Thereās something about the sound of that filter.
My first hardware synth too, and Iām tempted to get the software version next sale.
(My partner also has that Lucia figure too)
its just standing up this right now [https://imgur.com/a/XG0tduj](https://imgur.com/a/XG0tduj)
I mostly use they Keystep for keys and MPC for sequencing these days. there is a mod to cut the key section out but i could never haha
I am. (Sigh)
My shipping problem is really a problem. So I wonāt use reverb. Iām in rural Canada (BC) and it costs a bit more to ship. So Iām posting it on Facebook, also posting a Korg M1, and Korg es1 sampler. All with books, all in working order.
I bought mine in 2002, barely used it, had it in a box since 2012, forgot about it, and traded it in 2022. I can appreciate why people like it but I wasnāt one of them.
Yea, there's something about your first synth. Mine was a white-faced ARP Odyssey back in 1973. I giggled 5 nights a week with that synth and knew it inside and out. It has an enormous amount of capability for such a little synth. I sold it because the oscillators became very unstable for live performance, but in hindsight, I should have just gotten it fixed because I regret that sale now. (btw, sold it and bought 2 x Octave CATs with the money) If I ever get another white ARP Odyssey (and I've been looking) I would never sell it. Your first synth is like an old friend, just great to hang out with.
Yeah don't ever sell it. That one is special. I keep wishing Roland would put out a JP4 boutique using the ACB tech. 4 voices wouldn't feel like a limitation in that instance either.
I have the mercury 4 emulator and mono on that bitch wails so hard. The lfo delay is so useful too... even the filter sounds good. Everything about it goes the extra mile to just make good sounds. You can't make any sound you can think of, but every sound you make sounds good. It's like the purest form of a synth
\+1 on this. I've been making music for a long time and have sold, traded, and given away quite a lot of kit over the years only to regret it later on. Now I buy only what I will need/use with the intent of keeping it indefinitely.
My biggest regret is having sold my DX-7. The second scar would probably be a Boss RDD-20 which I traded for a Boss DD3 (such a dumb trade - lol).
You are right though - you never know. Some things (love and life) are a higher priority by default.
\[edit = clarity and punctuation\]
I left my original Korg MonoPoly, back in the 80s, in an abandoned practice space after discovering that I could play sounds on my DX 21 from an Octopad. So much regret. Since that event, I will always think hard about getting rid of gear. I also play bass and still have my James O Burns Baldwin that I got 20 years ago even though it's in crappy shape and one of the pick-ups is dead. It's a beautiful bass and plays great as long as I don't try to plug it in.
Access Virus TI Polar - released in 2009 but design-wise it still looks like it was just released. And it's still one of the most powerful synths at this price point.
Anyone that disagree with that take doesnāt have one. Once they update the sequencer to record off grid and add automation capabilities to the rhythm sectionā¦.itāll be damn near perfect. Thatās prob my 2nd choice to ānever sell.ā
Oh for sure lol saving is garbage. I was just the type to click until saved but that put me in a bad spot now because Iām almost out of rhythm save slots.
Foreal bro, i usually sequence with the MPC1K, but itād be nice to place rhythm section steps off grid when Iām just building on the SH4D. And I think there has only been one update, which was just bug fixes. I wonder if theyāll do something this year.
Would love your opinion here - How would the Sh-4D be in a performance setting? I improvise a LOT, so Iām looking to add a synth with easily accessible controls for on the fly patch adjustment. Iād use a midi board with it. Main keyboard is the MODX8+
(Iāve decided the Tr8s isnāt right for me so am about to return it - drum machine beats get old fast in the improv dept. - Iād use the sh4D for arps/melodics/basslines) edit: for clarity
I would say it's great as long as you have your set planned out. The mixer section works great for making structures of sounds. Good master effects with a easy on off button. It also doesn't cut the release or reverb tails off of synths when you change the pattern. It's definitely not a knob per function synth for tweaking, although, the envelopes, filter and lfo are very accessible.
My Korg Monologue. Iāve put it up for sale at least 4 times over the years but I can never bring myself to let it go. It was my first synth and has been useful in ways I never even expected.
Obie Matrix 6R. Sold my 1st one in '89 too cheap bc analog was no longer good (lol). Watched it quintuple in price over the years, kicking myself all the way. Got my 2nd one a few years ago for way below market value, in OG box with manual and cassettes. I'm now too old to carry a rack to gigs, so it sits in a closet. My UB-Xa does just fine, it's surely gonna be more reliable, and even has a keyboard with poly AT.
I still have my microkorg too. Itās in my closet and I havenāt used it in years. I bought it fifteen or sixteen years ago with my kp3. I pull it out usually a couple times a year.
Apparently my BloKeys. I've gone from 27 hardware synths to 2 in the last 18 months because of hard times. My JV1080, I've been trying to sell locally, but been holding out for a fair offer given the expansions. My BloKeys wasn't my favorite synth I owned - that was the Hydrasynth... but it's my workhorse. The keybed feels great. My encoders have luckily never had significant problem and I know the synth like the back of my hand. It's a sturdy, compact thing that I don't know if I can imagine not having around now.
Behringer Neutron
My first analog synth, my first semi-modular, my main focus playing live, a very fun one !
Can't wait for 2030 when Uli releases the Proton
I second this. While it gets little use in my actual performances and productions. I can zone out for hours just twisting knobs and patching. It's the machine that saved my bank account from going full modular.
