Got a chance at a MS-20 mini for $450 CDN. Also considering a Bass Station II for $100 more. The Bass Station II seems more versatile but I do like the MS-20 sound. Any recommendations?

I would take the BS2 myself. More of a workhorse, patch memory, full size keys, midi out, etc.. It also sounds a little Rolandy to me, which I like.

It all depends on which others mono synths you already have and what style you re producing ... if it s your first bass synth oriented i ll advice BS2 ... More versatile ... in between those two i ll go MS20 mini myself but i already have others monos ...and ms20 is my next buy ...


PEACE


MORDICUS

If you're comfortable with selling stuff, get the Mini just to try it out.

At that price you'll likely be able to get your money back if you change your mind later. Or at least most of it.

I'd advise the bs2 as well. Quicker to dial in a sound, memory, bigger keys etc. It has a very usable sound whereas the ms20 is more a sound design tool in my view. The ms also sounds really distinctive, which isn't always a good thing.

I compared both of them side by side and found the bs more enjoyable, but maybe it's because I see the ms not so much as an instrument but more as a retro cool noise box full of knobs and switches. I could be alone in that of course

depends on the sound you want as they're very different IMO. I had a BSII and returned it - sticking with my MS-20 Mini. If you're working at all ITB, you won't really miss the sequencer/arp. BSII has a lot more modulation opportunities, Mini has a more gritty sound. Single filter on the BS II vs. HP and LP resonant filters. Pole options on the BS II and different filter types as well.

But in the end, the BS II sound wasn't for me.

It's a pity novation decided to make the bs2 a 25 keys synth instead of 37.

At the moment all I got is a MixroKorg xl. I'm looking at doing mostly synth pop/New Wave with some side projects in Techno. I herd the Bass Station 2nd can get close to a SH-101 which intrigues me. Really wish I could afford a Sub Phatty. At any rate seems I'll get more out of the Bass Station. The presets didn't thrill me that much but I herd a Youtube demo and the OSC + filter sounded surprisingly good. The MS-20 does have a unique sound though.

I don't have much to add, except this: buy the sound you actually like, not the one you think you should like. When I finally got to try an MS-20 Mini, I liked the sound, but didn't swoon. Next to it, though, was a Microbrute, which I bonded with right away -- the opposite of what I expected from YouTube videos of both synths. This isn't to say you should get a Microbrute or BS2 instead of the MS-20. (I have a BS2 and like it for the reasons already given.) But follow your instinct; all of these instruments have a sound, so get the one you enjoy listening to.

Yup.

that seems expensive for a BS2, considering you can buy them brand new for $499 and that's here in Australia..

I've owned a BS2 for a while and it's a lifetime keeper, I'm picking up a used mint MS-20 mini this afternoon for $550 and can't wait to get it home and start jamming on it, I will have a BS2, Minitaur, MS-20 and micro-brute as my mono synth collection by the end of the week...all 4 unique in their own way.

The Bass Station is new at $550 CDN. The MS-20 mini goes $650 new but was used at the local shop for $450 CDN. I have an account with the store so I can pay it off over a few months whichever. Actually, I am thinking of renting the BS2 first to see if I like it. Really wish you could trigger the sequencer via external MIDI though. I'm moving away from softsynths, always wanted an analog synth but as we all know they aint cheap.

Well I've been playing my MS-20 mini now for a couple of hrs, hmmmmmm not what I was expecting

went and picked up and brought it home, plugged it and have played around with it without any distractions and well, it's nothing special, I cannot compare it to the BS2 in anyway shape or form, it's very different, more like hard work, nothing is instant or gratifying as it is with the BS2.

The BS2 is without a doubt the best mono synth currently available for the money, nothing touches it imo, this MS 20 is going to be hard work, not easy to get sounds out of, a real chore in fact...

MS-20 mini doesn't have half the charisma of the BS2, I remember playing with a real MS-20 years ago when at college and it was the same then, you really have to give up a lot of time to find something useable, also sounds seem to drift alarmingly it's kinda hard to keep a sound steady etc..it's actually quite limited without any of the patching, very analog though.

I would say the Moog minitaur is a far nicer synth and it's very limited, but sounds gorgeous, looking forward to the micro-brute later in the week..

