[A6] Alesis Ion

[MelloT at aol.com]

Well, I REALLY like it - but I do not think it is any substitute for an 
analog synth. You will always hear a difference, although the ION has MUCH better 
high end and smoothness than anything else. Far better than others' VA synths. 
In my opinion, it uses analog "language" and makes great sounds easily, but 
doesn't copy analog to my satisfaction.

What I do love about it, and I am hard to impress sonically, is that it 
SOUNDS so good and it programs easily. The sound is full and warm if you want, none 
of that ZZzzzz high end from Korg's silvery things or the gritty upper mid of 
most Waldorf/Nord instruments. It can sound incredibly fat, and the various 
filters DO sound beautiful and different than almost anyone's analog - 
seriously work with them if you get a chance; I really like the options of the NON 
Moog/Oberheim filters there; vocal formants and comb filters. As with any 
keybpard, try to find a few presets you like - they always pick such a wide range to 
please everyone that it sometimes ends up just making everyone dislike it a 
little, because they don't see that this demonstrates RANGE. I have one friend 
who doesn't like digital-sounding synths at all, and he loves it. Not to 
emulate analog, but as a sound-making machine.

The programming is EASY, about 6 times easier than the A6, so you can fly and 
tweak sounds so easily - this is a big bonus. It's really kinda fun to use. 
The cheap keyboard is really bad, but not the main thing for most people. It's 
small, it stays in tune (if you want it to). Find one, spend at least half an 
hour with it, see what I mean. 

Brian Kehew