Don’t you forget about me: why ‘newer’ doesn’t always equal ‘better’ when it comes to gear
Electronic musicians are always chasing the new - not surprising in a genre that’s inextricably linked with innovation and new technology. At the same time, we’re obsessed with vintage gear and its supposedly unique sound. But what about all the devices in the middle - neither brand new nor yet ‘classic’? Here Luke ruminates on the topic and selects a few gems from recent years that you shouldn’t forget about just yet…
At Signal Sounds, I’m blessed to be surrounded by some of the best electronic instruments ever made - things that are widely considered to have “stood the test of time”. It’s easy to look at some of these now lusted-over items and forget that there was a period when the people of the time thought they were old hat, outdated and generally worth getting rid of.
If I had a pound for every time a customer of a certain age pointed at one of the vintage items in our showroom, recalling how they sold it “back in the day” and that if they’d held onto it “it would be worth a fortune now” - well, maybe I’d have enough cash to buy some of the gear they’re pointing at myself!
These customers are usually resigned to the fact that they were simply swept up in the frenzy of something new. And that’s not their fault - it’s simply the way of the world. New technologies, new sounds, the wheel seemingly reinvented… it’s all part of a world that keeps turning; a conveyor belt of newness that never stops. But where does this leave the things just outside the ‘newness’ limelight?
It seems to me that there’s an odd zone of time, a kind of product purgatory, where things that have been out for a while linger, slowly waiting to be discontinued. Most products that go through this stage end up forgotten, but some find their voice posthumously and reach the sort of lofty status the shop workers of their day would only laugh at.
There seems to be no rhyme or reason for what will become sought after and what will fade away into obscurity. Some pieces of gear simply fly under the radar at launch due to a lack of marketing or simple bad luck. Some experience flash-in-the-pan excitement, with a burst of popularity that fades quickly as soon as something else similar comes along. Others, through the dedication of their makers, start slow but get better with time as firmware is updated and features are refined.
Within all of these fields there are potential classics; things that others will use for decades ahead of us. The funny thing is, they are so easily forgotten about. Many are probably available to you right now buried behind “New Arrivals” homepages and an ever-growing list of new things to buy. But they are there, and if they inspired someone once, they can do so again.
5 products that should stand the test of time
With all this in mind, we’ve compiled a short list of things that in spite of no longer having the shiny-newness glow, still prove inspirational to us at Signal Sounds; things that we think could stand the test of time. They’re still in production and while they might not become as sought-after as a TR-808, they could provide years of creative inspiration in the right hands.
Expert Sleepers Disting MK4
Aged like a fine wine, if ageing wine, erm.. added more features to it? An almost dizzying array of algorithms are packed into a 4HP Eurorack module. Utilities, FX, oscillators, modulation, sample playing…. it still does absolutely everything and will for many years to come.
Expert Sleepers Disting Multifunction Eurorack Module (MK4)
£165.00
The Disting is a many-in-1 multifunction module, offering a variety of CV and audio processes, including a selection of oscillators (LFOs/VCOs). All algorithms have two...… read more
Joranalogue Filter 8
It feels like a new modular filter comes out every week, so picking a standout from the past couple of decades of Eurorack is an almost impossible task. But if you’re looking for an all-rounder that will serve you forever, you could definitely do worse than Filter 8. Not only does it offer a whopping 8 filter types, it’s also a perfect 8-output quadrature sine wave oscillator and LFO with a host of self-patching options.
Joranalogue Filter 8 Eurorack VCF Module
£269.00
Representing the cutting edge in modular analogue voltage controlled filter (VCF) design, Filter 8 offers more possibilities and higher fidelity in 12 HP than ever...… read more
Meng Qi Wingie 2
What a lovely little unique box of fun the Wingie 2 is, both as a sound source and sound processor. I’ve always loved using the stock resonator plugin in Ableton, and to have something like that in hardware is wonderful. On top of that, it’s a platform, meaning there are other firmware versions to change what it does - a chaotic Rungler/Blippoo Box, anyone?
Menq Qi Wingie 2 Resonator Synth
£179.00
Wingie is a handheld stereo resonator with built-in microphones that also doubles as a development board. Its dual onboard microphones allow you to interact and...… read more
OTO Machines BAM
A truly rich, lush, reverb. Based on the early digital reverbs of the 70s and 80s, it uses similar techniques of bit reduction, analogue filtering and 20-bit fixed-point processing to give a really classic sound that’s never going to go out of fashion.
OTO Machines BAM Vintage Reverb Desktop Processor
£466.00
BAM is a stereo reverb processor inspired by the late 70s / early 80s digital reverberator units.These units are sought after by sound engineers, producers...… read more
Sixty Four Pixels Noodlebox
A highly jammable four-part sequencer with both CV and MIDI, designed to be a hub for a fun and interactive electronic live-set. It’s really deep but also quick and fun to arrange with. Loop and reverse sections, add crazy randomness to your sequences only to snap it back to where it was; it’s a killer little box. The LED display is super nice too.
Sixty Four Pixels Noodlebox Eurorack Desktop Sequencer
£395.00
Noodlebox is a four part sequencer for making electronic music. It has analog CV/Gate outputs for each part and supports MIDI. There are independent sequencer...… read more
Final thoughts
Of course, when technology improves, new features emerge, the quality generally goes up, and the inspiration that comes with this is palpable. I’m certainly not immune to the lure of newness. But you only need to look at the dizzying array of options for boxes that add ‘lo-fi’ qualities to your sound source to know that often it’s not perfection that we’re seeking.
Maybe the slightly imperfect quality of the FX engine in that synth that seems so frustrating now will one day be one of its most desired characteristics. The point is that the ‘newness’ of a thing is largely irrelevant; what matters is how it makes you feel to use it. Does it inspire creativity in you? Every piece of gear can inspire an idea or a song; but the really great ones can inspire many, and will for many years to come.
