2014 was a big year for electronic music gear and 2015 promises to be even bigger.
In our previous Best of 2014 articles, we’ve looked at the best new MIDI controllers and the best new modular synth gear and there were many interesting introductions in both category.
It was an equally interesting year for synth hardware. Here’s our take on the best new hardware synths of 2014:
The 10 Best New Hardware Synthesizers Of 2014
- Korg MS-20 Full-Size Analog Monophonic Synth Kit
- Moog Sub 37 Analog Synthesizer
- Dreadbox Murmux Pedal Synth
- Roland AIRA System-1 Plug-Out Synthesizer
- Waldorf Streichfett String Synthesizer
- MacBeth Elements Analog Synthesizer
- Modulus.002 Polyphonic Synthesizer
- Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2 Synthesizer
- Twisted Electrons’ Intros ‘Aggressive’ SID-based TherapSid Synth
- The Analogue Solutions Nyborg 12
It was such a great year for synths that it was hard to narrow the list down to just 10! Here are some of the other great new synths introduced in 2014:
- Korg RK-100S Keytar
- Roland AIRA TB-3 Touch Bassline
- Soulsby Synthesizers Atmegatron
- Moog Music Werkstatt-01 Synth Kit
- Analogue Solutions Polymath Synthesizer
- Nord Lead A1R Synthesizer
- Erica Synths Acidbox VCF (Polivoks Clone)
- Hypersynth Xenophone Monophonic Analog Synthesizer
Check out the list and let us know what you think! Did you think 2014 was a good year for synths? And what’s your favorite new synth from 2014?
Heck yeah it was a good year for gear. The Pro2 is awesome, one of my favorite synths of all time. The Sub 37 is a win for Moog. The DSI Prophet 12 gets an honorable as well.
The best synth is Buchla music easel
It makes the difference
And the Streichfett is really an awesome piece of gear! Love mine a lot
What about Elektron’s Analog Keys? Didn’t that come out very early in 2014? But not counting as it’s basically an A4 with keybed, or what? It’s a beast, obviously, so defo should be on the list!
Yeah. No doubt.
Best synth of the year.
The Analog Keys actually released in December of 2013.
AH, well there you go.
It’s a nice list, but I’m gonna get the MFB Dominion 1.
Seriously? No Elektron product here? Madness. My A Keys is my favourite synth in the last 10 years!
Didn’t the boomstar synths also come out in 2014? Can’t discount those little guys.
They were introduced in 2013.
Hmmm…MacBeth Elements isn’t even released yet…how is it one of the best of 2014!?!?
2014 is over move ahead.
Never seen any of his machines, seem to see some turn up on the second hand market.
Comical synths with no patch memories .He doesn’t like the fact he bragged about they where assembled by companies dealing in armaments, but this seem to have bitten him on the arse.
No mention of the Modulous 002…?
Because it’s still not finished.
it’s the seventh one in the list
Twisted Electrons AY3 chiptunes synth.
Pro-2
Sub-37
Nord Lead A1
Dominion
Analog Keys
I’m extremely surprised that the MFB Dominion-1 didn’t make the cut.
Nord Lead, seriously, the Ford Mondeo of synthesisers ;o)
Polled or how was the list generated? Could have given sub-categories using price, size or function, etc. That would have made the listing more meaningful at least.
The sub 37 is divine.
DSI Pro 2, E Analog keys, Moog 37, Dominon 1 & last but not least the Modulus 002.
What an awesome year for polys, admittedly these are expensive machine but nothing compared to what they used to be. I hope 2015 brings us more of the same. Ive had a go on a Modulus 002 (plug for A-wave in Melbourne here) & that was very good, although not finished.
Looking fwd to the next period of poly/para synth history & see what comes out this year – Korg, Arturia, Yamaha, Roland & Nord I’m looking at you guys.
I put the Roland VR-09 under “Electronic Music Hardware” because it blurs the line between several things, but as just a keyboard, its like a workstation minus the sequencer. Having a soft-Gaia as its synth is a real plus. It offers a lot of real-time flexibility in useful areas, especially in the effects-knob section. Otherwise, it’d have to be the DSI Pro2 as the overall synth king, because it will both speak and listen to every connective format. The paraphonic aspect is the Best of Class, too. Both of these instruments could be used to control a couple of outboard synths and a Lexicon or EH pedal as a Send, with killer results.
Analog Keys, electribe 2 (which has a nice synth with the drum machine)
Somehow I feel that the analog hype has reached its maximum peak in 2015. The return of the Elka speaks for itself.
As soon as a smart company will produce new digital hardware (not software, not controller) that it’s REALLY DIFFERENT, it will be the game changer.
I’m too bored by the old 70’s paradigm, not to talk of how much I hate to make music with a laptop with software and controllers.
I see no fresh ideas since a loooong time. Wake up market!