Bad Gear

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Volca Kick. Is this very specialized member of the Volca family nothing but a one trick pony?

Today we are going to talk about the Boss SP-202 Dr. Sample. Can this 90s performance sampler provide the lo-fi goodness so many people are craving for? How low can you go???

Today we are going to talk about the Drumbrute Impact. Is the smaller version of the modern classic drum machine the better Drumbrute?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland EF-303 Groove Effects. Was it yet another attempt to milk the legendary Roland TB-303 moniker?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Boutique JP-08. Can this compact digital sound module capture the vintage synth magic and 80s sound of the OG Jupiter-8?

Today we are going to talk about the Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-110. Is this a e s t h e t i c 80s drum machine a Roland TR-606 in disguise???

Today we are going to talk about the Polyend Tracker. Is this hardware take on the ancient software-based music production technique yet another hipster toy???

Today we are going to talk about Beat Kangz Beat Thang. Is this mysterious sampling groove box and design masterpiece the long-awaited Akai MPC Killer???

Today we are going to talk about the Akai S2000 Stereo Sampler. Is there still some use for this 90s sampling workhorse or has it been surpassed by newer plugins and grooveboxes? Is it really that boring?

Today we are going to talk about the Philips PMC 100 Composer. This 80s groovebox/workstation thing and weird combination of an FM synth and a tape deck is the only Philips instrument that I am aware of. Will it replace your Yamaha DX7?

Today we are going to talk about the Elektron Model Cycles. Is this modern FM groovebox the Anti-80s Machine? Can this drum machine be the future of FM?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland R-8 Human Rhythm Composer. Was this vintage rhythm rompler the last great Roland drum machine and mark the end of an era.

Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha RM1x Sequence Remixer. Is this 1999 dance-oriented groovebox a professional sequencer in disguise. Is it "The Raver"?

Today we are going to talk about the Moog DFAM, the Drummer From Another Mother. Is this semi-modular monophonic analog percussion synthesizer just a hipster toy or does it live up to the great heritage of Robert Arthur Moog?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland GAIA SH-01. This slightly dated synthesizer keyboard and home studio centerpiece is still available new. Is it virtual analog or are we dealing with a case of oscillator scam? Is it nothing but a plastic rompler?

Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha DX100 Digital Programmable Algorithm Synthesizer. Is this cute 80s keyboard, keytar, Roger Troutman talkbox carrier and little sibling of the Yamaha DX7 the dirtiest FM synth of the Yamaha DX range? Does it have DAT BASS (solid bass, lately bass)??? Why didn't I get a Korg Volca FM2 like all the other YouTubers???

As it seems, I am the only gear YouTuber who didn't get a new and updated Korg Volca FM2 and we are going to take a look at the original Volca FM. Is this Yamaha DX7 compatible compact synth still up to the job or should we get the upgraded version?

Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha RY30 Rhythm Programmer. If this 1991 digital drum machine declared "the 80s are over" - why are we still using Roland TR-808 and TR-909 sounds?

Today we are going to talk about the Teenage Engineering OP-1. Is this iconic synthesizer, sampler, virtual tape recorder, effects unit and milestone of scandinavian design the definition of modern vintage? Is it the ultimate portable groovebox for on the go?

Today we are going to talk about the Dreadbox/Polyend Medusa. Is this digital/analog hybrid synthesizer and collaboration between two of the hottest European synth manufacturers the ultimate sound design monster? How did it arouse so much controversy that even Benn Jordan felt the need to release a video defending it?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Aira System-1. Many people consider digital synthesizers to be nothing but a plugin in a box. Did Roland make it official? Can the plugout emulations of classic analog synths keep up with the vintage originals?

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Monotribe Analogue Ribbon Station. Is the successor to this analog groovebox, bigger sibling of the Monotrons and acid version of a classic Electribe long overdue? Where's Version 2???

Today we are going to talk about the Clavia Nord Lead 2. Is this pioneering virtual analog synth cold as ice? Why do so many legendary synthesizers come from Scandinavian countries?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland MC-808 Groovebox. Why didn't the last classic Roland groovebox and scaled down version of the MC-909 become a classic? Are the motorized faders cursed?

Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha Reface CS. Is this 2015 virtual analog synthesizer The iSynth or just a scaled down version of the 1998 AN1x???

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Boutique JU-06A. Did Roland nail the timeless character of the original Juno 60 and Juno 106 this time?

Today we are going to talk about the Arturia Microfreak. Is Le Freak a revolutionary hybrid synthesizer or yet another buggy nightmare?

Today we are going to talk about the SM Pro Audio V-Machine. Is this zero years linux-based VST Plugin Host still up to the job in 2022. Can it run Crysis (and/or classic vintage plugins like Delay Lama)?

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Volca Drum. Is the third drum sound specialist of the Volca series (after the Beats and Kick) a worthy successor to the legendary Korg Electribe ER-1 drum machine? Can it step out of the Shadow of the Electribe and when will Korg release the long overdue Drumlogue?

Today we are going to talk about the Circuit Mono Station. Is Novations analog mono synth groovebox and lovechild of an OG Circuit and a Bass Station 2 nothing but a photoshop fail? What went wrong?

