For awhile now, Sonic State.com, has been working on complieing a list of the top 20 Hardware synths of all time. Once completed they plan to broadcast the list on their web site, for Sonic State members.

I don't think I could come up with 20, mainly becuse I have not been around synths that much. Also being one of the younger members of this board makes it hard for me too. However I have come up with a few that I would add to the list.

ARP 2600
ARP Odyssey
Moog Minimoog
Korg Polysix
Roland Juno-6, 60
Sequential Porphet 5
Oberheim OB-8
Yamaha CS-80
EMS VCS 3
Octave Electronics Cat
EML Electrocomp 101
EDP Wasp
OSCar
PAiA Gnome

This is all that I could come up with. I'm sure there maybe some that I have forgotten, but I did the best I could. I'm sure most of you can come up with some, that I missed.

I hadn't seen Sonic State's list. I should have known about it because Sonic State and Synth Zone are partner websites. I'm guessing Nick at Sonic State is putting it together. Nick and I get together every year at NAMM in Los Angeles.

OK I have a few additions to your list, while not all of them are analog synths they are very important to synthesizer history.

Yamaha DX7 ... probably one of the most successfully marketed synths in history. It was the first affordable digital synth.

Korg M1, one of the first romplers that enjoyed huge success following the DX7.

Roland SH101 has legendary status

Roland Jupiter 8 is the best analog synth Roland ever produced. A fantastic sound that was never surpassed.

Roland D50 was Roland's Yamaha DX7 killer and provided sounds for many hit records in the late 80s.

The Fairlight and Synclavier samplers were ground breaking ( and bank account breaking ) keyboards.

Ensoniq Mirage was the first keyboard sampler that regular humans could afford to buy.

These are just a few suggestions anyway.




[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 12-14-2006).]

Well, as far as I know, he/they were still complieling the list. Which is to be showcased on the next episode of Technomania. They are even allowing members, to pick there own top three to be considered. I chose the Minimoog, ARP 2600, and the Prophet 5.

I thought it was going to be analog only, or synths with knobs, but you maybe right, in that he would include the one's you listed.

I decided to vote for what I have...

1. Kurzweil 2600 S

2. Minimoog

3. Akai AX 60 (for what it could do in the mid-eighties very underrated)
I just listened to some compositions I made around 1985 with the akai which I didn't hear since long times and I am still amazed..

Fred