Clavia Nord Lead 2X Review 2024

Bright. Sharp. Aggressive. Cold. Common comments made about the Nord Lead 2X, the successor to the famous Nord Lead 2 that came out in 1997. The 2X came out in 2003, and improved on the original with expanded polyphony, more user memory, and upgraded 96 kHz 24-bit DACs. Some users complained that it sounded a bit too ‘clean’ compared to the 2 and the 1, and that it sounds dated compared to more modern synths.

But with analog and VA synths becoming trendy again, and music reverting to the 90s in style and mood, it seems like the Nord Lead 2X may be swept up in the revival.

So is it still worthit in 2024? Let’s find out.

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OSCILLATORS

At first, the 2X looks simple and straightforward enough. Conventional analog waveforms like the Triangle, Sawtooth, and Pulse come standard on both Oscs, but Oscillator 1 also includes a Sine wave, and Osc 2 has Noise available, whose color can be brightened or dulled by turning the Semitones knob.

The Pulse Width can also be modulated, but unlike on the Nord Lead 3, or most other analog-modeling synths, the Pulse Width is a Master control, so turning the knob or linking PW to an LFO or the Modulation section affects the Pulse Width for pulse waves on both oscillators at the same time and the same way. There is no Pulse Width variability per oscillator to add complexity, which can be a little frustrating if you want to create more complex pulse-based tones.

However, one area the 2X shines is in the FM capabilities. By jumping between oscillators, and playing with semitones and adjusting the FM, you can create some convincing-sounding DX-like tones on it, and I even managed to recreate some classic DX7 slap bass style sounds on it fairly easily.

The Sync and Ring Mod behave more or less like normal for any synth, and I personally have very little use for them, since they don’t factor into genres of music I write.

Now the big question you’re all wondering is, “How does it sound?” And the answer is:

Excellent.

The saws and pulses are bright, pop, and full of harmonics that become fizzier higher up the keyboard you go, so midrange basses, plucks, and bright detuned leads have a very pleasing musical quality to them that cuts through a mix without being too in-your-face, and the sines and triangles are also good and clean, and lend themselves well to all manner of crazy FM tones.

The Fine Tune detuning between Osc 1 and 2 has a somewhat odd and uneven curve to it, as it seems to detune more rapidly and aggressively turned clockwise, and less aggressive detuned counter-clockwise. It can be helpful when trying to make 80s leads that are detuned by small increments, but it takes a little getting used to.

Some folks complain that the synth doesn’t sound “fat” enough on its own. And compared to a Moog, it doesn’t. But for a modern dance mix, that lack of heavy fatness is a blessing in disguise, as it requires little to no processing to sit cleanly in a mix. These oscillators are definitely the big strong point of this synth.

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FILTERS

Now on to one of the other big critical elements of the 2X. The filter. It’s an analog-modeling subtractive synth. Does it sound analog?

The answer there, is yes, and no.

It’s not analog in the same way the Moog ladder filter is analog, in its sound. The tightness of the envelopes and the overall tone and behavior of the filter feels more in line with the Prophet Rev2, and so like the Rev2, it’s great for plucks and super snappy sounds. But juicy round 80s and funk basses can be accomplished on it with minimal effort. But it isn’t the same super round, mildly saturated filter tone that a Slim Phatty puts out. And the Resonance doesn’t quite hit as nicely on the 2X as it does on the Moog. Again, it’s more like the Rev2 in that arena.

The different filter modes are also quite nice, and the different Lopass modes are musical and pleasing, and the Hipass, Bandpass, and Notch+LP are fun and offer useful sound-sculpting capabilities.

What IS extra nice, is that it has not only a Velocity on/off button (a control knob for variable velocity mod amount would have been nice, but it’s fine as it is), and multi-level Keyboard Tracking for the filter. So for melodic toplines, midrange basslines, and arpeggios, you can really add some energy and life to your riffs with the push of a button.

The filter does have its own character that sets it apart from other VAs like the JP8000, and so it lends well to making plucks, plucky basses, and short sounds with low cutoffs that the JP can’t manage due to the filter snap baked into the sound of the JPs. For trance plucks and basses, the 2X is pretty hard to beat

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AMPLITUDE

Not really too much to say here. Standard ADSR envelope and Gain to be found here. Same nice and tight behavior as with the filter.

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LFO

Fairly standard LFOs to be found here, although I must confess, having used the Blofeld, TI2, and Mininova, the LFO routing options and waveform choices on the 2X feel really restricted. convincing Dubstep and DnB wobbles are a challenge with these since they don’t have a Sine waveform option, and the number of potential routings is pretty small. However, for more standard types of basic modulations, it’s adequate. The Nord Lead 3 definitely spoils you a lot more with options.

