards' effects are just ok, not the very best

This synth will definitely be vital for gigging, recording, and other means of carrying around. Heck, i don't think i'll need a backup for this.

So far so good. Touchwood.

A good synth but not perfect. I might buy this again if its gone.

This thing is pretty simple to use once you learn to work the knob and use the keys as function buttons. The manual is a good help.

I wouldn't recommend the on board sequencer because it does not bring that much freedom compared to using a software sequencer connected via midi. I personally use logic. Polyphony is good. Built in effects are decent.

The reason I bought this was for the well rounded selection of sound. YES some sounds are very cheesy and digital sounding, yet some are very unique and have a nice warm analog sound. The DRUM selection is Outstanding! At first I thought the micro Korg would be a better buy, looking back that thing is a piece of crap.

This is the reason I'm writing this review. Here's the problem. Not very reliable. 2 months into owning it 1 key died. Sent it back, received it pretty quickly good as new. Now 7 months down the line 5 keys died. They did say that they will give me priority attention so lets see how it fans out.

Good Company. Dependable Service.

Its a very sleek portable unit great for use as a MIDI controller. Good sounds. However not guaranteed to work 24/7.

Some of the presets are really good, some really suck hard. Its a synth so your gonna program your own stuff anyway. As far as editing goes once you get the hang of the push the button / press a key / Turn a nob making changes to a preset is a pretty easy task, building a setup the one time I tried was a royal pain in the rear, but most of the time I will keep this thing in program mode and only use one part from this synth in my sequences. Manual isn't great but it ain't the worst one I have seen.

8 voice polyphony / 4 midi parts / Step sequencer and drum machine functions... If this is the only synth you own and your trying to do multi-track sequencing you aren't gonna be happy, but If you are adding the micron to a collection of synths, or soft synths for that matter, then this is not a bad little machine. As a sound source or as a second or third synth in a live set up, It is gonna be fine. The Keys fell good to. I went to my local guitar mart to try a because I wanted a small keyboard to set on my desk with my computer so I did not have to stretch out to the right to play when I am sequencing. I bought the Micron because besides sounding awesome, the keys felt better to me than the m-audio controllers they had.

The sound rocks. I already have a Microwave XT, a Motif 6 and a Roland JD-800. The Micron is a nice fit, the textures and basses are not as complex as the XT, but a lot more analog sounding. In the store they had a micro Korg and the Micron as there virtual analog selection. The micron was much better sounding than the korg IMHO. It sounds closer to the Idea in my head of what an analog sounds like. The drum machine mode is also a great function. I have wasted hours with this thing pulling up a rhythm set and letting the pattern go while I'll play other sounds on top of it. Couldn't think of a better wa