Looking for a tabletop synth (digital)

The Lounge Other Gear
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Hi. I am looking for any recommendations on tabletop synths with no keyboard. I am looking for digital synthesis (Wavetable, FM, etc Virtual Analog is good too) and polyphony. It can be DIY or older models.

I only know of Waldorf Blofeld and PreenFM2. I also consider Roland JD tabletop/sound module type gear but this is the only one I know as well.

Throw anything here and I will read up on them. Thanks in advance

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You can look into the Virus maybe.

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Or if you are into DIY maybe look at Mutable Instruments’s page.

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+1 on Virus. any model really, but the wavetables in the TI are awesome.

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MonoMachine!!! Definitely. My favorite digital synth because it can do so, so much.
There’s a used Mk1 in the marketplace/sell section for cheap - fs: usa: lots of gear

It does all that you described and you get the great Elektron sequencer to boot, plus 6 midi tracks for sequencing other midi gear.

Aside from being an exceptional digital synth, the routing/bussing system makes it incredibly flexible (enough to keep me from diving into Eurorack land), and the BBOX drum machine is very usable for lofi house, dub techno, and classic electro.

Last night I worked with it just as an FX box and put the A4 through it. using 10 filters, 15 LFOs, 4 distortions, 3 delays, reverb, chorus, compression. That sweet sounding A4 got gnarly in no time. And i still had a voice left on the MonoMachine.

What kind of music are you making?

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Never tried a MM, but had both Blofeld and Virus. I kept the Virus a lot lot longer, it’s far less fiddly to programme, and felt more ‘hand’s on’

They’re built to last those things, proper workhorses.

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these are fairly new, the Parva has no digital oscillators but is digitally controlled

this is all digital though, and sounds fantastic from the demos:
http://modormusic.com/products.html

just stumbled across these over the past couple of days. Both look very interesting, and different from the regular options.

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blofeld, virus, microwave XT, nord lead - i don’t think the lead does wavetable, but it should not be overlooked. there are so many others… have a look at vintage synth explorer too.

if you are looking for wavetable the most, then microwave xt is the one. i’ve owned all of these (still own the virus and XT) and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. i prefer knobs over a smaller form factor, so i sold the blofeld. it’s a beast though.

monomachine is one of my favorite synths ever. it’s hard to compare it to these others … it’s just not meant to do the same thing.

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Micro Q. Formally a VA, but has a distinct “organically digital” character. Better sounding and easier to navigate than the Blofeld according to most. Has traditional oscillator shapes, but also includes two carefully selected wavetables with sub-osc. Easy to program. Dirt cheap as a shallow rack unit, but there’s also a very nice 3-octave keyboard edition.

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Blofeld.

Endless possibilities, especially if you spring for the sample option. I don’t find it hard to edit at all- big LCD plus matrix. Takes a few knob turns to get to say, modulator 5, but most of the parameters are very shallow and easy to reach.

3 osc, 2 filters, wavetables, bunch of LFO’s, all kinds of modulators, you could build patches forever and still come up with new sounds. And oh yeah almost forgot - multitimbral.

It’s also a bargain for all its power.

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i ve got virus ti2 desktop for sale under warranty until july 2016 for 1200€ in france it could do the job

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Putting a good word in for the blofeld, I got one a few days ago and I’ve been absolutely delighted by its sonic possibilities. The editing is a bit slow but all parameters are logically laid out, so you always know where to go to find what you’re looking for, even if it’s a few pages away. There are no nested menus: all parameters are arranged horizontally, and you scroll through them with the main knob. The mod matrix offers shortcuts to most used parameters.

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Thanks a bunch for all the replies.

I am mostly into acid sounding basses and digital pads kind of deal at the moment.

Monomachine is something I want, but can’t bring myself over to buying it especially since I will only use half the synth engines if not less. I have A4, AR and OT. But a small desktop synth that only does digital would go along nicely. Even something that’s virtual analog would out do A4 only in polyphony and effects and modulation (rough guess).

As I was writing this apparently PreenFm is no longer in production. Since so many people vouched for Blofeld, I guess I’d stick with that since it’s the one doesn’t venture too far from digital synthesis. I am checking out some Virus boxes but leaning towards Nord Lead sound between the two and might be on the lookout for those. Thanks again. This helped.

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(It’s okay, MonoMachine. I still love you.)

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Nord Modular or Rack 3 may be worth considering if you like the Nord sound.

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I like the NL3. Very clean sound, smooth as silk. So many options and Built like a tank… Morph options ,16 voices and endless encoders. some fm options. It sits nice in the mix for sure.

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The SID Station is dope too.

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If you know which end of a soldering iron gets hot, look at P6 from http://www.audiothingies.com

Best,
Hans

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[quote=““Hans Olo””]
If you know which end of a soldering iron gets hot, look at P6 from http://www.audiothingies.com

Best,
Hans
[/quote]

That sounds pretty good for the price!
There are a few options but keep an iPad in mind. Some killer apps out there now like Nave.

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(best of both worlds - however, the entry price means you are serious, going to commit)