Polarelch, after giving it some more thought, I felt that perhaps recommending just any analog poly wasn't so helpful.

So, I've tried to narrow down the list a bit for you:

AAC Tiracon6V
Akai AX80
Akai AX60
Akai VX600
Akai AX73/VX90
Alesis AndromedaA6
ARP Quadra
ARP Omni/Omni2
ARP SolinaStringsSynthesizer
Cheetah MS6
Crumar Bit99/bit01/bitOne
Dave Smith PolyEvolverKeyboard/PEK
Dave Smith Evolver
Dave Smith PolyEvolverRack
Dave Smith Prophet08
Dave Smith Prophet08Rack
Dave Smith Prophet12
Dave Smith Prophet12Rack
Elektron SIDstation
Elka Synthex
Elka EK22/EM22
Gleeman Pentaphonic
JoMoX Sunsyn
Kawai SX240
Kawai SX210
Korg PS3100
Korg PS3200
Korg PS3300
Korg Poly61
Korg Poly800/Poly800II/Poly800mk2
Korg Polysix/Poly6
Korg Delta
Korg LambdaES50
Korg Trident
Korg Sigma
Marion MSR2
Marion ProSynth
MFB PolyLite
Moog Liberation
Moog Memorymoog
Moog Polymoog
Moog PolymoogKeyboard
Moog Opus3
Oberheim Xpander
Oberheim Matrix12
Oberheim Matrix6
Oberheim Matrix1000
Oberheim TwoVoice/TVS1/2Voice
Oberheim FourVoice/4Voice
Oberheim EightVoice/8Voice
Oberheim OBMx
Oberheim OBX
Oberheim OBXa
Oberheim OBSX
Oberheim OB8
Octave Voyetra
Rhodes Chroma
Rhodes ChromaPolaris
Roland Jupiter4
Roland Jupiter8
Roland Jupiter6
Roland JX8P
Roland JX10
Roland JX3P
Roland Juno60
Roland Juno6
Roland Juno106
Roland HS60/Juno106S
Roland AlphaJuno2/AlphaJuno1
Roland CMU800
Roland MKS30
Roland MKS70
Roland MKS50
Roland MKS80
Roland MKS7
RSF Polykobol/PolykobolII/Polykobol2
Sequential Circuits Prophet5
Sequential Circuits Prophet10
Sequential Circuits Prophet600
Sequential Circuits T8
Sequential Circuits Sixtrak
Sequential Circuits SplitEight/Split8
Sequential Circuits Multitrak
Sequential Circuits Max
Siel Opera6/DK600
Siel DK80/EX8500
Siel Cruise
Studio Electronics Omega8
EEH Banana
Teisco SX240
Teisco SX210
Vermona Perfourmer
Yamaha CS50m
Yamaha CS70m
Yamaha CS80
Yamaha CS60
Yamaha CS50

offer me a CS50 and I'll buy it.
People who recommend used vintage synthesizers forget that 99,9% of them are not available for some months.

Next time someone starts a thread with "which synth should I buy" just copy and past this.

Or create a thread called "What synth should YOU buy" and list every single synth ever made

just get a Roland GAIA and be done with it, if that doesn't satisfy your wants, then understand you fit into a niche market and want niche products

That's what happens from everyone anyway. Everybody says every kind of synth in existence. That's why I think those threads are pointless.

Desktop vco poly with nice sounding filters and hands on control. What is there
? Xpander
(huge) Sunsyn(rare, expensive) Perfourmer(huge).

Alright, I see this thread did not take the direction that I actually intended. The likes on my first post at least show that I'm not all alone with my thoughts.

Im planning on using an akai 3000xl as an 8 voice synth thru a euro modular set up. Ill sample my own waveforms, theres a nice doepfer sub octave generator for only 65euro to fatten up bass

even without going modular you can use 8 akai outputs thru wah,sub octave,vibrato pedals then blend them on a mixing desk, no presets(for the pedals) but lots of fun

theres so many options if you think outside the box,

FYI, Korg Sigma is a mono and a hardcore territory regarding its age and reliability. The second remark also applies to the Lambda, although it is a beautifully sounding fully polyphonic keyboard based on divide down circuits.

also with a bit of learning and DIY you could do something very custom, make up your own enclosure and put the pots where you want them, even have midi control over analog modulation

You're right, the thread should go back on topic.


As for finding the right synth, something I've learned is that for some reason or another there are always compromises concerning what's available.

I think your prayers may be answered Polar, but you may have to wait a little. If there is no slew of new polys within the next two years or so, we may never see them. On the other hand, we might just be in a transitionary period. The best solution is to invest in something cheap and interesting while you wait, I would say

I´m in your shoes man.I lusted after a prophet 08 for a long time and was ready to buy one, then I was so stupid to check out the comparisons with the prophet 05 and OBX/8s..

Sure the difference is not THAT big (for the average guy at least) and my tracks wouldn't be any better with a OB or a prophet 05. But I feel so connected to the sounds of those old synths, and it sucks to pay for something and still not get there the WHOLE way if you know what I mean.