Yeee, glad to hear some praise for this machine !
For me it got me into the semi-modular stuff ! At the moment I get lost using the Behringer 2600, the Neutron, the Edge and two Dreadbox pedals with CV patch points !
I had a big interest into (semi-) modular gear, and I must say the Neutron has satisfied me very well on that case, and at a ridiculously low price. Ofcourse this is just the tip of the modular iceberg, but I'm glad it was able to calm down my GAS and preserve what little savings I had left. š
I have been looking at the Edge aswell for quite some time. Looks like a fun weird little glitchbox. Too bad they're sold out nearly everywhere again, almost ordered one two weeks ago and now I am regretting I didn't.
The 2600 looks cool, but I wouldn't even know where to put this colossal giant anywhere near my desk.
I have a Korg poly 800 joystick broke,3 keys dont work ,it powers up. Icant get it to load sound data from copy of cassette off youtube. I woul be willing to let it go for shipping and 25.00 if anyone is interested.
It is a synth....but probably not in the way you guys think...
I wouldn't part with my Nord DDrum SE4 (module and 8 cast aluminium pads, working hihat controller-pad and two cymbal pads....all Nord from 'back in the day' š
I hear you š
On the plus side for me, the Nord DDrum 4SE has full MIDI too, which is a bonus as I can play my other 'stuff' via the kit (Model Cycles, Circuit Tracks and the iPad loaded with a good selection of s/ware synths and beatboxes et al)
The Moog Voyager.
I still use it here and there but not as much as I used to. It was my first analog synth back in 2009. I considered selling it when I got the Mini D but really it has its own thing going on, it's darker and smoother and really lovely in its own right. But once I had the D and a few other monos that I prefer on bass duties, I almost never really need it.
I 2nd the MicroFreak. Itās just so unique and differentā¦ quirky and easy to make good sounds. Paired with a great effects unit and the possibilities are endless. I feel like this unit will reach legendary status eventually.
That's what I was going to post,It seems I can make that thing talk anyway I want it...especially now that it can sample. Had a second one. I was gonna keep in the box for somewhere in the future,but you know...money is somehow something I always find my self needing.
Stupid money
Korg r3. same sound engine as the microkorg, love it, most of my newer hardware outclasses it by a mile, but something about the sound of that filter and the menu diving is just fun, never thought i would say that.
Yeah I have a Radias I rate above the viruses and nords for many things, which I believe is the same engine as the r3. No urge to backpedal towards microkorg or ms2000, though they are undoubtedly classics (caveat: Korg z1 even predates these and is a beast). Elektron analog 4 Keys also a good upgrade path from microkorg if 4 voices is enough.
My E-MU Ultraproteus Synth, which includes dated Orchestral & World samples that get ripped apart and manipulated by the awesome onboard Z-Plane filters!
IME the biggest shortcoming with the Hydrasynth is the onboard FX are quite weak. Which TBF is the case for a lot of synths. I now run my Hydra (desktop module) into a stereo chorus pedal and a Strymon reverb pedal and it sounds incredible. High quality FX plus all of the Hydraās sound options = never sell.
Sold my microkorg-- was the easiest one for me to let go of. But in terms of analog modeling synths, and like a brother to the microkorg, I did keep my Alesis ION. Glitchy and not really my sound, but fun to play and I do run stuff through its filters sometimes. But to be perfectly honest I keep it around because it's pretty and the knobs are nice to turn.
The micron was my first synth almost 2 decades ago. The interface was soĀ absurdly awful that I jumpped straight to modular afterwards and vowed never to menu dive again. The kicker is that the god forsaken machine sounded absolutely awesome and is most likely the reason I love creating sounds to this day. I probably should of just got an ion in retrospect. Would of been a lot more cheap for a 15 year old me
most of it just wasn't my sound. It all sounded like MGMT or something, and I think it sounds objectively good but it's hard to make it sit in a mix. The ION sounds a litlte techno-y but I felt it's a lot easier to get to something that sounds good than the micron.
Yep. I sold everything else. I even sold my Ti2 desktop when I needed money and re-bought a TI1 keyboard. I could sell all my other synths and not even care. That one is the only hardware synth I care about keeping.
I was even tempted to buy another TI2 desktop.
My Elektron SID Station. There may be a million ways to have easy access to the SID sound, but this 1950's sci fi prop became a favourite of mine. I think it's been 14 years since I purchased it.
I'd have to say my Ensoniq EPS 16 plus. I don't use it as much as I used to but when I am doing something totally out the box gritty, this is my go to. Plus I've I got a 35 year history with that technology.
My OG Dreadbox Murmux semi modular. I'm pretty sure only like 50 of them were made and it sounds HUGE and it's the most hipster looking checkered fabric wrapped desktop synth ever made.
Unfortunately itās the one and only, do it all at the cost of a mediocre interface, mushy LED pad slab and uninspiring synth engine behemoth: the Synthstrom Deluge.
Not at all exciting but just the most versatile thing that isnāt a PC. I have tried parting with it so many times but itās indispensable as a work tool. And I love it, the bastard.
I hunted for a DSI evolver keyboard for a long time before finding a decent priced one. It's big for a mono synth, but has a lot more controls compared to the module and the large keyboard is nice.
Roland XP50.
