The new Oberheim OB-X8 is really a "best of" of Tom Oberheim's amazing design. It's an OB-X, OB-Xa, and an OB-8 all in one. Underneath the hood is an 8 voice fully analog synth under digital control. You can pick and choose certain parts from synths (like their envelope shapes). Meanwhile, you get the SEM filter (with all its multimodes) and the ability to hear banks of preset sounds from the respective originals. Of course, they included a Vintage knob for more analog feel which randomly detunes oscillators, changes envelope shapes slightly, and makes it less precise. All of this is coupled with the most glorious Fatar action you've ever felt.
To show something different, 60 seconds after unboxing it, I turned it on and made this video so that you could experience what I did at first impression:
First 20 minutes with Oberheim OB-X8 (no talking) - YouTube
One synth I've never liked is the DX7. I hated the sound, hated the membrane switches, hated the weight, and hated the early brownish color. I've probably bought and sold ten of these over the years, but never a DX7 ii FD. It has better capability-- like dual mode for huge stereo-- and greatly improved FM engine. It also has more banks, a bigger screen, and is 10lbs lighter. Of course, having real tactile switches helps make you want to try to program it, but that's impossible. So I added an HxC drive in place of the floppy so that I could have access to all 20,000 DX7 patches at a push-able button away.
The Erica Syntrx is amazing... yes, its "inspired by" the EMS Synthi of Pink Floyd and Brian Eno fame, but its more than that; it makes you patch things together accidentally to create sounds and "bug noises" that you couldn't get by thinking of them. Plus, with its digital patch matrix, you can save sounds you've made before and revisit them later. It will make you experiment with its inputs, outputs, and feedback loops. With real spring reverb and the ever-important joystick you can route anywhere.
Does it sound like an AKS? I don't know, rent it and see!
TECHNICALLY NOT A SYNTH! But of all the Rhodes I've owned and played, this is the one that I love the best. This vintage has the pedestal bump keys so they are light and crisp feeling, and an absolute dream to play. It's minty clean and fresh, has been upgraded with the Retro Flyer preamp installed, and is only 120lbs! Comes with the legs, crossbars, and sustain pedal. The Tolex is clean, and I got stands for the top so you can lay a synth on it, or one of the many adoring ladies once they hear you play this.
This is my favorite Jupiter, and this is the third J-6 I've owned. This time, I think I'll keep it for the following reasons: It's got sharp resonance, multi-mode filters (including bandpass), and oscillators that allow various simultaneous shapes and can sync to each other. Its envelopes are fast and snappy and have the unique feature of key follow. It screams in the mix and sits just right. It automatically tunes in less than a second. You'll love it too, once you give it a shot.
I added the Tauntek EPROM for all sorts of modern MIDI goodness!
They finally did it: they shrunk one of the greatest synthesizers ever!
The Korg ARP 2600M is the latest incarnation of the all analog semi-modular synth, but at 60% the size of the original. The sound is stunning, and just like the vintage one I had. Only this time, it's conveniently desktop sized, and retains all of the analog features. You can patch the output to the preamp, and overdrive it at 10x, 100x or 1000x. It has both 4012 and 4072 filters, an analog ring modulator, built in speakers, and a real stereo spring reverb! Updated for modern use, it has MIDI, USB, and acts as a USB host, so you can plug in a USB keyboard or sequencer right to it for use without a computer. It works really well with Eurorack for hours of cross patching and limitless wonder. Yes, it does the R2-D2 sound.
This synth will blow your mind and hurt your feelings all at once. It is the perfect semblance of digital and analog technology, and it sounds just like 1986 to me. Its joystick lets you mix between 4 digital waveforms at once, and even record that as a motion attached to an envelope. On its release, Sequential promised "...a Prophet AND a PPG" and it really delivers. It is bright and chilly, yet you can really hear the crunch of those 12-bit waves going into the CEM 3379 chips. It has the world's best patch randomizer and will make sounds you wouldn't think to, because you're not a machine. Speaking of, this is THE sound of NIN's Pretty Hate Machine.
Now with the StereoPing controller as shown for fast easy editing, if you're not man enough.
Also comes with a cartridge giving you 16 banks of 100 sounds, including the factory patches and "best of" from the internet.
Give the gift of a synth rental, so that you don't have to buy it for them for their Birthday, Christmas, or "I'm sorry I cheated" gift!