I have money enough to buy a prophet 05 or OB, but I just feel that its not responsible to pay 3500-4000 dollar for an "unreliable" 30+ year old synth.

I recently bought and built an Ambika, while it's a great synth with character it just doesn't do those analogue poly synth sounds full out. So I'm still considering to buy a prophet 08.

I also had a Juno 106 many year ago. I honestly felt it was is a bit overrated and boring compared to a prophet 05/OB. At least for pads and brass sounds. Bass sounds was OK.

Is the world coming to and end in that time?

Yes. Like whatever's going on soundwise in Prophet 8 ... a few towns over ... though a desktop prophet tickles my gas from time to time ... Just don't like the sound enough for the price ... $1,000 tops and even then ... A version with tweaked sound, slightly less controls, fewer voices and maybe some digital waveforms could also get my $$$ ...

..........

BTW ... Has there ever been an analog monosynth that uses a real-time sampling/va to create polyphony?

If we don't see them, it will be because it's been considered too great a commercial risk, and too great a leap of technical complexity from analog monosynths, for manafacturers to sustain. That seems possible, but increasingly less likely, considering how much companies like Korg have already staked. At the same time, the memory of bankruptcy of the companies focused in analog polyphony less than three decades ago hasn't gone away, so the manafacturers might tread carefully.

If you have 4000$ then the SE Omega 8 sounds like a 0 years old, reliable option.

AFAIK it's bi-timbral. But that list wasn't really intended to be taken seriously.

No, you're not alone. I'm sure many people here would like to see more choices -- especially regarding new instruments.

I predict they will be forth-coming. I see it as the logical evolution of the current market.

But I wouldn't have the patience to wait until KORG, Roland, DSI, MFB, Arturia, Moog or anyone for that matter decided it's the right time to offer me a new polysynth.

I would simply go out there, see what's currently available, new or used, make a choice and move forward.

Such thing as a perfect instrument doesn't exist. Just focus on the most important things for you and learn to live with the compromises. I think that applies to everything in life.

Well, I agree, perfect doesn't exist, but close-to-perfect does.
I just notice that choosing monitors, audio-interface, soft synths, fx plugins, mono synths is not a problem at all as choices are many and good.
Poly synths however.... yes I could get one of them, but I just wish there would be a better choice and variety on this market.

That's the problem with the modern market. Actually the major issue I find is the sound. I'm not crazy about most, if not all modern analog sounds. While modern offers a lot of possibilities, I find vintage better for my tastes. But that's just my opinion. Not to say I won't buy or hate the modern sound. I just find it a bit lacking.

As for what's available, if you can't find what you need then it makes sense to go hunting for used vintage.

I agree -- and ironically, this quest for the perfect synth is often what drives people into the box. With software like Reaktor, Max/MSP, etc. you can design fantastical synths.

A couple of years ago, I became fed up with the limitations of my monosynths and started putting together a modular. The only real limitations I have now are space and amount of overdraught.

I completely agree. Its all about cost to benefit ratio. I'm not debating SW vs HW. 99/100 the modern HW still sounds better. But at 10 times the cost, does it sound that much better? For me, most of the time, no. Boys like their toys, I do too. But if their really were instruments like the Prophet 5, Jup8 or CS-80 available, that would be another story. I like DSI. They have made polys affordable. Thats cool, but the monster VCO polys of old, they are not.

SW keeps improving, and I know it is partially about the interface with hand on knob. The gap has narrowed, is all I'm saying, and its not just because SW is improving.

Go watch A youtube demo of the Code. Thats a modern poly IMO that stands up with the vintage HW. Its $5000. Thats what you pay. That's what the dudes paid in the 70s and 80s too.

Maisonvague, you actually neglected to include the one synth I was going to recommend for young Polarelch!

I don't know what happened to the MFB Dominion 5 but it I think it would match your criteria quite well. You could drop MFB an email and ask if it's still in the pipeline.

How about a Juno 106 with the Kiwi 106 upgrade? I think that would make you extremely happy. The kit is easy to install and the 106 is not a terribly hard instrument to find. I have my 106 modified with the Kiwi 106 kit and it makes a huge difference in the things you can do with it.

Yeah, well, for the sake of brevity, I decided to leave VAs off the list.

But I agree, that would be an excellent choice! I've got two of them myself and would have recommended them but... I seem to recall there was something wrong about them... can't remember now what it was, though.

Sounds good but kind of thin at times.(subjective)

Distorts pretty easy too in the effects section. Sounds like paper flapping.

Polyphony always seems to run out fast.

Sliders and knobs that become jumpy. Something else weird but I can't remember either.

But I still love the JP8000.

Well, whatever it was, maybe that's why you've got two?

I had a JP-8000 for a few years in the 90s, loved it and foolishly sold it, always regretted that until I recently got a good deal on a used JP-8080 which is at least 2x better than the 8000! The thing just gives me the chills, the same way the D-50 does. Magic!