Novation Mininova Review 2025

Small. Cheap. A toy. A lot of folks dismiss the Mininova as a keyboard made for kids, or for broke musicians who can’t afford “real” gear. Is there any merit to those claims? Or does the Mininova hide more under its hood than meets the eye?

Let’s jump in and take a look!

*Everything in this review also applies to the Ultranova as well. They are functionally the same synth, except the Ultranova can also act as an audio interface

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OSCILLATORS

First question folks want to know, is what Oscillators and waveforms does this thing have?

And the short answer: a lot.

It has 3 Oscillators to work with. And for each of those, you can choose from:

14 of the standard waves ranging from Sine, to Triangle, to Sawtooth, to Pulse/Square/PWM, and a lot of fixed permutations in between.

20 Digital Waves based on various digital and acoustic instruments (although they are not samples)

36 Wavetables whose positions can be freely swept from a sine all the way to clangorous ringing metal sounds.

And beyond all those, you are also presented in the Mixer section with a Noise generator, that lets you select between several grades of White Noise, to allow you to dial in exactly how much hiss you want in a sound.

Each oscillator also has a V-Sync that acts like an Osc Sync or FM function, and Density and Detune knobs that behave like the JP-8000 SuperSaw, with multiplying the waves and spreading their tones to create fat lush sounds. And unlike the JP, Density+Detune works on any of the waves, so you can create haunting and lush ambient wavetable pads and leads that only the Blofeld or Virus on extreme Unison settings can accomplish.

Just be prepared to sacrifice polyphony when you mess around with Wavetables and the Density. Those eat up the dynamic voices super fast.

Making SuperSaws on the Mininova sounds closer to the JP-8000 sound than just about any other synth out there, and it has the added bonus of being able to make 3, at different octaves, so some truly massive sounds can be achieved, that sound remarkably close to the Trance OG.

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FILTERS

The filters alone put the Mininova in a class all its own. Dual filters, that run a gamut from standard lopass and hipass, to bandpass filters with different slope angles in each direction, really make this synth absurdly versatile for anything from traditional analog style tones to seriously crazy psychedelic and evolving ambient sounds that even the Virus TI can’t quite match.

As for character, the filters are mostly-digital in character, as to be expected. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and you can achieve some smooth moogy type sounds on it, but it will require a little more effort to achieve than what a Slim Phatty can pull off by default.

The Filter Drive is super nice, and is very helpful for either adding extra grit or warmth to patches.

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ENVELOPES

These are fairly standard, although there are added triggering and looping options that are quite nice. And besides the standard Amp and Filter Envelopes, the Mininova also comes with an extra 4 Envelopes to allow for some incredibly complex sound-sculpting capabilities before you’ve even gotten to the LFOs.

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LFO

And the LFOs are pretty superb too. They can range in speed from super slow waves to intense buzzy speeds, and with 3 of them, you will rarely be wanting for more LFOs to modulate sounds with. The usual suspects for LFO waveforms are there, and there are tons of additional options for tweaking things like Slew, and triggering, and other deep functions, to create super wild sounds.

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MODULATION

The ModMatrix has 20 slots available, which you can route a lot of functions to, in multiple ways. Positive or Negative value only for LFOs? Both at once? Want to run the Modwheel and LFO on the same mod slot? Modwheel and Envelope 3 Amount? All possible.

Only a tiny handful of parameters like the Density and Density Detune and the Rate Reducer/ BitCrusher effects can’t be modulated in a more granular way (which was our gripe on the Blofeld as well), so talking basses using Rate Reducer won’t be quite as nice as on the Virus.

But the massive number of Mod slots makes up for that, as you can route all kinds of parameters in tandem or parallel, enabling the creation of truly massive and complex soundscapes.

Even the Virus doesn’t have this many Mod slots, and for making super cosmic Ambient and Psytrance patches, the Mininova is a sound designer’s dream just for these Mod capabilities alone..

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EFFECTS

This one is a mixed bag. The Chorus, Phaser, Distortion, and Delay are all very nice and flexible. The reverb isn’t too impressive, but most folks are liable to turn it off anyway, to conserve DSP power and use their preferred reverb. There are multiple routing modes for the FX, so you can experiment with different routings for each slot, to change the timbre of the sounds and how the effects affect each other.

