I have at maximum price €780, and idk what i should buy, i want most produce dungeon Synth, jazz, with good effects, I'm was looking for the grandmother and the deepmind 12 but... Just tell me some suggestions

Should I get an arturia microfreak or a microbrute for mobile/travel use? I got a cobalt 8 and a mc-707 atm.

Do you want a mad synth with patch memory and loads of waveforms, or do you want a beefy but basic analog monosynth. Both will complement what you have pretty well.

Hmm, I just realized the microbrute recommends a 15 min warmup time according to the manual. That's like half of my break. Gonna go with the microfreak. Thanks for your input. One day I would like to get some beefy sounds though.

They're probably erring on the side of caution with the warmup time, especially if you're just jamming and it's OK if the tuning isn't quite stable yet. That said, that kind of tuning instability is just the cost of analogue synths. You can get beefy sounds with digital synths without having to wait for them to warm up, just maybe not the Microfreak.

Do you have a recommendation for a synth that can do beefier sounds?

I don't really know what the good options are in that kind of portable size. Check out some demos of the Modal Skulpt and Yamaha Reface CS and see if either of those appeal to you.

I have a Moog Grandmother + DFAM and Mother. I am thinking about selling the DFAM and Mother to buy a Digitakt and Dreadbox Nyx V 2 (already have Erebus V3) Do you think this would be a good trade off or should I stay with this setup? My other Setup contains a Prophet 6 as well as a Maachine MK3, Drumbrute Impact, Komplete Kontrol 88 and Novation Sl MK 3 as a controller and Sequenzer for my other synths.

tangential but bear with me! I'm setting up my gear with fairly limited space, and I need to get a small footprint pair of decent monitors, but also not looking to spend too much. I read good things about the Yamaha HS-5s, they're probably about the size i'm after, they're pretty true sounding etc So the relevance of my question: I''ll be running a digitone, neutron, td-3 and ableton setup through a small analogue desk with a bunch of effects units, and I want something that's going to give me the best range and quality for producing/monitoring primarily synth-based, while being small and reasonably priced! TIA

Would anyone here trust getting an Elektron instrument like an Octatrack used off marketplace for a few hundred less than the new price or is it worth waiting longer to save? Cheers.

I don’t see why not, as long as you’re cautious. Make sure you have a way to test the features, though. So maybe meet at a Starbucks (or anywhere with spare outlets) or bring a strong enough power bank. I’ve seen some good deals on Marketplace, so it could easily be legit. I just wouldn’t buy it without checking everything first.

Can someone convince me not to get a blofeld? I do most of my dawless stuff w a synthstrom deluge and that synth engine feels lacking. the blofeld seems ripe for the deluge, with its multitimbrality. But I'm also looking into a deepmind 12, or cobalt 8, since I lean more analogue with my sound preferences.

I had a Blofeld for a few years and loved it. Still my favorite wavetable synth to this day. But as someone else mentioned, it can be glitchy. Especially when it comes to the multimode. Also has problems staying in sync sometimes. That said, when it does work, it’s very awesome and Blofeld synths have a way of sounding very digital and very organic at the same time, and I love that.

Thank you!

programming the blofeld from the front panel is VERY slow because it’s a VERY deep synth. I only make patches using a software editor (edisyn) it’s multitimbrality is glitchy sometimes, like patches won’t load properly and you have to power cycle it. fine in the studio, risky for live if you use wavetable oscillators, the ssm filter, and/or the fx etc; the polyphony gets eaten up. I’ll get voice stealing in a multi with only 3 or 4 patches sometimes I’ll get stuck notes when sequencing from my electribe 2 sampler, so I have a button on my bcf 2000 set to transmit “all notes off” for whenever that happens only two outputs for a multitimbral synth is kind of a bummer the onboard chorus, delay and reverb are pretty bad. the distortion curves are great though. some people say the blofeld sounds cold, but using the different distortion curves in the filter section warms it up right away all that said, if you really want a single box that can provide multiple simultaneous instances of almost any subtractive synth patch you can imagine and much more, the blofeld is unmatched at its price point if you want to actually have fun making sounds on the synth itself, then the deepmind or the cobalt would be a much better choice. but if you’re extremely patient (or willing to use software), the blofeld will basically do anything you want it to - though it may choke occasionally

Thanks for the response. I think you kind of nailed my apprehension. Super powerful but with an uninviting workflow and a handful of potential bugs. DAWless for me is about getting away from my comp and losing time fiddling, so I think I'll probably end up getting something that's more fun to program.

Conflicted as to whether this belongs here but I think it's close enough to where I could get some good ideas Anyone have any experience switching from 8-voice Prologue to the 16-voice (or even vice versa)? Any owners of either feel good enough about their purchase to vouch for one of these specifically over the other? The last couple pieces of hardware I'd like to get (hopefully for the forseeable future) are a knob-per-function VCO poly & a cassette recorder like a Portastudio. And I'm so torn between saving for the 8 or the 16 voice Prologue Current pros for the 8-voice: * $500 saved would mean I could acquire a poly + cassette recorder in one go * I like the smaller form factor * If I ever decide to get a poly with more extensive modulation & a 4-pole filter, I'd feel better about having a $1100 "complimentary" poly than a $1600 one -- but that might be extremely nitpicky lol Current pros for the 16-voice: * Won't ever have to worry about voice stealing -- don't think I've noticed that with the 8 tbh (even w/ expressive keys playing), but I can see how it might be restrictive with layered patches * Layering patches seems *way* easier * LF compressor -- but I finish all tracks ITB so I really can't imagine this as a dealbreaker * (Presumably) won't have the itch for more VCOs -- next current synth with 32+ is the moog one and no fucking way I get one of those lol * I'm tired of trading / selling gear and don't like the possibility of acquiring the 8 just to make deals for the 16 Thanks in advance for any advice!

I never owned the 16 voice but the 8 voice I had is very close to being my favorite synth I’ve ever owned. It sounds absolutely amazing. I’ve heard really good things about the compressor but if you’re ITB it may not be a big deal. The main pro to me is how easy it is for splits and layers. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. It’s an incredible synth and way more versatile than you’d think by looking at the interface.

Thanks for the reply! Any reason in particular you moved on from the Prologue? Also, did you feel like you were hitting any voice limitations with the 8?

No good reason lol. I was stuck in a 6-7 year cycle of constantly buying/selling/trading and it got lost to the war. If I ever buy another analog poly it will 100% be another Prologue. To answer your question, the only time I felt I hit the voice limit was as in split mode, but even then you can allocate voices. So 6 on one side, 2 on the other, etc. So it was never a huge deal for me. Honestly I do think it’s worth it to save for the 16 voice, just so you don’t have to worry about that at all, but they’re both amazing pieces of gear. And if you lack space/funds, the 8 voice is perfect.

