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Note 2564.0 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 5 replies
NEWPRT::SAUNDERS_FR 13 lines 30-JAN-1991 13:20
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ALL:
I'M A RELATIVE NEOPHYTE TO BOTH COMMUSIC AND SYNTHESIZERS/MUSIC
WORKSTATIONS...THUSFAR, MY FORAY HAS BEEN PRIMARILY ON THE
SHORELINE (CASIO/YAMAHA PORTABLES, ETC), NOW I WANT TO HEAD FOR
"DEEP WATER". I'M CONSIDERING THE PEAVY DPM 3 AS MY FIRST MAJOR
PURCHASE, THE SALESMAN (AS MOST ARE) WAS VERY ENTHUSIATIC ABOUT THIS
STATE OF THE ART "SOFTWARE BASED" ARCHITECTURE...AFTER SCANNING
COMMUSIC, I'M CONVINCED THIS IS THE PLACE TO FIND SOME SECOND
OPINIONS. THANKS IN ADVANCE, LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS.
BNO
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Note 2564.1 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 1 of 5
TLE::TLET8::ASHFORTH "The Lord is my light" 28 lines 30-JAN-1991 14:33
-< Synthaholics abound... >-
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Hi BNO-
I think you'll find advocates for a number of different brands, synthesis
techniques, and just about any other topic where "taste" has the final word.
Electronic Musician ran a good article several months back comparing a fair
number of the currently available synths (with keyboard, which is what you
obviously are looking for). I can look up the issue if you're interested in
getting a copy- however, like everything else, it might already be too
out-of-date to be useful!
The Peavey is just one example of several synths which are well-thought of in
general, so I (and probably everyone else here) would advise you to investigate
the field more thoroughly before diving in. Several examples of competitors are:
Ensoniq ESQ-1 and VFX (and VFX/SD), Korg Wavestation (and M1 and M3), Yamaha
SY22, SY55, SY77, and V50, Kawai K1-II and K4, Roland D5, D10, D50, and D70,
and gobs more, which just didn't come to mind, I'm sure.
The "updatable, software-based" architecture of the Peavey axe is definitely
intriguing to say the least, but it would be misleading to say that it's on the
way to becoming any kind of a standard. By the time the software needs updating,
the underlying hardware may itself be obsolete.
Look around, listen, and play with as much gear as you can. (Figure out
somewhere in between how much you can spend.) Learn to swim *before* you jump
in- salesmen *always* tell you the water's fine!
Cheers,
Bob
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Note 2564.2 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 2 of 5
VICE::JANZEN "Tom MLO21-4/E10 223-5140" 5 lines 30-JAN-1991 15:44
-< price >-
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Lower prices are to be found in inner city rock equipment stores
or mail-order, as opposed to surburban music store list-prices.
Sometimes also the smaller equipment is at discount department
stores.
Tom
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Note 2564.3 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 3 of 5
WEFXEM::COTE "I've got an alibi..." 7 lines 30-JAN-1991 16:07
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The software based architecture is cool if, in fact, they actually
bother to update it.
I've got a software based machine at home also. A Mirage. We know
how long they supported those...
Edd
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Note 2564.4 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 4 of 5
AQUA::ROST "Who *was* Martin Lickert?" 12 lines 30-JAN-1991 16:47
-< The First Big Upgrade Just Came Out >-
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Well, Peavey has updated it already....
The latest DPM is the 3SE which lets you monkey with the samples (SE is
for sample editing) i.e. modify loop points, etc. and an optional
rack mount box can be plugged in to do your own sampling.
The SW update to convert a DPM3 to an SE is $50.
Brian
P.S. Mr. Moderator....there's an existing DPM-3 note, maybe you could
move this there...
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Note 2564.5 PEAVY DPM 3 - WHADAYA THINK? 5 of 5
WR1FOR::SWEETEN_SC 13 lines 30-JAN-1991 17:58
-< I Like 'em >-
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I purchased a DPM-3 about 6 months ago. Like the base note, I'm new to
the synth bus. but I'm still very pleased with the DPM-3. I've heard
other synths with better out-of-the-box sounds but with a little
tweeking I have equalled or surpassed most of the other models.
Peavey says they will ship the $50 upgrade sometime in Feb. The
enhancements will smooth out some of the problems I saw in the
sequencer like mapping effects to sequences rather than tracks etc.
Also, Craig Anderton seems to love it. As a matter of fact, I think
Peavey contracted him to rewrite the manual. Wise move!
I got mine heavily discounted. Check it out!
Scott
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| Although the rack mount DPM-V3 isn't even in the stores (same with the
sampler add-on,) Peavey has already shown a sample playback module
called the SPP or something like that. It'll be sample playback only
(no synth editing like the DPM3) and no onboard effects. It will be
44.1 KHz, individual outs, accept poly aftertouch, etc. Pretty nice. $800 list.
Oh yeah, it will have a *disk drive* instead of a card slot. New
samples are loaded from disk, and use MIDI sample dump standard. So
you could develop the sound on your DPM3 (or even a coputer sample
editor) then download the sucker in to the SPP for use.
The big deal is that a disk format makes it possible for third party
vendors to offer samples, which has been a drawback of card based
machines like the U-220 or worse yet The Proteus with upgrade by chip
swaps.
The lack of FX is a bummer, but the price and the disk drive will put
this thing on the map, if it sounds OK. Peavey is in bed with ProSonus
to deliver sample disks to fit this and the DPM3. If Hartley and the
Ensoniq boys keep it up, maybe the Japanese will have to start worrying
about US-made synths again.
Brian
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| Part of the advantages of having a disk-based machine is evident from
Peavey's announcement of new samples and patches for the DPM3 from
ProSonus. Sample sets include orchestral strings, rock percussion,
electric guitars.
Two disk sets including the samples plus patches built from them are
$35 list (street price? maybe $25-30). Compare that to ROM cards
costing closer to $100 list. It also allows third party suppliers to
provide samples at a low cost since they needn't pay to have ROMs
burned.
A lower priced version of the DPM3 keyboard called the DPM2 has been
announced. It too will be available in a rack version, although DPM-V3
rack units are pretty scarce...haven't seen one yet.
Brian
P.S. The sample player unit, the SP mentioned in .2, is still slated
for fall release. Not sure what the stock memory is for the $800 list,
but it will be expandable with SIMMs to *32 Mbytes* and there will be a
SCSI port, too. Disk drive will be 1.44M HD 3.5". The Proteus and
U220 will be in for a real battle for market share with this
puppy...full sample editing will be allowed. It's really a sampler
minus the record capability as opposed to sample players which also
lack editing capabilities.
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