The majority of the FX have lots of useful settings for dialing in perfect Chorus and Phaser settings, and the delay is nice too. One feature that’s missing that’s annoying is a lack of individual Amount and Mix controls for the Distortion. For Distortion, it’s all or nothing. So if you’re like us, and want to modulate the amount of Rate Reduction or Bitcrushing on a sound using an envelope or lfo, but you want to keep the mix level of the effect the same, so only the rate movement fluctuates, you’re out of luck. It’s a fairly small gripe, but it’s still an issue.

The Gator effect is super cool, and is nice for creating cool stuttering and morphing FX.

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CONCLUSION

So, in 2025, is the Mininova still worth buying?

The answer shouldn’t be a big surprise at this point.

Yes. Even with only 18 voices of dynamic polyphony, its features make it a very worthwhile synth. It can easily handle anything from Trance to Dubstep to Hardstyle to Ambient, and sound great, doing it. You might want to invest in a quality outboard reverb to apply to it to truly feel the power of the synth, but beyond that, you won’t find a better synth for a better price.

This is a budget keyboard that sounds like a flagship unit, and with a little coaxing (or a few 3rd party banks), this will quickly become the centerpiece of your studio.

Moog Sub Phatty Review 2025

Aggressive. Grungy. Sterile? There are a lot of very interesting opinions about the Sub Phatty out there, and only a few of them overlap. Released in 2013, it was the beginning of the Sub series of synths from Moog, and it marked a shift in tone for Moog synths for a while. So how does it stack up in 2025? Is it worth getting today? Let’s dive in.

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OSCILLATORS

The first thing you’ll hear, are the oscillators. There’s 2 main oscillators, plus a Sub Osc that is permanently set to Square, and plays 1 octave below Osc 1, and a Pink Noise generator.

Compared to the Slim Phatty, the Sub Phatty raw oscillator tone is aggressive and in your face. Where the Slim Phatty has a smoother rounder tone (partly due to the lower cutoff point for the filter, and also because of the chips used for the VCOs) suitable for vintage 70s and 80s sounds, the Sub Phatty is brighter and dirtier and punches through in a mix more noticeably. It’s not brassy like the Prophet Rev2, but much more aggressive than the Slim.

The 2 main Oscs have full wave sweep capabilities, ranging from pure Triangle wave all the way to narrow Pulse, in a continuous function. It’s quite nice for creating some very exotic dirty electro basses and Psytrance noises.

The Osc Sync function is interesting, although it doesn’t feel like it can penetrate the same territory as the Slim Phatty’s Osc Sync. The Slim’s Sync can veer into full on FM territory with a little coaxing, and DX7 style sounds can be managed on it, whereas the Sub Phatty’s sync never quite achieves the same variety of metallic and hollow sounds.

The Pink Noise generator is helpful for some classes of sounds - the manual states producers like to use it for Percussion sounds. But for modern Techno, House, and Trance producers, Pink Noise is much less useful for modern sound design, since the low frequencies tend to crowd out the rest of the sound and mess with the tone balance. Pure White Noise or some kind of sweepable Noise generator that allows for Pink and White Noise would have been much more useful for making modern Melodic Techno and Progressive Trance sounds.

The 2 layers of Detune capabilities for the Sub Phatty are a welcome touch though, as the single Freq knob on the Slim Phatty makes it very difficult to create detuned Trance and Psytrance saw leads without veering off into uncontrolled tuning territory. Being able to detune very slightly on the main Frequency knob and then adjust the secondary knob a tiny to taste makes it easy to make usable sounds very quickly.

It’s worth noting that pushing the Oscs too loud starts to overdrive them, so factor that into your sound design choices when working with it. A delicate approach is needed when trying to make smooth and gentle sounds with these oscillators.

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FILTERS

Besides the Oscillators, this is really what everyone goes to Moog for. But does it have that Classic Moog Ladder Filter Sound?

The Sub Phatty is brighter, is our first impression. It certainly cuts off at a higher frequency than the Slim Phatty. And that sound brightens up further when you reduce the filter slope curves. Tricky part is accessing those slope curves. There’s some obtuse ways to access them via some front panel controls, which I did manage with the manual handy. But it was far from convenient. With the VST editor from Moog, it’s much much easier to change those, and access some other deep settings that expand the sound design capabilities of the synth.

