Synth Stuff Ep. 89 - Alesis Ion

video upload by tritonrecordings

"Straight from 2003, the Alesis Ion reeks of early-2000's aesthetic, both in looks and in sound. These are a bit notorious for being somewhat unreliable with software issues. Fortunately, this one seems to be in perfect working order, but that's where the fun stops...at least for me. The Ion has that "Roland SH-201" syndrome. It always seems to sound a bit bland or one-dimensional, I suspect due to lousy output DACs. Like listening to song uploaded to Youtube in 2007 vs. a CD or vinyl. The mod matrix and routing capabilities are all great, and on paper, this should be awesome. Definitely not bad, but it has a character you'll either like or you won't. I love the look of it, and I think this was the first time I saw a keyboard with three wheels. Oooooo! It remains an intriguing synth to me, and I'd say check it out, but only if you find one cheap. Of course, you can get the same exact engine in the Alesis Micron, which I've featured on the channel as well." [posted here]