Vintage Synth Explorer

Synth Finder • Updated for 2010!
The Synth Finder feature has been overhauled for the new year! Now it's even easier to find the synthesizers of your desires! We have added new options to choose from, we have re-classified all the synths featured here for better matches and best of all, the Synth Finder's selection criteria are now completely optional so you can choose as little or as many options as you like for a more personalized list of results.

Find the synth that is right for you!

Native Instruments FM8
The successor to the award winning FM7, Native Instrument's FM8 continues where its massive predecessor had stopped. It has an all new user interface and color scheme which looks nothing like the DX7-inspired interface the FM7 has. FM may not be for everyone, but this isn't a DX synth with a complex user interface, and even novice users will discover that the basics of FM8 are not too hard to understand. Read the full review...

Chimera Synthesis bC16
A mighty little modular at an unbeatable price! Yes, it's a real analog synth with real patch points, oscillators, filter, LFO and ADSR and it's small enough to sit in the palm of your hand! While there's plenty of fun to be had with it, the bC16 is a great and versatile device that you can learn a lot from without costing yourself an arm and a leg. Read the full review...

Access Virus TI
Arguably the pinnacle of DSP-based digital synthesis at the moment. It could easily be written off as a Virus C with added supersaw, but the many improvements suggest revolution, not evolution! Want to know how the TI stacks up against previous generations of the Virus? Read the full review...

Serge Modular Systems
We've finally added the amazing Serge Modular Systems to our pages. In the American tradition of East Coast vs. West Coast, the Serge (along with Buchla) represent the West Coast style of modular synthesizer, a radically different type of synth compared to the East Coast style of the Moog and ARP synthesizers. The Serge has been around since 1975 and can still be bought brand new to this day, which is something few of its competitors from the early days can still claim. Read the full review...

Buchla 200e Series
Another West Coast contender, the Buchla has many similarities to the Serge including the fact that the 200e is also a full-blown modular synthesizer that is current, modern and can be bought brand new today from Buchla. Although the 200e is updated, it's still fairly similar to its classic predecessor from the 70's, the original 200 series, making it truly a surviving modern-day classic. Read the full review...

MacBeth Studio Systems M5
Ken MacBeth from Scotland has been building synths that bring true analog masterpieces of yesteryear to life today. Built with a design and synthesizer philosophy similar to that of the classic ARP 2600, the M5 is a 'semi-modular' style of synthesizer with entirely analog circuitry, upgraded features and components and incredible sound quality. These hand-crafted electronic instruments display the same quality of sound and workmanship as any fine hand-crafted acoustic instrument. Read the full review...
We've also added the original MacBeth M3X synthesizer.