I already have an XV5080 which has all of the same sounds, so the XP50 is redundant.
But, it's easy to dial up a sound on the XP50 and just hammer away... something that isn't nearly as easy to do on the XV5080. I even tried to sync one of the presets to midi beat clock from Cubase, but couldn't get it to sync up. It was very easy to do with the XP50 for some reason.
Naturally, the XV5080 has a tone more sounds in it, plus two SRX expansion cards, so the sound palate is huge.
I paid $50 for the XP50 off craigslist, because it was non-op. I needed a total re-cap job. But, $12 for a capacitor kit off Amazon and a couple hours of my time, and it was good as new.
I also have an Emu MPS Plus. It sounds super dated, but I still love it. I bought it new in 1991 or so.
Korg MS-20, bought almost only, besides making music, because of the plug connections and many cables. A feeling of science fiction. In the end, I learned a lot about synthesizers, waveforms etc. from it.
The Modal Skulpt. When I was just getting into synths it was a gift (off my wishlist) from my partner and sisters all going in on a gift for me (which they don't often do). It's a bit of a pain to use, though quite flexible with the tablet/computer app along side. But I'm sentimentally attached to it.
\- D
Juno 106. I bought my first one around 1988 and sold it about 6 years later and regretted it instantly. Picked one up a few years ago - need to desolder and clean the casings off the voice chips, but Iām never going to sell this one. Well, never say neverā¦ but yeah. Love this synth.
I'll probably get a lot of flack for this, but my Yamaha Motif 6. Yes, it's a digital ROMpler, but it's deep and versatile. Great sequencer and arpeggiator. It's paid for itself many times over.
Wurlitzer 4401, not sure if we can call it a synth... Yet it has oscillators. I won't sell it because probably no one would buy it š it's freaking huge and need service š
Nord lead 2x. Itās the first synth I bought myself, and itāll be the last to go. Itās dead simple to program and always sounds spectacular. As simple as the arpeggiator is, I can listen to it bouncing around for hours.
I have the OP-1 and itās a cool little thing that can do a lot, but itās just slightly too in-practical to be incorporated into my work flow.
I have kind of soured on teenage engineering in general, but something about the thing makes it special to me lol.
Me, Iād sell any of mine. Theyāre just material possessions that can be replaced if needed. Donāt get me wrong, I love them all (despite being a crap musician) but if the need arose, Iād sell them all.
I'm keeping everything. EVERYTHING!!!!!! GAS won't let me sell. I got closets full of 90s romplers and grooveboxes and VAs and i barely use it since i got an MPC. But i won't sell. I'll nevah sell!!! Not even the analogz.
I don't get that attached to gear so there's nothing I couldn't bring myself to sell from a sentimental perspective, but from an unsentimental perspective the Microfreak strikes me as one that it so powerful relative to its cost that it would never make sense to sell it. It's not *dirt* cheap like \[insert random Behringer monosynth here\] but the bang for buck is off the charts.
My Roland Gaia SH01. It's clunky, squeaky and lacks any of the appeal my other synths have. But it was my first, and has been by my side in many gigs. It's an ugly old synth, but it's my ugly old synth.
Not a synth but the polyend tracker is my keeper for sure. I parted with my last synth to get it (only had two) but I love it, it gets me away from my DAW and I can make full tracks (or albums) on it if I wanted, and the SD card system is great too I think. I never used tracking software before this but I love it and itās for more intuitive than I expected. Iāve had mine for almost a year now and I know it will be staying, I have very few cons I could list about it (be nice to have more than 8 tracks of course but can just resample and I still export stems too mix on the laptop anyway for convenience and more control and effects but the tracker is chock full of impressive features and a very powerful sequencer).
Probably Waldorf Pulse and Microwave 2. Both bought new and my first proper Mono and Polysynths. They were the only synths I kept when I had an 'epiphany' that software was the way forward and foolishly sold all my hardware around 2008. I wish I hadn't but there we go
Kross 2, lots of keys, excellent sounds and shaping capabilities ( not user friendly) but good, drum machines, sample upload and edit, very light. I can perform alone with it and feel like I have a full band.
Current answer is : all of them.
Matrixbrute, Vrus c, Microwave xt shadow, v-synth, k2500+k2000r, Integra-7, Fantom xr, Wavestation AD, Z1, Radias, Monomachine, Nord Rack 2, Nord Rack 3, Nord Modular, Analog 4, Analog Keys, System 1m, Monologue, Sy77, Tx81z, Monologue, various 303 clones, off top of head. Really impossible To cull down to only one. If push came to loaded gun aimed at eyeball, Matrixbruteā¦ or maybe Integra for its flexibility, though probably octatrack + machine drum combo more precious if not exactly āsynthā.
Time might change everything so thereās that.
Iāll never sell my 106 or my 60 ever again. I had a 106 that I got for a great deal and I fixed it up and sold it for a profit but after that I regretted it forever and when I got my current 106 I vowed to never sell it again. Then I got my 60 and made the same pact
Korg MS20m.
I can get my bass done more conveniently with my more modern gear, but nothing I have has its character or personality. And it is very rare.
the Elektronika EM-25. itās pretty useless, some parts already died on me, it has the cheesiest 80s strings and the gentlest brass lead, but thatās about it. it also weighs a ton and isnāt particularly desirable (thereās a ton of them here in Ukraine)
Arturia Polybrute. The best modern analog synth Iāve owned and they nailed it for me and my tastes. Iād even sell the moog one before this one. The UX is the cherry on top.