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MODULATION

This is another somewhat weak point of the synth. The settings are fairly typical, and the same can be found on the NL3, and Slim Phatty, and so on. But the inability to link the Mod envelope to more than 3 sources, and the pitch only being for Osc 2, seems like an oversight. Being able to modulate the master pitch, or fade in the LFO amount or Rate would have been helpful. At least the Pulse Width can be modded using these parameters, so I can make some of my favorite types of pluck sounds with it.

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EFFECTS

Like all the early Nord Lead keyboards, the only FX you ever get is Distortion. On the NL3, that came with an adjustable level, which you could pair with the Moog style filter for screaming acid sounds, On the 2X, it isn’t much more than a saturator that soft clips the sound and adds some gain. If you want really crunchy screaming distortion, you’re going to need to run this through external FX.

Having said that, once you run this synth through some reverb and delay, or phaser, it really starts to shine. Dry, it sounds a bit lifeless. but once you add in FX like you would use in a final track, the synth comes to life.

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UNISON

And so we come to the Unison. One of the most famous and beloved features of the 2 and 2X. Activating it turns on 2 voices per key pressed, which if you use Poly mode and play chords, creates some nice fat sounds that have a very pleasant stereo spread. By digging into a Special submenu using the Shift key, you can change the Detune amount for the Unison, to create more extreme effects. Great for Trance and Psytrance pads, and wide, detuned leads.

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CONCLUSION

So here at the end of all things, the question arises:

Is the Nord Lead 2X still worth the money? Is it worth getting? Will it still be useful in music today?

In this sound designer and musician’s opinion, yes.

While it lacks the fearsome modulation options of a TI2 or a Blofeld, and it can’t pull off huge SuperSaws like the JP8080, nor the super heavy tones of a Moog, the Nord Lead 2X still excels at bright, punchy, bold leads, plucks, and basses, that you can record dry, add whatever reverb or delay you need to for the sound, and minor subtractive EQing to balance it, and that’s it.

Its sound fits in any mix, and with careful adjustments to the Velocity and keyboard tracking, this synth will add rich musical depth to your song that many newer synths lack. What it’s missing in mod options, it makes up for with a characterful sound that can be as modern or retro as you like.

Modern Techno and Classic Trance producers in particular will find it useful for bright plucks, and bold punchy analog-style stab sounds - and tight rolling basses.

It’s definitely worthit and it has been a reliable stalwart in several of my most recent songs, and forms the foundation of their most engaging sounds. My 2X will accompany my JP and Virus with me to my grave.

You can also attain the same sound in VST format using the discoDSP Discovery VSTi

Hear it in action:

The Nord Lead 2 & 2X have arrived!

Finally snagged a great deal on a Nord Lead 2X, and we just got a Trance soundset for it up!

By the looks of things, it’s the very first fully dedicated Trance soundbank for the 2 and 2X ever made by anyone, so if you’ve been wanting some solid NL2/X sounds for your productions, now we have some available!

And what’s more, is these patches will also load into the DiscoDSP Discovery VSTi! So All you Discovery users can use these sounds in your songs too!

Buy it now!

Clavia Nord Lead 3 Review 2021

Clinical. Cold. Thin. These comments tend to commonly pop up in reviews and comments about the now-20-year-old 24-voice Nord Lead 3 virtual analog polysynth by Swedish keyboard company Clavia. Frequently overlooked for its younger sibling the Nord Lead 2 (and the later 2X), the NL3 is a synth that garners criticism for not sounding analog enough and having weak factory presets, yet also receives high praise for other aspects of its sound and design that race ahead of its competitors. It’s a synth that folks seem to either love or hate.

So is the NL3 still worthit in the 2020s? Should you get one?

Let’s have a look.

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OSCILLATORS

At first glance, the NL3 looks fairly simple and minimalist, with on 2 oscillators to generate sound. But digging a little further into the panel, one will find not merely the usual analog-style Sawtooth, Pulse, and Triangle waveforms, but also Sine, Noise, and Dual Sine oscillators that open up sound design possibilities far beyond the typical early 2000s VA.

In fact, it’s the Sine and Dual Sine oscillators that transform the NL3 from a typical VA. When engaged, the NL3 can become a 4 operator FM synth, with the push of a few buttons. So for DX style pianos, clangorous bells, hollow slap house basses, or ripping dubstep wobbles, this synth opens up a world of possibility with very little tweaking. It has in fact, one of the easiest FM implementations of any hardware synth on the market. And you can use any of the waveforms for FM, which provides many opportunities to make new and never-before-heard sounds.

The standard waveforms are what you’d expect, and the detune and pitch controls are easy to use and sound sweet. As far as how they sound, some say they sound thinner or less aggressive than the NL2’s, but we find that it sounds like a midpoint between the Prophet Rev2 and the Blofeld, with a bit more leaning toward the Rev2. They don’t sound Analog in the Moog sense with heavy low-mid saturation (although there are settings built into the synth to make it sound more analog), but they do have that bright slightly fizzy (but not brassy) analog quality of the Sequential synths - making the NL3 perfect for plucks, leads, and midrange basses, as well as huge pads.

