BEST SYNTH TO BUY IN 2024
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
- Money is tight but hardware synths have never been more affordable! 💸 In this video I break down the synth market so you can find the right synth for you! The categories are best synth for beginners, best analog synth, best mono synth, best hybrid synth, best digital synth, best cheap synths and best vintage recreations!
If you like the background music for this video I made it with my vintage drum sample pack, Roland D-50 patch library and FREE Chorus / Reverb Plugin below:
►My Chorus / Reverb Plugin (free for a limited time!): vultureculture.live/pages/ink...
►ROLAND D-50 PATCH LIBRARY: vultureculture.live/products/...
►VINTAGE DRUM SAMPLES: vultureculture.live/products/...
►Vintage Digital Pad Sample Pack: vultureculture.live/products/...
In this video I discuss the Modal Cobalt5S, Behringer UB-Xa, Donner B1, Roland Juno-X and SH-4d, Dreadbox Hades, Typhon and Nymphes, Waldorf Quantum Mk2 and M, Moog Mavis, Studiologic Sledge, PWM Malevolent, Soma Terra, 1010music Nanobox Lemondrop, Udo Super Gemini, Korg Wavestate Mk2, Minilogue XD, Drumlogue and Volca FM 2, Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave, ASM Hydrasynth, Melbourne Instruments Nina, Arturia Minifreak and Microfreak, Expressive E Osmose, Novation Summit and Sequential Take 5.
#vst #vstplugins #synth #synths #vintagesynth #synthesizer #analogsynth #musicproduction #sounddesign #sequencer #keyboardsounds #vintagesynthesizer #analogsynthesizer #synthwave #electronicmusic #80ssynth #freesynthplugin #musictechnology #retrosound #freepresets
0:00 Intro
0:19 Best Synth for Beginners
01:35 Value Analog Monosynth
03:02 Small Analog Monosynth
04:29 Best Analog Monosynth
05:43 Value Analog Semi-modular
06:48 Best Analog Semi-modular
07:52 Value Digital Synth
09:12 Small Digital Synth
10:33 Best Digital Synth
12:10 Value Hybrid Synth
14:25 Small Hybrid Synth
16:28 Best Hybrid Synth
18:29 Value MPE / Polyphonic Aftertouch Synth
19:57 Small MPE / Polyphonic Aftertouch Synth
21:26 Best MPE / Polyphonic Aftertouch Synth
23:20 Small Analog Polysynth
24:52 Value Analog Polysynth
26:18 🏆 Best Analog Polysynth of 2024
31:38 Value Vintage Digital Recreation
32:58 Small Vintage Recreation
35:12 Best Vintage Recreation
37:23 Best Drum Synth
38:37 Best Groovebox
41:14 Dream Synth of 2024
42:24 Most Innovative Synth of 2024
43:49 Most Slept on Synth of 2024
45:45 🏆 Most Overpriced Synth of 2024
48:37 🏆 Most IDGAF Synth of 2024
51:10 Why No Behringer? - Навчання та стиль
Thanks for including us on your list! We're honored. We love what we're doing and your support means everything to us!
Really excited about what you guys are doing! Thank you for giving the world the 3rd Wave! 🌊
Thanks man, I haven't watched your channel before but this has to be the most comprehensive synth of the year guide I've ever seen. It looks like you've pretty much got everything covered at every price point. I'll definitely check out more of your channel and at the very least I'll be back next year to check out what's the best of the best. Great job.
Thank you very much and welcome! I always do a livestream every Wednesday so please stop by if you can and say hi 👋
Thank you for such a perfect and clear analysis. A hug from Portugal👌👍🎹
Thanks - great to hear your take on all these synths. Sh-4d might be the value buy for me but you introduced me to synths I did not know existed like the Nina. Good stuff.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Nina is a beast! 🙏
Wow @vultureculture that is a comprehensive look at all the categories one could be interested in! Great job, and I definitely wasn't so familiar with many of these, so it'll be a good reference for me moving forward this year. Personally, I have the 3rd Wave in my sights, but I need to make room in the studio and budget first!
Good to hear from you homie! 🍾🎇
3rd Wave is insanely powerful but *not cheap*!
great video, thanks for diving into different brands, I didn't know what I was missing
I'm glad you found it helpful! 🙏🙏🙏
Great job on this video! Favorite recommendation - Studiologic SLEDGE!! YES!! That thing sounds fantastic, and the FEEL is AMAZING. Thank you so much for that one! Keep up the good work here on your channel. 😀
Love to hear from the Sledge people! 🖤
Fatar rules Synth key beds. I can’t seem to part with my Kawai 5000s which I almost hate but it has midi and can run a Blofeld desktop which is also hate worthy. I have thought of gutting the Kawai and plopping the Keybed in an old Akai AX60 but realized I could find simple controllers with Fatar keys and gut those.
@@frankstetka7206 - DUDE just spend the $900, get the Studiologic Sledge, and be done with it! 😀
❤ for the Waldorf sound!
This is an excellent list of a lot of synths work trying. I do not need anymore gear, but it’s time to add a Dreadbox piece to my set up sometime this year.
I think it would be worth it - Dreadbox stuff sounds so feral lol
This is my favorite synth rundown video ever. You covered a lot of ground, and the video had a snappy good pace to it. The best part is that you covered plenty of the synths I’ve had my eye on, which was nice to see all in one place, and there were good surprises. Now I gotta get more work so I can try to get a little something here and there. Thanks, and for me, this was a nicely produced video.