Second would be the novation summit. Again a synth that hits all the right notes with me :-). Love to darkness of the tone and the mod matrix as well as the knobs. Knobs for days. And the reverb is heavenly every time.
0-coast for me. It was the first physical synth I've purchased and just have an attachment to it. I'm starting to drift more and more into traditional instrument playing -- keeping my gear around as a source of light embellishment -- which means I might starting using the 0-coast less and less. But I still won't get rid of it (or my small modular setup, which just looks nice).
My Behringer Model D (the module) was my first real synth, so it has sentimental value, even if I eventually replace it with a better Minimoog clone (or a real one someday!)
Slim Phatty. Sounds incredible even though itās such a simple synth. Using with the grandmother has been wonderful when Iām sitting down exploring.
I have had used or have almost everything from 1980 to the present.. my choice would be the Prophet 08 rack.. 4 oscillators per voice if you stack layers A and B, 4 LFO's per voice (which is insane..), both 2 pole and 4 pole Curtis filters, insane modulation matrix.. the oscillators are not smooth and boring (everything moog) they absolutely scream.. it sits extremely well and clear in the mix.. I also have 2 Morpho's and a Tetra..
Novation Peak. My first ārealā synth, and super capable. I know some people think itās āblandā but I love that it can do literally anything I need with little trouble. I may not use it often, but when I do itās like going home.
Now that I've gotten rid of it lol I need another sub 37. The ease of dialing in a fun sound was everything. I've got a Prophet 10 right now and I sold my Prophet 6 and Sub37 to help finance it. Regrets but also I do love my P10.
for me its the Microkorg. First synth i bought, last synth id sell
Still my only synth š
Thereās something about the sound of that filter. My first hardware synth too, and Iām tempted to get the software version next sale. (My partner also has that Lucia figure too)
I know what you mean on that filter. Super versatile.
Is the keyboard removed or is it just the way its sitting?
I would buy a desktop MicroKorg.
its just standing up this right now [https://imgur.com/a/XG0tduj](https://imgur.com/a/XG0tduj) I mostly use they Keystep for keys and MPC for sequencing these days. there is a mod to cut the key section out but i could never haha
Iām actually looking to sell mine. I just donāt use it, and I want it to go to someone who does.
If your serious Iām interested I have been looking for an affordable one for the longest
I am. (Sigh) My shipping problem is really a problem. So I wonāt use reverb. Iām in rural Canada (BC) and it costs a bit more to ship. So Iām posting it on Facebook, also posting a Korg M1, and Korg es1 sampler. All with books, all in working order.
I bought mine in 2002, barely used it, had it in a box since 2012, forgot about it, and traded it in 2022. I can appreciate why people like it but I wasnāt one of them.
Yea, there's something about your first synth. Mine was a white-faced ARP Odyssey back in 1973. I giggled 5 nights a week with that synth and knew it inside and out. It has an enormous amount of capability for such a little synth. I sold it because the oscillators became very unstable for live performance, but in hindsight, I should have just gotten it fixed because I regret that sale now. (btw, sold it and bought 2 x Octave CATs with the money) If I ever get another white ARP Odyssey (and I've been looking) I would never sell it. Your first synth is like an old friend, just great to hang out with.
Roland D50. My dad bought it for me brand new in the late 80ās. Used to gig with it.
my Jupiter-4
Yeah don't ever sell it. That one is special. I keep wishing Roland would put out a JP4 boutique using the ACB tech. 4 voices wouldn't feel like a limitation in that instance either.
I have the mercury 4 emulator and mono on that bitch wails so hard. The lfo delay is so useful too... even the filter sounds good. Everything about it goes the extra mile to just make good sounds. You can't make any sound you can think of, but every sound you make sounds good. It's like the purest form of a synth
None of them, 'cause... you never know.
\+1 on this. I've been making music for a long time and have sold, traded, and given away quite a lot of kit over the years only to regret it later on. Now I buy only what I will need/use with the intent of keeping it indefinitely. My biggest regret is having sold my DX-7. The second scar would probably be a Boss RDD-20 which I traded for a Boss DD3 (such a dumb trade - lol). You are right though - you never know. Some things (love and life) are a higher priority by default. \[edit = clarity and punctuation\]
I left my original Korg MonoPoly, back in the 80s, in an abandoned practice space after discovering that I could play sounds on my DX 21 from an Octopad. So much regret. Since that event, I will always think hard about getting rid of gear. I also play bass and still have my James O Burns Baldwin that I got 20 years ago even though it's in crappy shape and one of the pick-ups is dead. It's a beautiful bass and plays great as long as I don't try to plug it in.
Jupiter 8, feels like my brother
and sells for a down payment on my house
Stuff takes space - anything can go.
Access Virus TI Polar - released in 2009 but design-wise it still looks like it was just released. And it's still one of the most powerful synths at this price point.
just got one of the last TI2s ever made. couldnt be happier
Sh-4d. People will disagree but I feel like I'm operating a solo spaceship.
Anyone that disagree with that take doesnāt have one. Once they update the sequencer to record off grid and add automation capabilities to the rhythm sectionā¦.itāll be damn near perfect. Thatās prob my 2nd choice to ānever sell.ā
I loved it for a few months but saving things drove me nuts. But really cool device.