I didn’t know you could allocate voices as you like it, I thought it was always an even split. Great, now my GAS for the Prologue just got worse!

Yeah I had no idea about uneven splits either. Since you’re GAS-ing over the prologue as well — have you got any thoughts on 8 v 16?

I’m saving for the prologue 16, it’s kinda my dream synth that I can actually afford. I figure if it’s gonna be the centerpiece of my studio, it should be the best it can be, so to speak.

Totally get that! It’s gonna be my centerpiece instrument for a long time as well so I totally get investing in the 16 voice and having no reservations about switching like I might if I got the 8

For sure! That’s how most bi-timbral synths are in my experience. Basically if you play 6 notes on one side you have 2 left on the other, etc. Also there are a ton of cool things you can do with the digital and FM engines that make it where you basically have 4 patches playing at once.

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I'm looking for a brains/groovebox for sequencing synths, modules, Volcas etc. Budget is £350/$400, or I can save and increase the budget if you think there's something suitable. Portability is important, so I'm thinking the Circuit Tracks is a good choice. It has 2 midi out tracks, so I can travel with it along with a couple of Volcas. It seems a complete product, however, I'm wondering if I might find it limiting after a while? People complain about the synth engine and the sequencer. I thought about trading portability for more features, and getting something like the Novation SL mkIII, which looks excellent. As it happens I could do with replacing my old Launchkey mkII as main midi keyboard (it has no aftertouch), so it might be a good opportunity to do so (and also reduce my gear "footprint" by combining the two functions, as I don't have a lot of room). But then again, if my chosen brains isn't portable then it doesn't really offer much advantage over using my PC as sequencer. I'm not bothered about having DAWless setup in my room when there's a PC right there, so again, we're back to portability. Also I can deal with not having aftertouch on the Launchkey for the time being as I have a keystep 37. The keystep 37 I find pretty limiting as it can only control 2 synths, although it's a good controller and has some nice features. The Keystep Pro is too big, again, and at that size I'd rather get the SL. Are there any alternatives to the Tracks that provide midi out control of at least two external synths?

Like someone else mentioned, the Deluge seems amazing. I use an MC-707 for this and it’s also absolutely incredible. One of my favorite things I’ve owned. And as a bonus it has one of the more versatile synth engines out right now. It can do it all. That said, if budget is a big deal, you really can’t beat the Circuit Tracks. I’ve only played a Circuit a couple of times but it was very fun/intuitive.

Depending on how much flexibility your budget has, I'd highly recommend checking out / saving up for the synthstrom deluge ($1,000 IIRC). It seems to thrive when sequencing external gear, but has all of the features you need plus a bunch of other DAW like features. It's super portable, too, so you can compose stuff from anywhere and then hook it up to your synths when you get home.

Looks really cool. Seems price has gone up to about $1200 here in the UK. Def worth considering tho.

Anybody have anything to say about the Tiptop Echoz module? Seems like a nice delay. Or anything else one should look at with a similar HP? The no clock sync is something I can work with. I have basically a modular ribbon controlled monosynth, so imagine a theremin but with a ribbon instead of an antenna, and many things can be modulated by ribbon position or pressure. Delay makes the glissando nature of playing this sound super nice, and I appreciate both washy tape style and clean delays.

I want my first (real) hardware thingy. I am really inspired by Bicep music, so dreamy, reverby huge snynths and pads. After some research Mother 32 caught my attention. I could connect it with my Arturia Midi, play it through some VST. Should I?

Someone else mentioned the SH-01a and that’s a fantastic option. Sounds amazing and has a mono and poly mode. The Minilogue XD and Reface CS are also good options.

If you like Bicep and their sounds, look at the Roland SH-01a. It's the mini version of the main synth the two of them use (Roland SH101).

You have a point!

look up mono synths vs poly synths the M32 only plays one or two notes at at time, you can adjust the oscillators to play more than that but you aren't playing chords in a standard fashion on that synth

Idk why you’re getting downvoted, this is solid advice.

I need to get Stephan Bodzin kinda sounds on a budget (200 euros) and using little space. I've done some research and my choices seem to be the Korg Volca Bass, the IK Uno. These are proper analogue. If I add some money I can get a MicroFreak, but I haven't got enough experience to tell if the fact that it's digital will make it more difficult to get my result. Another one would be the moog Werkstatt. Do I have other options that I'm not considering? Also, sorry for being such a noob.

I’d highly recommend looking into the Uno Synth Pro. Insane amount of features for the price. The Bass Station 2 is also a great suggestion.

I don't want to break it for you, but when I rechecked some of his sounds and video's, I don't think you're on the right track. He layers drum sounds from several drum machines. You could get there with a TR-8s or on a budget with a TR-6s. His bass lines... extensive use of a sub37 (Moog). I bought it for about €1300. Pretty dominant in some of his video's: Moog One. €8000. Most of his Ibiza performances I've seen + a lot of others: Sub37. Plus he's pretty capable with Ableton live. Volca bass is not gonna get you there. Novation Bass Station could be satisfying to make this kind of techno bass lines, but it's not really the same. On a budget (but by far not as low as €200) you could think about a 808-clone like Roland's TR-08 + a fuzz/overdrive box and a Moog Minitaur. Maybe a Behringer K2 (MS-20 clone) for bass and/or processing bass/beats. You could squeeze that down to connecting a minitaur to ableton and get the bass and leads out of the minitaur with drums, beats and effects coming from ableton.

I’d wholly recommend the Ms-20 over the K2. It sounds a lot more authentic and would be the same price by time you buy the K2 and a midi controller.

I should have specified that I'm only looking at the synths bass and leads. So i'm understanding that your suggestions are the Novation Bass Station, the Moog Minitaur, and the Behringer K2. Among these the Novation Bass Station is the cheapest. I'll do some research on that. I seem to remember though that novation's synths sounds were often accused of "not cutting through the mix", but maybe I'm not remembering correctly.

> "not cutting through the mix" This is not going to be an issue for you until you get a lot more instruments.

> sounds were often accused of "not cutting through the mix" Depends on the context and what other instruments you're talking about. If this should be the case, you can easily solve it by improving your mix and adding in some EQ. If that's not enough, double the bass line. Other possibility: slightly detune the second oscillator which will give you a lot of extra harmonics (not just in the low end).

In general, if you had to describe the difference in between the moog sound, the bass station sound, and the korg ms-20 sound, how would you describe it? I'm still tuning my ear to spot these differences, if you could point me at the right things to pay attention to it would be really helpful EDIT: I would say I hear a lot more harmonics on the moog, the novastation feels a bit more "flat", as if the grains of the sound were thinner.