Thank you so much for the positivity 🙏
I'm glad you found this video helpful and invite you to check out one of the live streams I do every Wednesday at 9 pm est - we've got a really awesome community over there 🍻
Will check the live stream out! Thanks!
Felt soooo good when you gave Korg - Drumlogue high marks in its category !! 🎈 Questioned my comparative analysis chops, yet darn please in early days usage. ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe top of short list now, and pleased with your evaluation !
Such Behringer 'mixed feelings' 🤷🏻♂ DeepMind 12 has been superb since early 2023 purchase ..... now so hesitant with UB-Xa.
Rad video in first days 2024. 🙏🏻 Happy New Year !
Happy New Year and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 🥂🍾🎇
Excellent run through. Have to say, I love the sound of the Nymphes every time I hear it. Dreadbox seem to be very good at getting grit and character. Tempting. I already have the Take 5, and it always sounds gorgeous. That Nina would also be awesome. It’s got the sound and the power.
As far as a good groove box, the Synthstrom Deluge is a monster. Various synth engines, incredible workflow. It also has a sanctioned open source version now which has been adding some crazy features. Everything unlimited, only bound by CPU.
I definitely need to expand my horizons when it comes to groove boxes. I think next year I'll have a more nuanced take on the subject - need to check out Deluge because it looks insane!
What a great overview of the synth landscape. Thanks!
You're very welcome! 🙏
What's your favorite synth of 2024?
@@VultureCulture Well, I actually have my eyes on a digital workstation, the Yamaha Montage M
@joseluisrevelo nice!
You have a really excellent sounding voice for this kind of thing and it's perfectly recorded/produced.
Thank you very much - I put a lot of effort into the little details (while still managing to screw up some big ones 😂)
Happy New Year Vulture Culture!
You too BlackMan! Thank you for being a part of this awesome community! 🍾🎊
New subscriber here, and I have to hand it to you that you are really on point with your suggestions and observations. Great content and I stayed awake through the whole program 😆
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Any synths you're looking at?
First time watching. Loved the video breadth and insights. Thank you.
You're welcome! 🙏🙏🙏
What synth are you looking to get?
Need to learn to use the ones I have (kronos/minilogue xd) before I get anymore…😊
Definitely check out the viper oscillators by Tsoniq for the minilogue xd. So cool!
@threeqs2424 that is very, very wise. I wish I could learn from you!! 🤣
Bro great review! I have heard sound demos on the Nina and it is by far one of the thickest sounding synths on the market! Awesome!😊
Glad you enjoyed this video! 🙏
Thanks for the list! 👍🏻 The MiniFreak is already on my short list after using it in V Collection X… that sold it for me right there… seeing it talked about here means it’s being ordered tonight 😂
I wish Arturia would pay me a commission for the number of synths I've sold 😂
A very cool choice 😎 👌 👍🏽
@frankstetka7206
0 seconds ago
Oh yeah I am probably going down that road by also picking up the mini. At first I thought the micro was a bit shrill and thin on some factory patches but I dig in and it turns out to have some heft for what it is. I love my old Arturia mini brute duo but one bad pitch wheel pot and all decomposing rubber knobs are beyond irritating. I’m replacing all of them and feel that same fate will occur to the Freq’s.
Just found your page and subscribed right away.
I had a D50 for over 25 years until its demise due to a power supply failure. The funny thing is, losing it is what brought me into the modern world of VSTs. I am about to sign up for Roland Cloud and will be picking up your D50 library when I do.
I can't wait to see what treasures your video archive has in store for me. :)
Awesome! Welcome to the community! 🙏🙏
A happy and wonderful new year 🍀
You too! 🥂🍾
Great work!
Thank you my friend 🙏
Great video. I am brand new ro the world of synths. I already have a lower end yamaha workstation for piano.
I like the idea of consructing and manipulating sound in teal time like a synth can do. Of course i love playing 80s, 90s etc stuff too.
Would you consider the hydrasynth as too much for a first synth in my case? I kind of want to buy the right one the first time Any advice would be helpful.
Not at all! The Hydra is an amazing synth that will never bottom out with possibilities.
Nice guide, at the end of the day, choose well what you can afford and what suits your needs and you can't go wrong
Agreed! So many incredible options out there nowadays!
@@VultureCulture also loved your personal recommendations. Didn't even know about the sledge but will check it out...I'm a big fan of the Wavestates & Hydrasynths, also the Terra looks interesting although I just picked up a Plinky synth which has that expressive touch vibe too ( very lucky to get hold of one with the demand /supply situation around it)
@enochroot9438 I need to check out the Plinky! Haven't heard of it!
You sold me the dread box and the Korg monologue xd and I’m happy as hell. Subscribed and liked
Awesome and welcome!
Cool vid. Best mult-timbral synth?
That would be a good category! I guess that's the workstation category people have been asking for lol.
Korg Kross 2 looks promising!
Fascinating watch, thank you! Gotta say that the Terra has been my revelation, using it for industrial and IDM styles, as it has reminded me that so many synths disconnect me from actually listening to the music rather than looking at the interface. Has made me play so differently, more about the tactile guitar expression...helps that it can sound utterly filthy and has some of the best reverb and delay on a synth I’ve heard in some time
I really hope I get a chance to play one sometime! Such a one of a kind instrument! Any other favorites for industrial and IDM?
