Best Digital Synthesizers 2023

With its earliest blueprints taking shape at various points throughout the 1970s, digital synthesis really hit the consumer market in the early 1980s with an authoritative presence that fueled new sounds and a new era of music. From pop to new wave, soundtracking, and beyond, everyone wanted a piece of the digital pie. This new age engineering of digital signal processing (DSP) allowed musicians and synth-focused groups some seriously boundary-breaking sonic options behind their keybeds — far beyond the potential of their warm and wavy analog predecessors. It’s safe to say that the modern capabilities of digital synthesizers today have certainly come a long way since their initial pilgrimage some 40 years ago, so Sweetwater is highlighting some of the finest examples! We’ve rounded up our top picks for the best digital synthesizers available right now, priced to fit any eager synth head’s budget.

Note: At Sweetwater, we know there's no such thing as 'best' when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater's massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!

Best Digital Synthesizers Under $500Korg Electribe1010music Nanobox Lemondrop Granular & Fireball Wavetable Synthesizer ModulesRoland JD-08 Boutique Series JD-800 Sound ModuleModal Electronics COBALT5S 5-voice Extended Virtual Analog SynthesizerElektron Model:Cycles 6-track FM Based GrooveboxBest Digital Synthesizers Under $1,000Arturia MiniFreak 37-key Hybrid SynthesizerElektron Digitone 8-voice Digital Synth with SequencerRoland MC-707 8-track GrooveboxKorg Wavestate Wave Sequencing SynthesizerModal Electronics Argon8 37-key 8-voice Polyphonic Wavetable SynthesizerBest Digital Synthesizers Under $2,000Studiologic Sledge 2.0 Black Virtual Analog SynthesizerRoland AX-Edge 49-key Keytar SynthesizerAkai Professional MPC Key 61 Standalone Sampler and SequencerASM Hydrasynth Deluxe 73-key 16-voice Polyphonic Wave Morphing SynthesizerNord Lead A1 Analog Modeling SynthesizerBest Digital Synthesizers $2,000 and MoreRoland JUNO-X 61-key SynthesizerNord Wave 2 Wavetable and FM SynthesizerAccess Virus TI2 Keyboard 61-key SynthesizerSequential Prophet X 61-key SynthesizerWaldorf Iridium Keyboard 49-key Synthesizer

Best Digital Synthesizers Under $500

Korg Electribe

Great for grooves on the go

Synth sounds and beats on a budget? Enter the Korg Electribe! You don’t have to run a complex control panel to achieve satisfyingly intricate rhythms, thanks to the 250 available patterns aboard the Electribe. Work with more than 400 sounds and a 16-part sequencer to create and save beats, recall when you need them, and then devise spicy synth lines overtop. A total of 16 velocity-sensitive pads awaits your every assignment of one-shots and percussive effects. Customize further with 38 effects types to achieve a custom sound design and then sculpt it with different filter models. A sync port lets you sync the Electribe with other Korg instruments, too, allowing for the chaining of rhythms and sounds to construct unprecedented sonic paths with ease. Plug in for power or use batteries to take the Electribe on the go for mobile synthesis when you need it!

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1010music Nanobox Lemondrop Granular & Fireball Wavetable Synthesizer Modules

1010music Nanobox Lemondrop Granular & Fireball Wavetable Synthesizer Modules

Mini modules with unbounded potential

Synth minions, assemble! The Nanobox Series from 1010music delivers some extraordinarily small footprint synthesis that will easily integrate into your existing synth and controller setup. The 1010music Nanobox Lemondrop takes the granular synthesis route, supplying four voices to deliver complex lead and bass lines with surprising punch for its size. The 1010music Nanobox Fireball widens things out a bit, offering 8-voice polyphony with a mouthwatering library of lush sounds. Nanoboxes are designed for flawless operation, allowing you to easily and clearly manipulate your sounds via touchscreen X/Y controls. Both Nanoboxes come with a pair of filters, envelopes, and LFOs, as well as a single modulation sequencer and a handful of effects. Choose from one of the hundreds of presets and WAV files or load in your own to start crafting the complex lines and lush soundscapes you’ve been craving!

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Roland JD-08 Boutique Series JD-800 Sound Module

New life for the original JD-800

The original Roland JD-800 has been heard in the hands of performers and sound engineers alike — such as Rick Wakeman and Tom Lord Alge — for the last 30-odd years. Now, the very soul of the coveted 1990s instrument is alive and well in the Roland JD-08 Boutique Series JD-800 sound module. It includes all 108 original waveforms and 64 factory patches in addition to 21 new patches with up to four layers of sound to satisfy the itch for all those ’90s synth presets! Bass lines, leads, and pads are all ready for customization with seven onboard effects, along with triangle, square, saw, random, and noise waveform selections. Need to sequence? This beauty’s got a huge 64-step sequencer with enough space to store 128 of your personalized patterns! From hip-hop to space pop, the JD-08 is ready to handle it all.

