I want a hardware synth and could use some advice

[egbert101]

I know it's not on your list, but Korg's Wavestate can be purchased as a plugin, and so too their Opsix. You'd need a decent CPU to run them, but it's a cheaper way to get hardware synth sounds. If you demo them and really like them, then you can always get the hardware instead. If you don't like them, then you can cross them off your list, and think more carefully about whether digital hardware synths are worth paying for. To be honest, it's an itch we all tend to want to scratch, but honestly, I think software is just as fine, including analog emulations.

[kritikon]

Actually I'd still recommend Wavestate as a hw synth even though the plugin is out. I bought the hw then got the plug in when it came out and would still buy the hw. Don't regret buying it for a moment...easier to program with the knobs and far easier to tweak on the fly. It has some serious depth to it. Obviously it's designed for those recognizable wavesequences, but it does so much more. The sheer number of mod sources, destinations and LFOs is stunning. Almost unlimited. It's one of the synths I play most with to get lost in...far more than some of my fancy analogues.

BUT...and a big but. It's still a pain to program. Easier than Wavestation in some ways, but it's so complex it's not something you just dillydally with for pleasure...it can be a full on pita to actually get usable sounds from scratch. At least analogue style synths (whether digital or analogue) are intuitive and everyone knows how to do it.

Definitely makes sense to buy the plug-in first to see if programming it is bearable...

[zerocrossing]

Personally, I disagree that the only reason to buy a hardware synth is because of the sound.

I was gonna say something similar to that.

The specific sound of a particular synth maybe, if you happen to fall in love with it.

What else is there? You don’t walk into a store and ask if they have a generic synthesizer to try out. Some synths have a pretty neutral sound, others are more characterful, but generally people buy a synth because they like its character. That’s true of hardware or software synths. Once for curiosity sake, I spent a day listening to just oscillators of my hardware synths. It’s pretty amazing how much variety there is in even something as simple as a sawtooth wave, though with software it’s often less.

[thecontrolcentre]

I've spent a lot of time looking at Makenoise Strega and 0-Coast, Mega FM, Hydrasynth Explorer, Microfreak, Dreadbox Nymphes and Korg Minilogue to list a few examples. O, and the Cre8audio West Pest more recently.

From that list I have the Microfreak & Nymphes. The West Pest & East Beast are on my "next buy" shortlist. I've never seen any need to justify what I buy to make music. I enjoy playing and tweaking hardware analog synths, and the idea that I could just use software instead doesn't appeal to me. I find hardware more fun to use and more inspirational in general.

I own a few soft synths that are pretty capable, but too often find myself just scrolling through the presets. I have 5 analog monosynths with no patch memory and I love creating a sound, using it in whatever project I'm working on, then it's deleted for the next one. Sometimes I multi-sample a patch, but it's not quite the the same.

As first hardware synths the Crea8audio grooveboxes are almost no-brainers. Two hardware semi-modular analog monosynths with sequencers for less than £500? Hell. yeah ...

[kritikon]

"What else is there? You don’t walk into a store and ask if they have a generic synthesizer to try out."

Yeah...I don't think I've got a single hw synth currently that I didn't buy because it has a unique sonic character. Maybe Opsix, as FM by itself sounds the same on pretty much anything, but I bought that because of the different programmable options it had that no other FM synth had, and my DX was just so limited and I don't like using sw for programming (it seriously kills my wrists, one more than the other).

I've had synths in the past that were generic - Juno106 and Korg PolySix immediately springs to mind, but A) I was young and impressionable at the time, and B) they were a damn sight more expensive in those days for anything character and that was all I could afford. I wouldn't buy that kind of shite nowadays.

[killmaster]

I agree with most of the posts. However, in the OP's case you're specifically going to buy only 1 hw synth, and you want something wide ranging with depth of sound. You don't specify whether or how much polyphony, but if it's going to be just 1 big synth, a poly makes sense, and a big poly, not just 4 voices. Which narrows it down a lot. Don't know quite how much you can stretch your budget but those type synths are expensive.

To me it says...Arturia PolyBrute, Novation Peak (EDIT...Sorry, I meant SUMMIT not Peak I always mix those 2 up), Hydrasynth, even Waldorf Quantum.
Some of those are very digital in sound , but you say that's OK. To me Quantum is the most digital followed by Hydrasynth. But all of those have great depth, plenty of voices and are all capable of very experimental sound palettes...you mentioned not wanting conventional sounds.(They can all do standard sounds as well).

There are polys that are all-analogue but some of those aren't obviously easy for making out-there sounds. Prophets and Moogs never really screamed weird noises to me...rather saw pads, creamy thick sounds and boings/basses. I think the Korg Prologue is far better value than Moogs & Prophets and has better filters, but it is still a mainstream sound kinda synth. Behringer are going to release UBXa at some point and it will be stunning value but again...stock poly analogue sound. You could go for a real Oberheim... same characterless filters for more money IMO. Deepmind has lots of features but very vanilla filters/sound.