@@VultureCulture I thought the MegaFM was going to be a gimmick...that thing has become a fantastic little box of raw edged, hands-on FM joy!
Awesome video, happy new year man! I always wanted to ask, which keyboard stands do you use?
Happy New Years to you Maladar! Thank you for being a part of the community 🍾🥂
I use Standtastic 103-KS's. Not the cheapest but are awesome and can handle my 45+ lb vintage keys
@@VultureCulture Thanks a lot, I was just looking at them on Sweetwater now, so they are 3 tier stands, but I suppose for the 4th tier u got the optional tier kit? I see they can hold a ton of weight on each tier, as opposed to the Jaspers, where only the bottom tier can hold 45 lbs. How was the setup? Because the Jaspers setup makes u wanna hate life lol
@MaladarGaming I love them! I haven't watched jim danekar's new video but he's who recommended the stands to me but apparently there's a new, even better stand in town
Great stuff!
Thank you Johnny! I really appreciate it!
Great video!!!! and I have to agree with all you views shared on your picks. I am glad you shined some light on the Sledge, I felt the same way, about how it's got a very "Iridium-ish" vibe. Again great video and definitely doing a solid service for your fellow artists of all degrees.
Just me going on about my Sledge ;) (figure you can read when you have time)
Seriously though, I've really gotten a lot of out of the Sledge. As I work with it I have discovered the individual parameter knobs take on different characteristics at extremes; the effects for example, from the surface seem very straight forward and they are when you use them in their normal ranges. Where it goes into 'other' teritory is in the extreme low and high settings. Chorus with a speed of 1 and depth set to what ever you want creates this binaural audio experience. Reverb again same tricks and you get these wide spaces that preserve the dryness of the foreground sounds. The interplay between the Envelope Amount and the Velocity amount completely change the behavior of both envelopes depending on the settings of the two amount knobs in relation to eachother and the identical parameters knob for knob in a ratio sense affecting how much velocity affects one envelope over the other. It's like the more you work with the Sledge you see how this front panel has layers of functionality meant to extend the possibilities beyond what you see on the panel, that when you play it and tweak and just barely move something the feedback is as good as analog and best of all it will behave the same regardless of the room temperature or if venus is rising next time you do it.
Then when you consider you can import samples into it really means that one doesn't have to tire of its fare. I am going to be sampling the ulra low oscillators from the K2000 Synth engine using a high resolution sound card and then export it into the format the sledge will like. I am going to sample the Lo-SAW, Lo-SQR blocks to see how they sound on the Sledge. Since thats what I used to do to thicked up my bass sounds on the K2K. I will share it with you once it's done.
Hey thank you again man for doing such solid for us. Peace out!
Awesome and thank you for sharing that information!
the one machine I think you should really have included was the Synclavier Regen- it is an extraordinary machine (with poly pressure) and is insanely flexible as a synth.
Can't believe I missed that one! You're totally right!
For experimenting with modern non-traditional synth sounds ( wavetable, formant, and “vowel” for example ), the MicroFreak is a great low cost synth( again 4 voice limitation, and smaller touch surface keyboard ), and in the latest firmware update you can now indirectly add samples ( record or find a sample and add it on your computer into the free software called midi control center, then plug in MF to computer and add them in ). It has an arpeggiator and sequencer, also vocoder ability by plugging a mic with TRRS ( 3 black bands, even a phone headset with mic will work ) into the mini headphones jack ( crank up the mic gain in MF settings ).
Sounds improve going through external FX boxes ( or FX in a DAW ) like reverb and delay. Firmware updates are free BTW.
I didn't know all of that! Any other synths you'd recommend?
Love this video am looking for a decent synth my budget is between £1500 to £1800 av got my heart set on an Arturia matrixbrute what's your opinion on them?
Very cool monosynth but expensive for one voice, especially when you have options like Malevolent for half the price and Typhon for about 1/4
Great vid!
Thank you 🙏
Roland’s “older”ACB technology sounds much better than their modern Zen Core.
Agreed
Roland sounds better and better the older the synth
I own several ACB- & Zencore-machines - they all sound great. Maybe 1:1 recreation of analog classics is 5-10 % better with ACB. But then again you have more voices and way more FX in Zencore-devices.
5-10 % is the general sound difference amount were playing with between analog and their vst emulations for the last decade . what im saying is its a huge/ all the difference that remains in modern comparison terms and is all the reason to buy one over the other ...more polyphony is a trivial and largely unnecessary feature by comparison in 2024 @@bat-powmusic4925
Great video. Recently got my second Access Virus ti2 and it is just one amazing synth. Got the Korg Minilogue XD today and love it with my Korg Monologue. Ordered the small Behringer JT4000 and waiting for it but did not think I would buy a Behringer again after I bought a Wasp about a month ago and returned it cause 3 of the rotary knobs did not even turn and broke the plastic rotary knobs. Two of the step knobs also did not match the settings and positions on the plate. Other than that it was a great looking unit. The RD9 drum machine was a great unit without any problems so let's see about the JT4000.
Here's to hoping the JT4000 will be in pristine condition!
Great list. I got a juno ds 61 used for about 500. Did i make a mistake? I'm looking for more of a synth than an aranger keyboard.
I don't think so! That's a cool digital synth, I only recommend buying something else if you feel like it's not meeting your needs
@VultureCulture thanks man. I got some more time with it, and it realy does kick ass for the price.