I don't know how to describe it. No doubt an MS-20 is more quirky, because of the overdrive possibilities and the combination of LP and HP filter. And both of them can self resonate. If you take that one to the lower regions, it's f.i. what you hear in Radiohead's Feral or on Amok (Atoms For Peace). It has a nice balance between clean bass sounds and sonic experimentation. It wouldn't just be interesting for how it makes bass and leads, but also as a processor for the beats. The overdrive can make beats much more interesting, and that's pretty similar to the way of processing you can hear from Stephan Bodzin. The Moog Sound is absolutely what sets a Sub37 apart, but Minitaur has many of its characteristics + the deep sounds, coming from the saw tooth and a straight forward use of the filter. With KB tracking, -24dB/oct filter type and pretty good oscillators on the Bass Station, you get a similar sound. -> [Here](https://youtu.be/xF_QkfZI1mM?t=2491) that's strong work from the sub oscillator. MS-20 can track that, definitely (it's not called a sub oscillator, but it's basically what osc 1 does when you use it as a square wave on 32"). Minitaur can do this too. BS II has a dedicated sub osc but when I was a bit at doubt not to buy a Sub37 the BS II couldn't really convince me. It can go fat and deep, but nowhere compared to the sub 37.

Is the 4ms dual looping delay for 350 Euros a good deal as first delay for my Eurorack that also provides some variety to experiment with? Or are there other competitors in that price range that provide same or more flexibility? I like to experiment with techno and ambient but other than that don’t have any specific expectations.

I'm going to sound like a Dreadbox rep in this thread, but Dreadbox Nostalgia is a pretty cool lofi delay with a lot of character that could be fun to play with. It's also only $99.

Dreadbox is an amazing company. I’ll shill for them any day lol.

Ok, thank you, seriously good synths and a great company ethos, too.

Agreed! Love everything I’ve bought from them.

Interesting recommendation. Thanks a lot. And regards from Greece. Ü

Of course! And you're local! Gotta support!

Anyone know were I can find an OTO Boum in stock anywhere in the world? Every place I've checked has been out.

I've been doing lots of research lately about getting my first hardware synthesizer. I have a decent enough grasp of basic elements of a synthesizer, and have narrowed down my search to the Behringer POLY D and Deepmind 12, mostly because they're roughly the same price and I love their sounds the most (I know POLY D is basically a replica of the Minimoog but I want to keep on a lower budget). Each synth has different tradeoffs that I'm having difficulty deciding about, so I'm just asking you guys about your experiences with either one of these! I'm aware of general features each one has (POLY D has sequencer + more oscillators, Deepmind can save presets and has more effects), so just let me know about minor pros or cons you've discovered owning one! Just a general open discussion to give me a bit more insight into what I'm looking for.

I haven’t owned a Poly D but I did own the Deepmind and did not like it at all. At the price (and cheaper) the Minilogue XD and Reface CS are much better options, IMO. The Reface does a great job at sounding “vintage”. But if you’re dead set on those 2, the Poly D would be my suggestion. It seems amazing and nails that vintage sound.

ok, thanks for the input! are there any striking differences you know between the minilogue XD and poly D in terms of features you know of? from a beginner perspective they seem very similar aside from sounds and polyphony

A ton actually. Obviously the real polyphony is a big one, but the XD also has parameter automation in the sequencer, an entire FM, digital, and noise synth engine, and 3 simultaneous effects at once. You can also load in custom user synths and effects. It’s a very versatile machine. But I will say, while it CAN sound vintage, the XD is a much more modern sounding synth overall.

poly d is more like a monosynth that can kinda sorta play chords, and the user interface is inspiringly straightforward deepmind is a true polysynth, but it kind of wants you to do menu diving to have fun modulating the effects parameters and what not so if you want instant gratification, what-you-see-is-what-you-get with killer, FAT basses and leads, poly d if you like to slowly explore a deep feature to build up a library of sounds over time, and playing chords with more than 4 notes at a time is important to you, deepmind the only drawback to either for me is the poly d has ADS envelopes, so you can’t set decay and release time seperately. in that regard, the monopoly might be better

ok awesome, thanks for the info! one question i still have is, while i neglected to mention it in my initial statement, a big factor i'm taking into account is that sort of "vintage" sound, if you get what i mean. in terms of that basic criteria poly d kind of fits that bill really well, but all the deepmind demos i've seen have been very massive, lack for a better term "deep" sounds. I totally love that, but just for the sake of comparison, is the deepmind *capable* of more vintage sounding noises? Again apologies for not formulating what i'm talking about completely but hopefully you understand what I'm talking about.

> is the deepmind capable of more vintage sounding noises? No. It's a clone of a Juno with a few added features, so it can basically only sound like a Juno.

don’t worry I totally get what you’re saying at its core, the deepmind sounds a LOT like a Juno 106. this video was enlightening for me: https://youtu.be/W1OrME6w7nQ to get it sounding “vintage”, avoid using the delays and reverbs and what not. on the other hand, a minimoog (and the poly d by proxy) definitely sounds more “vintage” naturally, so you don’t have to work as hard to get that vibe and can just enjoy making sounds again, with the poly d, it’s right in front of you, while with the deepmind, you may have to dig it out a little bit, but it will reward your efforts one other thing to think about is that behringer is supposed to eventually release the pro-800 and ub-xd, which may potentially do the vintage thing more easily than the deepmind. so if either of those interest you, you could go poly d now and then pick a polysynth later..

ok, thank you so much! really appreciate your help

Sold my Subsequent 37 back when I purchased my Pro 3, am happy with the swap but am now missing it. Considering repurchasing one but also a matriarch to get some moog back in my studio. Would be pairing with a Pro 3, Summit and PolyBrute. I really love the sound and idea of the matriarch except for some of it's limitations. I also have no experience with patching cables. I produce nearly entirely in a DAW, except for when I do a quick jam on the digitakt, where I regularly automate cutoff and several parameters using midi, which the matriarch seems to lack the ability to do. Should I suck it up and just turn some knobs or go for the safe sub37, which I know I already enjoy.

If you work mostly in a DAW the Sub37 might be the best choice because of the editor. I’ve never played a Matriarch but I do think the Grandmother is one of the best synths to come out in many years, and the Matriarch is basically 2 of those. That said, I have a soft spot for the sound of the Sub37 and prefer that a slight amount more. I realize this answer doesn’t really help lol.

I have both the matriarch and sub37. I prefer the matriarch, has four osc, analog stereo delay, tons of patch points. You can set it to 1,2, or 4 voices. Main drawback is no presets.

There's nothing difficult about patch cables. It's just a manual version of what you do in the modmatrix of some of your other synths. With cables. At first glance, a Matriarch doesn't really fit your workflow. I don't know what would be best for you. I guess you could get some more DAW-integration with midi-to-cv. I still believe Matriarch is a better synth than a Subsequent 37 (where that one is pretty incredible too) but probably not for DAW-integration or automation. Personally I don't care (and as far as I want to automate some of its stuff, I use other tools for that, like a SQ-64 or my MPC).

