Hello, I'm seeking a micro synth in the range of $200. I purchased a Monotron Delay and absolutely love it. For being so tiny, the thing is killer. Below is a list of what I've been considering...

IK Multimedia UNO
Korg Volca NuBass Vacuum Tube synth
Korg Volca Semi Modular
Korg FM synth

I'm also considering spending more for either the Behringer Neutron or the Teenage Engineering 400

But I'd mainly like some input on one within the $200 range and I'm 100% open to other suggestions.

I produce tech house which is more experimental such as "Booty House" - similar to the umbrella genre used to describe Dirtybird tracks. I'd like to be able to record/sample the analog sounds and use them in my productions.

 

If I wanted something really new and fun, I might get me an Arturia MicroFreak.
Somewhat above your price limit but it might be able to replace two other synths.

 

I have four volcas... pretty much useless (sample, bass, keys) but the volca beats is great n def worth a buy.

 

if you buy Behringer it was the right chose !
but if you trying just to pick up one of your'e list , i would take Korg Volca Semi Modular
plus in the feature you can connect it easy to some modular rack !

 

I second the Behringer: more $ but you won't have to upgrade it eventually like the other items on your list.

 

Thank you all for your replies, I'm leaning towards the Behringer as it appears to have a lot more to offer in terms of what I'm looking to do with analog synthesis. One last question, would you reccomend the Neutron over the Model D or would the Pro1 be worth waiting for?

 

I've actually seen several producers using a MicroFreak in their live sets. In contrast, what would be an advantage in choosing the MicroFreak over the Behringer models listed above? Upon comparing both descriptions, the keys and the lack of it being semi-modular seem the the most obvious feature which stand out with the Arturia additionally it's paraphonic...

Please forgive me as I understand I'm not comparing apples to apples here. I just want to ensure that it's practical and can meet my expectations.

Will I need to trigger the Neutron through a midi controller or an external source?

 

Definitely give the many video demos on youtube a listen! Only you know what sound you like best. No textual description of any synth tells you how it sounds. On paper, the Minimoog would be nothing compared to more sophisticated modern synths, but ya'know...

Sure. No MIDI (or Cv/Gate), no play.

 

Last edited: Oct 26, 2019

Behringer Model D. Hands down! Or wait and get the Crave!

 

if you're being strict about your budget then the behringer synths are over your 200$ limit apart from the crave (though it is not yet available). The other options you listed arent all that good to be honest and the volca fm isnt an analog synth in any way. By quite a considerable margin the best synth in the 200$ price range is the waldorf Rocket, its not strictly a fully analog synth as the oscillator is VA, everything else being analog but in terms of sound it thrashes the competition in that price range. Whilst technically a monosynth it can do 8 note paraphony , as well as that classic one fingered house/techno chords with ease, great bass sounds, lovely filter nad the option to process external audio.Really decent build quality for the price too ,especially compared to things like the volcas and the uno

 

This thing is super rad actually. My buddy has one but I have yet to try it out. I may have to demo it and see what I think

 

Ah the Crave is so rad, $200 isn't my cutoff. An additional $50 wouldn't kill me. I'm actually really digging the Crave, the Neutron and the MicroFreak. I know none of them are like comparing apples to apples... if I were to increase my budget to $500 or $600 is there an analog synth which would incorporate features from the three listed or would I be better off purchasing two individually?

I'm assuming the MicroFreak is truly in a league of it's own as I haven't really seen anything that's comparable in my research.

 

Now there's the last Behringer TD3,the full analog Roland TB-303 clone!With a built-in distortion!
It's limited in features but seems to sound great from what I've heard.

 

Or go with the Behringer K-2,this one is very nice with its patchable bay.It has much potential.I'll probably buy a Korg MS-20 mini soon.(same MS-20 clone,like the Behringer K-2)
Personnally I wouldn't go with the Arturia Microfreak.

 

I was in the same situation, a while back, I went for the Arturia Microfreak, after two hours, I realised what a mistake I made, the synth is goodish but very limiting and non logical in its design, but the editing software was very poor and eventually wiped out all the internal presets, even though I backed them up, it wouldnt allow me to load the backup file back in. So I returned it. Looking at the other mini synths, I narrowed it down to a Behringer model D or a Roland SE-02, I finally went for the Roland, even if its out of your price range, its worth it

 

It definitely is! Of course it will ask you to spend some time with it, given its complexity, but it's done quite well in my opinion.
The question is rather what kind of sounds are missing in your arsenal.
If you want an affordable synth than can do almost everything then I would still recommend a Waldorf blofeld.
But again, that one will ask for some time to spend with.

In my case, I was looking for a good complement to a Moog Sub 37 and the MicroFreak's physical models and simple FM oscillators are a great match that combines well with the Moog.

If you want a more basic analog synth first, both the Behringer Model D and Pro-1 are really great machines, just with different character. Give them a listen to find out which you prefer.
The K-2 is nice too but KORG's iPad version sounds better.

 

Hmmm, one ring to rule 'em all, even if it's a cheapo ?
The Behringer DeepMind 6 at 550$. While almost every other synth from this brand is a knockoff of classic gear, this one is an original 6 voices/12 osc (2 per voice) analog synth with an 8 channel modulation matrix.
A friend of mine got one recently and brought it to the studio. After a 3 hours session/comparison, i was stunned that a synth so capable and cool sounding can cost so little. My guess is Uli (Behringer) wants to bury the competition lol. The build quality is not at the standards of my beloved Prophet 6, but with the money a Prophet 6 costs, you can buy 3 of these and a DeepMind 12 as well. Highly recommended.
Cheers

 

I would actually the Behringer.

 

Forget the Volca's, just buy the Crave. I've had mine for a couple of weeks now and it's awesome. Then save up for some other Behringers/a decent polysynth further down the line.