IK MUltimedia UNO Synth

[Distorted Horizon]

I can't help it but I'm just not impressed in any way of this synth :/

Maybe the demos/jam videos just suck but.. What I've gathered from the vids, Uno is something that you wanna play when remaking some 80's synth sounds. And I don't like those sounds

[SLiC]

Well, if you don’t like analog mono synths then you probably won’t like this one! It is about as good as you can expect a 2 osc mono to sound for under 200 quid and very portable, but if that’s not your Thing it doesn’t matter how inexpensive it is or what the form factor is!

[BONES]

I can't help it but I'm just not impressed in any way of this synth :/
Maybe the demos/jam videos just suck but.. What I've gathered from the vids, Uno is something that you wanna play when remaking some 80's synth sounds. And I don't like those sounds

Really? Is that the level of your ability, that you need to classify a synth as only capable of one particular type of sound? It's a synthesizer, it will make whatever sounds you want it to, if you know how to use it. With this particular synth, it has a fat, meaty tone capable of lots of movement, which means it will do a creditable job across a lot of genres. If you can't hear that in Nick Batt's review, then you probably have no clue what you are on about. Certainly listening to the latest track you've posted here, Uno would have no trouble at all making any/all of the synths sounds you've used.

[Distorted Horizon]

Well, if you don’t like analog mono synths then you probably won’t like this one! It is about as good as you can expect a 2 osc mono to sound for under 200 quid and very portable, but if that’s not your Thing it doesn’t matter how inexpensive it is or what the form factor is!

Well.. I like pretty much all other mono's out there

Maybe this is just missing a good video that would show things that I need..

If you can't hear that in Nick Batt's review, then you probably have no clue what you are on about.

All I heard was some noodling but nothing useful. But yeah, maybe I should test it by myself instead of just saying my opinions here.. At least I could have fun instead of listening some fanboys bitching me about how I don't have any clue



Found first good video about subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lWR9xLK9uU

Made me realize that UNO sounds boring. It looks good on paper and probably I could use it quite a lot but I think I'd still rather get Volca keys or bass and use it much more than Uno. Or Trueno, even though it doesn't have hands on knobs.

[Distorted Horizon]

Certainly listening to the latest track you've posted here, Uno would have no trouble at all making any/all of the synths sounds you've used.

Might have something to do with the fact that I used only Waldorf Rocket
But it's not the point anyways.. I can't make Rocket to sound boring, even if I try. Even the basic saw with filter open is much more interesting than what Uno offers to my ears, though these two can't be compared because.. Well.. One is VA and other is analog.

[Scotty]

I have the Volca Bass and I really like it, but apart from price point I don't see it as a competitor to the UNO . Vocal Bass excels at acid bass lines and has very snappy envelopes and you can push the lfo into audio rate range. The UNO has other charms. The UNO is closer to the Mini brute and Subphatty to my ears but it is its own thing. With the midi editing features it is really very flexible, I am happy with it... no buyer's remorse here.

[BONES]

Might have something to do with the fact that I used only Waldorf Rocket
But it's not the point anyways.. I can't make Rocket to sound boring, even if I try. Even the basic saw with filter open is much more interesting than what Uno offers to my ears, though these two can't be compared because.. Well.. One is VA and other is analog.

As someone who also loves his Rocket (it's probably my favourite synth) I think Uno is even more capable and sounds at least as good. The thing is, together they work really well, because one reinforces the other. e.g. Rocket can do hard sync but it's envelopes are very basic, where Uno is the opposite - full ADSR envelopes but no cross-modulation, so they go together really well. I prefer the Rocket's filter but Uno's is still good. I don't know about Korg's Volcas but Uno's filter is definitely better than Minilogue or Monologue. Sure, he shows that Volca's filter can scream like a banshee but who ever does that? OTOH, band-pass and high-pass can be extremely handy. Ultimately, that's why I kept the Rocket and got rid of both Minilogue and Monologue.

It's interesting that you did that track with Rocket because the sounds were a bit flat and boring (vanilla) to me. I'd never have picked it. I love Rocket because it's so dynamic. Even though a lot of things are fixed, like velocity modulation of various parameters, Waldorf have judged those values extremely well, perfectly even, which makes a part/performance breathe in a way some synths can't manage without a lot of fiddling. The thing with Rocket, though, is that you feel the compromises they've made to keep it simple and cheap, and you bump up against its limitations very regularly, whereas Uno doesn't really feel like that at all. e.g. I didn't think I'd be happy with a synth without a unison mode (it was a big limitation for us with Monologue) but the PWM and waveshape modulation in Uno easily make up for that, often making it sound like it's running with a couple of extra voices of unison. And if you look at the thing Nick Batt does with the LFO and sequencer towards the end of his review, you'll see what a limitation it can be to have to choose between an LFO or an arpeggiator. (I get around that limitation with my KeyStep's on-board arp and sequencer.)

Watching that video, I can't see how you could possibly arrive at any conclusions about either synth. He wasn't showing their capabilities at all, just comparing waveforms and filters, after listing a few of their features. It was all quite clinical and didn't really tell anybody anything. OTOH, Nick Batt showed how to use those elements and features to make your own patches, which is far more informative.