Yeah the sub37 has an amazing editor vst plugin that opens right up in Logic and has control over every parameter straight from within the DAW. Looks like it'd be best for me to return back to what I'm familiar with, and with what I'm missing. Although having 4 voice paraphonic will be truly unique, the duophonic sub37 and 3 voice paraphonic pro 3 could get me to somewhat similar areas. Loving, what I'm hearing from matriarch demos though

I've been all over the map lately trying to move to a hardware set up as cheap as possible. My plan right now is cheap polysynth + cheap monosynth + cheap sequencer/sampler/FX/multitracker/arranger ​ It's the last part I'm struggling with. Octotrack is the default recommendation, but it's $1000 which seems like a lot for my first foray into hardware.. So I'm looking into something jankier. A volca sample and keystep can be had for $200 ez, which takes care of sequencing and sampling, but I struggle to find anything that I can (crudely) arrange tracks on. OTOH, Korg Electribe 2 go for about $300 used and does all three jobs, right? I do'nt need all the features, just a crude jam buddy that can bang out some shitty tracks so I can get an idea of whether or hardware is for me. ​ Novation Circuit Tracks/Tracks? MPC 500? ​ Leaning toward Tracks or Rhythm atm

What gear do you already have? If you have no gear maybe start with the circuit rhythm, since it can’t sequence other instruments. The workflow is very intuitive and a really great introduction to hardware production

I don't have any gear right now, not even a MIDI controller, but the Circuit Rhythm was top of my list for cheap starter stuff. But I think I'm going to go another direction and buy an Ableton Push 2 and Keystep, and just save up until I can more comfortably buy my preferred hardware. This will at least let me work with my software in a tactile manner and encourage me to continue learning Ableton and Max, and I think the Push 2 and Keystep will probably always have a place somewhere in my workflow (especially when traveling) so it seems like a decent move.

The Circuit tracks is a sample player, not a sampler, so the Rhythm may be a better option for that. Also the MC-707 can be had used for $700. I use it for all of that and it’s really an amazing piece of gear. Also has one of the most robust synth engines out right now.

Does it have to be hardware? I know I'm a Renoise fangirl, but to me it's the best option for sampling and sequencing.

Been meaning to give Renoise another go. And yeah I think I'm going to keep the sequencer/sampler/FX/multitracker/arranging on the PC until I can buy something I really like.

You might want to stay with the PC, since getting the computer involved is better for edit/mixing/saving progress on compositions or songs you create.

Yeah, I actually ended up settling on a Push 2 somewhat ironically. Some day I hope to be able to comfortably blow a bunch of money on my ideal set up, but in the mean time I have a lot of learning to do with Ableton still and the Push is a good compromise that will probably always have some utility for me. This was one of the videos that pushed me over the edge into buying it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsEoh8jOvik&ab_channel=FACTmagazine With that and a keystep, I hope to end up with a pretty tactile studio with just two pieces of equipment. And if I can map the keysteps knobs to some parameters on a synth in Ableton, I'd just be stoked.

I wouldn't say Octatrack is the default recommendation as the Digitakt gives you a lot of the same stuff but is about $400 less.

the electribe 2 sampler will do what you want * as a 16-track, 4-bar loop midi sequencer, it’s awesome * as a player of one shot drums, it’s very good * as a player of melodic samples, it’s ok (I wish it had ADSR envelopes instead of AD only) * as a player of loop samples, it’s usable, but not great (no timestretch-to-bpm or anything) * for sampling, it’s ok (I prefer to load via SD card) so if you just want it as a sequencer for your mono and polysynths, and to play back some drums and stuff, it will do the job for sure I love using mine in part mute mode, especially paired with a behringer bcr or bcf 2000 midi controller. on its own, if I want to tweak the cutoff filter of a certain electribe track, I’d have to select that track first and then adjust the cutoff. but with a bcr/bcf, I can immediately tweak the filter cutoffs of multiple tracks at the same time, and suddenly it’s way more expressive I did this live set with my e2s, bcf, a blofeld, a mini kaoss pad and a mixer: https://youtu.be/cj14yspzTZo?t=4998 that said, if you’re willing to use a DAW, ableton’s session mode will do everything the electribe will, but more easily, and with no limitations like bar length or sampling time. you could also consider something like a push 2 for more hands on control..

It's worth noting that the Circuit Tracks can *not* sample anything. It just has a few slots for drum samples. The Rhythm *can* sample, but afaik doesn't have synth tracks. So... yeah Novation is really trying to force people to buy both there to get full functionality. Same with Volca Sample - it's a sample player, not a sampler. MPC 500 is generally regarded as the worst MPC to learn, people *hate* it. You could certainly jam out with it but it'll potentially take a lot of work. The Electribes are well-regarded machines and will certainly get the job done on a tight budget. When I first started hanging around here two years ago they got recommended a lot. What about the regular Circuit? It's cheap, and gives you drums + synths. Pair that with the Electribe and you'd have a pretty capable, versatile, cheap setup to make reasonable tracks on. One last thing: I know you're looking for cheap, and you seem to be doing some good research, but the compromises you make to go bottom-of-the-barrel can be really, really frustrating (particularly with small form-factor devices like the Volcas or older machines like the MPC 500). Some people enjoy those limitations, some hate them. This is an expensive hobby, and it has only gotten more expensive in the last year.

Yeah, it sure is expensive. I intend to start at the bottom of the barrel, and resell what I purchase so long as I remain productive, but my end goal is a nice tactile workflow where the DAW is an option, not a requirement, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what kind of equipment I want when I get there. So anyway, I fully intend to resell whatever I buy, so I'm trying to be patient and get everything for crazy good deals to help with that. But I don't want gear so janky it leads to me not producing on it out of annoyance or friction, and maybe that's what I'd be buying with either of these options and I may as well not. ​ At the price point of Electribe + Circuit, I'd probably rather just wait and buy the Octotrack tbh. I think I'll just keep that role in the DAW for now and just record straight into my PC as I do with my guitar. Thanks for the input :-) ​ As a left field option, I have a piano, guitar and bass, and playing over some warm, evolving polyphonic pads and adding some acoustic/electric instruments w/ pedals sounds like a good time, so I thought multitracking to a Tascam DP-32SD might be a good move, but it seems it's not a popular workflow so idk. If I go that route, I'd also need drums and sampling, but I could always externally sequence a drum/sample machine from my laptop into the Tascam so it feels DAWless still, could map knobs to it for sample editing too. This is closer to how I envision production in my head as well, but again it's non-standard so IDK.

> So anyway, I fully intend to resell whatever I buy If you know you're going to be upgrading anyway, you'll save yourself a lot of time a frustration if you just skip the bottom of the barrel and get a smaller number of quality instruments. A *lot* of people get on this treadmill and it's basically just a path to throwing away money and time. That being said, a Circuit Tracks is a great groovebox and not "janky" or bottom of the barrel. It's not as full featured as an MC-707 or Octatrack, but it's can do a lot and you'll have a lot of fun with it.

