thnax again crumbsucker!
that's another good explaination.
i think D2 is ok if we're looking for a very good sound module, not a standalone one (mc-303.307,505 or yamaha dx-202, an-200).
and yes, it's very cheap here! i can find it for only 100€ (129usd).
anyway i don't like the fact that i have always take a sequencer or a keyboard to play with.
i will see what to do.
the waldorf you said is this one
http://www.vintagesynth.com/waldorf/microwavext.php ?
...is not cheap at all...

ps
do you know yamaha dx-200 and an-200? they seem not bad and they're cheap standalone grooveboxes.

I don't know any of those yamahas but yamaha makes good instruments since ever...
AN200 seems similar like Korg Electribe EM-1
4 parts in a pattern...lots of knobs.
I remember that I saw one in the shop somwhere in 2002... the price was 3much so I didn't even wanted to know how it sounds... I was so enlightened with propellerhead's Reason at that time I didn't care for hardware...what a fool I was... I remember how much used hardware was for sale at that time ... and I was thinking: haha, see, now you are all selling your big synths because future is in reason and VSTi's... and I'm making music just with my PC... It sounded like crap BTW...
Sure you can do music with computer , but if you want to sound good you will still need some hardware to process the recording...and I didn't knew that. Now my tracks sound beter but music is not so good probably because my muse is gone and time is divided to the wife and kids.
...and I don't go to raves anymore to hear new sound...
Don't hasitate too much with the purchase... if you don't like it pass it on.
Waldorf MW xt... nice powerfull synth but I needed to purchase a compressor (FMR RNC) to squash it... gear lust is neverending...
what I need next... 12ch mixer, another RNC or RNLA, better monitors, new PC, new soundcard... room treatment ... it hurts in this times when every day politicians are talking about crisis and boss about fiering 30% of workers... feck it, I'm way off topic.

I had a Yamaha AN-200 for a while. Decent little box. Has some hard limits thoughm only 16 step patterns and the song sequencer tends to drop the first note when it switches to the next pattern. Not alot of drum sounds but the ones included are great for electronic stuff. The synth itself sounds really good and is capable of a wide range of sounds. Get the software editor and you can really tweak the shit out of it. I gave $125 for the one I had and would gladly do it again if I had the cash to spare.

ahahah, good to see someone who thought like me....in the end of the '90 i begin with hardware (well ok, just an akai remix 16 sampler and a iper-cheap yamaha mt120 4 tracks recorder, the both i still keep with me) and 2003/2004 i passed completely to the pc world...
...but, at the end of 2008 i reconsiderd the hardware option after 4 years of computer music only thing...
i've got the same going as you: now i have 1 kid and a concubine (sorry for my english, i mean we're not married) and the muse cames and goes everytime...but for now she's here...
my project is to get away from pc. so maybe i will buy D2 because it helps me a little to do this (what an excuse... )



me too...i have another thread to this subject, check this out...

cheers!

finally i bought one Roland D2 for 85€ (115usd) it will arrive in the next days.

cool lets us know what you think of it

it's arrived.
yes it's true: this thing alone sucks. it's almost impossible to write patterns without a midi keyboard or a midi sequencer.
the sounds are great (tr808 tr 909 tb 303 mc-303 mc-505... ), and quantizing is very good.
i've tried to play some synth with my sp-505 but the notes are half-lenght-notes i don't know why...
no problem with a midi keyboard instead.
i will upgrade this thread in the next days.

i repeat, you can find almost history of end of '80 and '90 techno house d'n'b and some hiphop sounds in this machine. you have also some rodhes pianos...i feel in that sense it is versatile.
the D-field is useful depending on what use we do. for filter,x-fader,LFO,ROLL,delay,reverb and MFX is ok; for arpeggiator...it dipends on your production; sometimes it could be ok, some other definitely wrong.
vinyl and bpm functions are funny, but only in a live situation 'cause apparently you're not able to make restart in line the stopped pattern.
mute part is very nice and useful.
quantizing is great.
in general, is not that difficult to programm it as i thoguth.
i don't know if with D-filed we can control external gear...it would be funny...
ps
i confirm: without a midi keyboard/sequencer is difficult to write patterns.

You can controll other gear with d field . On part edit ther is option
INT/EXT/BOT... record your fingermoves on INT or BOT and switch to external...voila
it will send midi notes on part number midi channel.

hi
thanx
finally i bought it.
i think i will use it more like an expander, it has many sounds for this.

Yes it is good sound module. I like his drum kits... D2's TB-303 kinda suck IMO because MAM MB33 can do much better job for acid lines. good to see you figured it out quickly... the thing isn't so complicated, but cryptic letters don't say much... you just got to get used to it.
One thing about it's presets... sure they are very very cheesy, but sometimes it is good to see how the pro's organize the sounds that at the end sound spectacular... and saxophone patch is so great.

... see, keyboard si a must

yes, this is useful to see also where to find some good patchs and sax patche is indeed very nice!

could you tell me if there is a way to apply XY Filter to more than one part at time?
thanx

As you figured out you can apply filter in real time only on one part, but you can record that autmation for every part.
If you choose LP filter there will be LP filter on every part that you recorded filtering... I mean you can't have LP on bass and HP on drums.
You may notice some drop outs when there is too much going on... when you are close to the polyphony limit.

i still don't have try the automation, this could be nice...