Manipulating the pulse width is pleasant and yields very nice crisp sounds, and the Noise generator can lend a little nice extra air to a sound when the OSC MIX is dialed in right.

The OSC MOD section is where a lot of the fun happens. each of the settings will send you down fun rabbit holes of Frequency Modulation, Distortion Modulation, Ring Modulation, Differential Frequency Modulation, Distortion, Filter Frequency Modulation, and experiment with them on different oscillators. Anything from 80’s FM bells to filthy riddim snarls can be managed here, as well as crazy atonal pads and effects.

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FILTER

Sporting the 3 basic Filter types, plus 3 additional ones (one of which is a 12 dB Distortion filter), with 3 different filter slopes, Filter 1 is more or less what you’re expect from a VA synth of the era. Tight, clean, and has a Resonance that can make for nice and squelchy sounds, but doesn’t quite self resonate (although you can get nearly there in Classic mode, which is a filter intended to emulate the Moog Ladder Filter).

What’s truly unusual about the NL3’s filters is the secondary Multi Filter. It essentially acts like a series of comb and multi-pass filters that combine different curves, and can yield some exciting sounds and effects with a little tweaking.

The standard filters can be a little steppy during sweeps, but compared to the JP8000 that came out a few years earlier, it’s much smoother, and has the added bonus of not adding any weird artifacts to the sound, so you can make super tight warm plucks and bouncy basses with ease.

Analog purists may be disappointed at the lack of full self-oscillation at high resonance settings, but for most dance music producers, it’s not that crucial of a feature.

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AMPLITUDE

There’s really not too much to say here. The ADSR envelopes are typical of any VA, and behave similarly to any other.

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LFO

Now we get into some fun. A decent number of parameters can be modified by the 2 onboard LFOs, and besides the standard free-running lfo speed, they can also be clock synced, and any of the timing and amount parameters can be linked to the modwheel, so you can do on-the-fly sound manipulation.

Each LFO modifies slightly different parameters though, so you’ll need to be choosy about what you modify, and how.

There are loads of LFO waveform types which is nice, but sadly it does not have a Sine wave type, so you can’t get as smooth of a curve as you might like for certain classes of sounds. But the smooth random and other waveforms are great for chaotic psychedelic textures.

An interesting note is that Pan will modulate the stereo position of the entire sound on patches that are Mono/ not in Unison. When Unison Stack is turned on and some detune is applied, the Pan will modulate the sound semi-randomly on a Per-Voice and Per-Note basis, creating wide, spread out stereo movement that doesn’t feel overly Binaural-y. It’s great for large unison pads when you want to expand the stereo field further. When using LFO modulation on a pluck or other non-Unison sound, the patch will behave more like on other synths, with the sound bouncing back and forth across the stereo field evenly.

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MODULATION

This section is rather limited. A very basic AD envelope lets you modulate a handful of standard parameters. It’s helpful for making nice plucky pitchy sounds and for some clever pulse width modulation effects. Those are mainly what we use it for.

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EFFECTS

In general, the Nord Lead 3 doesn’t really have any effects, per se. The Distortion Filter, and the DIST in the OSC MOD sections sort of quality as effects, and they are quite nice for adding saturation and crunchy distortion for basses and acid and dubstep sounds. Pairing the distortion with the FM yields some fantastic ripping growls and snarls that put Massive and Serum to the test.

Many folks discounted the NL3 when it first came out because of its lack of onboard FX, when competitors like the Virus, SuperNova, Q, and even the JP8080 had good onboard effects. By comparison, the NL3 is super bare bones.

Within our studio however, we have found it to be highly capable, and we have no trouble envisioning how it will sound in a song, because we have our NL3 routed into a Virus TI2, and so as we design and review sounds for songs, we can switch on some reverb, delay, phaser, chorus, or whatever else we want, and have a clear idea of how the sound will fit in the final mix (we do of course, record Dry once we have everything set the way we like on the NL).

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UNISON

And finally, we come to the Unison section. This is one of the features the NL3 is best known for, and for good reason. It adds an extra 4 voices on top of the base sound, for a total of 5 voices, which spread over the stereo field as you increase the detune. And the best part? It doesn’t impact polyphony.

So you can make huge pads and unison leads and still have 24 voices to work with!

The Mono, Glide, and other sections are fairly standard as with other VAs, so there’s not much to tell there. The tight filters and bright cutting oscillators do mean that gliding leads and leads with some pitch mods have a lot of energy in them, which is nice.

It’s worth mentioning that just below this section lurks the Performance and some extra modulation controls - the Performances let you load up different patches into each section for quick recall, or even play multiple sounds at once (or stack the same patch 2-4 times!) and achieve huge monster sounds that still have loads of polyphony to play around with.

So for you Trance producers, you could effectively make a window-shattering 4 layer multi-octave SuperSaw Pad, or layer a couple leads and plucks together and not have to worry about note timing issues between each layer while recording parts.