My dream synth is still the Iridium (keyboard). It not only sounds from another world, but also looks great and that's an understatement.
Iridium is the price point I like Waldorf at
It does have its glitches though.
When my favorite synth-fluencer speaks, I listen 👑
Means a lot coming from The Muthafucking Murph! 🌄🎹👾
Imagine if Roland released a proper analog modern Juno 60/106 in the same spirit like when Sequential released a proper analog modern Prophet-5/10. I think Roland would sell quite many of them.
They would murder it. I think the problems they had with the JD-Xa turned them off from trying analog again.
They basically did this with the System-8, yeah it's all digital, but go play one with your eyes closed.
@@VultureCulture still love the XA
JDXA is an under-looked upon monster
If Roland released a new version of the JD-XA with 10 analog voices. It would be game over for a lot of other synths
I love videos like this.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, thanks! You say the debate between digital and analogue is officially over yet I sense you leaning towards a preference for analogue, particularly when it comes to filters. So am I imagining this or do you think there's still some secret sauce in analogue that's (currently) unmatched by digital?
Very perceptive of you!
I think it's a matter of implementation. Certain synths have such wonderfully modelled analog filters that I don't think it even matters anymore (modal). Although I mention how great the filters sound on the Hydra, I do think it embraces its digital side. Certain Hybrid's or even analog's filters are not setting my world on fire either.
Thanks for your reply! Yes I agree, I tried out the Hydra instore and while I was greatly impressed, I was immediately thinking how I might be able to "analogue-ise" the sounds a bit more. I must check out the Modal you mentioned. 👍
Awesome!!!❤❤💯💯
Thank you!
In the if your patient you can get it for under $100 category, I recommend the Uno Synth - on sale now brand new for $129..99 and hence no worries about if the software editor (which is pretty awesome) code has already been used.
Great job, as always. I agree with everything (that I've played). I own the Nina and the Roland SH-4d. Very glad to see them on the list. And yes, the Roland Juno X could have been so much better (like analog?) for the price. Would have liked to have seen the Osmose in there somewhere, but can't have everything... Thanks for the show, man!
It's in there in the poly after touch / expression category!
Thanks so much for this video! I have a neice and nephew who are both budding synthesists, and I was looking for a good synth to send them that wouldn't break the bank. So they each got a Cobolt 5s. Both of the units work perfectly and both of them love it. I was considering the Donner B1 because it's so cheap, but the Cobolt was cearly a much better choice. You made a couple of young kids very happy.
Awwww that warms my soul! I'm so glad you shared the gift of synthesizers with them! 🎹🎹
@@VultureCulture Thanks! although at times I feel a bit like a drug dealer "sharing the gift" of heroin with them....
@geoffk777 hahahahahahahaha
Roland’s zencore could really be overlooked I feel.
Waldorf M is a great mention 👍👍
I have Microwave rackmount and love it! I did purchase a Nina last year and believe it’s one the most forward thinking hybrid synths made to date. With Raspberry Pi at its core, expandability options will hopefully be in the pipeline.
I definitely want to get a microwave one day! Just got a few big keyboards left to get!
Any positives / negatives about Nina?
Gutes Video mein Lieber!
Great video
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
I have the korg wavestate mk2 and it blows my mind how it so powerful and so complex very interesting synth I love it only had it for one month👍🏻
It really is insanely powerful and somewhat overlooked for that reason!
Awesome list ! I know its a hardware list but I really got to throw one sleeper softsynth in and that's the GForce OB-E V2 that came out in 2022 and I've slept on. Do not sleep on this monster it easily one of the best sounding softsynths ever made and is officially supported by Oberheim . I bought it and my jaw dropped .
GForce leads the race with vintage recreations and OB-E is their magnum opus. Totally agree!
Make please a video how you setup your light and video in your videos , love it
I use Enttec and a bunch of DMX cables. Maybe I'll do a video of it in a future.
I am sso glad you decided to continue with the "Best Of..." videos. I was genuinely looking forward to it this year and am happy you added some categories to expand it even more (like "Slept on" and "IDGAF" :). Also, as always, I like that you substantiate your opinions - it is so much more valuable than someone simply name tagging a product "rubbish" or "game changer" for the sake of gathering attention.
I am going to go on a limb though and guess you haven't spent much time with Roland's SH-4D - I think it would've ended up in "IDGAF" category instead of Juno X 😄. And yeah Korg drumlogue's fate was a victim of its 2-year expectation it created before it actually landed in stores. Everybody else moved ahead in tech implementation and not being compatible with the existing "logue/NTS" SDK is kind of a bummer. The expectation is for the backward compatibilty of new products carrying legacy names. Same with Roland, this "not quite ZENcore" BS implementation of new syths (SH-4d, GAIA2, Aira minis) in 2023 was just annoying. In fact the best thing from Roland was probably Fantom EX system upgrade/expansion 😆
Hope you'll get to play with Norand Mono MkII - i foresee Dreadbox module being bumped off the list next year. 😉
Solid work man! And yeah, never heard of Sledge - so I've learnt something new and it's been a pleasure. 👍
I'm so happy to hear you're enjoying my Best of videos 🙏
And you're right, I haven't. What's your experience with the SH-4d been like?
Oh can't wait to check out the Norand Mono Mk2!
