Dave Smith Instruments Tetra

There are some well-publicized bugs and issues with the interface on this synth, as well as the wonky rotary encoders. I knew what to expect there when I bought it, and it is as I expected.On the flip side, I love the sound and features of this synth, and I use it frequently. My primary use is as a drum synth, using multi-mode so I can trigger it on four channels, and multi-patch combos. I LOVE that patches inside combos are stored separately from the main patches, unlike on my Access Virus, so I can tweak patches in program mode without worrying about screwing up my combos.I love polychaining it to my Mopho X4, and using the latter as a programmer for it from time to time. I tried the free editor software and found it to be too buggy to use.In short, the Tetra does have the feel of a slightly unfinished product, but the issues are well known and if you can live with them, you will probably enjoy this synth.

DSI FOR LIFE

ProsThis is a good 4-voice analog synth. Great fat sound, with broad range of analog sounds. Digitally controlled oscillators and the ability to store presets and combinations is a great feature. Has 4 knobs to assign different functions from step sequencer, arpeggiator to envelope control. Computer editor is a plus for a broad view of the small factor interface which makes it ideal for a 'Minimal' configuration.Cons-The major one for me, the volume control. The volume level is set independent (digitally) from program to program and the output is not a direct analog control through a knob but rather a digital setting through the microprocessor which is frustrating. This can literally hurt your ears if you are planning to use it with headphones and/or without a mixer to control the volume in monitors straight from the unit. I called DSI about this and they said it was normal which I find this really disappointing. Hopefully they will fix this "feature" in a future firmware release, otherwise you have to keep turning down the volume knob every time you change from program to a combination (back and forth). For a $800+ piece of gear I would assume the volume knob works like the majority of the electronic components out there.-No BPM/Tempo LED, this is almost unforgivable.-No power ON/OFF switch.-Construction quality is not the greatest, feels like a cheap product made in china vs. a product made in San Francisco. One of the knob caps fell out on day one just from normal use.In conclusion, this analog synth packs great sound that looks good in paper due to its features however there are considerable drawbacks that makes this gear not perfect and could be a setback among other analog synths in this price range.

This synth is kinda hard to program (-1 star) but works okay with a Mopho SE keyboard. They both have suboctaves so you can match 66% of the Mopho with the Tetra Its the most compact synth for your buck. And if you know how to program via midi you should find it useful.Options:1. Midi out to Mopho. Set Mopho to play lowest key and Tetra plays 4 notes. This allows you to use the Tetra Combo's with the Mono Synth.2. Override Tetra with Mopho sounds and Polychain to Tetra for 4 extra notes. Combo tones can not be played.Be very careful with the volume because the Tetra can be loud. Highly suggest using a mixer/pre-filter to check your volume.

um, yeah!

Sounds awesome right out of the box... more knobs would be cool, but hey. It's a lot of synth for the money

The media could not be loaded. December 19, 2012 UPDATEAdded a video.In the video, the lead sound, and the pad sound near the end, are both Tetra.Everything else in the song is something else.For the lead sound there are no knob tweaks or automation and the filter is wide open for a phat punchy sound.I've now seen Venom, Minibrute, and Mopho X4 released since I bought Tetra...and I'm still happy with Tetra and would not buy one of the others if I could go back in time.Taste is subjective and musicians often bond with their instruments, as for me, Tetra was a great choice.The good side:Tetra has a really phat analog sound and some unique character. Even while many VAs are quite good, there is a notable sonic warmth and signature to real analog you will appreciate. It has been reliable and works well every time I use it. The small size is also nice for easy placement in your studio. Since Tetra is a poly it can play more complex sequences with chords or even a little note overlap with ease, and in this way it has a defined advantage over monosynths. Tetra being a poly with phat sound is what I like most. I also have the pro stand alone editor, and the plugin editor which I use in Cubase 5. Both work reasonably well. I have had my Tetra just over two years and I would not part with it. Also DSI tech support is very helpful and fast in responding, they have even responded to me nights and weekends. I have been able to create everything from phat basses to pads to leads and sounds I consider unique and creative.The bad side:Lack of knobs, but this is a known when buying. The editors are a little buggy. Mostly they work well, However, sometimes loading a patch will not take effect without recycling power on Tetra. Sometimes the editor knobs don't stay in sync with Tetra knobs and occasionally the editor loses complete connection with Tetra and has to be restarted. I have also found combo and multi-mode (the modes that allow Tetra to act as four separate monosynths) is actually quite underdeveloped in the editor and it seems like basic functionality was very limited. You can read about a lot of the bugs at prophet08 . o r g in the Tetra section. But let's be fair, most analog synths all have their little issues and you won't see users flooding forums just to leave compliments. I found almost all of the presets worthless. Also Tetra has a punchy brassy character. If you are going for that smooth, phat, sweet spot acid sound, you can get it / find it from Tetra, with a little flattery and patience. Tweak envelope amount and cutoff to find the spot you're seeking, this has helped me recently.Summary:For me, the attitude Tetra and its editor gives me (which is not too much) is worth the very phat awesome poly analog sounds I can create with it. However, if you intend to use its advanced features, are intolerant of any bugs or challenges, or this is your first analog synth, perhaps consider something with more knobs.