As a bread'n'butter synth.

Hi NEONCHIK, It depends on your application or intended use. They are different animals.The SC-8850 is a true GS instrumentas well as GM2, this is a slight edge over the XV3080,particularly if you use sequences based on the SC with system exclusive messages. It also has the good scat patches internally where the XV needs an expansion board. Although this capability gives a big edge to the XV. If you are on the road with the units, The XV is rack mountable, the SC is table top.. If you need separate outputs the XV gives you 3 stereo pairs[6 individual] , the SC 1 stereo pair. The SC gives you a stereo input, not available on the XV. The XV uses stereo wave forms for each tone. The SC will need 2 tones to match the stereo. As a sequencer playback the edge will go to the SC, 64 internal parts, the XV has 16. As for the sounds I like them both, they are better than the competition. If you also include the XV5080 in your equation, my choice would be the XV5080. SSCI,8 bus, Extra expandability, 8 outputs with individual EQ on each, and 32 parts, as well as sample playback..Also the cost may be a consideration..The SC[$900], 3080[$1300 basic] and the 5080[$1800 basic]...Fran

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 07-22-2001).]

XV costs under 1000$ now.
But SC has most important thing superior - 64 midi channels (wow!), 1600+ patches, 6 FXs (if I'm not wrong)!!!, big display... And the price is lower!!! Why??? Are sounds and FXs inferior to those from xv? Do they sound the same, or it's worth buying them both? XV5080 is out of competion, because extra 1000$ is way too much for what it additionaly offers. The only positive thing are 3 MFXs. Although it could be more, at least 5, like on Tritons and CS6Rs. I think expansion possibilities is not a big deal. I prefer to spend 1000$ for another sound module instead of buying 4 cards. No need in extra outs, in rackmounting possibility (I have table!), in stereoforms (if the sound is good, then it's good), sample playback (I have separate sampler)... You see, XV look way too limited compared to SC. By the way, how much sound memory is there in SC?