Today we are going to talk about the Ensoniq Fizmo. Is this one-of-a-kind digital transwave synth and unicorn of the kingdom of controversial gear actually worth the money it goes for on the used market. Why did it fail in the first place?

Today we are going to talk about the Yamaha TX81Z FM Tone Generator. Is this classic Yamaha FM synth nothing but the home to the iconic 80s bass, the legendary Lately Bass preset? Can it be worse to operate than the Yamaha DX7? Will rack synthesizers ever look good on social media?

Today we are going to talk about the E-MU Orbit 9090. Is this 90s dance version of the classic E-MU Proteus rompler rack synth vintage now? Is this still a dance planet?

Today we are going to talk about the DSI Tempest Analog Drum Machine. Is this hybrid drum machine created by two of the most influential figures in music technology, Dave Smith (creator of the Prophet 5 and important contributor to the midi standard) and Roger Linn (father of the Akai MPC and all that fancy 80s drum machines), the gold standard for hardware-based music production or did the two legends aim too high?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Boutique JX-03. Why did they emulate the Roland JX-3P, a nerdy, mostly knobless distant relative of the legendary Roland Juno-6, Juno-60 and Juno-106 and are the added knobs of the PG-200 controller an advantage over the original?

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Volca Modular. Is this compact modular system the ideal introduction to West Coast - style modular synthesis? Would Don Buchla approve? Modular - not even once!!!

Today we are going to talk about the Donner B1 Analog Synthesizer and Sequencer. Can the Donner B-1, inspired by the legendary Roland TB-303, keep up with the competition of affordable acid synth clones like the Behringer TD-3, Roland TB-03, Cyclone Analogic TT303, DINSync RE-303 or Mode Machines x0xb0x? Is it yet another affordable mono synth? Who's the mysterious company behind it?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Aira Compact T-8. Is the tiny groovebox a worthy competitor to Korg's iconic Volca range and can it be that Roland is a little late to the party?

Today we are going to talk about the Teenage Engineering OPZ. Is this compact multimedia synthesizer and sequencer with visualization options based on vj footage and the unity engine an actual improvement over its older sibling, the Teenage Engineering OP-1? Does the implementation von iOS devices like an iPhone or iPad actually work?

Today we are going to talk about The Prophecy, used by artists like The Prodigy and Joe Zawinul. Is this hard to use menu diving hell of a 90s digital mono synth worth the effort? Do the virtual analog synth engines and physical modeling voices still hold up today? Can I handle a solo synthesizer?

Today we are going to talk about the Elektron Digitone. Does this digital synth sibling of the Digitakt and Syntakt finally make FM synthesis accessible to synth noobs? Does the awesome Elektron sequencer of this FM groovebox / drum machine make a difference and why is it technically less powerful than classic 80s synths like the Yamaha DX7?

Today we are going to talk about the Akai Miniak. Why is this 2010 virtual analog synth so suspiciously similar to the Alesis Micron and Alesis Ion and still so different. Is it just an Akai MPK 49 with some added synthesizer sounds?

Today we are going to talk about the Modal CraftSynth 2.0. Is the second version of this British digital monophonic wavetable synth an actual improvement over its Kinder Surprise Egg - style DIY-Kit predecessor and a worthwhile addition to its polyphonic sibling, the Modal Skulpt?

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Minilogue. Is this analog polyphonic synthesizer a dream come true for beginners and professionals alike? Is it as good as the new black and red Minilogue Bass? Does it actually sound good?

Today we are going to talk about the Korg Volca Nubass. Does this Roland TB-303 - like analog synth based on Korg's Nutube technology bring anything new to the table or is it just another monophonic acid synth. Are Nutubes real Tubes/Valves? Is Korg aware of all the Volca memes - you know, Noobass (LOLZ, ROFL,...;)???

Today we are going to talk about the Roland Aira Compact J-6. Is this preset synth version of Rolands classic Juno emulation usable for professional music production and why did they put in a chord sequencer that seems like the lovechild of an 80s Casiotone accompaniment section and a Unison Midi Chord Pack? Is it better than a Korg Volca?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland JP-8080. Is this classic digital 90s VA synth pioneer and rack synth / desktop synth sibling of the Roland JP-8000 keyboard just good for the legendary trance sounds and 90s rave cliches or can we coax some timeless tones out of it?

Today we are going to talk about the Roland TR-626. Is this budget 80s drum machine worthy of the Roland TR legacy and can it hold up with legends like the TR-808, TR-909, TR-707 and TR-606? Is it as bad as the TR-505, the worst vintage drum machine of all time? Can the crunchy 8 bit lofi samples be used in modern music production?

Today we are going to talk about the Image Line FL Studio. Is this piece of audio software, released in 1997 under the Fruity Loops moniker, nothing but a meme daw or is actually superior to other programs like Apple Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live, Avid Pro Tools or Bitwig? Why does it trigger "real musicians" so much?

Today we are going to talk about the Behringer Model D. Is this original creation of Uli Behringer worthy of the iconic legacy (the one of Behringer, not Moog)?