And the stone Modwheel can be linked to any parameter, and to multiple parameters at once, giving you almost Blofeld-like sound manipulation capabilities.

The wooden thumb-operated pitch bend gizmo is a pretty neat touch. It’s very unique, and in some ways even more useful than the standard pitch wheel on other synths.

Some of you may be wondering how the Arpeggiator sounds, and it’s nice. I will admit I rarely ever use the built-in arps on hardware synths, but this one sounds nice, and there’s submenu options for tweaking it further, but I must confess I haven’t really fussed with them (as I do most of my arranging ITB).

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CONCLUSION

So, at the end of all things, is the Nord Lead 3 still worthit? There are certainly other VAs and digital synths out there with more FX, more voices, and more bells and whistles, some for less money.

However.

The NL3 has hands on controls unrivaled by anything except a handful of analog mono synths.

It has unison capabilities that are superior to most of its competitors.

It balances the cleanness of VA/ digital with the fatness of analog for a bright sound that isn’t overwhelming.

As a keyboard (which is what we have), its keybed feels great, and it’s a joy to design sounds on the fly with. So if you have ambitions of bringing a live Trance/ Psytrance/Dubstep act to the world stages, pairing the NL3 with some outboard FX units would take this synth to a whole new level and make it the centerpiece of your live rig (plus, it looks super cool on stage, too).

Still worthit today?

Totally.

Hear it in action:

Top 10 Keyboard Hardware Synths For Trance

In the market for a solid, awesome keyboard synth to take your Trance productions to the next level? Did you read our previous article about the Top 10 Desktop Hardware Synths For Trance, and wonder what else is out there for live play?

Whatever your reason, here's a list of 10 keyboard synths ranging from tiny budget synths all the way up to monster flagship units. This list contains virtual analog, digital, and analog synths. We've tried not to repeat any synths from our previous list (since most come in a keyboard and desktop version). This list is in no particular order, but you can listen to soundset samples of each to decide which keyboard suits your music best.

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Novation Ultranova / Mininova

The successor to the legendary SuperNova II (its engine is even based on the SNII), this is a solid all-arounder workhorse synth that can make any type of sound you need, and it’ll fit right in the mix with ease. While minimal on knobs and front panel controls, its submenus are logically arranged, and there’s a free VST Editor/Librarian from Novation to help you create, edit, and save patches. If you’re looking for a JP8000 alternative with more polyphony (and FX), or want that classic Nova trance sound in a more modern synth, this is a great choice.

The only differences between the UltraNova and the MiniNova are the size difference, and the Mini will not double as an interface/ sound card. Otherwise the two are functionally the same and sound identical.

Polyphony - Up to 18-note polyphony (dynamic voicing)

Multitimbral - Mono-Timbral (1 Part)

Synthesis Method - Based on Supernova II
Waveforms include: Square, sine, tri, sawtooth, pulse, 9 x saw:pulse combinations. 20 x digital waveforms. 36 x wavetables

Effects- Distortion - up to 2 instances. Compressor - up to 2 instances. Chorus/Phase - up to 4 instances. Delay - up to 2 instances. Reverb - up to 2 instances. Gator. EQ. 12 band vocoder.

Arpeggiator - 33 patterns. Chord function - lock up to 10 notes

Patch storage up to 512 on hardware (ships with 300 factory patches)

Controllers - 8 x touch sensitive encoders. 1 x large smooth encoder (with back-lit filter lock buttons). 1 x large patch select/speed dial encoder. 2 x volume & monitor mix dials. 39 x LED lit/indicated buttons. 1 x Pitch wheel (LED lit). 1 x Modulation wheel (LED lit)

37-note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch

Connections - XLR dynamic mic input. 2 x ¼" jack inputs. 2 x ¼" jack outputs. 2 x ¼" jack aux outputs. 1 x ¼" jack headphone output. SPDIF digital output on RCA connector. Expression pedal on ¼" jack input. Sustain pedal on ¼" jack input. MIDI in/out/thru. 12 volt power input. USB port (UltraNova can be powered via USB). Kensington Lock port

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Sequential Prophet Rev2

No doubt the more seasoned persons among you will recognize this name. Dave Smith Instruments (now Sequential) have been long been pioneers in the music world. While their Prophet 5 and 10 are true icons, and nearly every big name has (or did in the past) use a DSI synth in their music, their synths remain relatively underutilized in Trance. A scant few like Above & Beyond and Tritonal use a Prophet 08, and Zombie Nation used a Prophet 5, but Prophet users in Trance are far and few between. So this makes the Rev2 perfect for this list, since it hasn’t been used to death in a million records, and has enough features and flexibility to make a solid all-arounder for big uplifting anthems (we recommend the 16 Voice version, to experience the real power of this synth).