Well I am a guitar player learning synths and this past year I bought a Donner b1 bass synth a Yamaha modx+7 and a moog grandmother .. a Roland tr-8s drum machine now to figure out how to make it all work …
What synth would you recommend me between a Roland Jd Xi and a Korg Wavestate mkII?
WaveState all day
JD Xi has a very very fragile keyboard. Not a good idea.
@francksimon7077 good info to know
Absolutely agree with you about the Studiologic Sledge. The initial sound engine (Waldorf Blofeld) has been a little restricted but it's incredible what we can do with it, in all kind of sounds.
What is more, there are some hidden specs accessible through Midi CC (as PPG filter for example).
It's a good idea to mention it. Thank you.
I didn't know that about the PPG filter!
What do you think about the roland S-1 ? Just bought one (125€ used), and I'm very impressrd by what you can do with that little thing ! The behringer model D also seems to excell, on my list !
Price is great and if it fits your workflow then it's awesome!
I've been enjoying the S-1 quite a bit, mostly as a travel synth. The ACB SH emulation is quite good (See the video for a description of the differences a bit when he's razzing the Roland Juno-X). It's definitely portable and it's not my main keys as a player, but it's fun! As a small synth, I dare say I prefer it to the Moog Mavis, although that's a great little guy too, if a little less useful for my workflow. (I have 2 of the larger synths in his list - Wavestate, Hydrasynth - among several others; the S-1 has a place for sure!) I'm tempted by the Dreadbox line right now. Lol.
@Modem5052 thank you for the feedback! I've gotten a few comments on how good the S-1 is as of this video. I played one at Knobcon and moved on, but maybe I need to revisit it.
@@VultureCulture when you get below the top level, the interface is a bit fiddly, but the constraints somewhat are what they are, given the size and sheer number of features. The top level controls keep the main synthesis controls easily in reach and the sequencer is easy enough to use. I’d have made some different trade offs (I used to design synths professionally!), but it definitely feels like a good outcome for the price and size.
The s1 is killer. Doesn’t use the zen core crap, and is kinda like a more tweakablr sh101. The algorithm in these super tiny synths - and boutiques are awesome. It’s so dumb they don’t use those algorithms in their other synths.
Glad ya finally caught on to MODAL even though they're apparently no longer. The modal 8 used would be a super and I'll put this against any $2000 synth 👑🎧🎼
They still exist! They're even planning on coming out with new synths. Currently restructuring: synthanatomy.com/2023/09/british-synth-company-modal-electronics-is-insolvent.html
I must say, Behringer did an amazing job with JT4000. They've managed to create a little polysynth that sounds really good, and it only costs 49 bucks! The build quality is fantastic, and the navigation is so easy and intuitive. The screen is also worth noting, even though it's tiny, it's so clear and crispy (oled). Behringer really nailed this tiny form factor (same size as korg nts1).
I actually usually do include Behringer every year: ua-cam.com/video/kRn5TSi94nw/v-deo.htmlsi=p7JyuP2jsndMD7Ja ua-cam.com/video/94mbeYF8JKs/v-deo.htmlsi=e1I8h7nSxiNuSZua
Thank you for letting me know! I was very very close to adding the JT to the list - I was worried about the build quality but it sounds like I shouldn't have been.
The only thing I don’t like about the jt4000 is when trying to use a midi keyboard with it. You’ll need a usbc splitter for power and then a usbc to 5pin din adaptor, since most midi keyboards don’t have midi host function. I think it’s a great and fun little synth, but if you want to play with it with a midi keyboard and no computer, it’s a pain in the bum.
@teamphil that sucks! Thank you for the info! That's part of why I didn't mention it as the choice for beginner synth, although the price point is stellar.
@@jocee2257what’s with the hostility? No one is forcing you to watch this channel.
So Dreadbox and Udo. I already knew about Arturia and was expecting more from Moog in this great vid. Instasubed.
Glad you enjoyed the video! 🙏
I love Moog but they're definitely in that premium price range where you spend a lot more per feature, in return for the name and build quality and that famous sound.
My favorite synth gear: Studio centerpiece: Akai Force. Polysynth: Hydrasynth (any). Monosynth: Sequential Pro 3. Acoustic / expressive instrument: Expressive-E Osmose. Portable: Dirtywave M8. Best way to start a song: hum a song idea into a phone. Notable mentions: Boss RC-505 Mk2, Novation Peak/Summit, 3rd Wave, PWM Malevolent, Arturia Microfreak / Minifreak / Minibrute 2, Haken Continuum, Nonlinear Labs C15.
Great list! C15 is an awesome muscle car of a synth!
@@VultureCultureIn addition to my music production desk, I'd love to set up a practice / performance / meditation area with an Osmose, RC-505, mic, and Wavedrum. But not until/unless I somehow end up with lots of free time and cash. 😅
Hey guys - can you pls recommend a VST or another synth like the Solar 42?
I don't know a good one off the top of my head unfortunately!
Thought maybe you would have mentioned the Gamechanger Audio Motor Synth. Just as it being a unique synth is all. But what a great video. Love how you give an honest opinion on the products. Its super refreshing. Keep up the good work.
Motor Synth is so cool! There's just so many synths to cover this year and Terra had to be the pick for most unique.
Thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏
I love my motor synth so much sound it should be illegal
Thanks. Whats with modwave
ModWave is awesome. Just didn't have room for it in this video behind WaveState.
Minilogue XD or Nord lead A1? Who wins?
