From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V8 #187 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Saturday, November 15 2003 Volume 08 : Number 187 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: gear ["Crackers" ] Alloy: Prepal ["Crackers" ] Re: Alloy: Prepal ["Crackers" ] Re: Alloy: Prepal ["Keith Stansell" ] Re: Alloy: Prepal ["Crackers" ] Re: Alloy: Prepal [Lee Jackson ] Re: Alloy: Prepal ["Crackers" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:07:34 -0500 From: "Crackers" Subject: Re: Alloy: gear - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Dolby Robertson" To: Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 8:00 PM Subject: Alloy: gear > 2. Either the Roland MKS-80's display is shot to heck, or its contrast has > been set to dim--and you can't reset it because you can't read the display! > If you have a PC/Mac editor for the unit (or the remote control panel?) you > might be able to reset it. In any case, the unit makes music when triggered > via MIDI, and if you don't need to edit sounds you can just change the > program banks. The Super JX MKS-70 had an LED display. They're usually very robust so what I would personally speculate has happened is the display has merely come unplugged from the motherboard. Opening the machine and re-seating it's connection would likely be the fix for that problem. If it were not for the fact that I'm saving my pennies for the eventual AZ-1 auction I would be sorely tempted to bid on the Roland (having a hard time convinving my wife of my dire need to bid on the AZ, trying to justify the expense on the AZ and the JX would prove too difficult, especially since I've recently spent $1200 on toys for the studio (new Beringher monitors and an effects processor for the electric piano I play with Big Fake Heart Attack). The Roland is selling very cheaply, I suspect because the broken display and lack of power-chord are discouraging buyers more than the Thomas Dolby connection is encouraging. The broken display, like I said, should be an easy fix. I've had dozens of LED display products go out like that over the course of my life and in every case it has simply been a loose connection. The power chord is damned near impossible to replace, however. They just don't make those kind of power chords anymore. Still, if you can't replace the power chord, then replace the power jack. It shouldn't be a difficult matter at all to remove the 2-prong power jack and replace it with a standard 3-prong jack, then you can just use your typical 3-prong plug with it. The JX and the Waldorf MicroWave are definetly the two hot items in this batch of auctions. The JX is selling $20-$40 less than the other JX synths currently on Ebay. I have no idea how the MicroWave is stacking up against current market value. There are no Waldorf MicroWaves on record for Ebay's completed auctions and http://www.prepal.com does not seem to be around anymore. I don't know if it's temporarily down or just gone. Pity if it's gone since it was an excellent resource for not only finding out current average street prices of gear, but also price trends. The MKS-70 seems to average around $200-$230. What's interesting is the programmer for the MKS-70 sells for much more than the synth itself. Thomas could have made a killing if he had both together. The Korg M1R seems to be going for a wee bit of a bargain too. Completed auctions showing the M1R selling for anywhere between $200 and $300 depending on number of goodies that come with it. Currently no AZs on record with ebay, but last I checked on PrePal the AZ-1 was averaging around $197 with a downward trend. Granted that was a couple of months ago so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to score a bargain like the current Dolby Gear buyers seem to be getting. Send me mojo people! Send me mojo! Crackers Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:32:24 -0500 From: "Crackers" Subject: Alloy: Prepal Oh, hey! Prepal is back up. Must have been temporarily down. Let's see how Thomas's gear is stacking up against the Prepal records. The MKS-70 is averaging $325 on a downward trend with 116 sales tracked. Seems like a bragain is to be had on the Dolby unit. The Kork M1R is averaging $255 on a downward trend with 191 sales tracked. Sounds about right. Looks like someone is in for a bargain on the Dolby sale. The Waldorf MicroWave is averaging... wow, $719 on an upward trend with 56 sales tracked. Someone is getting a hell of a bargain on the Dolby MicroWave. The Alesis D4 Drum machine is averaging $173 on a steady trend with 732 sales tracked. Someone is also getting a really good deal on the Alesis too. Of course it could be that the PrePal prices are a little on the inflated side, all it takes is one bidder with more money than brains to through the price averages completely out of whack, but still it looks like all of Thomas's gear is selling at pretty good prices. Definetly seems it would be worth jumping in and grabbing something if you're in the market for some cool old gear. I can't wait to see what treasures the next lot of Dolby gear has to offer besides my coveted AZ-1. Maybe I'll be able to pick up an extra toy as well. (fingers crossed, fingers crossed). If anyone on the alloy list wins an item please brag about it to us (unless you're bidding against me on the AZ-1 and win it in