Polyphony - 8 or 16 voice polyphony (8 voice version is expandable to 16 with installation of additional voice card)

Oscillators - 2 digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs) per voice (plus sub octave on oscillator 1) with selectable sawtooth, triangle, saw/triangle mix, and pulse waves (with pulse-width modulation). Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator. White noise generator. Analog VCAs. Hard sync

Filters - 1 analog Curtis low-pass filter per voice, selectable 2- and 4-pole operation (self-resonating in 4-pole mode)

Envelopes - 3 envelope generators: filter, VCA, and assignable (four-stage ADSR + delay); Envelope 3 can loop.

Sequencer - Polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps (6 notes per step), and ties and rests. Separate 16 x 4 gated step sequencer. Each layer can have a separate sequence.

LFOs - 4 LFO’s with key sync per LFO

Modulation - 8-slot modulation matrix, 22 sources, 53 destinations, 5 additional dedicated sources: mod wheel, pressure, velocity, breath controller, footswitch

Arpeggiator - Programmable arpeggiator with up, down, up+down, random, assign modes. Selectable note value: 16th note, 8th note triplet, 8th note, dotted 8th note, quarter note. One, two, or three octave range. Re-latching arpeggiation. Note repeat

Controls - 5-octave keyboard with semi-weighted action, velocity, and aftertouch. 55 knobs and 35 buttons enable deep and comprehensive editing with little to no menu diving.. Spring-loaded pitch wheel and assignable mod wheel

Memory - 512 Factory Programs (4 banks of 128) and 512 fully editable User Programs with 2 layers (2 separate sounds) in each Program

In/Out - MIDI In, Out, Thru. Main stereo audio output: 1/4″ unbalanced. Output B stereo audio output: 1/4″ unbalanced. Sustain pedal input: accepts normally on or normally off momentary footswitch.

Pedal/CV input - responds to expression pedals or control voltages ranging from 0 to 5 VDC (protected against higher or negative voltages). Headphone output: 1/4″ stereo phone jack.

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Korg MicroKorg XL

A thoroughly underrated mini synth that punches far above its weight. Based on the sound engine of the Korg Radias, its tiny cheap-feeling plastic frame hides synthesis and sonic capabilities that rival synths hundreds of dollars more expensive. Between its unison mode and extra waveform features, it’s capable of a wide variety of tones, and its many distortion and FX options (except Reverb, strangely) can turn it into a powerhouse synth that could serve as a primary synth for tech trance or hard trance producers.

Voice polyphony - Maximum 8 voices (when using Vocoder, it is 4 voices)

Synth 2 oscillators + noise generator

Oscillator 1 Waveform - 8 types (Sawtooth, Pulse, Triangle, Sine, Formant, Noise, DWGS, Audio In), Modulation: Waveform, Cross, Unison, VPM

Oscillator 2 Waveform - 4 types (Sawtooth, Pulse, Triangle, Sine)
Modulation: Ring, Sync, Ring+Sync

Tone Generator System MMT (Multiple Modeling Technology)

Program Multi Timbral Maximum 2 (when using Layer, Split, or Multi)

Waveshape Type - Drive, Decimator, HardClip, OctSaw, MultiTri, MultiSin, SubOSCSaw, SubOSCSqu, SubOSCTri, SubOSCSin, LevelBoost

Multimode Filters Filter 1 - -24 dB/oct LPF ~ -12 dB/oct LPF ~ -12 dB/oct BPF ~ -12 dB/oct HPF ~ Thru

Filter 2 - LPF, HPF, BPF (switchable)

Vocoder - 16 channel vocoder, adjustable level and pan for each channel, Formant Shift function, Formant Hold function

Keyboard - 37 notes (Natural Touch mini-keyboard, velocity sensitive)

Controller - Pitch bend wheel, Modulation Wheel

Effects - Timbre 2 band EQ Master effect 2 units, 17effect algorithms.

Arpeggiator - Six types: UP, DOWN, ALT1/2, Random, Trigger, Individual step on/off function

Programs - 128 programs (A/B banks x 8 genres x 8 category)

Inputs - [AUDIO INPUT 1] (1/4” phone jack, unbalanced, with MIC/LINE switch) – Rear Panel
[AUDIO INPUT 1 (MIC)] (XLR jack / balanced) – Front Panel

Outputs - [L/MONO, R] (1/4” Standard phone jacks / unbalanced)
[Phone] (1/4” Stereo Standard phone jacks)

MIDI In/ Out: USB Type B

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Moog Sub 37

For a more unconventional Trance synth, the Moog Sub37 (and Subsequent37) is a standout unit. It’s monophonic, and comes from the newer generation of Moogs, so it has a somewhat brighter, more in-your-face tone, but it has that analog grit and warmth that makes it perfect for basslines, midbasses, leads, and monophonic plucks. Pair it with a quality reverb, delay, and chorus, and you have a killer keyboard that can shake windows from their frames, or peel the paint from your walls. It can even manage rudimentary SuperSaw-like sounds with its 3 oscillators, and the detuning and modulation capabilities that make it able to do detuned leads that will add serious dirt to your lower layers.