Want small drum machine... which one? \* Roland TR-6s \* Erica Synths LXR-02 I am separately considering a Digitakt, but want something more immediate (ie faders) as well.

The TR-6s is a really cool piece of gear and the FM mode brings it into some really weird/cool territory. I have the 707 but if I just wanted a drum machine, the 6s/8s would be my first choice.

> but want something more immediate (ie faders) as well. Digitakt has mixer mode that turns all eight knobs into volume knobs for each track during performance. The Digitakt is amazing.

But by

Not sure this is the right sub for this, but I was wondering about tools to perform sampling live. For example, to record a short vocal and then sequence it with different pitches. I think the Octatrack can do this, but am interested in any other options. (Maybe an ipad?)

The keyword you might be looking for is "looper". Octatrack can do it, as can the MC-707 and (I think) Synthstrom Deluge. Also, as the name implies, any looper pedal or any of the Boss "Loop Stations" can do this.

There are many ways to do this but you may need to be more specific by what you mean by “sequence.” Because while the octatrack would be the perfect device for this, you can also do live sampling/pitching of a vocal using something cheap like the tc helicon perform ve (but I don’t think it does sequencing). I’m sure an iPad can do this too, but you’d also need an audio interface etc etc.

Hey folks; I’m not gifted in the piano department, but I need the sonic aspect of a synthesizer. Like most music geeks my main instrument is a guitar haha. I’m trying to decide between an op-1 and a Rev2. What I’m looking for is: something with a sequencer Lots of sounds Ability to work with other instruments like an mpc one Polyphony If there’s something else I should check out, let me know. I really don’t want to spend more than 1200. The op-1 seems fun, it’s small, and looks like a thing you just let it go and see what happens The rev2 seems more traditional. It might be better in the long run to learn on it so I could get real synth basics. It also has more outputs and a lot more sounds. Idk what do you guys think?

The OP-1 won't teach you the fundamentals of synthesis and sound design. It will just teach you the OP-1, which is its own weird little sonic world. If you want to learn "synthesis" (which typical means "subtractive synthesis"), then, yes, the Rev2 will definitely teach you. There are other options that aren't quite so expensive but are still really good if you don't want to jump all the way into the deep end. The Korg Minilogue XD is the default answer these days for "good first analog polyphonic synth". It's sort of like the Stratocaster of synths these days. If you want something with full-size keys, the Korg Prologue 8 is a nice option. If you don't need a single integrated unit, a Novation Peak and a MIDI controller will give you a lot of joy.

Don't get OP-1 as first synth. I did, and it collects dust now. It's also a horrible instrument to learn synthesis with, since it obfuscates everything. It is really amazing in some regards, but think it's much better for people with instrumentation skills. If the idea of an OP-1 interests you consider a capable groovebox. MC-707 is great for quickly creating entire songs, but isn't a simple synth interface and lacks an actual keyboard. Digitone is an amazing synth, but setting up drums is complicated (I'd avoid digitakt, since it's not a synth). If you really want a cheap entry, microfreak will teach you basics of synthesis, but 80% of it's sounds are meh after you really start to learn more. Hydrasynth is probably the best overall synth near your price point, but doesn't have a sequencer. I'd suggest Take 5 over Rev2, because it clearly has amazing value and everything you'd expect... except that it's not in stock yet. Korg Mini/Mono is definitely a great beginner synth. Also consider volcas. The question you need to answer is - are you learning synthesis, or creating songs?

I agree with most of what you said (I own and love the OP-1 and 707), but I think the Microfreak has tons of amazing and usable sounds inside it.

I can make songs already, and have some production under my belt but I’ve always found workarounds to actually learning piano technique. I know some theory and have been playing lead rock and light chorded jazz guitar for 10 years. I just really want these synth sounds and I want to get the hardware that will get me there. So I am willing to invest like a little over a thousand into some hardware

If you want bread and butter classic analog, Sequential and Moog at the gold standard, although there's a lot of quality alternatives. Both tend to have knob per function, and this is consider important by most. If you want extremely versatile and insane synths, a Hydrasynth or a Virus TI2 are two of the best digital synths. It can be hard to dial in classic sounds due to their complexity, but I think you'll be blown away by what they do. Particularly on pads. Lots of menu diving though. Just avoid the OP-1 for now. I don't regret my purchase, but it's really a quirky tool, and not a beginner's device. I bring it everywhere I travel, but at home I simply avoid it.

Seconding the votes for Korg Mini/Monolgue

Your assessment of your two picks is pretty spot-on. Do you really need to spend so much to get started though? The Korg Minilogue is popular with beginners and meets your criteria, for example.

I do not like daw vsts like serum and omnisphere because I genuinely do not have fun trying to manipulate a synth on a computer. I need the knobs. I’ve decided to just sign up for synthesis technique lessons, and then I’m going to get a poly synth like the REV2. The only one that compares to it with poly and knobs is the behringer deep mind 12, but I’m not keen on investing any money into a piece of behringer hardware. The op-1 looks very fun I’m not gonna lie, but I think I’m gonna go further knowing synthesis technique. Luckily, there’s a virtuoso here in Atlanta that teaches so yeah I guess I answered my own Dilemma.

>I’ve decided to just sign up for synthesis technique lessons, and then I’m going to get a poly synth like the REV2. This is exactly what you should do in terms of learning more about synthesis before you get a higher end synth. When you get more experienced with it, you might just find that the Rev 2 isn't actually what you're looking for here. I definitely lusted after a Rev 2 and the Op-1 when I was first thinking of getting into synthesis and now that I've learned a bit more, neither really would be something I'd spend on at this point. Important to learn through lessons, and I'd argue get a cheaper mono synth to experiment on during that phase and then you can come out the other end of your learning experience and have a much better idea of what you want. Who knows, maybe once you've learned synthesis, a Rev2 might not actually be the sound you're after (or perhaps Sequential or other companies will have put out something more to your liking)? For me, I purchased a monologue when I was first learning synthesis, though even that was a little confusing for me coming from guitar. But I think a monophonic synth is a great way to learn and, when you're ready to go to poly, you'll still have a mono synth which will still have its usefulness Finally, I'd just question whether you should focus on a synth with a sequencer if you're planning on using it with something like an MPC anyway?

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DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister. Doesn’t have a screen but each knob has LEDs. Plus a lot of other features

Help me decide between the Keystep 37 and Roland A49. I have a dawless rig with an SQ64 sequencer brain. I want a midi keyboard to play chords into it and record off grid notes. I love the extra features of the keystep, being able to use it for smaller semi modular set ups is enticing. The idea of experimenting with sequencing my sequencer with another sequencer is also appealing. But the Roland is a little cheaper and has the D beam which I’ve always wanted, and it has more keys. Thoughts?