The resonance pushes into self-oscillation and yields some extremely gnarly sounds when cranked in tandem with the Multidrive. It doesn’t quite sound as bright on 303-style Acid sounds that use a low cutoff and moderate Envelope Amount settings, but it can achieve some nice grit that adds fun textures to Techno and Trance tracks.

It didn’t feel quite as ‘round” and smooth as the Slim Phatty, or even the Prophet Rev2, but it did surprise us with its character while experimenting with Plucks and deep Basses.

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ENVELOPES

The Envelopes here are pretty normal, as far as synths go, so there’s not too much to say here. The Attack is a bit shorter and tighter than Some folks may be accustomed to, so you have to push it really far to make slow evolving sweeps. It’s great for Plucked sounds, though. The snappy envelopes make Techno and Trance plucks a breeze to design.

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LFO

Now this is where some serious excitement is to be had. The Sub Phatty has 3 different LFO Speed Modes, which can be changed via obtuse key combos on the synth… or more easily on the VST editor. And that’s where the fun begins. Switching between Slow, Mid, and Hi speeds allows you to do really gentle wavering swells, more moderate vibratos, or even insane audio rate modulation. We got a lot of great use out of these settings while designing buzzy Hands Up and Progressive House Leads, and on some cinematic sweep type patches. This is one of the Sub Phatty’s strongest points, and really puts it in a league more in line with crazy super-mod synths like the Blofeld or Virus.

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MODULATION

As this is an analog synth marketed as more of a budget synth a notch or two beyond the Little Phatty, there isn’t too much to talk about here. Routing options are pretty minimal. It would have been nice if the Amount controls began at 12:00 and could be changed to positive or negative values to yield more exotic modulations. But for the synth’s overall capabilities, the modulation options are workable.

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EFFECTS

“Effects” is a bit of an inaccurate header for this section. All the Sub Phatty has is Multidrive. Which we found to be more of a Saturator on lower settings, and then at higher settings, it turns into distortion. It doesn’t mangle the sound quite as nicely as the Overdrive on the Slim Phatty or the Feedback + Multidrive combo on the Sub37, but it does yield some nice added grit to sounds.

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CONCLUSION

So, at the end of all things, is the Sub Phatty worthit? Is it still relevant in 2025?

While it lacks in modulation capabilities and the Pink Noise isn’t nearly as useful as the manual claims, this synth has a lot of heft to it, and if you are looking for a snappy semi-modern sounding Moog that can do aggressive sounds and more serene tones, this one would work well for you.

Its oscillators are big and aggressive, and the filter does add a lot of nice character.

In the right contexts, this synth could stand front and center in some very big tunes, and add a lot of welcome character. It definitely works great for Tech and Electro House basses.

So while it might not be our first choice for an analog synth, if you happen to find one at a good price, it could serve a lot of solid uses in your tunes and set you apart from everyone else. Its aggressive gusty character almost takes it to Prodigy territory, and if you can run it through other FX for reverb or distortion or chorus, you will get some very exciting tones out of it.

So overall, we might recommend a couple other synths before this one to Synth Newbies, but we would not turn our nose up at future opportunities to work on it either. We’d recommend it for producers and keyboardists after a specific kind of gritty sound.

That’s our take on it, anyway.

Sequential Prophet Rev2 Review 2022

Brassy. Thin. “Not real analog.” These are a few common comments that have appeared since the Sequential Prophet Rev2 first came out in 2017. Is it, though?

Or is it the best polyphonic analog synth at its price range, as others say?

Or is it both?

Let’s take a dive into the Rev2, and see what we discover as we explore the synth.

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OSCILLATORS

The oscillators on the Rev2 air fairly polarizing, it seems. Because they’re not true VCOs, the traditional analog purists are dismissive of them. But despite their tuning being digitally-controlled, they are still analog oscillators. Just analog oscillators not prone to tone drift when the temperature changes.

All the typical waveforms are here - Sawtooth, Triangle, Pulse, and one extra - Saw-Triangle.

What makes these waveforms truly exceptional, is that all of them can be pulse width-modulated (not just the Pulse/ Square). Sequential calls it Waveshaping, but it is essentially pulse width modification. And it sounds cool.

