Best Synths of 2023: UDO, Roland, Behringer and More!
Here are the best synthesizers of the year.
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Our pick of the best synths of 2023 is here! Taking in offerings from Roland, Behringer, UDO and more, is your favourite synth of the year here? Read on to find out…
Best Synths of 2023
What a glorious year 2023 was. I’m not talking economically, geopolitically or environmentally – no, that was the usual dumpster fire – but for synthesizers, it was something else. With fabulous releases from UDO, Groove Synthesis, Roland, Expressive and Behringer, we really are living through a new golden age of synthesizers.
To make it onto this list of the best synths of 2023, a synthesizer had to have that wow factor. It had to impress with sound quality, or features, or price – sometimes all three! And, with entries from all price points, there’s sure to be something here that fits your studio budget.
Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave
Inspired by Wolfgang Palm’s PPG Wave synths from the 1980s, 3rd Wave (the clue is in the name) is a modern wavetable powerhouse. Made by new company Groove Synthesis, it combines the best of the original German synths with modern amenities and functionality – and sounds incredible to boot. It’s also available in two formats, keyboard and desktop.
The 24-voice, four-part multitimbral hybrid instrument combines three digital oscillators per voice, each capable of running modelled analogue waveforms or, crucially, wavetables. These take the form of the original PPG2 tables, a set of new ones, and most recently the 96 single-cycle waveforms from the Prophet VS. Add to this a Dave Rossum-designed analogue filter plus state variable SEM-style filter, four envelopes and LFOs, digital effects, a sequencer and arpeggiator, and much more, and you’ve got a world-class instrument on your hands. It’s even MPE-compatible now, making it one of the best synths of 2023.
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More InformationUDO Audio Super Gemini
Another hybrid synthesizer from a relative newcomer that really impressed us in 2023 was the Super Gemini from UDO Audio. The follow-on from the company’s head-turning Super 6, the Super Gemini is essentially two Super 6s in one, making for not only double the fun but double the gorgeousness.
Like the classic Yamaha CS-80, the Super Gemini gives you control over two identical synthesizer lines, with two sets of controls stacked across the front panel. This means 20 voices of polyphony, four pristine digital oscillators, two analogue filter sections, four envelopes, two LFOs, dual delay and chorus, and more. Incredibly sumptuous and almost certainly a little decadent, this has all the hallmarks of a modern classic.
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More InformationRoland Aira Compact S-1 Tweak Synth
I don’t think anyone thought they needed yet another SH-101 model – and a tiny one at that – and yet Roland has managed to make the S-1 one of the best synths of 2023. Known as Aira Compact S-1 Tweak Synth to its mum, this pint-sized digital synth packs great ACB sound into a small form factor, and throws in some surprises along the way.
A four-voice digital synth with a 64-step sequencer, it does 101-style sounds with aplomb. However, the unique oscillator Chop and Draw modes push it beyond bread-and-butter acid sounds into something pretty special. With its compact size and built-in lithium-ion battery, it makes a handy live performance box too. And that price? Go on then.
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More InformationExpressive E Osmose
Few synths in recent years have shaken things up as much as Expressive E’s Osmose. More than just riding the MPE wave, the Osmose is practically generating them.
At its heart is a multidimensional keyboard, one that allows for deeply expressive and nuanced playing. You can use it as an MPE controller (or even a traditional MIDI controller) but it really comes alive when you access the internal sound engine. Powered by the Haken Audio EaganMatrix, it can do physical modelling, FM, subtractive and additive synthesis, and more. It’s also attractively priced for what it can do. One of the best synths of 2023? You know it.
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More InformationBehringer Pro-800
Sequential Circuits’ Prophet-600 may not get as much love as its big brother, the Prophet-5, but it has many admirers. This includes yours truly, who used to have a 600 in his arsenal in the 1990s. Now it’s back and I couldn’t be happier.
Behringer’s version, the Pro-800, updates the classic synth for the surface mount 21st century. The company have improved the (sluggish) envelopes and upped the voice count to eight, making it a very capable analogue instrument. While some may bemoan the lack of keys, putting it into the company’s usual desktop (and Eurorack-ready) format keeps the cost down. Speaking of, the price for the Pro-800 really is incredible, especially when you compare it to other eight-voice polys.
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More InformationRunners Up
With so many stellar releases this year, it was hard to pick just five of the best synths of 2023. Here are the others that I was considering for this story.
More Information
- All about synthesizers
- Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave: Groove Synthesis
- UDO Audio Super Gemini: UDO
- Roland AIRA S-1 Tweak Synth : Marcus Schmahl
- Expressive E Osmose: Expressive E
- Behringer Pro-800: Behringer
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