Am I the only one that thinks Moog’s are the only good looking keyboard/synths? I know its all relative, but I personally think the LP and Voyager are beautiful to look at/touch/play.
I was just looking around online for other synths, and aside from Moogs and maybe the prophet 08, nothing really jumps out at me.
I never did like the look of the Phatty but a partially non Moog synth that to me just looks fabulous to me is the Crumar Spirit.
I also love the new Buchla systems…those look so much different from Moog but really pleasing to me in their own way. They really have that Starship Panel thing going, especially the Kinesthetic input panel that I think it great.
Something about the Prophet 10 really strikes my fancy too.
I guess I harken back for the days of those big monster synths like that. Theres nothing like a huge panel full of knobs.
I also like some of those customized CMOS synths that really have that antiquated look, like an 1830’s cash register or something…the brass with the fancy engravings.
Eric
Ok, I shoulda made more clear I was talking mostly just about keyboard synths, not exactly the big modular rack.. I too am still pretty damn impressed with those haha.
But to me the LP looks sexy. Especially when comparing it to the look of other great synths like the Andromeda.. I’m sure some people like it, but the Andromeda’s look to me is hideous. As well as DSI’s poly evolver… In fact there are’nt very many keyboard out there I think really compete with Moog’s imo.
I get that this is totally relative, and is just my personal taste too btw.
I like the look of the Blofeld. Access synths have always looked good to me as well.
The Korg Radias is the only other new synth I like the looks of along with the Voyagers. It sort of reminds me of the Euro rack modulars. I’ve never been a fan of the plastic case synths. The era of metal cases and wooden panels is for the most part over. I’m afaird the next evolution will try to follow the Phatty or the Nemo with odd shaped plastic machines that just (to me) don’t look right.
I love the look of the Phatty, but yeah, the Radias looks GREAT - especially when it’s all fired up and you have a sequence running. And I love the adjustable panel too and the fact that there’s enough room on it to put a laptop!
That Waldorf looks GORGEOUS!
I love the look of the old Memorymoog and even the Polymoog.
I think Korg’s new SV1 looks really cool. Especially their 73 key version. Funky and compact.
I also like the look of the Nord Stage, my Prophet '08 SE, and the understated appeal of my S90ES and especially the Kawai MP8II - almost Synclavier like, that one.
But yeah, I love the look and vibe of the Moog stuff. I can’t wait for my Taurus 3’s!!
Thanks. Those are custom wood end pieces, taken from the North Africain yew bush, the taxus baccate.
One of my favorite newer synths is the Polar TI. It looks great… all metal and wood, and is very heavy, to be so small…
Some classics that I thought looked cool:
JD-800. Why did I sell it. WHY!!!
Casio CZ-101 and CZ-1. That blue screen was so cool and mysterious to me when I was 13. All the buttons and stuff… It looked exciting!!
Korg MS2000B. Never liked the blue finish of the original. The black one looked so much more pro and classy. It was a pretty nice synth, but the keyboard response was sluggish on layered sounds.
FWIW, the LP, Voyager, Waldorf, Virus, and Andromeda synths were ALL designed by Axel Hartmann… http://www.design-box.de/de/sonic_synthesizers.php
-andrew bunny
What a great bit of synth trivia. I had no idea. Thanks!
I love the look of the Little Phatty, and I prefer the red/orange lights of the Stage. Wooden ends would be nice, but I like it even without.
I agree.. Sometimes inbetween recording takes, I just stare at it and touch it haha.. creepy? not sure, but I love it! ahha.