The best part?

You can link the waveshapes to LFOs or any other parameter, and create exotic, moving, sweeping tones that you may not hear elsewhere.

Oscillators also have a coarse tune that shows up on the screen as the actual note you’re scrolling to (and its octave position) for creating chords or octave spreads, and also Fine Tune controls for each oscillator, for custom detune amounts (which is great for Trance and Psytrance leads).

An added bonus feature that’s super nice is the OSC Slop feature - it allows for fine-tuned mimicry of the random tuning instability present on vintage analog synths. It can be very subtle, or very extreme, and can be useful for creating detuned leads and pads with a little more organic movement

Sync is also available, for when you want to create more metallic sounds and textures.

The general sound of the oscillators, especially the Sawtooth, is, as some users describe, very brassy and in your face. This is due in large part, to the Curtis filter (discussed below), and the lack of innate low-mid saturation common among Moogs and other analog synths. Any saturation baked into the signal chain on this synth appears to emphasize the upper mids, and as such, this synth is well suited for biting leads, and really tight plucks.

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FILTER

What review of the Rev2 would be complete without talking about one of its biggest selling points?

The Curtis filter.

An analog filter that’s seen use in Prophet synths since the 1970s, it can self-resonate in 4-pole mode (but doesn’t in 2-pole mode), it’s what helps give the Rev2 its characteristic tight sound and brassy character.

Compared to the filters on synths like the JP8080 or Slim Phatty, the Curtis filter and attached ADSR+Delay Envelopes are tight, clean, and perfect for making wide long pads, and tight, punchy plucks and basses.

One thing we’ve noticed is that if you’re trying to do plucky lopassed techno rumble type basses, you’ll need to keep the Filter and Amp Release times longish, otherwise you end up with a peculiar snap-back sound from the filter. It won’t impact the bass movement at all, even when in Unison/ Mono mode, so Psytrance and Techno enthusiasts won’t have problems with longer release tails on driving basses. It’s just somewhat unusual.

In general, the filter is great, and is reminiscent of the Nord Lead 3, but much much smoother. Juicier, even.

It’s a very warm, organic sound.

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AMPLITUDE

The ADSR Envelope may be VCA, but it behaves more or less like any other, so there’s not really much to say here. Each parameter is nice and tight, so you can achieve as snappy or as gentle of sounds as you need.

And most importantly, it has a Pan Spread feature that in single voice/ oscillator mode acts like an alternating auto-pan feature, and like a stereo widener in Unison mode. The Pan Spread is mono-stereo compatible, too. So you can make bouncing binaural plucks and midrange basses, and they’ll pingpong back and forth for stereo width, and will collapse to mono with no phase cancellation. Very helpful for adding width without using any external tools.

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LFO

This is where things start to get really interesting. The Rev2 sports 4 LFOs, and multiple LFO types, including a Random waveform that can be sped up into something like using Noise as a modulation source.

The other waveforms are pretty standard - Triangle, Saw, Reverse Saw, Pulse. Nothing too out of the ordinary here. Initially they’re free-running, but can be clocked, and can be assigned to most other parameters, which gives you piles of sound designing capabilities.

Be wary of modulating pitch with it though. It tends to cause extreme pitch warping effects at even moderately low amounts.

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MODULATION

Now the Modulation section is where this synth stands apart from other analogs. It has 8 slots in the Mod Matrix, and has an additional 3rd envelope with full ADSR controls, so you can modulate an additional parameter freely of the other slots.

And the regular Mod Matrix slots allow you to control just about any parameter by 22 sources, giving you tremendous sound sculpting capabilities with minimal effort.

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EFFECTS

The effects on this are something of a mixed bag. The Delays are all great - and increasing their rates doesn’t cause any pitch warping effects that plague a few VST Delay FX.

The Chorus is decent, although limited in editable parameters. It does a nice job widening sounds and unless pushed to extremes, doesn’t cause super unpleasant phasing or pitch warping effects.

The Phasers and Flangers are alright, although they lack the degrees of flexibility that the Virus, Mininova, and Blofeld offer, so unless you’re very careful with dialing them in, you can end up with weird metalllic howls rather than pleasant swooshes.

