does it makes any sense and does it hold value for example getting an access virus or nord lead synth now when most plugins are advanced and specially the emulation software out there now.. these keyboards were popular in 2000 - 2009 and probably is but back then we didnt have such improved plugins like NOW

 

only if you have the room, power and air conditioning to support all those hardware units.

 

If you are only after the sound, it does not make much sense. If, however, you are after being able to perform or experiment, a real synth sure will be more rewarding than the VST version. I still have a Nord Rack 2, but I hardly ever use it anymore.

 

Don't see them as an investment.
Just ask yourself whether you would love to own them or not.
It definitely would not make sense to have them in some wharehouse.
They most likely will need some maintainance every now and then, I can't imagine you getting a real profit out of them.
But if they give you joy touching them, looking at them, playing them, go get them.
IMHO these are not gonna be the next Arp 2600 or classic moogs from the 70ies.
Because Virus and other DSP based synths can be emulated 100% in software. They ARE software.

 

If you perform regularly at venues, yes. If not, and you might, perhaps. If you have no intention of performing live then also, perhaps no.

 

There's also the wear and tear incurred with road use and the availability of parts and the like if/when something goes wrong with them. The road is never kind to gear even with the best cases you can get...

 

Thanks for reminding me that I need to throw my original 80's MS20 in the trash.

 

Exactly what is a synth? Is it analog? Is it digital? Is it a hybrid of the two? Is it only keyboard/rack/hardware or software too?

Also, is a sampler, or a ROMpler (CD-2000, EMU, Proteus, XV-5080, Integra-7) considered a synthesizer?

• Technically, "a synthesizer is an instrument that shapes sound (pitch, tone, amplitude, movement, and expression) by generating and shaping electrical or digital signals using controls like filters, envelopes, modulation, and layering."

Practically speaking, still today, we have analog keyboard synths, digital synths, hybrid synths, and workstations. Even so-called "stage" or performance digital pianos (Nord Stage, CP-88, V-Stage, etc), offer a great deal of sound shaping (at the source, or with FX).

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As long as there are professional keyboard players, and live venues, I'm inclined to think there will be synthesizers - in all the above shapes and forms (analog, digital, stage, and workstations) - and that it still "makes sense getting synths now."

I would go a step or two farther back:

- Rhodes (and its competitor, Vintage Vibes) are thriving - they can't keep up with demand. At one point, my Rhodes order was backlogged 8 months. Others waited longer than I to get theirs.

- Paolo Fazioli not only started a brand new piano manufacturing company from scratch in 1981, he innovated with modern technology, and his pianos are now the world's leading (or "best"), favored by an abundance of world famous pianists.

These are two keyboard instruments from a century ago, and three centuries ago, respectively - still going strong, despite their price tag, despite the digital hardware and software emulations competition.

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The underlying implication of the question here is that VSTis are as good or better than "synths" - and cheaper - so why bother.

The thing is, I can still play my childhood Rhodes MKI decades later. Some people (and studio owners) buy old Steinway from churches, or estates, and have it rebuilt (keeping the aged frame and character of the instrument), and many artists play such rebuilt (or well maintained) instruments on records that you hear (or stream) daily. No, it's not necessarily a Kontakt Library, or a Nord whatever.

Software deprecates, or is deprecated - by either the OS, or the company itself - and ten years from now, you won't have the same instrumentation that you do now. Maybe that's a good thing for you - your choice. I have instruments I bought in college that are still working (zero maintenance), and I played them all over the US, Europe, Africa and Asia. Zero maintenance, or updates or upgrades.

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There is also, besides practicality and longevity, the not so small matter of sonic quality.

Don't get me wrong: I love soft synths, since I discovered them in 1998 or 1999, and started using them in 2000. But when Dave Smith rebooted his company under the DSI name, I was among the first to buy a Tetr4. Fit nicely on the left side of my Roland, complemented the Nord Lead1 desktop that fit nicely on the right side.

I did a session for a pop/rock singer I was producing - I brought the Tetr4. I dialed in a synth bass sound, and started playing - everyone in the studio and control room stopped and turned around and looked at me: "What was that?!?" Seasoned musicians and engineers were floored by the analog sound. It had been a long time since they'd heard such life in a synth sound.

So there's that too.

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Ultimately, this question encompasses so many factors (age, space, means, needs, purpose and function, not to mention proficiency) as to be grossly irrelevant on a collective scale; it is relevant only on an individual and professional scale:

• 1) Can you afford to buy, store and wire up hardware "synths" in your music studio
• 2) Are you a professional film/TV/media/gaming composer
• 3) Are you a professional gigging or touring musician

A single, or multiple Yes to the above questions also yields a Yes to the question asked.