At 1/3rd the price I know id go for the Minilogue XD
Hi!There is an unsurpassed, already vintage DSI rev 5 synthesizer. It's amazing that he was pushed into a corner.
As for the digital synthesizer, which will be very popular after decommissioning, it is worth taking a look at the secondhand market and it will be the Roland system 8.
DSI Rev 5?
@@VultureCulture Ha ha ha! Of course rev 2! Even
and I don't know how it happened.Rev 5 is this a monster from a dream?))
Two of my friends have the Osmose…the expression is unparalleled but the sound engine is just ok IMO.
Thank you VC for this great video! I think the category Groovebox is a growing category in popularity; perhaps for next time have several price points within in. e.g. Elektron Model:Cycles (at currently $299) is a budget powerhouse, another one that looks very interesting is Yamaha’s new Seqtrek (at $399). Keep up the great work, Shine on ✨
Thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏
Yes I think next year I'll go more in depth with Grooveboxes
“Synthesizers in this economy?” - I felt that
hahahahaha
Found it! Haha... I seem to be going back to this video. Leaning hard on a Deluxe - just sort of curious on how it works with a DAW like Live. I realize, its not a controller replacement
Many plugins are now MPE compliant and you would be able to use the poly at with them. Such an incredible instrument!
Amazing collection! Big respect with this hobby, i am on the way too :-)
Thank you! Any synths you're looking to get?
Great list and channel. I never wanted a donner b-1, but for $90, you can’t go wrong, so I just ordered it…
Nice! It's a crazy value synth!
I guy I know just listed his Avalon Bassline (another 303 clone) for $2500... It can do a little more, and has a lot more I/O and so on... but man, you could buy something like 27 Donner B1 for the price of that single Avalon...
@GizzyDillespee hahahaha yeah that's the world we're living in
@@VultureCulture it arrived today. Sounds pretty good so far. It’s not the prettiest, but fun for $90.
I’m looking for a all in one synth to replace my Roland JDXI but havnt found anything with vocoder, drum machine, 4 track sequencer with effects?
Have you checked out the Roland FA-06?
@@VultureCulture I will now.
@@VultureCulture looks sick. But those damn red knobs and gloss black with tiny writing again.
Remember when synths were easy to read? Lol.
What
No kurzweils?? Pc4 or k2700?
I definitely want to try out a K2000 at some point!
31:07 yes, by replacing the pots with rotary LED (like Hydrasynth), so you can see all settings at a glance and in low light. I dont care too much about losing the force feedback (e.g continuous vs step knobs).
Fair point!
You can make a very strong case for the Sequential Pro 3 being the best monosynth on the market right now. It's got a ton of killer features and it sounds absolutely wicked.
Yes, but it is very expensive, almost 4x the Malevolent.
i love my terra. one of the best if not the bestblessed to own both! synths i ever had. i also love my minifreack. blessed to own both!
What an awesome setup!
Do you find you can make "traditional" music with the Terra, or does it always lead you down a more esoteric path lol?
I've already heard the UB-Xa coming from just regular people. I've even heard blind tests with the OB-X8, OB-6 and UB-Xa. I saw people fail that blind test miserably, including myself. The UB-Xa really does sound great. The build quality is solid by all accounts. Metal and wood, plastic pots similar to a Nord Lead and It's got some weight to it. The keybed has been described as something like the OB-6, but with PAT but keybed feel is subjective so who knows how it will feel to you. The weakest part of the build that I can see is the detachable knobs imo. They're just plain plastic, nothing fancy but they work. If you want fancier knobs that's easy to acquire online and it's not much money at all. Given how the rest of the synth is built I'm surprised they cheaped out on the knobs. Maybe they had tons of them, I don't know. Surprisingly no one has yet complained about any bugs. Usually that comes right away.
Someone over at GS replaced the screen already, multiple times, in multiple colors. There's pictures and an explanation how to. It came out really nice. The GS user went with white on black which imo looks the best and fits the UB-Xa's look better than the stock red screen. Weird choice that.
I've very patient when it come to buying synths. Truth is I just don't need any more, but I gotta say the UB-Xa has exceeded my expectations, build wise, sound wise, and feature wise. I'll likely pick it up because as far as can tell it's a steal. I also really like the way it sounds and I don't have that color in my palette currently.
Does it sound exactly 1:1 like my favorite synth of all time, the Oberheim OB-Xa? Flat out NO, but neither does the OB-X8 or OB-6 which are the other options, both of which Ive owned. It comes just as close as either of these imo. The blind test certainly suggest as much. Bias is a tricky mofo.
I think the OB-X8 nails the OB-Xa sound, Marcus Ryle's video comparing the presets is pretty insane.
Thank you for your input! Looking forward to trying out one myself.
@@VultureCulture The price for the UB-XA is totally insane. It is 1275 Euros in germany... Thats about 1400 in Dollars, i think. But too expensive for me...
@@VultureCulture I saw that video. He kept it petty simple and yes the simpler stock presets matched pretty well, but not all of them. It's easier to tell in the heavily modulated sounds. Every comparison I've seen so far I've noticed the presenter will say something along the lines of: I could have matched it or gotten closer if . . . and then they move on. Honestly that was my experience as well, only I did try and never quite got there. Maybe that's just me and they could. Maybe it doesn't matter to some people.
