Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Recommend me a desktop analog polysynth
Please recommend an analog synthesizer. I want it to be
- a desktop module
- polysynth
- prefer no keyboard
- doesn't need sequencer or arpeggiator
- want presets
- knobs that are encoders
- prefer Moog sound
Thanks!
Comments
Sounds like you might want to look into Behringer’s offerings, unless you are willing to pay for the name and quality of Moog itself.
Yep. I have the Model D and like it. No presets, though. Also have the Moog Mother 32, best sound of anything I own.
The Prophet 5 desktop is the only polyphonic analog synth I have. It doesn't have exactly the same factory presets as the Prophet 5 Rev. 3 keyboard. Instead, it has a mix of those older presets and presets created for a present-day user, like rave 5ths, techno, etc. kind of stuff. Either way, it sounds like a Prophet 5. To me that's a good thing. To you, I dunno.
Moog One is the only polyphonic analog synth in production under the Moog Music name, and there's no desktop only model.
Sequential Trigon 6 was Dave Smith's tribute to the Memorymoog, but I don't have it, never tried it, so I can't say go get it or anything.
The new Roland SH4d seems like a sure thing but may be overkill. Novation nova desktop would be good if you can find one. Micromonsta 2 is fantastic and I really dig my boutique JX3P (sliders on that one though)
*And... just realized "analog" is on the menu, so forget I said anything
Wow, the Prophet 5 desktop is $2500. OK, let's say I'd like to keep it under $1500. Maybe stretch to $2000 if convinced it was that great and superlative.
Thanks for the suggestions so far!
Behringer is known for their lower priced offerings. Check their web site.
One of the reasons the Prophet 5 is the only analog polysynth I have, is I actually like the sounds of my digital polysynths too,
@GovernorSilver Let me guess, you also have a Novation Summit.
Incorrect. I've tried wavetable synths. I'm just not a wavetable person.
The Korg Opsix is more my thing. FM, VA, some physical modeling thanks to the Comb Filter effect block, etc.
@joegrant413
money is always a factor but if you got cash, I bet the trigon 6 will get a desktop version soon. That has moog like filters.
Deepmind 12D???
I have the Sequential Prophet rev2 16 voice desktop. It is an awesome synth . Bi timbral so you can stack two sounds and still have 8 voice polyphony. I did have a Prophet 6 desktop but sold it, which is superb but the 6 voice polyphony is so frustrating. I know the Rev2 has DCO's as opposed to VCO's but it can go places the Prophet 6 can't.
The new Behringer Pro 800 should be released soon and it sounds very nice. Presets too.
Deepmind 12 is quite the beast for the price
A little quirky, but Dreadbox Nymphes meets most of your criteria. All except the knobs (it barely has any) and I guess it's not a Moog sound, though it is a vintage analog sound. Six voices. MPE. Less than $500. Loads of modulation. Onboard programming is doable, but a little funky, because sliders have dual function and don't always reflect the state you think they do. You can use software app to manage programming (e.g., https://library.vcvrack.com/Skylander/NymphesControl ) and/or hook up a midi controller.
That's what I thought also.
I didn't think to add this to qualifications, but this also would matter: MIDI integration. Besides, of course, connecting to a keyboard via MIDI, I'd want to be able to control at least a handle of most important parameters via MIDI. Right now, via an Akai MPC, but I also have a Keystep Pro sitting around.
Great MIDI integration is what Behringer promises with the Pro 800.
But, let's see some reports from the field first.
You may want to take a look at the Hydra synth it is 3 Osc Virtual Analog along with 219 waveforms. A 2 mutators on both Osc 1&2
FM-Linear - for making classic FM sounds. Choose multiple FM sources, including external inputs.
Wavestack™ - creates 5 copies of the incoming sound and allows you to set a detune amount.
Hard Sync - This gives you those classic hard sync sounds. Try hard syncing a morphing wavetable for some fun.
Pulse Width - This will pulse width modulate ANY input sound.
PW - Squeeze - This is a different form of pulse width mod that creates a smoother sound.
PW-ASM - this mode divides the incoming wave into 8 slices and allows you to set how much pulse width mod will happen in each section.
Harmonic Sweep - this will sweep the harmonics of the incoming sound.
PhazDiff - this takes the input signal, shifts the phase and then creates a difference result with the original signal
5 Lfo's
Extensive Mod Matrix
CV/Gate interface as well as Midi CCs
there is a Desktop Version ($799) as well as the Keyboard ($1299) which has a ribbon controller and PolyAftertouch. I don't own but, played it at NAMM and was very impressed with the sound.
Here's a detailed review...
Pittsburgh Modular Taiga
East & West Coast Synthesis = Moog & Buchla!
Paraphonic instead of polyphonic 🤷🏽
https://pittsburghmodular.com/taiga
Another vote for the Hydrasynth desktop. Sounds amazing, and even though it's 100% digital it gets all nice and creamy. Plus some of the best macro and MIDI implementation around.
Oh yeah, the little chiclet keyboard supports poly pressure and is actually pretty nice to play.
Hydrasynth is amazing, have not found anything it couldnt do. If you are into sound design you should look at Hydrasynth
P5 because it's analog. Best filters vs rest.
HydraSynth has definitely caught my attention over the last couple of years, though I am thinking analog for now.
FWIW, the digital hardware synths I've had include the OP1 and MicroFreak. For all the attention they get, I can't say I get super excited by the sounds. Not trying to sound like an analog snob. Of course, I recognize those are both small synths, and superior sound is not the primary feature for either.
I have Minilogue XD and it is poly analogue, I love it’s warmth and jazziness 🙏🏻
…and if you want more polyphony, there’s the Prologue.
Thanks! I've seen the Minilogue at Guitar Center, but need to try it sometime.
You’re welcome ☺️ the XD also has a preset system and digital oscillator that accepts third party oscillators.
I would wait. Behringer are about to start shipping some of there long awaited poly synths.
Peak my interest?
https://youtu.be/R1q1vHPby9Q
If Novation had ever released a synth called the Pique, then maybe that’d have worked