BSII all the way, love my MS-20 but I go for the novation first

Just a thought, for synthpop/new wave I'd definitely go with bs2 as it has that 80s Rolandy sound. The ms sounds like it belongs in the 70s, which is fine but probably not what you're after.

Cheers thanks!

The MS-20 can do bass very well, it can't shake the foundation of the house, it's just not used that way too often. The MS-20 will also be well integrated with a full modular if that path is explored down the road. Also 37 keys vs. 25 is a plus to me regardless of key size.

Having had both, the BS is a vanilla ice cream cone, the MS-20 is a hot fudge sundae, and an iconic synthesizer for a reason.

I will try and make some bass sounds tomorrow with my ms20, from what I heard from it today for a few hrs I'm not hopeful, BS2 can dial up pounding bass sounds in 2 seconds..

Raise the resonance on the MS20's HPF for more bass.

Its an odd synth to get the hang off initially, can be a bit counter intuitive.

The MS-20 can seem disappointing when you're used to straight-forward fixed architecture monosynth. Beyond the weird patchbay the sound itself isn't necessarily satisfying for bread and butter mono sounds. But once you get used to it you realize what an awesome 2nd/3rd/non-bread and butter mono it is. It's frustrating for playing because of the weird interface, but use it to process other sounds and it opens up and gives you nastiness nothing else will. I love having slightly detuned sounds with the "ring mod" on. Or sequencing it while also sending samples through the input, so it will trigger in interesting ways...
For bass, lower the highpass cutoff and raise the peak most of the way...

Sure it can, and I still have a Super Bass Station for mostly bass...it just pales in comparison to what a MS-20 is capable of, bass, lead or experimental. Subjective, of course.

this was my dilemma back in April.. MS20 vs. BS2 vs Minibrute vs. Microbrute.

I eventually got my Fantastic 3 (BS2/Minibrute/Microbrute(CV/sequencer control)) combo. The all compliment what I want to do. Their internal sequencer helps me make all of them musical as well. It was a tough decision between MS20 and BS2. I went the Arturia way because CV connecting seemed new to me and exciting. . I do GAS for the MS20 because I want an MS20.. I want to sequence the MS20 while tweaking those knobs. I can get the MS20 now for 400.00 on craigs. In order for me to get the MS20, the BS2 and or MINIBrute has to go due to space.. That' may not happen soon though.. I'm just soo attached to BS2 and the Brute. That BS2 is my bass. It's been in all of my tracks on soundcloud.

you're not wrong, initially I thought there was something wrong with mine, you really have to put a lot of effort into sounds, it's not a very powerful synth imo, but it's it's quirky and weird enough to want to keep and explore more, for me it will probably will end up being a sound effects synth, the filter has a lot of character though, it's very distinct, but I don't get much sense of power from it. I found some nice patching vids for it last night on you-tube that look interesting, going to try a few of them today and see how we go..

I have the "fantastic 3" as well

this patch is awesome, I copied this one from the video and have been jamming with this one all afternoon, found some really interesting timbres between the two filters...very interesting.

It does sound cool, I'll have to try this one out too.

I have to go to work now and haven't recorded any of my days tweaking but want to tomorrow, right where the knobs are now, is what I want to capture, so I'm opening the hpf all the way, and closing the lpf all the way, that way the synth is silent and it's not pissing anyone off by looping around and around aloud...after all my studio is in my bedroom and the missus doesn't want to hear it all night..lol I want to come back to it in the morning, it's such a sweet spot I've found I want to capture it..

well finally captured what I liked to DAW and here it is...the filters are very gritty, kinda nice how they drift and sound like they are rubbing against each other..

I agree. I took my BSII back because it was "too plain" sounding to me. I just couldn't get any sounds from it that I didn't feel I could duplicate or come hella close to in software. The MS-20, on the other hand, has so much more character and is unique sounding.

I have the BSii and I love it. It's so much fun to program and to just play. I use it on 98% of my music since I've got it as it's so much more fun to program than a vst.
That said I do want the ms20.
If u want a workhorse mono synth that's easy to implement into any setup and super awesome fun to play while sounding great I'd say bs2