But that's thing, you don't have to try with an OB-Xa. It's naturally wild like that, and the X8 is very controlled, as it should be imo. At least in my experience and from what I've seen in others. I toss it up to different times, different tech, plus those 40+ years. Whatever it is, I personally love it.
Also, is it just me or does anyone else notice the X8 has this, for lack of a better description, hi-fi sheen to it? I think so. Great sounding synth regardless but in the end I couldn't stomach the premium knowing what I know. Kinda felt like how things are in the fashion world, if you catch my drift. 😉 Branding baby.
A very cool wise person
Moog grandmother, everybody deserves at least one .❤🌞
No mention of the Udo Super 6? I'm shocked. That synth is pure art. And we can absolutely thank Behringer for all these cheaper synths these days.
Super 6 is awesome! I simply reserved talking about Udo until the Gemini.
Agree about Behringer but the effect is at least debatable. There are cheaper synths than ever but also much more expensive synths than ever. You could say it's done more to assassinate the mid-range lol.
@@VultureCulture I see your point. But not even an honorable mention? It's a smaller company and for the work they did, I feel they should be on everyone's list. 😁
Oh, I was actually referring to the super Gemini. 😁
I did mention the Gemini lol
@@VultureCulture oh my God. Lol. Im an idiot. Sorry dude. Haha.
Hello, you could speak of the Behringer Deepmind 12. Its a really great affordable synth.
I have mentioned it in previous years videos. I think it's a great synth but it's not as impressive now that there are so many affordable VCO synths out there.
Studiologic Sledge is pretty ancient tech, but their keybeds are awesome.
It is - but I think it still sounds good!
There were a number of upgrades to the Black version, including a better quality keyboard. But you are right about the chassis, it goes way back to their Computer Midi controllers.
Great video with some cool choices. On the B Pro 800, I think it is fantastic. Most of the people who bash them, and claim poor quality likely have never even tried one. I have a lot of stuff in the studio, including a load of the Behringer stuff. It all gets heavy use and I’ve personally never had an issue.
Given your reasons for leaving Behringer out I was VERY surprised to see the Donner in there.
I have yet to have a single comment about build quality from Donner on my channel. It's a stark contrast to the amount I've gotten from Behringer owners, although to be fair this video gets a lot of comments from Behringer owners saying they've never had a problem.
First video of the Donner I see that makes me think I should get it.
Yeah it's freaking good.
How much does one make holding some random equipment into a camera?
I don't know if I understand this comment but if you're asking how much I make off of videos like these it is very, very little.
This is a very helpful video. Not that I'm in the market to buy anything, but it's great to get the comparisons between the synths and better understand how each one shapes the landscape.
Can I suggest two more categories for you to consider?: 1) Synth which best (or worst) defines a characteristic sound, thinking of the "dystopian" Jupiter 6 or anything else which tends to lean toward a particular sound style. 2) Synth which would most easily be part of a sound bank rack for greater polyphony. ie: I might buy 3 Hydrasynth desktops to work with my Hydra keyboard, instead of upgrading to the Hydra deluxe. Synths which makes that an inexpensive option (edit in the keyboard version then send sounds to the sound rack units) could be good to mention.
That idea of genre specific synths is a great idea! The second idea I think I'm a little lost on. Are you talking about polychaining?
@@VultureCulture Hmm... I'm not sure, as I don't know much of the terminology yet. I'm coming from a different musical background, and trying to learn what's possible with MIDI.
The only explanation I can think of is this example: Pretend for the moment that Ashun released a very inexpensive Hydra that's rackmounted, but has a severely reduced interface and is a real pain to create patches on. So I'd create patches on my Hydra Keyboard, then send those through midi to the midi slaves. With two or three of these midi slaves, I'd get a lot of layered sounds for a lot less money than upgrading my 49-key to the Hydrasynth Deluxe.
However, in order to get 32-note polyphony from my midi rack, I'd have to get some controller that could take my crazy arpeggios and round-robin assign those notes to my keyboard as well as my midi rack. Or I could stick with lower polyphony so I could layer a lot of different patches. Basically, how easily this ecosystem supports such operations and how much money you could save by choosing a rack of less expensive models instead of buying their flagship model, all that would be the subject of the review/rating. (If such midi systems are even possible. Like I said, I'm still learning what's possible with midi) This idea came from the fact that I'm thinking I'll buy a Hydra desktop to go with my Hydra keyboard and get many of the benefits of the Hydra deluxe for a lot less than the cost of the deluxe. It would be nice to hear about some cost/benefit analyses regarding that kind of approach, as well as highlighting synth model families which better support such midi systems.
Then again, maybe my idea is too far out there to be practical now?
Hey, thanks for your reply, and for the education you provide through your videos!
Have you considered something like a vintage korg triton rack? You can get one from Music Sound Tokyo for $320 and it has 60-voice polyphony.
@@VultureCulture I'll look into that, thanks! My original intent was to beef up and layer the sound of my Hydra without springing for the Deluxe, but that got me thinking about the approach of multiple smaller units rather than one huge and expensive unit as a general practice. Thanks for the tip!
The Novation summit is a titan of a Synth for sure. It's incredible and under rated. The Gemeni is definitely a dream Synth, if you won some money it might be the way to go.
Yeah, just a real muscle car of a synth.
Any other synths you'd recommend?
Roland could learn something from Novation. Novation actually listened to their customers and keeps improving products.