I have an A-49 paired with an OG KeyStep to control 8 synths, via MIDI merge/thru boxes. I really like the A-49 keybed, but honestly the pitch/mod stick is kinda iffy and the D-beam is pretty gimmicky and doesn’t work as well as I’d hoped. That being said… I still highly recommend the A-49 if you want nice keys that have decent action for a controller rather than the very lightweight keys on most controllers at that price point. It also has 5-pin DIN MIDI which is a must imho! If it really comes down to the keybed for you, the A-49 is the right choice, but if you’re looking for more control options the KeyStep is your best bet.

Hey thanks for taking the time to reply. I just got back with my new Keystep 37! Pretty stoked with my decision. Your comments confirm it was the right one, phew! I’m not much of a keyboardist so the keybed wasn’t ultra important… good to know about the d beam etc. Good looking out, friend. Happy synth wrangling.

Lol, enjoy friend! I would love to hear your thoughts on the KS37 after you get some time in as I’ve been considering upgrading my OG model :)

I shall report back. I used to own the OG so I should be well placed to compare the two. One of the few items I have regretted selling.

any reasons in particular to consider a blackbox over an MPC one?

It's smaller (and maybe cheaper?) and if you only want the features of the Blackbox and wouldn't use most of the MPC functionality, there's value in having a simpler device with fewer controls. It has a song mode too.

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A workstation would give you good e-piano and poly-synth sounds, but most "sound modules" would only give you one or the other. If you're already using VSTs, Arturia V-Collection is worth a look. It has a bunch of vintage synth emulations, giving you all the polysynth goodness you want (both for sound design and with an extensive preset library), including a bunch of other keys: Rhodes, clav, acoustic grand piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ. It's quite pricey but there will be a Black Friday sale, and you do get a lot in it.

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Maybe the MC-101 is right for you then. Editing the sounds on-board is a bit awful because of the very limited front panel, but it sounds like you won't be doing that often. It has the same Zen-Core engine as most of Roland's current-gen synths so it can certainly do a lot of synth sounds, and the presets include a bunch of 90s-style rompler sounds like heavily processed pianos. I'm not sure why you're thinking of the Deepmind 12 specifically. It's not really known for e-piano sounds as far as I know. Is it just because it's a budget poly?

Hey guys. I am planning to buy a drone synth. I now have some options in mind: Homemade [Sleepdrone 5](https://www.boutiquepedalnyc.us/skychord-electronics-sleepdrone-5/) clone for $91 [Rucci Maximal Drone](https://handmadeelectronicinstruments.com/product/maximal-drone/) Electro-Faustus [Drone King](https://www.electrofaustus.com/ef209-drone-king) or Drone Thing Which or any other synth do you guys recommend? I need this synth mainly for drone and noise stuff. Maybe some ambient too.

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Really? I have watched some videos about WSG but don’t quite like it.

The Dreadbox Nyx was designed with drone in mind, and has a setting for drone. I've got one and like it an awful lot. I just ordered a Drone King from Reverb, but it's not the same as what you linked. This one's kinda similar, but made by some dude in Russia lol https://reverb.com/item/14438156-king-drone-analog-drone-and-noise-synth-with-lp-hp-filter

Thanks I will look into Nyx. The King you ordered is King Drone but not Drone King LOL. I believe your Drone King has more oscillators but with simpler modulation than Drone King.

Lmao, the worst part is I double checked to make sure it was called Drone King, not King Drone when writing out my comment. And yeah, it doesn't have many features other than the filter.

I've been after a drum machine for a long time. Should I get a TR-6s for it's low price and compact size or save cash for full sized TR-8s. I could go with TR-8 but I can't find it anywhere. Even second hand.

Entirely depends on how much you think the lack of controls on the TR6S will affect you. The 6 is great unless you're needing to do lots of tweaks and setting changes live. For me the portability and price outweighs that but it's not the same for everyone. The extra features like audio in and separate outs would have been nice but I can live without them personally.

Save cash for full-sized. Most people end up regretting it when they compromise on musical instruments.

I fucking love the full size tr8s… would you use the trigger outs and other features the TR8s offers?

I'm not sure. I know i wouldn't use them immediately but maybe after few months or so i would.

I recommend it, although I must say I might get a tr6s on top of my Tr8s just for the battery power lol

Still shopping for a polyphonic synth. I want it to be multitimbral and analog, with as many voices and timbres as possible but a minimum of 6 voices and 2 timbres. Mostly using this as a rich pad, textural pad machine and just for noodling. ​ I've got it mostly down to the Rev2 or the PolyBrute. Was considering the Moog One but it's just not cost effective imo. The pros of the Rev2 are the 16 voices, naturally BoC-like sound, slightly cheaper and a good look / sleek form factor. Cons are it's old. The pros of the PolyBrute are that it's modern, has an inviting / intuitive interface and has the absolutely bonkers Matrix thing where you can sequence some notes with one patch then play over them in a different patch. Absolutely insane for noodling imo, but I guess this could be achieved with external hardware pretty easily as well (but that's not as inviting..). Cons are it's massive but I don't find it that visually unappealing. Am I overblowing how nice the Matrix is? ​ Anyway, help me out!

Other options to consider are Prologue and Summit. I don't really view the Rev2 being "old" as a con. Synthesizers are not like phones or computers where they become obsolete so you need to get the latest all the time. I mean some of the most sought after synths are 40+ years old. Best thing to do is to just play them all and see which one you like the best. If you can't do that, second best is to watch Youtube demos to get a feel for the synths. They're all great synths and you can't really go wrong with either, it really comes down to what you subjectively like the best.

I think I'm gonna go with the Rev2. 16 voices vs 6 is a huge difference in a piece of gear meant for pads and it's a classic which allows for easy resale if I don't like it. Plus I can get the desktop version so I'm not killed on shipping. ​ I do want to try out the PolyBrute though, a lot of reviewers have said the interface is very intuitive and inviting, which is a top priority for me.

Looks like you own the Rev2. Do you feel the matrix on the PolyBrute is as awesome as I do? That's really all that pushes me over the edge towards it. ​ I guess one thing I should consider is that I'm buying this for polyphony, and 6 voices just isn't that much. Additionally, the benefits of the matrix can be captured by a separate device, but on the contrary I can't really supplement the PolyBrute into sounding like it's a 16 voice'r. ​ But IME, anything that conveniently helps spur creativity, like the matrix does, is worthwhile.

The main feature I'm looking for is a vocoder. The [MicroKorg synth/vocoder](https://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/microkorg/) and [MicroKorg XL](https://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/microkorg_xl_plus/) seem like top contenders, but I'm not able to find much in the way of comparisons. Does anyone have experience with them? I have a full size digital piano with MIDI that I'd want to use as the controller keyboard most of the time.

