Okay well I have thought about for a long time and have debated about what to buy and listend to several people give me their input. After much deliberation and searching for just the right synth. I've decided to buy a Roland Juno-60. I know some of might say I shouldn't becuse of the Nikle cadium battery inside might leak. Well I have never come across anyone with this problem, well none that I am aware of anyway.

Every synthesizer that I had looked at or recommended to buy just did not interest me. Not the VA's like the MS2K or Nord Lead (still too expensive). Only the Roland Juno-60 seems to be the one. True it does not have MIDI but it does have a DCB port on the back so I'm sure I could figure out away to hook it up to a computer with a DCB-MIDI converter.

Oh and I am going to also look for a MIDI Controller keyboard because there are some softsynths out there that I like. Such as NI's Absynth.

Those are both great choices.

You get a definate thumbs up from me.

You did it right when you decided to buy what interests YOU. That's a wise choice no matter WHAT you buy !
(former Juno owner!)

Haven't exactly bought one. I keep changeing my mind. Now I am not sure waht I really want.

Well Paul, I am going to throw a wrench in on the gears for a second just to say that there is only one thing that is different about a Juno-60 and a Juno 106.
The Juno-60 is pre MIDI, DCB Controlled

The Juno-106 is MIDI Controllable.

Their panel operation is just about the same and their voice chip IS the same.
Lastly their price is about the same. (DCB Controller not included). Bottom line though; Dave is right. Get what floats your boat.

Okay! Even though I said I had made up my mind to buy a Roland Juno-60 I am still not sure if I want one because now I am finding other keyboards to consider. So here is a list of what I am considering.

Roland Juno-60
Roland Juno-106
Roland RS5 or RS9
Roland A33 (this is a midi board)
Kawai K5000s (have owned one before)
Korg MS2000
Korg Triton Le
Kurzweil PC 88
Ensoniq Fizmo
Ensoniq ASR 88
Oberheim OB12
Nord Lead
Access Virus Indigo (though could not afford)
Waldorf XTK (another pipe dream)
Novation K Station
Yamaha AN1x
Yamaha CS1x or CS2x
Minimoog (bought one but wound up lost in the mail)

As you can see I have quite an extensive list and a very hard descion too make. I like each one but I can only afford to buy just one. I would love to own every single synth listed here but I have neither the money or the room. So for now it will have to be just one. I hate makeing descions.

your list has stuff thats just not on your budget. You have a whole life ahead of you,

life is short

Dont make a fuss over "sound"

if you're not happy with what you've bought
you can always sell or trade.

I just bought an OBERHEIM OB-12 and a NOVATION K-STATION and they are both excellent synthesizers . I would have to say that going by our past discussions and what you have told me and everyone else about what it is you like , I can say this .
Roland RS-5 and RS-9
Korg Triton LE
Ensoniq ASR-88
YAMAHA CS-1X and CS-2X
These you will not like , they are boring sample playback machines .
If you like the simplicity of the ARP synthesizers that you have and you want to just be able to build you're own sounds then here are some good ones .
KORG POLY-6 , KORG DELTA , KORG SIGMA
ROLAND JUNO-6 , JUNO-60 , JUNO-106
YAMAHA SY-1 , SY-2 , CS-5
NOVATION BASS STATION , A STATION , K STATION
REDSOUND DARKSTAR , DARKSTAR XP-2
FUTURE RETRO 777
PAIA 9700 MODULAR
SEQUENTIAL CIRCUITS PRO-ONE , PROPHET-600
SIEL DK-600 ( OPERA 6 )

I think these will do what you want and they will not KILL you're wallet .

Thank you 800dv. Finnally I got a straight answer from someone. I was even considering a roland JP8000. But that could still be out of my price range. But I see what you mean about simplicity. I do prefer my AXXE over the OMNI. Plus I have played witht the Axxe more then I have witht the omni. Having a stinrg synth does not help. plus it has two dead keys. I stll have not brought myself to part with it. Unless there is someone who would want it.

That tends to happen to string machines , keys go dead , or no sound at all . String machines are not really synthesizers , they are organs . They use the same type of super sonic oscillator with divide down circuitry that an organ uses . The best string machines are from CRUMAR and ROLAND from my experience.

