I want a hardware synth and could use some advice

[killmaster]

I've gone through this over and over again when new hardware synths that come out that I find interesting. In the recent past, 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. I get really close to buying one, then can't justify it due to the reasoning that I already have that functionality in software and use a competent controller (Nektar P1). I'm not 100% sure what I would gain anything from having a hardware synth.

I don't really care about digital versus analog. I'm not trying to get a certain sound. My music is more non conventional so I'm always looking for synth that provide a great variety of sounds.

Having said all that, I'm on the verge of buying a Hydrasynth Explorer cause of the sheer depth of sound possibilities and I probably will only ever get one hardware synth. I have a very tight budget since I'm retired and have no income but wouldn't mind spending the money on one versatile synth.

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.

Thanks for any thoughts on this!

[vurt]

i don't know it, there's a thread where others seem happy...
viewtopic.php?t=531144
but the keyboard version will add mpe and the ribbon controller too
so can also open up your software experience somewhat

[tehlord]

I would get a used Minilogue XD (there will be loads about) and just see how you get on with it. Worst case scenario, you sell it for what you paid for it.

It sits at the perfect sweet spot of price/funcionality/versatility.

[pdxindy]

My advice... if your budget is that tight, take your time. See if you can try in person any synth you are thinking of getting. If not, buy from someplace that gives you a 30 day no questions asked return policy.

I don't prefer hardware synths as such, cause I also love various software synths. But there is a physical pleasure to using a good hardware synth that I value. I have lots of hardware.

One thing to consider is if you are going to have one hardware synth, why do you want it? The hardware you listed will all need to be multi-tracked.

So I will add a suggestion for your consideration. An Elektron Digitone. It is a lovely synth and self contained 4 tracks. You can sit with a Digitone and headphones and make lovely compositions just by itself. I bought it to travel with and ended up surprised how much I liked the sound of it. So something to consider about how you would use a hardware synth and what its value would be to you.

[zerocrossing]

I don't really care about digital versus analog. I'm not trying to get a certain sound. My music is more non conventional so I'm always looking for synth that provide a great variety of sounds.

There isn’t really a reason to buy hardware, unless you are trying to get a certain sound. I have a ton of software and a bunch of good hardware synths, and the only reason I can find to keep the hardware is that it has a certain sound, and for me that’s a specifically “analog” style sound, though I’m most interested in hybrid type synthesizers. The only reason I’d buy a Hydrasynth is for its polyphonic aftertouch keyboard and touch strip, but I’ve got those things covered. I also make pretty unconventional music, and unless you’re going to invest a lot in Eurorack, the wild frontier is in software.

That said, even the “analog” style sound is getting hard to justify in hardware. Arturia is now hitting it out of the park, joining the ranks of U-He, TAL, Synapse Audio, etc. Just the other day, I thought, “with RePro and Prophet 5 V out, it’s getting hard to justify my Prophet 6.” Luckily, I started trying to recreate my favorite Prophet 6 sounds and stalled early when I found that I tend to use features on the 6 that aren’t on the 5 and therefore not emulated. I’m not saying the software was identical, but it’s maybe equally as good, but different. Even good distortion, once the domain of hardware, has been done really well in synths like Massive X and Knifeonium.

So, save your money, unless there’s a specific character you’re really interested in, or you want to try a physical interface.

[cryophonik]

Personally, I disagree that the only reason to buy a hardware synth is because of the sound. Not one person on this forum can listen to a song they aren't familiar with and identify which synth is hardware or software (unless it's an obviously recognizable factory preset, of course). And, yes, software is perfectly/reasonably capable of making the same sounds as most hardware. The only reason you need to buy hardware is because you simply want to own and use some hardware. That's it, no other reason or justification is needed. For some people, that may be because they want a self-contained instrument, or don't want to be tethered to a computer, or maybe they want a specific workflow, or maybe they want to buy something used and be able to resell it without losing money on it, or, yes, some people DO think it's all about sound. You need to decide for yourself if it's worth it.

My advice, figure out which synth you want, research the secondhand market, and try to find one in excellent condition that includes all of the original accessories, box, etc, that is firmly within the average (or lower) secondhand price range for that model. That way, you'll recoup most or all of your investment if you end up not liking it. If you buy new, expect to lose 20% or more on your investment if you don't like it.

I would get a used Minilogue XD (there will be loads about) and just see how you get on with it. Worst case scenario, you sell it for what you paid for it.

It sits at the perfect sweet spot of price/funcionality/versatility.

Totally agree. I love my Minilogue XD, although the tiny keys are something to consider. I originally had the keys version, but I really hated the mini keys and I didn't have a good place to put it in my studio where I could ergonomically use the keys anyway, so I controlled it from a separate MIDI controller. Ultimately, I sold it and picked up the module version instead and love it. It's so much synth for the money.

[killmaster]

Such great advice all around. Really has me thinking and I totally appreciate it. So many good points. Guess I'll need to agonize a little more before I decide what to do. I have so many soft synths that I completely love. Maybe I'll decide I'm happy enough or maybe I'll get the XD Module or Elektron Digitone 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)

[T-CM11]

So I will add a suggestion for your consideration. An Elektron Digitone. It is a lovely synth and self contained 4 tracks. You can sit with a Digitone and headphones and make lovely compositions just by itself. I bought it to travel with and ended up surprised how much I liked the sound of it. So something to consider about how you would use a hardware synth and what its value would be to you.

The Elektron boxes are the opposite of what I like about hardware. For me the most important part is having "near" 1:1 knob/function. If programming it is similar to an 80s VCR, I'd rather use software.