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Modal Electronics COBALT5S 5-voice Extended Virtual Analog Synthesizer

Jam-packed with Virtual Analog Synthesis

The Modal Electronics COBALT5S 5-voice extended virtual analog synthesizer compresses the mastery of the COBALT8 into a digestible 37-key package. Using up to eight oscillators per voice (40 simultaneously), the COBALT5S unveils an exceptional foundation, delivering a myriad of waveforms spanning from classic shapes to 40 more complex algorithms. Work in mono, poly, unison, and stack modes, and start building inspiring patches with 300 user preset slots in addition to the 200 factory presets. A 512-step sequencer, 32-step arpeggiator, and onboard X/Y/Z modulator pad — there’s so much to work with! And once you venture into the MODALapp sound editor, you can remotely control the COBALT5S’s parameters and save your synth settings and DAW files. That’s great news for smartphone- and tablet-savvy synth players because the COBALT5S is class compliant with MIDI over USB for effortless connection wherever you may be.

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Elektron Model:Cycles 6-track FM Based Groovebox

Get rhythmic with your FM synthesis

Ever wanted to design beats using FM synthesis? With the Elektron Model:Cycles 6-track FM based groovebox, you can do just that and so much more! Housing six internal FM-based engines, the Model:Cycles features rhythmic and melodic synth sonics with a quartet of machine controls that lets you sculpt and compose hypnotically rhythmic lines to your heart’s content. Create up to 96 patterns per project and assign a single LFO per track to fill 96 onboard spaces, mixing and matching melodic waves with 64-step sequences, delay, reverb, and more. You can store an enormous 60,000 presets aboard the Model:Cycles, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll never run short on inspiration. The Model:Cycles is essentially the synth-based equivalent to Elektron’s sample-based version — the Model:Samples 6-track groovebox — and makes the perfect complement to your existing Elektron setup!

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Best Digital Synthesizers Under $1,000

Arturia MiniFreak 37-key Hybrid Synthesizer

Explorative hybrid synth with included VST

With 6-voice polyphony, dual engines, and 22 oscillator modes, the Arturia MiniFreak 37-key hybrid synthesizer is a masterpiece that earns its spot on our list of best digital synthesizers! From standard ADSR controls to its powerful texturizing effects suite, the MiniFreak comes highly optioned for adding effects to its 256 presets. Get experimental with your synthesis and wrangle the chaos with an impressive 7 x 13 modulation matrix. Intuitively designed for seamless management during studio sessions, the included MiniFreak V VST allows you to integrate the synth into your DAW flawlessly, establishing a virtual duplicate of the hardware piece. Build and save your virtual designs to your computer and load them onto the physical MiniFreak to take your sculpted sounds to every show and jam session!

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Elektron Digitone 8-voice Digital Synth with Sequencer

Impressively powerful sequencing and more

The Elektron Digitone 8-voice digital synth with sequencer is a powerful synth that both seasoned vets and curious beginners will take a liking to. The Digitone supplies four synth tracks for you to work with, each housing a 4-operator FM synth engine with eight algorithms engineered for stunning versatility. For example, the Digitone lets you lock different synth sounds and parameter values into every step of its revered polyphonic sequencer, delivering an astounding degree of sonic potential compared to other 8-voice and FM synthesizers. You can make microtiming adjustments to add a bit of lag and humanized characteristics to your final product. Once satisfied, you can upload your Digitone-designed sounds and sequences to your DAW with Elektron Overbridge and make adjustments with the graphic interface plug-in.

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Roland MC-707 8-track Groovebox

Sequencing, sampling, and beat building — all in one!

Turn your sequencing, looping, and performing up a notch with the Roland MC-707 8-track groovebox, and get ready for melodic beat building and an in-depth show like you’ve never experienced before! Aboard this beast are 3,000 ZEN-Core sounds and 80 drum kits to choose from, with mic/line-level audio inputs for recording your samples and loops to start building a solid foundation. Things heat up using eight available tracks for sequencing and playback, with 16 expression pads awaiting your every beat, bass line, and melodic assignment. There are also 90 different track and mastering effects onboard to shape the vibe of every groove. It’s sequencing, sampling, and beat building — all in one! And with looping that supports both time stretching and pitch shifting, you’ll have the utmost command of the MC-707 everywhere you perform, from low-key parties to live events.