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UNISON

Now, the Unison is both the Rev2’s great strength, and also a little bit of a weakness. Being able to sum as many oscillators as you want and then detune them in the Unison section is great, and can yield some fat SuperSaw type sounds, which are great for leads and arps.

But.

Unison is Monophonic only. So no big SuperSaw pads or stacked chord leads like you can do with a Virus, or JP8080, or Blofeld.

Sweet lead toplines and low octave lead support, that’s where this shines in unison mode.

One interesting feature, similar to the Blofeld, is that you can dial in the amount of voices being summed in Unison, and then you can detune from there. So you can make a 2 voice sound with detuning for oldschool detuned Saw leads, or you can go for all 16 voices with a tiny touch of detuning, and creating huge solo leads that’ll shake your speakers.

Pity there isn’t a variable unison mode that lets you sum however many voices for a monophonic aspect, and then use the remaining voices polyphonically. That would yield some interesting and exciting tones. Can’t have everything, we suppose.

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CONCLUSION

So, is the Prophet Rev2 worthit? Does it live up to the hype?

Yes.

It’s bold, in-your-face, yet just neutral enough to sit cleanly in a mix. It has modulation capabilities that outstrip many of its competitors, and it has enough voices to be usable for both pads, supersaw leads, and dirty punchy basses. A small touch of distortion fattens it up to sound comparable in warmth to a Moog, and the Curtiss filter adds a bouncy roundness to sounds that makes it fantastic for plucks. And the Pan Spread function is incredibly useful for creating wide sounds, and sounds that bounce around the stereo field, adding mono-compatible customizable width.

The Rev2 is a definite winner for analog polys.

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

What To Know Before Buying Hardware Synths

What was your first glimpse into the world of hardware synthesizers? Was it a producer's masterclass, and their wall of modulars that caught your eye? Does your favorite artist use hardware? Did you wander through a music store, and play around on a display synth, and decide you just had to have one?

No doubt you may be prowling through Sweetwater's or Reverb's offerings, and feeling a little overwhelmed. Maybe you want one, but aren't sure if hardware is for you.

In today's article, I'll break down some hardware basics, things to know, and how to help you decide what, if any, pieces of gear you should get.

1. Know Why You're Getting Gear

Let's get the big question out of the way first: what do you want hardware for? Do you have a specific need for hardware, that VSTs and samples can't provide?

Hardware synths aren't cheap (not good ones, anyway). There's no two ways about it. Beyond the actual synth itself, you are also looking at TS cables, MIDI/ MIDI-USB cables, patch cables (if you're going modular), and possibly a newer/ bigger audio interface to accommodate the synth. Before you get a synth, you need to ask yourself if you're willing to take on those extra costs.

Hardware isn't a magic bullet that will immediately make you sound instantly better. If you're not writing good music without hardware, you still won't write good music with it. It certainly helps if you've been producing for a few years, and have a few songs/ remixes out on a record label or two, before you start browsing for gear. Otherwise you're wasting time and money on equipment you likely don't need.

If you've been at it a while though, and feel like gear is the next natural step for your tunes, it's time to decide what type of synth you want.

Which brings us to...

2. Analog vs Digital

Just to clear the air here: I don't hold Analog on any magic pedestal compared to Digital. They both serve their purpose and have their own special characteristics that will suit different needs at different times.

The only reason we're covering it here now, is because there are certain aspects of analog synthesis you need to be prepared for before buying one.

Namely:

Analog synths frequently tend to be a lot more expensive than digital synths. Especially polyphonic analogs (more on that in a bit). They also tend to be much more limited with effects, voicing, and waveform options.

Analog synths, especially Moogs, often require extensive warmup times before they're properly in tune, and can be used for music that requires stable tone.

You may not be able to store patches and presets on slightly older Analog synths, so making and storing patches requires more time and a photographic memory to do.

However, Analog synths have certain timbral characteristics that make them desirable for music production. The analag signal generation and filters can lend a certain warmth and personality to a sound that a fully digital signal might not. This is because of the inherently imperfect nature of generating an audio signal from a voltage-controller oscillator. There are slight and subtle imperfections in the sound that give analog its warmer, "fatter" character. The filters, being analog, often sound smoother than digital filters, so you can make sweeps and sounds with much

That said, digital has more pros than cons - especially these days.

