The Quasimidi 309 is a
drum machine, synth, and
sequencer in one, similar to
Roland's
MC-303 and
MC-505 Groovebox concept.
Features of the 309 include:
- A 5-track MIDI sequencer controlling the drum sections "Kick", "Snare", "Hi Hat", and "Percussion Section", along with the Monophonic Bass Lead Synth
- Each section has a variety of knobs for real time tweaking & recording of parameters, e.g. ADSR envelopes
, cutoff, resonance...
- The sound source uses AES, "Analog Emulation System" to create the individual waveforms which comprise a sound. This allows for a far more tweakable sound at the waveform level as opposed to PCM samples, in conjunction with a fuller, deeper, speaker shaking bass.
- There are three expansions to the unit, Synth, Drum, and I/O providing more waveforms to choose from, 4 additional mono 1/4" outs, 2 1/4" ins (for audio processing), and two additional synth voices
The 309 is an impressive unit, but cannot be considered an all in one studio box such as the
Roland MC-505 or
Yamaha RM1x.
Problems with the unit include:
- The unit stutters (or "hicups") when you program one track, and then switch to another.
- If you expand the 309 with the synth & I/O option, you're given two additional Bass synth voices. These voices can only be controlled by an external MIDI sequencer. The 309's 5-track sequencer can't be expanded.
The 309 is a good box, with large sonic potential, but with its sequencer limitations it easily ends up being a sound module triggered by an external
MIDI sequencer, and not the heart of your setup.