which case I don't want to hear it and will silently curse you from my drunken bitter stupour). Less than 10 hours to go before the current auction is over. Best of luck, gang! Crackers Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:36:23 -0500 From: "Crackers" Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal Oops, I almost forgot Thomas's l'il SPX-90 Current average is $193 on a downward trend with 470 sales tracked. Someone's gettin a bargain here too. Crackers Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 10:08:21 -0700 From: "Keith Stansell" Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal Hey Crackers and anyone else who knows such things, I don't know much about these items, but if someone (me) had a MIDI keyboard with no built in synth, but can trigger a midi device (such as my computer sound card), what item here would be good to make that keyboard a stand-alone synth that does not need a computer to work? - -Keith - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Crackers" To: Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 9:32 AM Subject: Alloy: Prepal > > Oh, hey! Prepal is back up. Must have been temporarily down. > > Let's see how Thomas's gear is stacking up against the Prepal records. > > The MKS-70 is averaging $325 on a downward trend with 116 sales tracked. > Seems like a bragain is to be had on the Dolby unit. > > The Kork M1R is averaging $255 on a downward trend with 191 sales tracked. > Sounds about right. Looks like someone is in for a bargain on the Dolby > sale. > > The Waldorf MicroWave is averaging... wow, $719 on an upward trend with 56 > sales tracked. Someone is getting a hell of a bargain on the Dolby > MicroWave. > > The Alesis D4 Drum machine is averaging $173 on a steady trend with 732 > sales tracked. Someone is also getting a really good deal on the Alesis too. > > > Of course it could be that the PrePal prices are a little on the inflated > side, all it takes is one bidder with more money than brains to through the > price averages completely out of whack, but still it looks like all of > Thomas's gear is selling at pretty good prices. Definetly seems it would be > worth jumping in and grabbing something if you're in the market for some > cool old gear. > > I can't wait to see what treasures the next lot of Dolby gear has to offer > besides my coveted AZ-1. Maybe I'll be able to pick up an extra toy as well. > (fingers crossed, fingers crossed). > > If anyone on the alloy list wins an item please brag about it to us (unless > you're bidding against me on the AZ-1 and win it in which case I don't want > to hear it and will silently curse you from my drunken bitter stupour). > > Less than 10 hours to go before the current auction is over. Best of luck, > gang! > > > Crackers > > Ghastly's Ghastly Comic > http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:58:56 -0500 From: "Crackers" Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Stansell" To: Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 12:08 PM Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal > > Hey Crackers and anyone else who knows such things, > > I don't know much about these items, but if someone (me) had a MIDI keyboard > with no built in synth, but can trigger a midi device (such as my computer > sound card), what item here would be good to make that keyboard a > stand-alone synth that does not need a computer to work? > > -Keith Anything but the Alesis D4 and the Yamaha SPX-90 Will work as a stand alone synth using another MIDI keyboard controller to control it. My personal preferences would lie towards the MicroWave or the Roland JX if I were getting one but the M1R would make a good "general purpose" synthesizer for someone with no other MIDI synths at all. The D4 is, of course, a drum machine and while you can trigger it from your MIDI controller keyboard you'll only be able to play drum sounds on it. The Yamaha is an effects unit (reverb, flanger, chorus, etc). I actually have one of those Yamaha effects units sitting here in my geekroom. It belongs to a friend and I'm trying to repair it for him. Crackers Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 12:56:27 -0600 From: Lee Jackson Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 11:58:56 -0500, you wrote: >My personal preferences would lie towards the MicroWave or the Roland JX if >I were getting one but the M1R would make a good "general purpose" >synthesizer for someone with no other MIDI synths at all. Recommendation seconded on the M1R. The MicroWave might be a bit too purpose-specific as one's sole synth. Not sure about the JX, but I'd guess the same. - -- Lee Jackson Garland, TX ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 14:24:59 -0500 From: "Crackers" Subject: Re: Alloy: Prepal - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lee Jackson" > Recommendation seconded on the M1R. The MicroWave might be a bit too purpose-specific as one's sole synth. Not sure about the JX, but I'd guess the same. The JX is pretty much an analogue pad synth, and to a certain extent leads and basses. A very nice addition to an already existing kit but I don't think it would me a suitable general purpose synth. Crackers Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastlycomic.com ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V8 #187 ***************************