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Korg Wavestate Wave Sequencing Synthesizer

Not your father’s Wavestation synth!

The original Korg Wavestation was a huge success, finding its way into music tracks by Phil Collins, Gary Numan, Michael Jackson, and more. But the Korg Wavestate wave sequencing synthesizer takes the original blueprint and expands on it, enabling even more creative potential than before. It packs in Wave Sequencing 2.0 technology that’s capable of delivering four sound layers with 64 notes of polyphony and an arpeggiator each. Push it to the limit with 14 simultaneous effects and experience a satisfying hands-on approach to sequencing with “Lane” manipulation that covers pitch, sample duration, and much more. A 2GB sound library, which stocks tons of samples and presets from Korg’s KRONOS and KROME devices, measures over 1,000 times the preset size of the OG Wavestation! There is a custom PlugIn Guru sound bank with samples as well. And with 37 full-size keys, the Wavestate bridges performance playability and compact comfort incredibly well!

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Modal Electronics Argon8 37-key 8-voice Polyphonic Wavetable Synthesizer

Intermediately priced and professionally equipped

For pro-grade wavetable synthesis at a price within reach for most players, experts at Sweetwater recommend checking out the Modal Electronics Argon8 37-key 8-voice polyphonic wavetable synthesizer. This synth starts with a bang, offering eight voices, 32 oscillators, and 120 wavetables that await a sea of morphing parameters with options of poly, mono, unison, and stacked operation. In addition to a healthy dose of processing effects and a world-class detuning system, the Argon8 can easily be expanded upon or integrated into your existing synth chain, thanks to an 8-slot mod matrix. The Argon8 feels great beneath the fingertips, providing 37 semi-weighted and full-size keys that feature both velocity and aftertouch. With its professional steel and aluminum chassis, this digital synth is ready to take any stage that you are, too!

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Best Digital Synthesizers Under $2,000

Studiologic Sledge 2.0 Black Virtual Analog Synthesizer

Expanded sledge that’s set for the stage

Backing every jam adjustment and on-the-fly assignment you throw its way is the Studiologic Sledge 2.0 Black virtual analog synthesizer. Loaded with pro-performance features such as dual auto mode, you can assign keyboard splits and complex layers when the moment calls. That means you can keep building and building — imagine the energy of your audiences! Then, factor in its 24-note extended polyphony compared to the 16-note original Sledge, and the potential for constructing massive sounds grows further. Sledge 2.0 also has ample space for your samples (60MB of internal flash memory, to be exact), which can be edited and quickly mapped onboard or through the Sledge Spectre graphic software editor. You’ll also get 10 octaves of arpeggiation, reverb and delay effects, and 66 digital wavetables, thanks to Waldorf’s immaculate modeling and filter technology. Topped with a Fatar TP-9 keybed, this synth is built to perform!

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Roland AX-Edge 49-key Keytar Synthesizer

Truly top-of-the-line keytar

From Thomas Dolby to Herbie Hancock to Lady Gaga and beyond, the keytar has been a secret stage weapon for musicians since it became popular in the early 1980s. And now, the Roland AX-Edge 49-key keytar synthesizer furthers the keytar’s legacy in premium fashion. And when we say premium, we mean it: more than 500 onboard presets, 256-note polyphony, and 79 types of part and program multi-effects each. This is one highly optioned keytar! There’s a ribbon controller and modulation bar for bringing out the utmost expression in every performance. Want to change things up a bit? A second Edge Blade accent is included with the AX-Edge, allowing you to change your vibe for each show. What other instrument lets you change color nightly? The AX-Edge’s optional battery power will also last up to five hours onstage, so you can rest easy knowing it’s up for any task.

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Akai Professional MPC Key 61 Standalone Sampler and Sequencer

Start composing right out of the box

No computer? No problem! We’ve got a standalone music production center ready for you in the Akai Professional MPC Key 61 sampler and sequencer. Initially a trailblazing production tool of the 1980s, the all-in-one Akai MPC is now a revered and highly utilized piece of gear by pop and hip-hop artists. Its latest evolution features a large, 61-key foundation with 16 pressure-sensitive RGB-backlit pads and is highlighted by an adjustable 8-1/2-inch x 5-1/2-inch central LED touchscreen. You can sample, sequence, and construct with up to eight hardware tracks and another 128 tracks each for MIDI and software integration. Essentially, the MPC is ready to function as a standalone creation station, a DAW controller, a classic synth, or a command center for nearly any other application you require. It also includes Ableton Link and Bluetooth 4.0 support for flawless connection with your external devices.