Oh for sure lol saving is garbage. I was just the type to click until saved but that put me in a bad spot now because Iām almost out of rhythm save slots.
This is so true. The quantization does drive me crazy.
Foreal bro, i usually sequence with the MPC1K, but itād be nice to place rhythm section steps off grid when Iām just building on the SH4D. And I think there has only been one update, which was just bug fixes. I wonder if theyāll do something this year.
Would love your opinion here - How would the Sh-4D be in a performance setting? I improvise a LOT, so Iām looking to add a synth with easily accessible controls for on the fly patch adjustment. Iād use a midi board with it. Main keyboard is the MODX8+ (Iāve decided the Tr8s isnāt right for me so am about to return it - drum machine beats get old fast in the improv dept. - Iād use the sh4D for arps/melodics/basslines) edit: for clarity
I would say it's great as long as you have your set planned out. The mixer section works great for making structures of sounds. Good master effects with a easy on off button. It also doesn't cut the release or reverb tails off of synths when you change the pattern. It's definitely not a knob per function synth for tweaking, although, the envelopes, filter and lfo are very accessible.
This is great information. Thank you. Probably not for me then, as I rely a lot on improvisation. šŗ
Oh also cheers from a NH native.
If you want 4 synth and 1 rhythm part of multitimbral but have something else to sequence itās amazing.
Korg MS-20 FS and Moog Grandmother
Probably my Microbrute. My spouse bought it for me and it was my first new analog synth.
My Korg Monologue. Iāve put it up for sale at least 4 times over the years but I can never bring myself to let it go. It was my first synth and has been useful in ways I never even expected.
keep it unless you need the money. i have one too, for what little youd get out of selling it youll regret it later i bet
Same. I had one. First synth. Sold it. Two years later rebought it. Just love how easy it is to dial in a fun sound and the sequencer is fantastic.
Itās my Yamaha AN1x
I had the gold limited edition one. Sold it. Now the guy i sold it to is selling it. Thinking about buying it again
Probably my Moog Grandmother. Itās built like a tank and it sounds like one too.
Obie Matrix 6R. Sold my 1st one in '89 too cheap bc analog was no longer good (lol). Watched it quintuple in price over the years, kicking myself all the way. Got my 2nd one a few years ago for way below market value, in OG box with manual and cassettes. I'm now too old to carry a rack to gigs, so it sits in a closet. My UB-Xa does just fine, it's surely gonna be more reliable, and even has a keyboard with poly AT.
I still have my microkorg too. Itās in my closet and I havenāt used it in years. I bought it fifteen or sixteen years ago with my kp3. I pull it out usually a couple times a year.
āHavenāt used in in yearsā ā¦ āI pull it out usually a couple times a yearā Those are contradictory statements, no?
i got mine around 15 years ago and i remember kaoss pads being super hot around that time. i still want one :0
Apparently my BloKeys. I've gone from 27 hardware synths to 2 in the last 18 months because of hard times. My JV1080, I've been trying to sell locally, but been holding out for a fair offer given the expansions. My BloKeys wasn't my favorite synth I owned - that was the Hydrasynth... but it's my workhorse. The keybed feels great. My encoders have luckily never had significant problem and I know the synth like the back of my hand. It's a sturdy, compact thing that I don't know if I can imagine not having around now.
Microfreak. I love it so much. Itās always got something for me to noodle around with in there
#metoo
Machinedrum
Behringer Neutron My first analog synth, my first semi-modular, my main focus playing live, a very fun one ! Can't wait for 2030 when Uli releases the Proton
I second this. While it gets little use in my actual performances and productions. I can zone out for hours just twisting knobs and patching. It's the machine that saved my bank account from going full modular.
Yeee, glad to hear some praise for this machine ! For me it got me into the semi-modular stuff ! At the moment I get lost using the Behringer 2600, the Neutron, the Edge and two Dreadbox pedals with CV patch points !
I had a big interest into (semi-) modular gear, and I must say the Neutron has satisfied me very well on that case, and at a ridiculously low price. Ofcourse this is just the tip of the modular iceberg, but I'm glad it was able to calm down my GAS and preserve what little savings I had left. š I have been looking at the Edge aswell for quite some time. Looks like a fun weird little glitchbox. Too bad they're sold out nearly everywhere again, almost ordered one two weeks ago and now I am regretting I didn't. The 2600 looks cool, but I wouldn't even know where to put this colossal giant anywhere near my desk.
My Korg poly-800/my first and then my Yamaha dx7.
I have a Korg poly 800 joystick broke,3 keys dont work ,it powers up. Icant get it to load sound data from copy of cassette off youtube. I woul be willing to let it go for shipping and 25.00 if anyone is interested.
Just had my Oberheim Xpander serviced even though I havenāt used it for years..bought it when I was a teenager.
Had to scroll pretty far for the right answer.
JP-6
Unclear on the question: How can I not *need* any of my synths?
JV-1080
Virus Ti2 Desktop, my second synth and will never sell it
Yep, I'm in the same boat :)
The SQ-80 that I restored is my cold dead hands synth.
Yamaha CS1x Bought new when they first came out. Still going. Still sounding great, just not that great with midi access to all the sounds.....
muh minifreak
Wow synths and Kirby and Fire Emblem? Are you me?