The KORG DELTA is like an ARP ONMI but is more versatile , that is it's a string machine with a more versatile synthesizer section than the ARP OMNI . Plus it's WAY more reliable .
You already know about the ROLAND JUNO's .
The KORG POLY -6 is similar but it has a different sound .
The SIGMA is monophonic but is really capable of unique sounds .
The SIEL DK-600 is a dual oscillator 6 voice synthesizer ( ROLAND JUNO'S have only one ) , it has a really nice sound and it has MIDI . It's an Italian made synthesizer , make sure it works perfectly before you get one . If it has any problems , DO NOT get it , no one will fix it .
Also I forgot to mention the ROLAND SH-101 , SH-09 , and SH-2 .

Actually I don't play with the Omni. The reason why I got it was becuse I got a good deal on it from a Pawn Shop for $150.00. I was told by a musical instrument dealer that I should hold onto it. I have had it since 1994. The Axee since 1999.

So what your telling me then is too look for the older analog synths. Like the ones you listed instead of buying latter gear?

So Buy a Juno instead of the JP8000?

I would say you would get a better price on a JUNO-6 , JUNO-60 , JUNO-106 than you would on a JP-8000 .
You can get a ROLAND SH-32 for less than a JP-8000 . The SH-32 is $ 495.00 brand new and a JP-8000 is around $600 - $650 used .
You could get a KORG DELTA for around $250.00 . I like the VA synths , don't get me wrong . I have a KORG MS-2000 , OBERHEIM OB-12 , REDSOUND DARKSTAR XP-2 , ROLAND SH-32 , and a NOVATION K-STATION as far as VA synthesizers and I love them all . I think you would enjoy a JUNO or a KORG POLY-6 or a KORG DELTA . Easy on the wallet and great sounds .

Okay 800dv I will do that. Thank you for your help, and advice.

Incidently 800dv, How did you know that I don't have a lot of money too spend on a synthesizer? Just courious.

You were saying in one of the other posts about the missing Minimoog that the $350.00 that was basically stolen from you was all the expendable cash you had at the time . I'm assuming that you live alone and you have to pay all you're bills yourself .
I know I keep bringing this one up but the REDSOUND DARKSTAR XP-2 is now $139.99 at Guitar Center . My brother went and got one , so now we have 2 of them .
I have been ripped off on EBAY too , honestly I don't think you will get you're money back .

I had a guy in Canada rip me off for $600.00 for an old YAMAHA CS-50 . He said it worked great and had no modifications . When I got it , it looked like a damn 3 year old kid packed it . Plus , he drilled holes all over the front panel to put in 1/4 inch patch points to bypass the front panel signal routings . He even bolted on an old MXR ten band graphic eq guitar pedal and ran the output into it and ran the output of the pedal back indside and drilled an audio output on the left side wooden panel .

I have never seen such a jackass gypsy dildo cluster **** operation like what this idiot had done . It still didn't even work . There were NO oscillator cards inside . Ebay is starting to have a lot of people ripping others off . So far there is no way to get them back .

My rules - If the price is too good to be true - it ain't true !
If the seller is over seas , he can keep it !
If they don't answer questions , or act like they hate answering questions , I don't buy it . I will not not pay money just to have some gypsy dildo treat me badly , hell I can get that for free .

Ok lets say for arguments sake, Just kidding.
Supposed I do buy a red sound, I can get a keybord controller to connect to it right? Becuse that's would be the main reason for buying one.

As for Ebay, yea if it is too good to be true it isn't. Most of the peoeple that I have bought stuff from through ebay all lived in the US and where fairly decent people. The Arp AXXE for example came from a woman in Alaska and was in the same shape as desribed. That was for $250.00 which at the time was the average price for one.

I think from no one I will be more carefull who I give money too.

Yes I do live alone 800dv. I am still hesatent about shelling out money right now for any synth. I guess I am still bummed about getting burned on the minimoog, and not getting my money back.

I think I am getting tired of all this waiting. I want something now not several days from now. Maybe I will go check out the Dark Star.

Yep , getting burned on a deal is not cool at all . Also , yes , the REDSOUND is a module and can be controlled by any MIDI keyboard . The price that it is now , it can't be beat . It's just a straight 8 voice synthesizer . It has no ridiculous features like 128 note polyphony , multi track sequencer , and it's not some boring sample regurgitator . It's very simple and straight forward like the ARP AXXE .