The most beautiful synth

[tha_man]

You don’t have to own it, sound, usability and ergonomy doesn’t matter, it’s all about looking so sexy, that you would have it even to just dust it off over the weekend. Workstations, module versions, samplers, drum machines and grooveboxes also count.

For me it’s the original Korg Minilogue. I love the retro-futuristic design with thin keyboard, that smoothly transitions into gently rised and raked control panel, curved bottom to make it look slimmer, wooden back panel, silver top plate, expanding a little bit over the case, industrial looking protruding screws, nicely positioned, uncluttered all black knobs with larger centered cutoff control and silver levers. I ike it so much, I even don’t mind the mini keys.

Runner-ups taking second and third place would be probably Sub 37 and TR-909. Just an incredibly cool looking pieces of electronic music gear.

[homealone]

[Fin25]

[arctor023]

Aand again:

[SLiC]

[bathrobe]

[Microtribe]

[blipson]

[alexwasashrimp]

Well, it’s the Medusa for sure.

[FilipNest]

I wish more things were wooden as inpractical as it probably is. This melodica from Suzuki is gorgeous. I wish this version had the output jack of some of their other models as connecting it to filters and effects would be incredble. Are there many other wooden synths out there?

[Joebas]

[Uzinusa]

Some nice stuff here (above [EDIT and below!]). I’ve lusted for Eigenharp since it first came out: Eigenlabs

[pokk]

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Roland SH-09. I’ve never owned one, almost bought one in the 90’s instead of the SH101 as it was cheaper. It sounds similar, and i love the SH101, but has the shape of an old TR808, something else i bought and sold in the 90’s

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[Acidizer]

[Wolf-Rami]

For me this type of ”organic” design is the epitome of ugly. It reminds me of this Finnish tradition of carving out furniture out of these parasitic funguses called burl. I don’t know how’s the burl-scene elsewhere, but in the Finnish countryside it’s definitely going strong.

For me the best synth design is stuff that could be used in an episode of Star Trek as a prop on the bridge. Something that La Forge could be seen using to control the core of the ship. So a certain retro futuristic vibe with no keyboard or preferably old computer keyboard keys. Maybe a Yamaha QY-700. TR-808 is too well known to be used to control a space ship, but otherwise it fills the briefing.

The Retrokits RK-008 could easily double as a subspace communicator.

[Scot_Solida]

Maybe it’s because it was my lifelong dream synth, but I’ve always found the IIIP (preferably with the Sequencer complement) to be quite beautiful in its Tolexed cabinets. Admittedly, this may be the result of staring too long at the once-rare photos of The Beatles using one in Abbey Road, or Klaus Schulze meditating cross-legged before one in photos of his live performances. It was (and is) a sort of idealized image of what a synthesizer is to me: mysterious, monolithic, and complex.

[Alice]

[Uzinusa]

I love these (to look at )…but it’d take me forever to get more than a squeak out of them.

[hausland]

[Scot_Solida]

@Uzinusa

it’d take me forever to get more than a squeak out of them

And they didn’t come with owner’s manuals…

In actuality, part of the appeal is the apparent simplicity of the IIIP. All of the systems in the above photos are stock systems, and as such, they are, in effect, semi-modular, with some connections possible with panel switches. I have long held that a slightly modulated 901-based triangle wave is one of the loveliest sounds I’ve ever heard - and it is possible using only three patch cables.