Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

[Kanta]

VST.

[Big time]

Then of course I will fill up the computer with a bunch of softsynth etc.. All on a IMac 24´.

We´ll see..

Why not consider a Mac Pro with two 22" displays

I know But my plan is to go with a IMac 24" a year or so, and then hopefully we will have yet another faster Mac Pro!! And then I´m gonna go with that!

Yeah I know, I´m a bit strange

[jeremy]

Well yes it's a bit strange, but why not. A 1- or 2-year old IMac shouldn't be too hard to sell. Or you would keep it for other stuff if you can afford a Mac Pro without selling it.

My plans are still changing about what I'm going to do (maybe just re-vamp my PC with 3Gb RAM, newer processor and a dual display graphic card).

(slipping completely off topic now)

[Jon]

The sampler on the Fusion is really nice and so easy to work with.

[Jon]

R.I.P Fusion

One month to it's day and it's deceased.

I have just had the f*****g blow up on me. Yesterday while switched on, the screen started going crazy. It kept flashing white then it went blank but still blue background with a white line going across the screen. Then after that both the mod/pitch wheels which light up blue started flashing on and off even though they were not being used. It kept doing this until I turned the machine off.

Now today, I turned it on and right away the screen and both wheels started to flash again. I left the Fusion for an hour while I sorted the garage out, leaving the synth on and hoping it would sort itself out. Came back to it a few moments ago and it was still doing it. Turned it off, then back on, left it a few moments then came that electronic sizzle sound and the thing went off all together with a faint smell of burning.

That's 2 synths in 6 months. The GT and now the Fusion.

[Equinoxe]

R.I.P Fusion




That's 2 synths in 6 months. The GT and now the Fusion.

Ouch!


Maybe you could rename it the Alesis "Fuse has gone" Does that mean that the FM abbreviation stands for "Fried Machine"


You've not had much luck with your synths so far!

Demand a full refund!

[Nico_Noyau]

Isn't your electrical installation a bit $^ù;$,^;ù$^ ?

[Jakob BC]

Yes perhaps you should check the electrical installations in the area with you gear.

[Jon]

I have noticed that the mains socket at the rear of the Fusion (where the lead slots into) is loose. I think it's this, the thing has shorted out.

[Dr. Who]

Bought a Fusion two weeks ago. I hope mine doesn't fry like a bucket of chicken at the end of 2 months What I can say about it is that it isn't really laid out like a professional workstation (I only have experience with Tritons and Fantoms, this doesn't feel like either of those). No color screen, no touch screen, lots of menus. The VA synth is good, but the menus make it a little difficult to program. I'd like more knobs and sliders that are easily accessible for programming analog sounds. There is only one type of filter compared to the the Ion that has Moog, Oberheim etc. But the sound is good for a VA. The sampler though... it is really easy and fun to use. Get a sound, plop it into Sound Forge, mix it up a little bit, tranfer it to your board via USB, and there you go. It's almost as easy as using an SK-1, but it sounds a little better The comparisons between the OASYS and things of the like are paltry at best. I don't consider this board a flagship workstation, but it is a VERY good board to use as an addition to your studio (that is unless it blows up in a few months). I was going to take mine on a business trip with me but I'm afraid it may explode in the overhead bin during the flight!

P.S. The Hollow Sun sounds are very good as well. The best part is that they are free. If you have $500 burning a hole in your pocket... look no further.

[GeeJee]

Sorry to hear that Jon... you're not very lucky...

[Jon]

I lost my temper with the shop I had the Fusion from. One thing I can't tollerate is people who fob you off. Told them the problem, they blamed me for being heavy handed, then said that all they can do it take it back and repair it. Told them I don't want a repaired model, I want a new one, end of. They said they would have to consider it but cant promise. Ha, what a joke. I have news for them, I'm under my rights to get a new model, plus I have had a nice little chat with Trading Standards this morning

[Jon]

I just got off the phone with Numark/Alesis (UK) and even they admitted the heat problem from the h/d is a design fault. Good to see them owning up .

[GeeJee]

Get them, Jon, Get them...

[plate of chips]

R.I.P Fusion

One month to it's day and it's deceased.

Turned it off, then back on, left it a few moments then came that electronic sizzle sound and the thing went off all together with a faint smell of burning.

So sorry you have had this problem Mr Tung

May I recommend the 88 key version 8HD.

... as the 88key is bigger, there is more space inside,
thus the harddisk ... which sits near the internal psu, has more space to breathe ...
making the 88 key remain a lot cooler than the 61 key.

I just got off the phone with Numark/Alesis (UK) and even they admitted the heat problem from the h/d is a design fault. Good to see them owning up .

It is a design flaw ... vents would have been very useful as would placing the hard disk away from the psu


The hard disk is 7200rpm ... if required can be replaced by a 5400rpm or even a laptop 2.5" hd, just needs a 3.5>2.5 converter.

There is a tutorial online with photographs on how to upgrade the hd ...
if you are concerned it may be worth installing a Seagate Momentus 120GB ATA 5400rpm 2.5" hd.
Backing up the fusion first ofcourse, using the compact flash slot and USB port > pc,
then restoring to the new hd.

Bought a Fusion two weeks ago.
What I can say about it is that it isn't really laid out like a professional workstation (I only have experience with Tritons and Fantoms, this doesn't feel like either of those). No color screen, no touch screen ...
The comparisons between the OASYS and things of the like are paltry at best. I don't consider this board a flagship workstation,
P.S. The Hollow Sun sounds are very good as well. The best part is that they are free. If you have $500 burning a hole in your pocket... look no further.

I think Alesis made a mistake marketing the Fusion as a workstation.

For sure it has workstation capabilties, but what they should have marketed it as is :

An FM, Physical Modelling, S&S, VA synth with a hard disk recorder and sampler built in
that has trememdous scope for sound manipulation and sound expansion from a variety of different sound formats
with Gigabytes of storage for arpeggio patterns, sequences, songs, sounds.



...The Fusions 80GB hard disk, upgradeable to 120GB, i feel is best seen similar to a computer hard disk,
which is blank until we fill it with any musical idea, piece, song, sound we want.
This includes sounds we buy, sounds we get for free, sounds sampled from our favourite synths.
All these, once in the Fusion we can leave as they are, or manipulate using the Fusion different synth engines.

lots of menus. The VA synth is good, but the menus make it a little difficult to program. I'd like more knobs and sliders that are easily accessible for programming analog sounds.

I have had one or two workstations over the years, all Yamaha : V50, SY85, W7.
Also a fair amount of soft synths.
Demoed Fantom, Motif, Triton in London.
I find the Fusion the easiest i have used.


BUT ... i agree more sliders and knobs should be there ...
its got plenty of real estate available once those unnecessary rows of soundbank selection buttons are removed.
More so on the 8HD.