[AnX]

given that you need the editor to get the full potential (from a very basic synth with lots if shortcomings) i really dont know why they didnt just make a softsynth. There is nothing special about the filter that make it 'hardware special'

[DJ Warmonger]

I saw it on a display yesterday. No one ever touched it, interface must be really scary

[Scotty]

It is a unique looking box and easily under appreciated by appearance.I think it has an interesting range of strengths and compromises which is common with these smaller format synths. I would have preferred a few more second row controls so that everything was on the front panel but for my workflow , controlling it through the interface works really well. Horses for courses but for me this one is a keeper for sure.

[Distorted Horizon]

As someone who also loves his Rocket (it's probably my favourite synth) I think Uno is even more capable and sounds at least as good. The thing is, together they work really well, because one reinforces the other. e.g. Rocket can do hard sync but it's envelopes are very basic, where Uno is the opposite - full ADSR envelopes but no cross-modulation, so they go together really well. I prefer the Rocket's filter but Uno's is still good.

I get your point and I agree, except that "uno filter sounds good" part. IMO it sounds too.. Dunno..
Anyways, for 200€ it's fine piece. It's just not for me.

It's interesting that you did that track with Rocket because the sounds were a bit flat and boring (vanilla) to me.

Ouch Thanks for opinion though

Watching that video, I can't see how you could possibly arrive at any conclusions about either synth. He wasn't showing their capabilities at all, just comparing waveforms and filters, after listing a few of their features. It was all quite clinical and didn't really tell anybody anything. OTOH, Nick Batt showed how to use those elements and features to make your own patches, which is far more informative.

Again, I wasn't comparing any features, I was talking about how it sounds to my ears. Of course UNO offers bang for buck, but that sound.. I just don't like it and every video I watch about it, supports my feelings more and more. I'll just wait until my local music store has those and I'll go test by myself if I can get anything usable out of it but until then....

Btw hopefully that mini usb port is strong enough.. At least in cell phones they tend to loosen up fast

[Ingonator]

Currently at Thomann the UNO costs 217 € and a Novation Bass Station 2 (that i still own myself) costs 389 €. IMO what you get for your money with the Bass Station 2 is hard to beat even by the UNO.
For being fully knobbbed and having a built-in keyboard the Bass Station 2 is still quite small and also lightweight.

Also got a Waldorf Pulse 2 which is a bit more expensive than the Bass Station 2 (currently 519 €) and concerning size is comparable to the UNO. Pulse 2 has a great sound and lots of features.

With owning those 2 synths (and tons of softsynths) there is no real need for me to get a UNO at the moment.

[Distorted Horizon]

Waldorf Pulse 2 519 €

Holy f... Last time I checked it was 429€

[SLiC]

There are so many great and inexpensive analog mono synths out there now we are all spoiled for choice...Beringer certainly changed the game with the Model D (3 Osc, going for about 260 now in the UK) and the Neutron (very flexile synth semi mod with analog BBD and a lot of patch points for 270 UK) and even the Deepmind 12 rack (12 voice polly) can be had for around 500 UK (about the same as the Pulse 2!)

The UNO sits in a slightly different bracket for me being portable, battery powered and with a p-lock step synth...this are unique enough feature to merit the cost for me and to have it 'in addition' to my other analog gear...its my only 'battery powered' portable analog synth and it will soon be sequenced by its new battery powered friend the OP_Z I have a plan!!

WRT the sound, I like it...I like the filter; its a bit different to the analogue I have (DM12, P8, A4, Mother32) and sounds great to me when mixed (like most analog mono synths, it benefits highly from some good FX, especially a good reverb)- I guess its all houses for courses, but for the cost this packs a great punch...but so do many of the other synths I and other have listed!! As I said...we are all spoiled for choice...Enjoy

[BONES]

I get your point and I agree, except that "uno filter sounds good" part. IMO it sounds too.. Dunno..
Anyways, for 200€ it's fine piece. It's just not for me.

You haven't even played with one, have you? If not, you can't possibly know what the filter is like. You can only know how it sounds on compressed YouTube videos. Until I had a chance to play with it, I was very skeptical of it's sound but the proof is definitely in the pudding. The only way to know if a synth suits your sound is to dial it up yourself. Otherwise you are taking someone else's idea of a great filter sound and assuming that's all it can do.

Ouch Thanks for opinion though

I was just pointing out that the way you used Rocket in that track is not the way I would ever think to use Rocket, so whatever it is you like about Rocket is probably very different to what I like about it. So just as your demo of how the Rocket sounds would never convince me that it was worth having, you can't expect someone else's demo of Uno (or anything, really) to be definitive enough to make a good decision about, unless they nail some sounds that really impress you. But just because they don't, doesn't mean those sounds aren't in there, waiting for you to find them.

Again, I wasn't comparing any features, I was talking about how it sounds to my ears

Again, you're listening to compressed audio on a YouTube video, nothing is going to sound great, especially from someone who doesn't seem to know any more about the product that you do. Compare his comments about the filter to Nick Batt's - your guy is just holding a note and sweeping the resonance, it tells you nothing. Then, when he does play a sequence he has both synths going at once so you have no idea which synth is doing what. OTOH, Nick spends several minutes going through everything, which gives you a much better idea of what's going on.