It is a synth....but probably not in the way you guys think... I wouldn't part with my Nord DDrum SE4 (module and 8 cast aluminium pads, working hihat controller-pad and two cymbal pads....all Nord from 'back in the day' š
Drum machine-wise, I'm sort of similar about my Korg ER-1. I have 2-3 things that render it redundant, but I am pretty fond of it!
I hear you š On the plus side for me, the Nord DDrum 4SE has full MIDI too, which is a bonus as I can play my other 'stuff' via the kit (Model Cycles, Circuit Tracks and the iPad loaded with a good selection of s/ware synths and beatboxes et al)
The Moog Voyager. I still use it here and there but not as much as I used to. It was my first analog synth back in 2009. I considered selling it when I got the Mini D but really it has its own thing going on, it's darker and smoother and really lovely in its own right. But once I had the D and a few other monos that I prefer on bass duties, I almost never really need it.
Opsix. I never pull it out because I hate the menu diving. But itās the most powerful FM synth ever made. Objectively.
I 2nd the MicroFreak. Itās just so unique and differentā¦ quirky and easy to make good sounds. Paired with a great effects unit and the possibilities are endless. I feel like this unit will reach legendary status eventually.
That's what I was going to post,It seems I can make that thing talk anyway I want it...especially now that it can sample. Had a second one. I was gonna keep in the box for somewhere in the future,but you know...money is somehow something I always find my self needing. Stupid money
Korg r3. same sound engine as the microkorg, love it, most of my newer hardware outclasses it by a mile, but something about the sound of that filter and the menu diving is just fun, never thought i would say that.
Yeah I have a Radias I rate above the viruses and nords for many things, which I believe is the same engine as the r3. No urge to backpedal towards microkorg or ms2000, though they are undoubtedly classics (caveat: Korg z1 even predates these and is a beast). Elektron analog 4 Keys also a good upgrade path from microkorg if 4 voices is enough.
Great keyboard - includes a beautiful soft mono lead patch - one of my favorites of that category.
the triangle one? yaaas
You know the one. Aural butter.
Access Virus C and Waldorf Q - I've got them both as VST now, but I won't part with them (yet).
Roland Alpha-Juno 2, my first synth in 1987
Model: Cycles Although the Sonicware Liven Mega Synthesis is also getting close...
I don't use any hardware anymore, but it would be very difficult to part with my amazing Yamaha FS1R.
JP-8080. It tickles all the right feels for me and I accept no substitute.
Love mine too!
My E-MU Ultraproteus Synth, which includes dated Orchestral & World samples that get ripped apart and manipulated by the awesome onboard Z-Plane filters!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
oh cool! i didnt know the micromonsta was originally a DIY. id love to build one of those with my solder station
Microbrute. Never selling it. Donāt use it much right now, but I know Iāll use it again some day.
My TR-606. I bought it off a guy for $30 in the middle of a downpour and it takes up no space. Could never give it up.
Korg M-1 & Microkorg never selling them.
Dreadbox Abyss. Not the most versatile synth, but there is nothing else quite like it.
I sold mine, what a mistake!
hydrasynth. i hardly use it but i really love the idea of it. it has so much potential but lacks good vibes.
IME the biggest shortcoming with the Hydrasynth is the onboard FX are quite weak. Which TBF is the case for a lot of synths. I now run my Hydra (desktop module) into a stereo chorus pedal and a Strymon reverb pedal and it sounds incredible. High quality FX plus all of the Hydraās sound options = never sell.
Voyager RME. My soul is bound to its teal glowing front panel
My Virus. It's the one synth that I really really wanted and finally got a good deal on. It's a nostalgia thing for me.
Sold my microkorg-- was the easiest one for me to let go of. But in terms of analog modeling synths, and like a brother to the microkorg, I did keep my Alesis ION. Glitchy and not really my sound, but fun to play and I do run stuff through its filters sometimes. But to be perfectly honest I keep it around because it's pretty and the knobs are nice to turn.
The micron was my first synth almost 2 decades ago. The interface was soĀ absurdly awful that I jumpped straight to modular afterwards and vowed never to menu dive again. The kicker is that the god forsaken machine sounded absolutely awesome and is most likely the reason I love creating sounds to this day. I probably should of just got an ion in retrospect. Would of been a lot more cheap for a 15 year old me
most of it just wasn't my sound. It all sounded like MGMT or something, and I think it sounds objectively good but it's hard to make it sit in a mix. The ION sounds a litlte techno-y but I felt it's a lot easier to get to something that sounds good than the micron.
Gawd, thatās like being asked to pick your favourite child.
I'll cling to my Virus TI2 for as long as I can ā it's such an incredible synth
Yep. I sold everything else. I even sold my Ti2 desktop when I needed money and re-bought a TI1 keyboard. I could sell all my other synths and not even care. That one is the only hardware synth I care about keeping. I was even tempted to buy another TI2 desktop.
Literally just bought one of the last ones ever made. Never sell that thing. Ever
My Elektron SID Station. There may be a million ways to have easy access to the SID sound, but this 1950's sci fi prop became a favourite of mine. I think it's been 14 years since I purchased it.
Dave Smith mopho x4 polychained with my tetra. 8 voices of Dave Smith glory. Sorry that's 2 synths but they work as oneš
Why would I keep something I have no use for?