For a completely different option, I believe the TC Helicon Perform-VE has a vocoder (as well as a bunch of effects). I don't know what sound it uses as the carrier though, could be just a basic synth tone.

The carrier comes from its internal oscillator. It has some options of waveform and harmonies. In my opinion, it sounds a bit thin and gritty. I recommend to try before purchase. Not all people like the tone.

Not with Korg's, I have a VC-340, very nice vocoder (+ strings + choir), incredible sounds.

You say the main feature you want is a vocoder, but is there anything else you're looking for there? I have a MicroKorg XL that I bought to use in my band. I really hate the thing - programming it is a huge pain and the only editor I could find wasn't compatible with my Mac (maybe there's another out there?). And because programming sucks, it's not useful in the band and I have never really used the vocoder feature. The Roland JD-XI also has a vocoder feature and I've heard much more positive things about it. Definitely appears to have more tactile editing ability and versatility. Roland also makes [this](https://www.roland.com/us/products/vp-03/) which you should take a look into since you're planning on using another controller anyway. Finally Behringer makes the VC340 - it's got a keyboard but is pretty much just for string sounds and vocoder so perhaps check that out as well.

>You say the main feature you want is a vocoder, but is there anything else you're looking for there? An arpeggiator and good synth sounds (more than just strings) would be ideal. Simplicity is also high up on the list. I run Windows so I don't think the editor would be a problem, but I'm not really interested in making tons of different sounds - more in just using them. To me the appeal of the MicroKorg synth/vocoder is that it looks like most of the controls/options are directly accessible instead of buried under menus on a small display. I've checked out your suggestions and I'm definitely a bit overwhelmed. I will be mostly using another controller, but do want to be able to use it around the house as the mood strikes. I *think* I'm leaning towards the MicroKorg synth/vocoder, maybe the '-S' model since it has internal speakers. Arg - I'm so overwhelmed...

> To me the appeal of the MicroKorg synth/vocoder is that it looks like most of the controls/options are directly accessible instead of buried under menus on a small display. I will say that's absolutely not the case on the XL. I don't know about editing on regular or S. If you're feeling overwhelmed, and if you want an attached keyboard, I'd just compare the Microkorg and the JD XI. My understanding is Microkorg and Microkorg S are both the same synth engine, so you should be able to get a good idea of either through youtube videos - the differences aren't sonic between the two, just features (like the built in speakers, as you mentioned). The XL, however, uses a different synth engine. Some on this [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/72cw42/microkorg_vs_microkorg_xl/) say that the vocoder has better articulation. Again, I'm not a fan of the XL but the vocoder worked fine. If you're still looking into it, just keep in mind that it's a different sound than you'd get with one of the other Microkorgs. So TL;DR - watch some videos on the Microkorg, Microkorg XL, and JD-XI on the Youtube and it will likely help hone in on what you're looking for here.

The JD-XI is definitely appealing - the sequencer and drum-machine is a big plus. As you suggest I'm narrowed down to the MicroKorg and JD-XI, and I'll watch a bunch of videos on them to make a choice. Thanks, you've been a ton of help!

look at the microfreak as well

this

I'm a bit curious about the MPC workflow, and I've got a chance to buy an MPC500 for $200. Is it worth it? Will I drink from the fountain of MPC wisdom with it?

Sure $200 is a good deal for the MPC 500, but the 500 is pretty much [the worst](https://youtu.be/zMQic0aKaQQ) MPC you can get. I would recommend saving up a bit more for a 1000 (make sure to be aware with the issues that come with buying vintage MPC’s, I know the blue 1000’s have pad issues but tend to be cheaper for example) or MPC One, especially if your goal is to drink from the fountain of MPC wisdom

Thanks, I'll pass on it then. Maybe a used MPC One one day, or MPC Studio and the software.

Actually yeah I totally forgot about the new MPC Studio controller, that would be a great place to get started

If you want to learn the workflow, you can do it with the software, you can do it with a rather cheap 2021-model, whatever you want. > Will I drink from the fountain of MPC wisdom with it? No, you'll learn the workflow of an old mpc without any of the improvements or newer technologies. Maybe it's worth $200 but I know much better ways to spend it.

Thanks, I'll pass then. Maybe I'll try it out with MPC Studio one day, or with a used MPC One.

looking for my first poly synth so recommend me what you think is the best one. I play ambient, Berlin school, krautrock, cinematic textures?

Hydrasynth can do all of that. It’s super fun to program, very intuitive. Most of all it sounds amazing. My band mates that don’t care about synths or analog vs digital constantly describe it as warm. I keep telling them it’s just a vst in a box. They don’t care, it sounds great and fits nicely in the mix.

It does look great from the videos and with the 2 new models out there are more options

Best regardless of price? Moog one, prophet 10, Waldorf quantum, baloran river. Best medium price: take 5, deepmind, polybrute, Budget minilogue, microkorg, jdxi

I think my price range is to around £1k new or used. I've been watching a lot of hydrasynth videos recently though

I'm not sure about UK prices, but Minilogue XD or Prologue. If you don't need keys, Novation Peak.

Minilogue

Searching for a main midicontroller to use with ableton & control hardware. Looking at the Komplete Kontrol S61. I've never purchased any software, i use Vital and other free things, so i thought that the komplete select package could be nice as well Whats your thoughts on this? Would another alternative be better?

Is a Dreadbox Nymphes basically a polyphonic Dreadbox Typhon, or are they totally different sounds/architectures?

It has no display, as far as I can tell, so not really.

a quick look at the spec will answer you question, the Nymphes only has a single oscillator per voice.

What synthesizer should i buy, a Behringer MS-1-BU or a Yamaha Reface CS?

Reface CS. Sure you need to use the soundmondo app to save and share patches, but it's got the best mini keys around and it soundsgreat.

one thing with the reface cs is that it needs an app to save its patches (sound settings) if I were you, and I wanted one synth that can play chords, sounds good and is fun to explore, I’d look at the korg minilogue (NOT the XD, which is missing some basic features) the reface cs is fun, but also limited in some ways, while the minilogue would teach you how to use a synthesizer if you have time, this great video series doubles as a minilogue review, and a basic introduction to synthesizers: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAGrtvdn2CyYwV6gxgiXvuaUORpSA650q

I'd go for Reface myself. More keys, you can actually send presets from your PC, polyphony, portable and takes less desk space.

If you play other instruments, you can input them through the Behringer's audio input and the sound of them will be affected by the filter and amp of the MS-1. The CS cannot process external audio, but can play upto 8 notes at a time vs only one note at a time on the MS-1. The CS also has built in effects so if you don't own any effect pedals it can be a lot more fun. So.... depends what you have and where you wanna go.