A single or multiple No to the above question yields a No to the question asked.

It's that simple.

 

There is also a third option:
Sampled synths and sounds.

A lot of famous EDM tracks were made with just samples taken from old vinyls, recordings or sample packs. So you don't have to spend all that money in expensive hardware.

 

Last edited: Apr 16, 2026 at 2:45 AM

Nice post - The upkeep on an original analog synth is the only real downside for anyone that truly wants one I believe. Not because it requires maintenance (most things do), but the availability of original parts. Finding a great electronics engineer with access to every schematic is almost mandatory if anyone wants to get an original and then use it for a long time.

 

For me, yes.
I just wish Behringer would make good on a couple of their vaporsynths.

 

Last edited: Apr 16, 2026 at 3:40 AM

i knew this was a kate middleton post

 

I have like 8 external synths (modules) ranging from the 1980 (SQ Prophet 5) to Roland 1994 (JV1080).

I’ve had loads of fun with these over the years for sure!

Would I buy these today? With the current quality of plugins?

Hell no, never again!

I will and would never buy any hardware synths again. Unless I would need them on stage.

For recording/studio there is no way I would buy hardware synths anymore!

Plugins have become so good that imo hardware synths for studio/recording have become totally obsolete.

IMO the people that think they still need it are youngsters with a ‘retro’ fetish or oldsters that can’t work without them.

 

maybe you need some top tier clocking/conversion and a preamp, after that it is no contest

 

YES. Huge difference between tonal quality & method of working with software than hardware.

Released an old track recently that was originally done with Massive Sylenth etc, some of those 'special sounding sounds were crucial, but thin and lifeless, so i just beefed them up with SE02 and other Roland boutique synths.

I dont use any vsts now, only plugins mooger foogers roland delays etc.

For me, a finger on a envelope or filter etc is preferable than a hand on a mouse, I also go thru 12 Boss pedals, the vsts would be great, but not as inspiring or immediate as the real thing.

Both methods of working produces hits so nothing to be concerned with, it can be inspiring to be spoilt for choice or ways to intergrate both.

 

it's more about personal preference than any big, noticeable objective sound difference. Yes, there will always be a difference, but that doesn't mean it will be perceivable (try a good old double blind test if you dare ) or even preferable.

 

No VSTi can compete with an analog synth.
Some do get close, like the softube ones

 

Well, VST technology was still in the nappies. Remember that VST started in 1996 and VST v.2 was only released in 1999...
But today, we have very powerful software like u-he Diva, d16 group's Lush (emulating Roland SH-101), the emulators from The Usual Suspects (all of them) or ARP 2600 emulation by WayOutWare (approved by its creator).

If you love the original synth, you're going to use it and you have room for them, go for it and buy them. Otherwise, go VST.

 

Hi @Kate Middleton, please consider that many readers here simply don't have the money for luxuries.
We're also facing a major energy crisis; oil and gas are scarce, driving up energy, fuel, and food prices.

Consider the raw materials that have to be extracted from the earth, and the tanker that travels halfway around the world to bring you a new toy. Please be mindful of our planet's resources.

Software synthesizers don't consume raw materials, are more portable, require less maintenance, and are much cheaper—some are cracked, some are even free. They don't take up any space, and power outlets are usually already full.

If you love the tactile experience of holding something and want a new piece of furniture, a hardware synthesizer is a nice purchase, provided you have the money. If you perform live, you'll need a reliable instrument.

Spoiler: Hardware synthesizer and software synthesizer sound differences.

Hardware synthesizer and software synthesizer sound differences.

Sound Quality
Hardware synthesizers: They often offer higher sound quality, especially with analog models. The sound is described as warmer, livelier, and more dynamic. Analog hardware generates sounds through physical electronic circuits, resulting in a more complex and expressive sound. These sounds often cut through better in the mix.

Software synthesizers: The sound quality depends on the processing power of the computer and the digital audio workstation (DAW) used. Modern software synths can imitate hardware very well, but some musicians find the sound a bit flatter or less authentic. Nevertheless, they are flexible and often offer a wide range of effects and modulation options.

Audible Differences
Hardware synthesizers often produce a more powerful bass and clearer highs (sub- and crispness ranges).
These characteristics can be subtle in the mix but noticeable to trained ears.

In blind tests, the differences between high-quality software synths and their hardware counterparts are often barely audible, especially in digital emulations of analogue synths