I would add Modor NF-1 to the list of “best” sound design machines, user UI is incredible with almost knob per function, 4 envs, 3 lfos, S&H, modulation matrix is very accessible and deep enough, it’s possible to modulate all Comb filter and Delay parameters almost in modular way, this synth is really a pleasure to use.
Having experience in hands-on sound design is going to get you a lot further than any specific piece of gear. I’ve created some of my best sounds on primitive analog synths with limited features. even a cheap Yamaha TX81Z with a software editor is an endless source of inspiration.
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Opsix
Vital
Alchemy
… and my old and characterful ESQ-1
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Hydrasynth, Opsix … covers all from ultra brutal to crazy phantasy to the opposite 
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Access Virus TI2
I recently spent a few hours with a Waldorf Quantum and it was a different world of sound design… took me to dramatic and/or ethereal places, quickly, and has a phenomenal character to it.
Wish the screens didn’t fall out of them and that Waldorf’s response was to ‘fix’ that and a couple of other things and dramatically increase the price in the states by two grand, lol. Sure, yeah.
But it IS amazing if you don’t mind ‘top shelf’ products that probably won’t live up to the 30+ year lifespan the price usually implies.
Opsix Native is quite fun. Omnisphere standalone is heading in the Quantum direction, to be honest. Get both of those for a tiny percentage of some of the higher ups, unless hardware is an absolute requirement. Sound design is one of the few times I’m alright being in front of the computer; the screen size helps.
+1 still a bargain vintage synth IMO. there’s even a free Ablton M4L editor for it.
The best synth for sound design, imo, is a synth capable of emulating existing sounds, to the extent that different people can agree on the quality of the emulation. Otherwise, the whole best synth discussion devolves into total subjectivity.
Having a “target”, as Fin described, will, imo, help in learning sound design…more than screwing around, hoping to stumble on something “new”.
This is going to sound silly, but…
Are there any good sounding experimental synths that don’t sound…techno?
I feel like people are going to say “Lyra”
But are there any alternatives?
Get a Blofeld and sequence it with the Digitone 
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Blofeld is wonderful. Wavetables in general are good for sound design/theatrical sounds; multitimbral helps.
Synclavier Regen. Very multitimbral. Massively layered. Additive, FM, sampling, resynthesis, and now subtractive as well, all in a package that really encourages creativity in design. One of the few, legit “sound of the 80s” that’s still thoroughly modern today.
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Blofeld isn’t only wavetable, it is also a fantastic VA, and dont forget it has an amazing 16 parts multi
Here is a playlist with plenty of Blofeld examples
https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MTc2ODI5MjgzMTE4MzI1?igsh=MWVubGFyZDRmdXZiaw==
I love using it along with my beloved Machinedrum sps1 mk2, but also with the Octatrack, among with other machines.
Besides the ones I already listed? Yes, too many to mention. Because “experimental” is an approach, not a technical spec, and “techno” is a genre, often represented by a preset. It takes the player to realize this and then move beyond ingrained habits.
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For “techno” as a process, I always think of it as an extension of dub using the studio as an instrument.
But yeah, Elektron gear is a great example of instruments with a sweet spot good for the genre, but can be molded in plenty of interesting directions.
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Iridium. Like the universe, I’ll never reach the end of it.
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I think you can get a lot of non-techno sounds out of the quadrantid swarm
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Oh yeah! Thats great sounding!
Thank you!
Digitone is very nice synth, has a lot of possibilities and It’s my favourite synth!
If you add it nice fx chains, you have unlimited sounds.
Recently I’m more into the idea that the sound processing is the the main part of the sound design, more than one synth or another.
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Opsix is very flexible with it’s custom algorithms and various operator types. Can be used like a normal (6 osc!) VA or some crazy FM wavefolding triple filter wovel monster 
Also sounds gorgeous.
Iridium seems great too, it’s probably the most capable hardware synth currently on the market. Also multitimbral.
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