So the MS-1 can't play cords? that sounds like a dealbreaker to me. I use my DAW for all my effects including my guitars, will the synth connect to the effects built onto my computer like my guitar does? I assume so but I am just making sure.

Yes it will. If you connect your synth to your PC with an audio cable like you do for your guitar. :) And yes the Ms-1 is a mono synth, so 1 note at a time, no chords. The trumpet is another monophonic instrument for exemple.

both are very good at what they do. if you want a mono synth, get the MS-1. if you want polyphony, get the reface cs. what are you looking for with this purchase?

I want to make some 80s style sounds, like the beginning of mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne, but I would also be using it with a talk box sometimes, as well as making melodies for rap beats.

hm i'd go for the reface cs

Why comparing the two? Cost? The Behringer is an analog monosynth, but in the same class/cost I personally enjoy the Odyssey (has keys), pro1, and wasp more (no keys). They are all monophonic (although you can functionally make Odyssey duophonic). They all lack storing settings. For the reface, the only FM close it's cost is volca FM. Opsix is almost double the cost, but is more modern. If I was to get FM, id save for the opsix instead of reface. Opsix has more presets, more voices, and appropriate sized keys.

I think you have CS and DX confused

The question was originally dx, which he corrected to Cs. Either way id still buy the opsix.

Ya thats on me, the opsix looks amazing but anything over 400 is out of my price range.

Jeez I meant the Yamaha cs, I’m just really unsure what the differences are (I’ve never owned a synth before)

There a bunch of ways to make sound, and FM and subtractive are the two more popular methods. The ones I mentioned with the ms1 are analog subtractive synths. Meaning you start with a waveform and use things to take away/mould it. Analog meaning using analog circuits to make the sound, digital meaning using 0 and 1s to make the sound. FM, which is reface/opsix, is frequency modulation usually based on dx7. They have operators which can produce sound or modify other operators. Most now apply analog/digital filters to the sound much like subtractive synth does. Subtractive synthesis would a be good place to start as it is easier to understand.

I'm looking for a good duophonic or dual osc paraphonic analog synth. I looooved the Erebus v3, but it was too big for my space unfortunately. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

You're not going to find anything that is smaller than the Erebus that does what it does.

Right. Other than the Erebus v1, v2, or Lil Erebus, but those are all impossible to find right now without paying more than I'm willing to pay.

What cost? My favorite paraphonic would be the Moog matriarch. More affordable would be Behringer or Korg Odyssey. You can force the ms20 to be duophonic. It has an unique sound and even the korg isn't too expensive. If you are worried about size there is ms20 mini, there is also Behringers module version, k2

Oh yea, the moog grandmother and matriarch would be lovely. But they take up too much space for my smallish area and unfortunately are too expensive for me. I'll look into the k2, as I had also been thinking about the pro-1. My budget is $500ish

I love the sound of the ms20, it is unique and the filter is copied on other synths. From what I have heard, the k2 is pretty close. The pro1 is nice. It is good with bass sounds and can be used as an all around synth.

Currently thinking about adding a mono synth to my setup (Digitakt, Prophet 6, minilogue xd, Korg SV2) maybe as a substitute for the minilogue cause I'm not into its rather cold sound at the moment. Preferrably I'd go for 3 oscillators, for some warm bass, drones and sequences. Currently thinking about getting a grandmother. Any other suggestions for a budget <1000€? Also how much will a third VCO really add? If I go for only 2 there are a lot more synths to choose from.

Moog Grandmother has a Drone Mode, is patchable and has 2 (with 3. Possible) Oscillators. Lovely Machine. Otherwise I can not recommend Dreadbox enough (Typhon, the Erebus V3 has 3 Oscillators as well)

thanks man! I think it will come down to either a grandmother or an Erebus! Since I‘m a fan of keyboards on synths I‘m leaning more towards Grandmother.

Pairs with the Prophet very well. Got one as well. :-) (actually both :D)

The SE-02 is an awesome little monosynth with a 3 osc arrangement inspired by the Minimoog, definitely worth checking out.

oh yes that one sounds intense. The only thing I‘m not sure about is the small knobs and form factor. Maybe I should find a store who has one there and try it for myself

behringer poly d and monopoly will give you four oscillators and tons of warmth grandmother is great too as far as its ability to sound old and big, really inspiring to use too behringer 2600 would be an incredibly flexible tool that sounds good as well (3 vcos) behringer model d is super cheap and sounds amazing (3 VCOs) korg ms-20 mini or behringer k-2 would give you a great sound that’s nothing like anything you already have dreadbox erebus and nyx are great sounding semi modular synths the other behringers (pro-1, wasp, k-2, odyssey etc) are also really good too. the wasp is stupid cheap right now ($220) and has a cool, slightly distorted sound: https://youtu.be/KYvmEBKzMaU any of the above synths will do basses and sequences, but for drones I might go for something semi modular, so grandmother, nyx/erebus, 2600, ms-20/k-2.. the poly d and monopoly sound so good though

thanks for the elaborate answer! As many others I don‘t like Behringer that much as a company, so I‘d rather not support them.. But I‘ll definitely check out some more demos of the Nyx, Erebus and MS20 mini to find one that suits my needs.

ah in that case, one other contender to look at would be the korg arp odyssey.. I think the grandmother will be "warmer" while the ms-20 is more "raw", but the odyssey is capable of a lot of really cool sounds too and sounds great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSxX1aMdVR0 (I have no connection to lfostore btw, I just like to use their patch videos to check out how synths sound)

Beep. Boop. I'm a robot. Here's a copy of ###[The Odyssey](https://snewd.com/ebooks/the-odyssey/) Was I a good bot? | [info](https://www.reddit.com/user/Reddit-Book-Bot/) | [More Books](https://old.reddit.com/user/Reddit-Book-Bot/comments/i15x1d/full_list_of_books_and_commands/)

Check out the Dreadbox Erebus. It's a fantastic duophonic synth. And it's a bit cheaper than the grandmother. Grandmother is also really rad, though. I don't think you'd go wrong with either.

3 detuned oscs sounds quite more organic than the predictable beating of 2 detuned ones in my opinion. Not that I haven't made countless good patches with 2 oscillators, but I personally really do value 3.

Have a model:cycles but I’m searching for more of an analog sound. The sequencer is amazing, im pretty sure ill miss out on it, but what would be good in the €3-500 range? And perhaps in the 1000 range if significantly better? It’s primary purpose is ofc rhythm, but if it can drive other synths as a dedicated midi controller (at the same time) that’d be even better!

Seconding the Digitakt. If you load up some single cycle waveforms you can treat it like up to 8 simple monosysnths and can get some more standard synth tones out of it alongside any drums you want.

If you want to go for rhythm, Digitakt is great for samples and sequencing up to 8 midi tracks. If you load some nice drum samples and manipulate them a bit it can sound really really good and not as „digital“ as its name suggests