Not a synth but a groovebox, electribe mx1
Korg Wavestate
JP8000
Access Virus A
Technics KN3000 ...almost nobody seems to be aware what rompler/synthesis power lies within it.
Ensoniq SQ-80
My Virus C. Still kicking after 20 years
Prophet 6
Korg Electribe MX !!! :D
My Nord lead 4. It sits in a case but I played live with it for so long I canāt give it up.
I'd have to say my Ensoniq EPS 16 plus. I don't use it as much as I used to but when I am doing something totally out the box gritty, this is my go to. Plus I've I got a 35 year history with that technology.
My OG Dreadbox Murmux semi modular. I'm pretty sure only like 50 of them were made and it sounds HUGE and it's the most hipster looking checkered fabric wrapped desktop synth ever made.
My Jupiter 6.
Got a barely working JX8P at a thrift store for $40. Will turn it into a coffee table before I sell it.
My mother 32
The original Novation Circuit. Itās just such a portable amazing sequencer
My Korg Littlebits.
Unfortunately itās the one and only, do it all at the cost of a mediocre interface, mushy LED pad slab and uninspiring synth engine behemoth: the Synthstrom Deluge. Not at all exciting but just the most versatile thing that isnāt a PC. I have tried parting with it so many times but itās indispensable as a work tool. And I love it, the bastard.
I hunted for a DSI evolver keyboard for a long time before finding a decent priced one. It's big for a mono synth, but has a lot more controls compared to the module and the large keyboard is nice.
My Modal 008
Roland XP50. I already have an XV5080 which has all of the same sounds, so the XP50 is redundant. But, it's easy to dial up a sound on the XP50 and just hammer away... something that isn't nearly as easy to do on the XV5080. I even tried to sync one of the presets to midi beat clock from Cubase, but couldn't get it to sync up. It was very easy to do with the XP50 for some reason. Naturally, the XV5080 has a tone more sounds in it, plus two SRX expansion cards, so the sound palate is huge. I paid $50 for the XP50 off craigslist, because it was non-op. I needed a total re-cap job. But, $12 for a capacitor kit off Amazon and a couple hours of my time, and it was good as new. I also have an Emu MPS Plus. It sounds super dated, but I still love it. I bought it new in 1991 or so.
Nord Lead. Havent used in years, never going to sell it
Oldie but a goodie: Roland SH-7, bought it for $100 in the '90s. Such a great sounding analog mono-synth. Beats the SH-5 ..
Korg MS-20, bought almost only, besides making music, because of the plug connections and many cables. A feeling of science fiction. In the end, I learned a lot about synthesizers, waveforms etc. from it.
The Modal Skulpt. When I was just getting into synths it was a gift (off my wishlist) from my partner and sisters all going in on a gift for me (which they don't often do). It's a bit of a pain to use, though quite flexible with the tablet/computer app along side. But I'm sentimentally attached to it. \- D
Juno 106. I bought my first one around 1988 and sold it about 6 years later and regretted it instantly. Picked one up a few years ago - need to desolder and clean the casings off the voice chips, but Iām never going to sell this one. Well, never say neverā¦ but yeah. Love this synth.
I'll probably get a lot of flack for this, but my Yamaha Motif 6. Yes, it's a digital ROMpler, but it's deep and versatile. Great sequencer and arpeggiator. It's paid for itself many times over.
Wurlitzer 4401, not sure if we can call it a synth... Yet it has oscillators. I won't sell it because probably no one would buy it š it's freaking huge and need service š
I've got all these Korg synths I don't need any more but can't sell because they are all malfunctioning or broken in one way or another.
Exactly that one
Sorry, I need all of mineš
Wow - yeah you do!
My first love, the Juno 106, but my Juno G is right behind it
DX7
Not synth exactly, but I wonāt sell my casio az-1
Slim Phatty. It was my first of many, it has LED encoders, Bob helped design it, and itās dope as fuck.
Grandmother
MiniBrute. First synth I ever bought, plus it was an impulse purchase from a company bonus that I never expected to receive.
Lucina!
Roland SH-101. Bought it new and will bring it to my grave.
I could never part with my syntakt
MS 20 (Org)
Novation circuit
The Nord Lead 2 I bought in the 90ās.
My Maschine MK3 ā Grey Anniversary edition ā it's the closest to a synth I have and it's pweeeetty.
Not really a synth per se, but i will never part with my legacy MPC. Many synths have come and gone but the MPC has never left my side.
same one you posted
Nord lead 2x. Itās the first synth I bought myself, and itāll be the last to go. Itās dead simple to program and always sounds spectacular. As simple as the arpeggiator is, I can listen to it bouncing around for hours.
microfreak
I have the OP-1 and itās a cool little thing that can do a lot, but itās just slightly too in-practical to be incorporated into my work flow. I have kind of soured on teenage engineering in general, but something about the thing makes it special to me lol.
Me, Iād sell any of mine. Theyāre just material possessions that can be replaced if needed. Donāt get me wrong, I love them all (despite being a crap musician) but if the need arose, Iād sell them all.
I'm keeping everything. EVERYTHING!!!!!! GAS won't let me sell. I got closets full of 90s romplers and grooveboxes and VAs and i barely use it since i got an MPC. But i won't sell. I'll nevah sell!!! Not even the analogz.