Polyphony - Monophonic / Duophonic
Timbrality - 2

Oscillator - 2

LFO - 2

Synthesis type - Analog subtractive

Filter - 1 selectable 6, 12, 18 or 24dB/octave low-pass

Attenuator - ADSR

Aftertouch expression - yes

Velocity expression - yes

Storage memory - 256 patches

Effects - none

Keyboard - 37 keys

External control - MIDI, CV/Gate

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Novation Summit

A newcomer on the scene, the Summit is the Novation Peak’s bigger sibling, with more polyphony and a generous keyboard for playing epic sounds in realtime. Its Oxford oscillators are digital, and based on a new design that recreates much of the magic of pure analog, without the more annoying quirks of true analog. Its signal path after the oscillators is all analog though, and that gives it a special character untouched by any other. Trance artists who use this will certainly stand in a class of their own with this synth.

Polyphony - 16 note polyphony (dependent on voices used per note). 2-part-timbral. Layered, Split, Dual Bi-Timbral Modes. 5 Voice Modes - Mono, MonoLG, Mono2, Poly, Poly2

Oscillators - 3 oscillators, 1 noise generator with HP filter control, 1 ring modulator, 2 LFOs, 1 amp envelope and 2 mod envelopes (ADHSR + looping), 1 filter

Waveforms - Sine, tri, sawtooth, square / pulse, plus 43 wavetables of 5 waveforms per row

Filter - 1 state variable OTA filter per voice, 12/24dB slope, Low-pass / band-pass / high-pass / dual filter (separation of each 12dB filters), dual filter: LP > HP, LP > BP, HP > BP, LP + HP, LP + BP, HP + BP, LP + LP, BP + BP, and HP + HP, Pre-filter overdrive, Post-filter distortion

Modulation - 16 modulation slots per patch, 2 sources per destination per slot

Mod Sources - Direct (depth), Modulation wheel, Aftertouch (polyphonic and channel AT), Expression pedal 1, Expression pedal 2, Keyboard velocity, LFO1 positive, LFO1 bi-polar, LFO2 positive, LFO2 bi-polar, Amp envelope, Mod envelope 1, Mod envelope 2, Animate 1, Animate 2, CV mod input bi-polar, Bend Up, Bend Down

Mod Destinations - Oscillator 1-3 frequency, v-sync level, shape amount and level, Noise source level, Ring modulator output level, Overall synth output level, Filter drive, distortion, cut-off frequency and resonance, LFO 1 and 2 frequency, Amp env / mod env 1 / mod env 2 attack, decay and release, FM Osc 1 -> osc 2, osc 2 -> osc 3, osc 3 -> osc 1 and noise -> osc 1, Osc 3 -> filter cutoff frequency, Noise -> filter cutoff frequency

Effects - FX are per part, Analogue distortion, 3 chorus types, Delay with 16 types of delay sync, LP and HP damping, slew and stereo

FX Mod Matrix Source - Direct (depth), Mod wheel, Aftertouch, Expression pedal 1, Expression/breath pedal 2, Velocity, Keyboard, LFO 1 +/-, LFO 2 +/-, LFO 3 +/-, LFO 4 +/-, Amp envelope, Mod envelope 1 & 2, Animate 1 & 2, CV +/-, Bendwheel +/-, Bend up, Bend down

FX Mod Matrix Destinations - Distortion level, Chorus level, Chorus rate, Chorus depth, Chorus feedback, Delay level, Delay time, Delay feedback, Reverb level, Reverb time, Reverb low pass, Reverb high pass

Misc - FM controls on front panel, Global LFO 3 & 4, Arpeggiator with key latch – 33 patterns. Patch storage - up to 512 on hardware (ships with 256 factory patches). All knobs (excl. volume), sliders and most buttons transmit and receive MIDI cc commands for external control and mapping. Microtuning with Scala table import and table tuning creation. Manual mode. Multi pot mode: Relative, Pot pick-up, Snap

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Alesis Andromeda A6

If there were ever a Holy Grail Synth in the trance world, this just might be it. The Virus and the JP8000 may be more popular, but the A6 commands a degree of respect few others do. And for good reason. It’s 100% analog. It’s got 16 Voices of polyphony, and comes loaded with plenty of knobs and features. It’s a sound designer’s dream, and it makes fabulous trance tones like no other. Sadly, it was expensive to build, notoriously finicky, and prone to needing a lot of repairs. As such, it proved to be Alesis’ undoing in the early 2000s. You can still find these synths floating around in the market, and if you can afford it, and are willing to maintain it, this synth can give you an edge unlike any other.

