Hardware Synths?

Korg Kronos

Why buy a hardware synth?

This is the golden age for software synths.  There are thousands of choices that sound terrific at a fraction of the cost of a hardware synth.  So why would a person even choose a hardware model?  The biggest reason may be found in their simplicity and reliability for live performance, but there are also other more subtle advantages.

Analog obsession

• Some people are purists.  While software synths may be capable of duplicating or even improving on virtually any analog synth sound patch, some people can be obsessive about authenticity.
• Real instruments provide tangible evidence of where your money has gone.
• Some people love real faders, dials, buttons, and knobs.
• Hardware synths are free from concerns about future incompatibility issues.
• Hardware synths carry better resale value than software synths when it’s time to upgrade.
• Hardware encourages deeper learning.
• Software synths are less reliable on stage.
• Hardware synths are ready to go within seconds of powering up.  This is great for those moments of inspiration in the home music studio that might quickly disappear if you have to wait for a PC to boot and load up your software.
• Convenience becomes an issue for some DAW’s that may not allow you to open multiple instances of an instrument or effects patch.

Some people want the best of both worlds.  The ability to combine software and hardware has greatly increased with recent advances in computing power.  Multi I/O audio interfaces are now affordable for the average musician, and many DAW’s now make it easy to merge hardware instruments or processing into the master mix.

Please visit my reviews page if you are in the market for a hardware synth.

The hardware synth reviews at this site are based upon user surveys I have located on the Internet.  Only the top pick favorites are listed here for review.  For starters, I have posted articles on the Access Virus TI and the new Korg Kronos which you can read at my reviews page.

But, if you feel like shopping right now, you may use the following link to view some of the best offerings on the market at the Amazon website.

Synthesizers