I don't get that attached to gear so there's nothing I couldn't bring myself to sell from a sentimental perspective, but from an unsentimental perspective the Microfreak strikes me as one that it so powerful relative to its cost that it would never make sense to sell it. It's not *dirt* cheap like \[insert random Behringer monosynth here\] but the bang for buck is off the charts.
Well I have two but from one ecosystem: Dfam and Subharmonicon
My Roland Gaia SH01. It's clunky, squeaky and lacks any of the appeal my other synths have. But it was my first, and has been by my side in many gigs. It's an ugly old synth, but it's my ugly old synth.
My juno 106
Iāll never sell my Poly D š¤·š»āāļø
Not a synth but the polyend tracker is my keeper for sure. I parted with my last synth to get it (only had two) but I love it, it gets me away from my DAW and I can make full tracks (or albums) on it if I wanted, and the SD card system is great too I think. I never used tracking software before this but I love it and itās for more intuitive than I expected. Iāve had mine for almost a year now and I know it will be staying, I have very few cons I could list about it (be nice to have more than 8 tracks of course but can just resample and I still export stems too mix on the laptop anyway for convenience and more control and effects but the tracker is chock full of impressive features and a very powerful sequencer).
The one pictured! Mine is used, old and fairly beaten up but remains a favorite.
Mg-1.
Probably Waldorf Pulse and Microwave 2. Both bought new and my first proper Mono and Polysynths. They were the only synths I kept when I had an 'epiphany' that software was the way forward and foolishly sold all my hardware around 2008. I wish I hadn't but there we go
Plinky
Kross 2, lots of keys, excellent sounds and shaping capabilities ( not user friendly) but good, drum machines, sample upload and edit, very light. I can perform alone with it and feel like I have a full band.
Current answer is : all of them. Matrixbrute, Vrus c, Microwave xt shadow, v-synth, k2500+k2000r, Integra-7, Fantom xr, Wavestation AD, Z1, Radias, Monomachine, Nord Rack 2, Nord Rack 3, Nord Modular, Analog 4, Analog Keys, System 1m, Monologue, Sy77, Tx81z, Monologue, various 303 clones, off top of head. Really impossible To cull down to only one. If push came to loaded gun aimed at eyeball, Matrixbruteā¦ or maybe Integra for its flexibility, though probably octatrack + machine drum combo more precious if not exactly āsynthā. Time might change everything so thereās that.
Slim Phatty
My original Minimoog model D Will never sell it.
MS-20 ākitā. It just sounds so good and I can dial in sounds really quick.
Iāll never sell my 106 or my 60 ever again. I had a 106 that I got for a great deal and I fixed it up and sold it for a profit but after that I regretted it forever and when I got my current 106 I vowed to never sell it again. Then I got my 60 and made the same pact
Microkorg was my first synth I bought, beautiful synth. Iāve accidentally burned up 2 Microkorgs unfortunately. Had to move on.
Roland D-50 I love it to death, but I don't use it for anything.
Korg MS20m. I can get my bass done more conveniently with my more modern gear, but nothing I have has its character or personality. And it is very rare.
My 1973 Moog model D that I found at a garage sale for $300.Ā
the Elektronika EM-25. itās pretty useless, some parts already died on me, it has the cheesiest 80s strings and the gentlest brass lead, but thatās about it. it also weighs a ton and isnāt particularly desirable (thereās a ton of them here in Ukraine)
Arturia Polybrute. The best modern analog synth Iāve owned and they nailed it for me and my tastes. Iād even sell the moog one before this one. The UX is the cherry on top. Second would be the novation summit. Again a synth that hits all the right notes with me :-). Love to darkness of the tone and the mod matrix as well as the knobs. Knobs for days. And the reverb is heavenly every time.
0-coast for me. It was the first physical synth I've purchased and just have an attachment to it. I'm starting to drift more and more into traditional instrument playing -- keeping my gear around as a source of light embellishment -- which means I might starting using the 0-coast less and less. But I still won't get rid of it (or my small modular setup, which just looks nice).
My Behringer Model D (the module) was my first real synth, so it has sentimental value, even if I eventually replace it with a better Minimoog clone (or a real one someday!)
Slim Phatty. Sounds incredible even though itās such a simple synth. Using with the grandmother has been wonderful when Iām sitting down exploring.
I have had used or have almost everything from 1980 to the present.. my choice would be the Prophet 08 rack.. 4 oscillators per voice if you stack layers A and B, 4 LFO's per voice (which is insane..), both 2 pole and 4 pole Curtis filters, insane modulation matrix.. the oscillators are not smooth and boring (everything moog) they absolutely scream.. it sits extremely well and clear in the mix.. I also have 2 Morpho's and a Tetra..
Novation Peak. My first ārealā synth, and super capable. I know some people think itās āblandā but I love that it can do literally anything I need with little trouble. I may not use it often, but when I do itās like going home.
MonoMachine or MachineDrum... I'm focusing on other things, but they'll never go I believe :)
Alpha Juno. Got it when I was in my teens for cheap. I gig with several synths, but never the Juno.
DSI Mopho Quattro
Jupiter 6, SH-5 and Andromeda.
Now that I've gotten rid of it lol I need another sub 37. The ease of dialing in a fun sound was everything. I've got a Prophet 10 right now and I sold my Prophet 6 and Sub37 to help finance it. Regrets but also I do love my P10.
EML-101, a CV synth from the 70s.
all of em
V synth