More built-in FX, more waveform options (including wavetables, and Super/HyperSaws), more routing and modulation options, much higher voicing, and higher likelihood of proper integration with your DAW via USB (or at least a VST interface controlled by MIDI data).

And so we go on to...

3. Monophonic vs Polyphonic

When you come from the VST world, it's easy to forget that there was once a time when synthesizers could only play one note at a time, due to the limitations of the oscillators. That time is long past, but Monophonic, Duophonic, and Polyphonic synths are all still around, still being made, and will likely be around forever. So how to choose?

First and foremost, a monophonic synth can only play one note at a time. No chords, or lush harmonic strings or pads will be (easily) gotten from a mono synth. They tend to be analog synths, and so thick basslines and distorted leads are what mono synths are most commonly used for.

A duophonic (sometimes called paraphonic) synth can only play two notes at a time. They're not super common, but they pop up occasionally.

A polyphonic synth can, as its name denotes, play many notes at once. A poly synth will typically range from 4-100+ voices, depending on the complexity of the patch. With a few exceptions, poly synths tend to be digital, and as such can create sounds and timbres no analog synth can generate. You can also write lush choir and string and pad sections, create sounds with long release tails, and layer chords in ways no mono synth is capable. As an added bonus, most poly synths have a Mono feature enabled, allowing you to turn the poly synth into a mono synth for specific sounds.

And due to the generally digital nature of poly synths, patch storage and recall is a feature of all poly synths, allowing you to store and bring back up presets and sounds you made, for future use.

4. Effects

Effects are a somewhat divisive issue in the synth community. Some love them in their synths, others prefer you only play and record synths dry (then use outboard effects).

Again, it largely boils down to personal preference, and the type of gear you're looking at. Analog synths tend to be more minimal on effects. You might get a Distortion effect, maybe a Chorus, and perhaps a Delay effect, if it's slightly newer. Moogs are famously minimalist in this department. Digital synths usually come with a full battery of effects ranging from Distortion, to Delay, Reverb, Flanger, Chorus, Phaser, possibly Saturation, and multiple types of distortion. Digital synths with lots of effects tend to be more expensive, but in most cases, the effects tend to be quite good (the Virus TI2 has some of the best onboard effects on the market).

When considering buying hardware, considering the onboard effects as well as the filters and oscillators will also be worth investigating.

5. Finally...

Do your homework. There are hundreds of synths out there, each with their own special timbral characteristics and features, and it would be impossible to try and list them all here.

As a general rule of thumb though, based on genres, these are features you'll need to look for to find a good synth you'll get lots of use out of:

Trance: Polyphonic, with 5-100 voices. Some kind of Unisono Spread/ SuperSaw detune feature to create wide, complex trance synths. Good onboard reverb and delay are nice but not necessary. A good Chorus effect will serve you well. The more modulation options, the better.

House: Depending on the subgenre of house, a Monophonic or Duo/Paraphonic synth will serve you well, although a Polyphonic synth for bigroom house producers will do you a lot of good. Fat Analog warmth for basslines and leads is helpful, as is decent distortion capabilities. Analog filters will definitely be a plus.

Dubstep/ Riddim: Polyphonic Digital, for sounds requiring wavetables and lots of modulation, as well as high enough voicing counts to handle complex wavetable modulation. Onboard reverb/ delay not quite as essential, but solid distortion is a must. The more modulation options the better.

Drum & Bass: Depending on the style of DnB, a good Mono or Para synth will serve you well for Reese basses, deep sub basslines, and intense leads. Either Analog or Digital will work equally well, although the added warmth from Analog distortion might add a nice touch to the basslines.

Techno: Largely depends on style of Techno, but an Analog Mono or Duophonic synth will sound just right for techno. All the warm fat low end and oddball lead sounds will be done quite nicely by an Analog Mono. A Digital Poly or Paraphonic synth will also do super nicely, but the extra voicing and tons of added features are a bit on the overkill side.

With this guide in hand, I hope you can go forward and make a better, more informed hardware purchase.

Play on!

Dawnchaser is a Pacific Northwest-based electronic music producer, mountaineer, documenter of all things adventure, mountain, and travel-related, and manager of Kulshan Recordings. If he’s not in the studio writing music about adventures, he’s out on one.