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ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe 73-key 16-voice Polyphonic Wave Morphing Synthesizer

Two 8-voice Hydrasynths in one

We’re seeing double here at Sweetwater with the ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe 73-key 16-voice polyphonic wave morphing synthesizer. Packing in the power of two, 8-voice Hydrasynths, this monster is equipped with a trio of WaveScan oscillators that provide 219 waveforms to deliver bending, twisting, and morphing like never before. Want to divide and conquer? Split mode apportions the Hydrasynth Deluxe into two, 8-voice synths for in-depth layering and key-zone splitting. With 73 keys at your disposal and customizable Polytouch key response, the feel of your Hydrasynth Deluxe is unique to you and nothing short of incredible. That makes for a great onstage companion and a knockout control center for the studio. Working with five LFOs with 11 total waveshapes, five ADSR envelope generators, and a myriad of effects, the only limit is your imagination!

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Nord Lead A1 Analog Modeling Synthesizer

Performance dependability on any stage

Nord synths and keyboards are among the most trusted and dependable stage instruments in the industry, and the Nord Lead A1 analog modeling synthesizer is a prime example of their popularity. They’re engineered for the spotlight! The Lead A1’s tour-tested construction and intuitive interface allow seamless usage under stage lights. And weighing in at just over 10 pounds, it’s ready to travel! The sound is equally as stageworthy, as its 4-part multitimbral layout is designed for professional-grade analog modeling that’ll deliver some of the largest and most snarling lead and bass sounds you’ve heard — in addition to blissfully lush pads, pianos, and more. Master clock syncing allows you to keep your arpeggiator, LFO, and delay all synced in time. Various filters, effects, and analog/digital waveforms make the Lead A1 one of the most versatile keyboards for the price tag!

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Best Digital Synthesizers $2,000 and More

Roland JUNO-X 61-key Synthesizer

A culmination of the JUNO’s long history

JUNO synths need very little introduction, as their longtime position in the ranks of synth royalty has remained steadfast and undisputed for decades. And with the Roland JUNO-X 61-key synthesizer, it’s safe to say that with its more than 4,000 presets, which span the lifetime of the JUNO name, there’s more than enough inspiration and era-accurate sampling on hand to churn out some sweet synth tracks. The JUNO-X houses acclaimed ZEN-Core synthesis that displays some exciting traits, such as a new Super Saw oscillator, Chorus III, Model Expansions, and much more. Choose between the classic Roland arpeggiator or the new I-Arpeggio, designed for seamless usage with your DAW. And speaking of your DAW, you can sculpt your sounds even further to match your unique voice with the included JUNO-X Editor software! The JUNO-X is engineered and dressed to exhibit the very best of what the JUNO line has given to the synth world.

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Nord Wave 2 Wavetable and FM Synthesizer

4-way synthesis with unbounded editing controls

The Swedes outdid themselves on this one! Compared to its smaller cousin, the Lead A1, the Nord Wave 2 wavetable and FM synthesizer enables virtual analog, sample, FM, and wavetable synthesis in a much larger and versatile package while still delivering that same superior performance dependability that Nord is known for. This 4-part digital synth has five filter types and enormous 48-voice polyphony that’s super responsive and favors complex layering. Sample-based synthesis unleashes the capacity of the Nord Sample Library 3.0, delivering outstanding presets that go beyond traditional waveform manipulation, including orchestral and percussion sounds. Pack some power into your patches in the amp section with features like transient attack mode. Morphing parameters, like LFO amount, oscillator control, filter, and effects from four separate sources, will transform everything you know about sound shaping. And don’t forget the ultra-cool polyphonic arpeggiator mode for custom patterning!

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Access Virus TI2 Keyboard 61-key Synthesizer

Faster, more effects, and travel-friendly

If you’ve seen, heard, or played the Virus TI, then we can guarantee you’ll love the next-gen Access Virus TI2 keyboard 61-key synthesizer even more! The Virus TI2 houses 25% more calculating power than its predecessor, an expanded effects section, and a construction that’s optimized for gigging and lightweight, simplified travel. The new triple oscillator setup comes loaded with unique sound design tools, like frequency shifter, tape delay, distortions, and diverse character selections. A pair of fully independent filters enables an optional saturation module, which is perfect for establishing distorted and lo-fi effects to your final product — but that’s just the beginning of all this synth has to offer! And don’t worry — the Virus TI2’s redesigned enclosure is still just as protective as before, now constructed from aluminum with handsome wood side panels for weight relief and portability between your gigs.