Polyphony/Multitimbral Parts - 16/16

Waveform Memory ROM/RAM - N/A

Filter Types/Resonance - 4-pole/2-pole multimode/Y

Single Programs ROM/RAM - 256/128

Multitimbral Performances ROM/RAM - 128/128

Portamento - Yes

Number of Keys - 61

Number of Keyboard Zones - 16

Left Hand Controllers - (2) wheel; (1) ribbon

Aftertouch (Poly/Channel) - Y/Y

Number and Type of Controller Inputs - (2) switch; (1) pedal up to 16 steps

Number of Sequencer Tracks/PPQN - 1/16

Sequencer/Memory (Notes) - 16

Arpeggiator - Yes

Number of Effects Processors/Effects Programs - 2/28

Number of Outputs/Type - (4) 1/4" bal mains + aux/16 indiv outs

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Roland JD-08

And here we come to the newest synth on the list. The JD-08 from Roland. It’s their boutique take on the 1991 classic digital synth the JD800, and despite the tiny size, it packs a lot of power. Where the original could only muster 24 Voices of polyphony, the JD-08 can manage 128.

While not strictly a “keyboard” synth by default, the additional purchase of the Roland K-25M keyboard turns this into a minikey synth in the same vein as the Mininova or MicroKorg XL, and thus merits inclusion on this list. Right out of the box it comes with all the original waveforms and presets from the JD800, and it comes with the added bonus of USB-C connectvity, a 3.5mm stereo analog out port, and a headphone jack, and it can function as its own audio interface. So you can pack this synth in your backpack and take it on the road. And it can be powered via USB or batteries, giving you even more flexibility for where and how you use it. It seems to be a little bit brighter in sound than the original, which makes it perfect for more modern productions (and means sounds need less processing to fit in the mix). This synth it is digital through and through, and is proud of it.

Number of Keys: 25 (with optional K-25M keyboard)

Polyphony: 128 notes (dependent on patch load)

Presets: 64 x Original JD-800 Presets, 21 x Factory, 171 x User

Oscillators: 4 x Tone Palettes

Waveforms: 108 x Waveforms

Envelope Generator: Multi-phase Time-variant Envelope

LFO: 2 x LFO (triangle, sawtooth, square, pulse, noise)

Filter: Multimode Lowpass/Bandpass/Highpass

Effects: Distortion, Phaser, Spectrum, Enhancer, Delay, Chorus, Reverb

Arpeggiator: Yes

Sequencer: 2-part, 8-note per part, 64-step, 128 patterns

Analog Inputs: 1 x 1/8" (mix in)

Analog Outputs: 1 x 1/8"

Headphones: 1 x 1/8"

MIDI I/O: In/Out/USB

Other I/O: 1 x 1/8" (clock in)

USB: 1 x USB-C

Power Supply: USB bus power / 4 x AA batteries (included)

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Nord Lead 4

In the continuing tradition of excellence, Clavia brings us the Nord Lead 4. A powerful synth with a distinctive sound, it has less polyphony than the Lead 3, but comes with more Unison options, FX, and a number of extra modulation features that make it especially attractive for deeper sound design than most of its predecessors. You can find it in the studios of legends like Giuseppe Ottaviani and Tinlicker (and even Deadmau5).

Oscillator - OSC 1 generating sine, triangle, sawtooth, fixed and modulateable pulse waveforms and 128 wavetables. OSC 2 generating triangle, sawtooth or fixed and modulateable pulse waveforms or noise. OSC MOD section with Hard- and Soft sync plus 3 different Frequency Modulations of OSC 1 from OSC 2.

Filter - Multi-mode filter with 12 dB (2-pole) low pass, 24 dB (4-pole) and 48 dB (6 pole) low pass, band pass, high pass, Ladder M and Ladder 303 characteristics. Cut off, Resnance, envelope amount, envelope amount controlled by velocity. ADSR envelope. Filter keyboard tracking can be set to off, 1/3, 2/3 or 1/1. Adjustable Filter Distortion.

Amplifier - ADSR envelope, velocity control on/off, gain control

Mod Section - LFO 1 generates a square, triangle or any of 4 different types of saw- and inverted sawtooth waveforms. LFO 1 can be routed to Filter Frequency, Osc Mod, Osc Mix, Osc 2 Pitch, Amplitude and FX section. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The LFO 1 rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. The LFO 1 section is used to control the rate, range and directions for the arpeggiator. Arpeggiator: Range: 1 - 4 octave. Modes: up, down, up/down, random, Poly. The Arpeggio rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. LFO 2 generates a square, a regular and inverted sawtooth, LF filtered noise and random staircase waveforms. LFO 2 can be routed to Filter Frequency, Osc Mod, Osc 1 and/or Osc 2 Pitch, Pan and Pulse width. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The LFO 2 rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. Modulation Envelope (Attack, Decay/Release) for Osc Mix, Osc Mod, Osc 1 and/or 2 Pitch, FX section and LFO 2 amount. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The Modulation Envelope can be manually triggered by the Impulse Morph buttons. Patterns: the cyclic waveforms of the LFOs can be replaced by a pattern behavior. There are 128 different patterns, grouped in 6 different styles.