Awesome video. On a slight tangent. I have never gotten a beringher product. Recently I needed a mini mixer. Got 2 mackies and they were doa. Got a beringher that was cheaper, working like a charm and build quality is decent. My only experience with them and it was good. Can't say anything about the keyboards though.
The Solaris v2 is coming this year with poly-after touch keyboard and latest sharc processors.
Not cheap but then cheaper than a 2nd hand Prophet VS or PPG 2. and the modulation options rival the Matrix 12.
Oooooo
That's a fair list... I would have just seen the modwave, iridium, prophetX somewhere... Modwave for beginners, prophetX because it's a very special kind of synth, and Iridium, because, man that synth is so deep !!!!
As for MPE, owning both a seaboard and osmose, osmose is great, but there's a bunch of things I can do with the seaboard and not with osmose... Maybe a soft synth section, workstation section, and controller section some day too :)
But you sir deifinitely know what you're talking about...
I've gotten quite a few comments saying the seaboard is superior! So I'll take that into account for next year's video
Waldorf M and the 3rd Wave are ones that I WISH I could own. I love my old wavetable synths and wave scanning.
Thought about getting the SH-4d. I know Tom Ellard of Severed Heads fame uses one along side an SP-404 for whenever he does live sets. There's so much under the hood! A friend of mine also got one and had a bunch of technical issues with it, so that discouraged me from getting it. Not sure if that was just his model or if that's across all SH-4d units.
The SLEDGE! I really thought about getting one of those too, but didn't hear enough demos to persuade me to get one. I've heard nothing but good things about it though!
For NEW things I got this year - MC-707 to replace my MC-307 (retired it after my show a couple months ago). The Zen Core stuff is cool, but it just seems too pure, too crystal if that makes sense. It's cool, I admire what it does, but eh. I also got a Roland JD-08 at KnobCon which I really love! I always like to just plug that thing in and jam on it every now and then. :)
Yeah the problem with Zencore stuff is there's a generic-ness to the filters and sound that does not help with the analog illusion lol.
I love a good vintage hybrid! Let me know more about the technical issues if you can with the Sh-4d - I hadn't heard any yet.
MC-707 sounds sick!
@@VultureCulture the big one I remember him saying was playing outside and the SH overheating and failing.
Like I said - the MC707 is pretty meh.
@this_connor_guy damn! That's a major problem. Roland really loves to push their cpus to the limit and that's a shame to hear!
No mention of the Destiny+ Czochralski Cells....?
This was the first year I covered drum synths - next year the category will be more expanded likely (idk this video ended being an hour long). Cells looks great but is probably too modular for the scope of this video.
Why the lemon drop and not the the liven texture lab?
Maybe I should have featured the Liven instead! The Lemon drop has more memory for sampling versus 32 6 second slots, but the Liven really is an incredible value granular synthesizer!
You can slave a 2nd Korg Minilogue XD for 8 voices. I did that and it works great. XD 1 beomces the master and the slave XD changes patches and parameters from the XD 1. 8 great sounding analog voices now (with the 3rd digital osc).
That's really cool, and I suppose not as expensive as it used to be. Still hoping for an Epilogue XD 🤞
Powerhouse for the $$ there esp second hand.
I own a Sledge and use to own a hydrasynth and was very pleased the sledge picked up a recommendation as it's a very versatile amazing sounding synth. I sold my hydrasynth despite having the absolute best time programming it for one reason. Only. It didn't sound like anything to me. The sound despite its best attempts didn't sound analog and it didn't sound ice pick digital either. After months of using it and programming and enjoying it, I found I couldn't use it in my songs because it didn't really stand out as anything. So I sold it. I do miss it it from time to time though. Now the sledge, that is not going anywhere. You can legit make it sound indistinguishable from a real moog. I had a basic moog bass set up on the subsequent and the same on the sledge, identical. Honestly don't know how they pulled that off. The Sledge is staying forever or until it catches on fire.
Everyone who has a Sledge says something similar!
You're not the first to point out the Hydra's "neutral" sound - not everyone's cup of tea. Virus's kind of have the same issue.
Yeah synths with any kind of VA labeling like the Blofeld engine sound better than straight up digital polys for classic subtractive sounds. Nord Lead A1 and 4 sound way, way warmer/analog.
Great video but why do you never mention anything from behringer? You did the donner
I explain in the video at the end why I didn't mention Behringer this year. I've mentioned Behringer in years past.
When was the Cobalt 5s on sale for $300?
When the video was released (early January 2024)
The sledge is the blosfeld with a lot of knobss
Yasssss
I must agree that the Hydrasynth Deluxe rules them all. I have the original Hyrdasynth and keep considering upgrading. The Hydrasynth can also emulate most analogue sounds of the 70's and 80's. I think my ultimate stage setup would be my Korg SV-1 for digital piano paired with the Hyrdasynth Deluxe for two layers of synthesizer awesomeness.
That would be one helluvah setup! And an AX80 on the side for resonant screams?
@@VultureCulture yeah!
I was interested in the synths, but sorry: the unnerving background elevator music somehow ruins it. Why not play a few patches (even demo patches from the manufacturer) of each synth in order to get an idea?
If I got the opportunity to play all of these synths, trust me, I'd love to play some in these videos lol
Any thoughts on the UNO Synth Pro X?
A very awesome synth - at a relatively high price point. Part of why I didn't recommend it was IK Multimedia's previous synths had some build quality issues, although I think they have been cleared up. But still, it made me hesitate.