Maybe it's a nice option for travelling (the OP didn't mention this desire). Me, I rarely make music (/play synths) outside my home studio - but if I want to, I have a second iPad (the first one stays 'docked').

My only exception: the Evolver - which I use with a software editor + Remote SL. It wasn't expensive and I REALLY like the sound it makes.

[Scotty]

I think you need to ask yourself what you hope to get out of hardware. For me, I gravitate to near knob-per-function and the immediacy of facing something that isn't a computer screen. I could convince myself that the hardware (usually analog in my case) sounds better but that is a very weak argument given how good some of the software emulations have become.

I have a relationship with hardware that is different than loading a plugin even with a mapped controlled (tried several now and have made my own; I now use Komplete Kontrol MKII and custom templates using TouchOSC) . I particularly enjoy patching modular or eurorack compatible synths. I get attached to the sounds and value it more because of the effort. This is purely psychological but value and feelings do matter. We are emotional creatures and for me to deny that in my music making wouldn't be good for me personally. Creation has both a technical and emotional component.

I'd start with something simple, see if you interact with it in a meaninfully different way and experience something of value. If you don't then you can stop there. If you do, make some room on your desk. The Behringer Pro One sounds great to my ears. That would be my low cost starter recommendation.

[cryophonik]

I have a relationship with hardware that is different than loading a plugin even with a mapped controlled (tried several now and have made my own; I now use Komplete Kontrol MKII and custom templates using TouchOSC) . I particularly enjoy patching modular or eurorack compatible synths. I get attached to the sounds and value it more because of the effort. This is purely psychological but value and feelings do matter. We are emotional creatures and for me to deny that in my music making wouldn't be good for me personally. Creation has both a technical and emotional component.

This hits the nail on the head for me. I also have a KK MK2 and, while software is great for many reasons, it just doesn't get my creative juices going the way hardware does. We all love the convenience, efficiency, and speed of using software and, while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I personally am not in a race to make music and I find I like my results much more when I don't take any shortcuts. One of the things I love about hardware is that it tends to make me slow down and enjoy the process of making music. I spend most of my time at work in the office staring at a computer screen and more time after work when I'm editing photos (my whole family has a photography side gig), so that's not how I want to spend my precious music-making time. In fact, making music with a computer makes me want to just do anything to get it done as quickly as possible just so I can call it done and get away from the computer, which often ends up yielding less than satisfactory results. Anyway, despite what many people will try to tell you, there is no right or wrong, or better or worse way of making music.

[zerocrossing]

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

If you look at it in a very general way, this is true, but if you start looking at specific instruments, it falls apart. For instance, both Repro and the new Prophet 5 V sound like a Prophet 5/6 in a general way. With careful tweaking, they can come close to sounding exactly like my 6. I thought, "why am I keeping this big box?" Then I started taking some of my favorite sounds and trying to recreate them in the software and right off the bat I was stopped because my first preset uses a sub osc, which wasn't in the OG 5, and not in the emulations.

Same thing for all my synths. There are absolutely no substitutes to any of my hardware instruments. Even if you forget a specific tone, like the tone of a Prophet 5, you can't even get a decent generic analog VCO style sound out of a plugin that has the feature set of a PolyBrute.

[zerocrossing]

So I will add a suggestion for your consideration. An Elektron Digitone. It is a lovely synth and self contained 4 tracks. You can sit with a Digitone and headphones and make lovely compositions just by itself. I bought it to travel with and ended up surprised how much I liked the sound of it. So something to consider about how you would use a hardware synth and what its value would be to you.

The Elektron boxes are the opposite of what I like about hardware. For me the most important part is having "near" 1:1 knob/function. If programming it is similar to an 80s VCR, I'd rather use software.

Maybe it's a nice option for travelling (the OP didn't mention this desire). Me, I rarely make music (/play synths) outside my home studio - but if I want to, I have a second iPad (the first one stays 'docked').

My only exception: the Evolver - which I use with a software editor + Remote SL. It wasn't expensive and I REALLY like the sound it makes.

This is a good example of what I'm talking about. There is absolutely no software synth that sounds anything like an Evolver.

[pdxindy]

So I will add a suggestion for your consideration. An Elektron Digitone. It is a lovely synth and self contained 4 tracks. You can sit with a Digitone and headphones and make lovely compositions just by itself. I bought it to travel with and ended up surprised how much I liked the sound of it. So something to consider about how you would use a hardware synth and what its value would be to you.

The Elektron boxes are the opposite of what I like about hardware. For me the most important part is having "near" 1:1 knob/function. If programming it is similar to an 80s VCR, I'd rather use software.

For sure I can see that...

That is why I asked what the person is looking to get out of hardware... specifically, a single mono-timbral hardware synth (like most of what they said they were looking at). If it doesn't have presets and one is looking to make a composition entirely with that one synth, that entails a lot of multi-tracking and housekeeping. One person will love that workflow, another will hate it.

IMO, understanding a workflow one enjoys with hardware will be what makes the decision easy.

[foosnark]

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. Some synths have no emulation (or no good emulation) in software, and if you like the sound and there's no substitute...

But for the most part it's the different experience, the different way a hardware synth leads you to use it. To me, that can drive inspiration and invite you to play it more than software might. (Or it might not. It's very specific to both the hardware and the musician.)

If you have the chance to try something in person and see how it feels, that's great. If not... maybe find something used so you can resell it with little to no financial loss? Or just pick something that looks cool and go for it and see where it takes you.

Even a basic subtractive monosynth might just feel right, and make you want to really explore all its territory and get to know it deeply. Maybe in six months or a couple of years you'll want to move on and try something else, but that's OK too.

[kritikon]

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.