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Sequential Prophet X 61-key Synthesizer

The power legacy of the Prophet

Devised by Dave Smith, the mastermind behind Sequential’s legendary 1978 Prophet 5 synthesizer, the Sequential Prophet X 61-key synthesizer boasts extraordinary processing power that gracefully carries the company’s legacy further into the history books. The Prophet X is engineered as a bi-timbral, 8-voice stereo — 16-voice mono — operating machine that bridges hi-fi stereo sampling and unrivaled professional synthesis. There are 150GB of samples aboard this behemoth, scratching every digitally synthesized itch from cinematic scoring to ambient dreamscapes — all ready for instant manipulation however you see fit. Pair that with a classically powerful Prophet X synth engine with expanded timbral versatility; there’s no telling where your creativity will take you. Even arrange 64-step polyphonic sequences with seamless syncing features to external MIDI clocks!

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Waldorf Iridium Keyboard 49-key Synthesizer

Deep 5-mode synthesis with incredible display

To cap off our list of best digital synthesizers, we’re picking a synth with best-in-its-class visualization assist: the Waldorf Iridium keyboard 49-key synthesizer. Iridium’s multi-touch display unlocks greater dimensionality for synthesizing and deeper sound editing, translating a clearer understanding of how your synthesis affects the overall sound and laying out a more inspirational creative space. But beyond the pretty pictures and deep within the 16-voice Iridium is exceptional tri-oscillator sound engineering that supports five versatile modes: wavetable, waveform, resonator, particle generator, and Kernel synthesis. Precisely manipulate your signal through six envelope generators and LFOs each, along with a Komplex Modulator with various modulation effects and creative flexibility like you won’t find anywhere else. On top of this, Iridium’s enormous 40-slot modulation matrix supplies a nearly endless amount of routing capabilities. Hold off on those plans — this is one synth that’s hard to turn off!

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Analog vs. Digital Synths — Which Is Right for You?

When Sweetwater customers are looking to purchase their first synth, they often ask us whether they should choose analog or digital. And the answer is... it depends on what you would like your synth to do.

The fundamental difference between analog synths and digital synths is that an analog synthesizer uses voltage-controlled components to create sounds, while digital synthesizers are numerically controlled and use digital signal processing to create sounds. In practical terms, analog synthesizers produce free-flowing signals with near-infinite resolution. Digital synthesizers produce signals in steps, so their resolution isn’t as fine, which can lead to audible stepping and aliasing, especially at higher oscillation rates. However, technology is improving rapidly, and digital synths are getting closer and closer to reproducing the one-to-one responsiveness of analog synths.

Both analog and digital synths generally comprise the same basic building blocks: an oscillator, a filter, and an amplifier. In analog synths, those components are voltage controlled, hence the acronyms VCO, VCF, and VCA. In digital synths, the same components are labeled DCO, DCF, and DCA. Additionally, both analog and digital synths will contain several modulators to affect and shape the signal: LFOs, noise generators, sample and hold functions, ring modulators, etc.

Digital synthesizers do have an advantage in terms of flexibility, offering additional sound generation and modulation techniques, including wavetable synthesis, granular synthesis, physical modeling, and sample-based synthesis. Another advantage of digital synthesizers is the ability to store and recall numerous presets. This is available on some analog synths, but, for the most part, you’re building a sound from scratch every time — which could be considered limiting or inspiring, depending on your perspective.

Another factor to consider is cost. Because analog synthesizers require each component in their signal chain to be physically produced, they tend to be more expensive. For instance, if you’re looking for a polyphonic synthesizer (one that can play multiple notes simultaneously), then an analog version will generally have a higher price due to the cost of manufacturing. On the other hand, digital synthesizers only require additional processing power to expand their polyphony.

So, which should you choose? We recommend both! Digital and analog synths excel in different ways. Using them in tandem gives you unlimited creative possibilities.

Shop Digital Synths at Sweetwater Today!

Did you find something you like? From compact wave boxes to complex command centers, we understand that that’s a lot of digital synths. But that’s not nearly all of them! If you’re still searching for that one piece of gear that speaks to you, then be sure to check out the dozens of other digital synthesizers available right now at Sweetwater, as well as our equally as massive selection of analog synthesizers. And whether you’re just browsing, looking for a new studio centerpiece, or ready to commit to a larger live synth workstation, be sure to call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 for professional guidance while finding a synth that’s just right for your purposes!
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