Performance - Voice modes: Poly, Legato with portamento, Mono, True Unison 1, 2 & 3. Four program slots for layering possibilities.

Effects - FX section with continuous Drive/Modulation control. Crush, Drive, 2 different Talk effects, Compressor and Comb Filter. Selectable Delay or Reverb. Delay times at up to 1400 ms can be manually set or synchronized to the Master Clock. Reverb has three algorithms, Room, Stage and Hall with adjustable brightness.

Number of keys - 49-key octave velocity sensitive keyboard with octave shift buttons (+/-2 octaves).

External Control - 3 momentary Impulse Morph Buttons, 7 combinations. Keyboard Split with 2 slots for the upper and lower section. Modulation Wheel, Pitch Stick (with no dead zone at zero crossing), Programmable Pitch bend range, up to +/- 4 octaves, Separate up/down bend range: -12 or -24 semitones, + 2 semitones, 1 pedal input for sustain, 1 pedal input for expression pedal.

User Interface - 3 character LED display, 29 knobs and 20+ buttons for program and performance editing

Memory - Programs (single sounds): 4 x 99 locations. Performances (multi sounds): 99 locations

Audio Out - 4 outputs. Each slot can be assigned to its own output. Headphones output. High resolution low noise 24 bit DACs.

MIDI Features - All control knobs and switches send and receive control change messages. System exclusive bulk dumps. One program or all programs. Master Clock will sync to incoming MIDI clock. Soft Thru.

Connections - 4 Line Level Audio Outputs - ¼", 6,35 mm jacks, unbalanced. Stereo Headphone Output - ¼", 6,35 mm stereo jack. Sustain Pedal - ¼", 6,35 mm jack. Use a momentary pedal, like e.g., Roland DP-2, DP-6, Yamaha FC-4, FC-5, Fatar VFP1-25 etc. Control Pedal - ¼", 6,35 mm TRS stereo jack. Use a Yamaha FC-7, Roland EV-7, Roland EV-5, Korg EXP2 or Korg XVP10. USB connector with MIDI capabilities. MIDI In & Out - 5 pin DIN connectors

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Waldorf MicroQ

Waldorf returns, this time in the form of the MicroQ! Based on the legendary Q, this synth condenses the Q’s keyboard and controls into a more compact package for traveling musicians and artists with smaller studios. Some say it sounds different from the Q, but we think whether or not it does is irrelevant - it sounds awesome. Interesting note: its voicing can be expanded, and can be found in different versions with different voice counts.

Polyphony - 25 voices, expandable up to 75 voices Oscillators - 5 oscillators per voice (Pulse with Pulse Width Modulation, Sawtooth, Triangle, Sine, 2 wavetables with 128 waves each and sub-oscillator per alt-wave); Noise generator

Memory - 300 single programs, 100 multi programs, 20 drum-maps

Filter - 2 Filters (including FM and distortion): Low Pass (12dB/24dB), Band Pass (12dB/24dB), High Pass (12dB/24dB), Notch (12dB/24dB), Comb Filter (positive/negative feedback)

VCA - 4 envelopes, enhanced ADSR configuration with loop and one shot function, bipolar; different trigger modes for each envelope, poly, mono, dual, unison, manual trigger etc.

Modulation - 3 LFOs up to audio range;

Modulation Matrix with 16 slots, freely routable, pre-routed modulation destinations, sources selectable

Effects - 2 effects per program, up to 5 effects in Multimode (Effects: Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Distortion, Delay, 5 FX, Vocoder)

Arpeg/Seq - Arpeggiator with 16 preset plus 1 user pattern, including accents, timing information, swing, glide, chords and more

Control - MIDI In/Out/Thru (16 parts)

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Behringer DeepMind 12

A newcomer, Behringer brought classic analog sound in an affordable package to the masses, and musicians have taken notice. Modeled after the famed Juno 106, it’s intended userbase are synth enthusiasts looking to add some classic and vintage analog vibes to their music. But don’t let that fool you. It’s not just a synth for brass stabs and funk leads. This machine can dish out some sweet sounds great for any trance tune, and at a much lower price than the bigger more pedigreed analogs further up the list. This is a synth to watch out for - it may find itself on a future list of Classics before we know it.

Polyphony (max) - 12 voices

Oscillators - VCO: 2

VCF - 1

Envelope Generator (EG) - 3

LFO - 2

Mixer - Info not available

Included presets - Info not available

User preset slots - 1024

Number of keys: 49

Key size: Full

Aftertouch / Velocity: Both

Output - Stereo TRS

MIDI Connectivity - MIDI In/Out/Thru

Line input - Info not available

USB Connectivity - Yes

Headphone out - Yes

Onboard Features - Sequencer: 32-step. Arpeggiator: Yes. Display: LCD. Effects: Yes. Pitch bend/Modulation: Both