If it's going to be only 1 lifetime synth, go big otherwise the limitations will disappoint. It's the reason many of us have several hw synths...they are all limited and have their specific character/sound so we need more to widen the sound palette...exactly the same buying several plug-ins.
Whereas a big one will keep you entertained for a long time.

This is fantastic feedback! Thank you! To answer your question, my original thought was to try and keep it around $600. And 4 voice poly may be fine. lean slightly away from mono, but I can also imagine if a synth just feels right, going with that too. I love the 0-Coast but would have to spend time with it to really know how to relate to it. And the Strega as well.

[maschinelf]

They don't seem very popular around here, but how about an iPad? They pretty much feel like hardware, you get to choose from a whole lot of synths including some really great sounding ones, and I'd argue that in some cases the interfaces are better than hardware. Though I guess if twiddling knobs is a thing then a screen just won't do.

Otherwise the hydrasynth seems like a very versatile synth and a great choice. I've never played one but if and when I purchase my next hardware synth that'll probably be it. I almost bought a Roland SE-02 the other day but ultimately decided to pass since I felt it didn't add anything significant to what I can already do with my ipads and laptop. So I also second the suggestion that if you buy just one, then go for a poly that's big and versatile enough that you won't outgrow or hit its limit quickly. Or a West coast synth for it's uniqueness.

[BONES]

Would love to get feedback on why you prefer hardware synths and which synths I could get that would provide a breadth of sonic possibilities over a long time. the list above are the synths I've considered purchasing.

Having read your initial post, my advice would be not to bother. You don't need a hardware synth and it most definitely won't give you any functionality you don't already have access to in software, and you don't seem to have that passionate desire for one. I've got half-a-dozen hardware synths because I can easily afford them (they are mostly very low price bargains I picked up) but I pretty much never use them and they feel like a huge waste of money. Realistically, I only have them out of habit, because I've had hardware synths for 40 years. Don't make the same mistake I've made.

[killmaster]

Would love to get feedback on why you prefer hardware synths and which synths I could get that would provide a breadth of sonic possibilities over a long time. the list above are the synths I've considered purchasing.

Having read your initial post, my advice would be not to bother. You don't need a hardware synth and it most definitely won't give you any functionality you don't already have access to in software, and you don't seem to have that passionate desire for one. I've got half-a-dozen hardware synths because I can easily afford them (they are mostly very low price bargains I picked up) but I pretty much never use them and they feel like a huge waste of money. Realistically, I only have them out of habit, because I've had hardware synths for 40 years. Don't make the same mistake I've made.

Very valid suggestion! I feel like I'm stuck somewhere in between. I do actually feel passionate about wanting one but my logic mind tells me I don't *need* one. I keep thinking the West Pest could be something I'd take around with me and do little doodles but also could imagine feeling a little constrained by it. But I appreciate your take on it a big part of me agrees!

[cryophonik]

You don’t *need* any synth. You buy synths because you *want* them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Get comfortable with that notion and buying decisions will become much easier for you.

[killmaster]

You don’t *need* any synth. You buy synths because you *want* them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Get comfortable with that notion and buying decisions will become much easier for you.

For some reason I never thought about it quite like that! Good point really. Kina feels like a weight lifted! Thanks!

[cryophonik]

…or maybe I'll record and sample my aluminum water bottle that sounds so cool when I tap the bottom while I'm walking down the stairs wth different amount of water in it. (something about the acoustics of the narrow stairs)

Please make those samples available to us when you do!

[Uncle E]

I used a Nymphes today. All the sounds I was getting out of it were like the thin sounds at the end of their product video (at the 44 second mark), I couldn't get any sounds resembling the pad or step sequence earlier in the video:

[zerocrossing]

but my logic mind tells me…

Why would anyone listen to their logic mind when it comes to making art?

I just spent $600 on a pair of lightsabers. Why would an old man want some b-movie prop replicas? Who knows, but I do like igniting the Darksaber and saying, “this is The Way.” Save your logic mind for investments and major life decisions.

[BONES]

You don’t *need* any synth.

Maybe you don't but I really hate acappella so I definitely need synths to provide backing music. And before you suggest it doesn't have to be a synth, I'll point out that synths are the only instruments I know how to play so it really does need to be a synth.

I just spent $600 on a pair of lightsabers. Why would an old man want some b-movie prop replicas?

Oh! Oh! Oh! Teacher... teacher! I know the answer, pick me!!!

And you can't be too old if you're into that stuff. I was well grown up when that shite came out.