Best Polysynths you can buy right now?

I just bought a Nord Lead A1R, finally I found one! It’s in mint condition and it comes with also 1,5 years warranty from a shop. Sadly there’s no original box…

The next one will be a Virus TI2 desktop (I always wanted a Virus).

1 Like

Deckard’s Dream. Not the most versatile synth, but it always sounds amazing.

7 Likes

Digitone Keys? It might be the most underrated Elektron synth. The range of sounds it is capable of producing goes beyond many of the traditional designs listed in this thread while not going off the rails of usability requiring more external equipment. The keys and controls unlock the design and make it well rounded and feel complete. If a person could only have one Elektron instrument there’s a case to be made for it being the Digitone Keys.

A lot of the negativity towards the instrument early on was due to peoples expectations of Elektron being unrealistic, claims of an uninspired design and the pricing.

  • The hype and reveals leading up to launch were annoying. This messes with people.

  • The smaller profile of the instrument is useful for surfaces already full of stuff. The build quality feels solid. The keyboard, macros, encoders and wheels enable rapidly more complex programming that is coupled to the instrument. Never underestimate laziness.

  • As of this post Digitone Keys can be purchased secondhand within $100 to $200 more than a new Digitone which is silly. If the Digitone Keys had come out before Digitone and without all the marketing leading up to it the reception would have been totally different especially at the $999 new price point.

Elektron I hope you continue experimenting with this type of design and building out the Digitone Keys and Digitone platform. It is a fantastic instrument that is under-appreciated in the current market. Time will change this though. Great work!

(p.s. more LFO’s and parameter slides!)

11 Likes

I agree, white Digitone Keys is amazing, and very inspiring. Should definitely be on the list. I am hoping for some sort of a Digitakt Keys at some point. Probably a long shot, but would be fun.

4 Likes

Prophet 12 is missing also. Underrated Synth as well.

Digitone definately underrated. Elektron did an awesome job with the OS Updates.

Yamaha Montage and MODX are Missing too. The UI is yamahanish weird, but boy their synths always sound awesome.

I find it hard to pick a place for any of the named Synths. They have all their qualities and are mostly very versatile.

4 Likes

I would put the Wavestate on there, if for any reason that it’s the reincarnation of one of the best digital synths of all time. Likewise the D-05.

Also Argon8? Kyra? Mega FM?

Of the ones already listed that I’ve had or demo’d, Prophet 6 kills em all soundwise. Moog One was the most disappointing.

1 Like

Roland System 8

2 Likes

Behringer Deepmind 12? Anyone?

1 Like

Vermona PERfourMER MKII. Best sounding synth to my ears.

6 Likes

I would vote Elektron Digitone. It’s a great poly synth, but also has so much more to offer. (Internal + midi sequencer, on board fx, small foot print, multi timbral) Hands down one of the best all around synths you could pickup.

One not mentioned, Mutable Instruments Ambika. Digital Waveforms + Analog Filter. 6 voice and multitimbral with a decent amount of flexibility. Has a great sound for a mid tier pricing. Can swap filter cards inside for different character (SMR4 cards make it sound very Roland). Has some good, custom OS written for it to add extra waveforms also.

4 Likes

Poly D isn‘t really polyphonic. In reality it‘s something like „quadraphonic“. It‘s still just one voice…
Big difference to all other synths on the list

Baloran The River

4 Likes

I don’t know how well it’s done commercially but I remember the Prologue’s spec sheet comparing poorly to the other polys that launched around the same time (eg fewer LFOs, one LP 12db filter mode only, etc). Plus perhaps people think of it as a Minilogue with more voices, rather than a real flagship poly.

Of course, it’s the sound that matters, not the spec sheet. And over-complicated synths often aren’t what you want. There’s a lot to be said for a simple sweet-sounding analogue poly (eg Juno 60/106).

My top three synths I own
Moog One 8V
Waldorf Quantum
Jupiter X

2 Likes

This is a bit short. Mind developing?

I too believe this synth is extremely powerful, not only because it makes easy one of the richest synthesis paradigm, but also provides two others. 8 voices multitimbral, small footprint, amazing sequencer: I don’t see why it is not in your list.

4 Likes

Can vouch for Deepmind 12 :slight_smile:

1 Like

Yep, I had both Keyboard and Module. Sold the Module, kept the Keyboard.

2 Likes

I think the sound and functionality alone makes the DN fantastic and well worth the cost, but then it has all -the sequencing- in it too!

2 Likes

strange, but i don’t see any mentions of Blofeld in this thread.

6 Likes

I often have the desire to replace my desktop synth boxes with one knobby keyboard Polysynth that does a good job with pads but also with bass sounds.
Saving space, just concentrating on one nice instrument etc.
But then I‘d need to record everything to audio immediately while making a track while with DN and A4 I can create up to 8 melody/drum lines super quickly, with still having the option to change the sounds later.
Multitimbral synths are really cool in that regard.
Maybe I should just get a digitone keys to have everything combined.

Still fancy a prophet 6 :see_no_evil:

2 Likes