Synthwave: Gear for Futuristic Retro Sounds in 2025 – Perfect Match
Everything Fits Together - Inspiration for Your Next Purchase
5,0 / 5,0 | 
Today, we’re exploring the musical genre often referred to as ‘synthwave’, which is also known as retrowave, futuresynth, retro electro, cyberpunk, outrun, chillwave and vaporwave, to name a few. We apologise in advance for being a little rough here, but to make up for it, we’ll show you three current devices that, in our opinion, produce the perfect sound for this type of music. They’re a perfect match for futuristic retro sounds with a 1980s flavour!
Synthwave – Perfect Match
Modern Gear for Synthwave
Here, we use the collective term ‘synthwave‘ to refer to electronic music that draws on the aesthetics of 1980s film soundtracks or video games.
The scores of cult science fiction films, action blockbusters and horror movies primarily inspire synthwave music. Fans immediately think of composers such as John Carpenter, John Harrison, Giorgio Moroder, Brad Fiedel, Tangerine Dream, Harold Faltermeyer, Jan Hammer and Vangelis.
Of course, there were also pop bands in the 1980s that were famous and worked extensively with synthesizers. Eurythmics, for example, had a smash hit with “Sweet Dreams.” Other notable bands include The Human League, with songs like “Don’t You Want Me” and “Being Boiled,” and the Pet Shop Boys, with the unforgettable “West End Girls.” OMD, Japan, Ultravox, and even Duran Duran are often cited as further influences – as long as a band used a synthesizer, they seemed to qualify.
Synthwave naturally transforms this into a modern update with diverse facets. As is the case today, none of the artists known for this style want to be labeled as such.
The sound and choice of production tools are just as diverse as the style and its various subgenres. However, a few commonalities exist, such as vintage synthesizers and electronic drums playing a major role. Many synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines are suitable for synthwave, so the selected products should be seen as examples of this perfect match.
Behringer LM Drum: Sometimes, Digital is Just Better
For several years, Behringer has been recreating classic synthesizers and drum machines. In this sense, Behringer is the perfect supplier of sound generators. You can take your time to check out Behringer’s synthesizers, especially the replicas of the famous classics, which are almost all suitable for synthwave-style sounds.
However, we would like to start with the drum sound and highlight the LM Drum. This drum machine stands out from the many other current models on the market.
While many drum computers today are tailored to typical analog “TR sounds,” i.e., 909, 808, or 606, Behringer’s device takes on the LinnDrum.
The LinnDrum is known for its digital sound. The drums are based on samples from a real drum kit, giving them their own unique sound. You can further express this by changing the tuning, as Prince did, and lowering the pitch of the snare, for example.
Adding a lot of reverb to the drums creates a characteristic sound, which is particularly effective on the snare. A good method for this is “gated reverb,” in which the reverb (a plugin such as Valhalla Vintage Verb is ideal for this) is followed by a noise gate, which abruptly cuts off the reverb tail. Below, you will find a video that explains this technique.
Returning to LM Drum, it offers several options for manipulating the sound. In addition to tuning controls for the snare, toms, congas, and hi-hat decay, you can use the Wave Designer to adjust attack and decay behavior. The assignable analog filter is also great for beautiful tone coloring and warm punch. 109 drum sounds are included, but you can also sample your own sounds. There is a sampling engine with 8-bit and 12-bit converters, as well as 16-bit converters with variable sampling rates. Awesome!
There’s a lot to say about the LM Drum. You can find more information about this drum machine in our review. You can order the Behringer LM Drum here at Thomann*.
When it comes to flexible devices for digital drum sounds in the style of the 1980s, there aren’t many hardware alternatives available. Of course, you can search for used drum machines or sample packs. It’s also possible that your DAW comes with suitable sounds.
Roland JU-06A: A Synthesizer That Captures the Sound of Analog Classics
As we mentioned earlier, many synthesizers are suitable for synthwave – after all, that’s where the name comes from! So, don’t be upset if your favorite isn’t among the two synthesizers we’re about to introduce.
