Yamaha • AN-200 Loop Factory
The AN-200 is a compact table-top physical modeling analog synthesizer and sequencer. The AN-200 has sounds like the AN1x keyboard. The sounds are pretty phat, from punchy analog bass to squelchy distorted 303-lines. It models two analog VCO oscillators with sawtooth, variable pulse, mix, multi-saw, OSC Sync, FM, resonant multimode filters and 5 voices of polyphony. To accompany this beastly little synth engine is a 32-voice AWM2 section with about 120 drum and rhythm sounds for creating complete dance grooves, patterns and songs!
The AN-200 features a 16 step pattern sequencer with one track for FM sounds and three tracks for AWM2 rhythm sounds. It's simple to use and is suited for hands-on and easy pattern making. Create your patterns in step-mode, in real-time, or record it using an external MIDI keyboard. The sequencer is Analog-Style, each step of a pattern can be tweaked by the turn of a knob, affecting the pitch, gate time or velocity of any synth or drum note. Parts can be dropped out and brought back in on the fly, along with any tweaks and pattern changes for interactive live performances! The "Swing" function can funk up the groove of your patterns for better or worse. There's also Tap Tempo for DJs to match up to their beats! Editing sounds is also fairly easy and hands-on. There are 15 quick access knobs for various common tweakable parameters like the LFO, amp envelopes, filters, effects section and osc. sections. That's way more knobs than the competition (Korg ElecTribe/M and Roland MC-series)! Further in-depth editing can be achieved with the bundled software editor for Mac/PC.
Yamaha's "Scene Memory" function is also on-board, providing two "Scene" memory snapshots and real-time morphing between scene memories. All knob tweaks can also be recorded into your patterns via the Free EG for motion and evolving effects. There are quality on-board multi-effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive/amp simulator, distortion, EQ) to sweeten your tracks! The DX-200 is just like the AN-200 except that it is based around FM synthesis, reviving the sound of Yamaha's classic DX synthesizers. Like the DX-200, the AN-200 makes an excellent groove machine. It's suited perfectly for use by DJs, live on stage, and in the studio as a sound module or as a groovin' analog loop factory for professional and beginning electronic musicians alike!
Apologies for any confusion.
As mentioned, the only downer is that the "sequencer" is only 4 beat long! That's one complete measure of 4x4 16th notes.
So, use it as a supplement to your other "goove boxes" and you can't go wrong.
if you have a choice, get the dx200...but this one is amazing on its own merits and a bit harder to find.
The sound is absolutely great in my ears. The four freely programmable envelopes give you unlimited modulation-capabilities!