However, we think the Roland JU-06A is the perfect choice. Based on the classic Juno-60 and Juno-106, the JU-06A delivers impressive sound and features a beautifully compact form factor.
One major advantage over the originals is that you don’t have to maintain or cherish this synthesizer. Anyone who has ever had to repair vintage instruments knows what we’re talking about.
This four-voice polyphonic synthesizer is suitable for many tasks thanks to its step sequencer, arpeggiator, and chord memory function. It can produce cool basslines, driving sequences, warm pads, and, of course, lots of chords. The synth engine is not very complex, just like the originals, and easy to understand, yet the JU-06A delivers a huge sweet spot for the exact synthwave sounds you need.
Juno loves chorus – true to this motto, it has a chorus and a delay effect. Another cool feature is its built-in audio interface, and you can run the small synthesizer on batteries.
Are there any alternatives? You bet! Roland offers a really cool alternative: the Juno-X*. It goes one step further in almost every respect, but it might be too much for you.
Furthermore, hardly any other synthesizer has been turned into plugins as often as the Juno series. Special attention should be paid to the TAL-U-No-LX, which you can get here at Plugin Boutique* as a plugin for your DAW and which is even available for the iPad. The U-NO-60 plugin is still available for free, but it only runs on older systems and is no longer being maintained. You can purchase the Roland JU-06A here at Thomann*.
The Yamaha DX7 is Known for its Timeless FM Sound
Let’s review what we’ve covered so far. You want to produce synthwave music. You already have a digital audio workstation (DAW), an audio interface, and a pair of studio monitors. You have your eye on the Behringer LM Drum as your drum machine and are taking a closer look at the Roland JU-06A for vintage analog sounds. But what else might be a good fit? We recommend the Yamaha DX7.
This FM synthesizer undoubtedly shaped the music of the 1980s. It provides a wide range of sounds to give your tracks that extra something. Of course, this gem is only available secondhand, and the programming is a nightmare. However, the Yamaha DX7 is symbolic of a variety of equipment and software that delivers this sound.
That’s why we’re giving you not just one tip but a whole bunch of modern alternatives. They all deliver a comparable sound and can process the original DX7 presets. These versions are also much easier to use, which is a huge bonus. You can choose whether you want hardware or a plugin!
Our first recommendation is the KORG opsix MKII, which is available with keys or in rack format from Thomann*. The FM synthesizer is available as a plugin from Plugin Boutique*. A smaller, more limited version is the KORG Volca FM2. True enthusiasts will want the Dtronics DT-DX Minidexed, which packs eight DX7s into one small box.
In the plugin sector, Arturia DX7 V* is considered a good option, but the free Dexed is also excellent – the plugin is great for creating DX patches that you can then use on various hardware and, of course, the original. This is just a small excerpt; you can find more about FM synths in this article.
Conclusion: This Trio is the Perfect Match for Synthwave
Synthwave is a broad term for electronic music drawing on the sound aesthetics of 1980s music, films, and video games. There are many related genres and a wide variety of equipment suitable for producing this music.
The Behringer LM Drum delivers drum sounds that are, in our opinion, very well suited to this style of music. This digital character stands out from the analog sounds of the 909, 808, and 606. This is complemented by a flexible synthesizer, such as the Roland JU-06A, based on the analog classics Juno-60 and Juno-106, which delivers a wide variety of vintage sounds. An FM synthesizer in the style of the DX7 expands the sound spectrum of this combo. The KORG opsix delivers versatile FM sound in a modern package and offers many fun-to-use features. Together, they are a perfect match!
More Information
More videos about Synthwave
*Note: This article about Synthwave contains affiliate links that help us to develop our website. The purchase price and final price always remain the same! If you buy something through these links, we receive a small ‘donation’ and thank you for your support!
This might also interest you
