Traditionally, polyphonic synthesizers were priced on the expensive side. Even the DX-7 – which was regarded as more affordable – cost close to $2000 when it was launched back in 1983. Times have changed however and we show you our pick of the best budget polysynths.
Browsing the Best Budget Polysynths is a pastime that didn’t always exist! Thankfully in recent years, manufacturers have taken major steps toward making these instruments more accessible. Moreover, the home recording and content creation revolution we are currently experiencing means that the demand for quality at the budget end of the market creates healthy competition.
This means we will continue to see innovation, with exciting new synths being developed in the future at a price that more of us can afford.
Best Budget PolysynthsChoosing the Best Budget PolysynthsThe Best Budget Polysynths: Arturia MiniFreakThe Best Budget Polysynths: Yamaha reface DX / reface CSThe Best Budget Polysynths: Behringer DeepMind 6XThe Best Budget Polysynths: ASM Hydrasynth ExplorerThe Best Budget Polysynths: KORG Minilogue XD
Choosing the Best Budget Polysynths
Don’t be fooled by the marketing of synth architecture stereotypes. Analogue oscillators do not guarantee a warm sound and digital or wavetable synths are not automatically harsh in comparison either.
There are plenty of examples of hybrid digital instruments with digital oscillators and analogue filters; they’re equally capable of producing incredible warmth and texture like the famous E-Mu Emulator II sampler.
The key factor to finding the perfect synth is all about how you contextualize it into your musical process, which goes beyond the sound alone.
The Best Budget Polysynths: Arturia MiniFreak
The Arturia MiniFreak is the souped-up bigger brother of the tiny MicroFreak. Offering six voices of polyphony, it’s based on the same incredibly versatile digital multi-engine oscillator as the Micro, but boasts two of them per voice. There are no less than 31 oscillator modes to choose from, including virtual-analog, wavetables, FM, samples, additive synthesis, granular, and even a vocoder.
Arturia MiniFreak Stellar · Source: Arturia
The MiniFreak’s list of features also includes great-sounding analog multi-mode filters, an extensive modulation engine with twin LFOs and cycling envelopes, a great selection of on-board effects, and a powerful sequencer with four modulation lanes. And as a MiniFreak owner, you even get the software version of the synth for free.
The Arturia MiniFreak is available at Thomann*.
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The Best Budget Polysynths: Yamaha reface DX / reface CS
The reface DX brings you back to the mid-1980s when the DX7 dominated pop music. While its 4-operator FM engine is somewhat limited compared to the DX7, it does have some of the famous sounds from the original. More importantly, however, it’s a simple and affordable way into FM synth programming.
Yamaha Reface DX · Source: Yamaha
Although you might find the mini keys a little quaint, the overall build quality is surprisingly good. The touch sliders may be limited, but you can easily program and attach a controller of your choice to expand the tweakability.
And if FM isn’t your thing and you’re more into analog-style subtractive synthesis, check out the equally affordable Yamaha reface CS. Based on the virtual-analog engine from the famous AN1x, it offers eight voices of polyphony, five oscillator types, and even a built-in phrase looper.
The Yamaha reface DX and reface CS are available at Thomann*.
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The Best Budget Polysynths: Behringer DeepMind 6X
The DeepMind series that kicked off Behringer’s “Synth Wave” may have started off as a modern alternative to the Juno-106, but it has evolved steadily. Rather than simply being a vintage reissue like many Behringer synths that came after it, the DeepMind 6 provides far more synthesis capabilities with an extensive mod matrix and effects section.
Behringer DeepMind 6X · Source: Behringer
Overall, the interface is familiar (read: Juno-like) enough to immerse you immediately, and the user community has grown enough to allow you to even buy 106-style patches for the DeepMind if you so desire. And while the new DeepMind X series retains the same synthesis engine as the original DeepMind, Behringer has updated the paint job to make the synth look even more like a Juno.
The Behringer DeepMind X series is available at Thomann*.
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The Best Budget Polysynths: ASM Hydrasynth Explorer
The Hydrasynth Explorer is an excellent entry point into the underexplored world of wavetable synthesis. The obsession we have with vintage-style synths often leads us to neglect the overall synthesis capabilities of an instrument, which would be ill-advised in this case.
ASM Hydrasynth Explorer · Source: ASM
The Explorer can produce an incredibly diverse range of sounds, and its interface is remarkably intuitive for such an advanced instrument. Equipped with eight voices, 37 mini keys with polyphonic aftertouch, and excellent built-in effects, it’s among the best budget polysynths.
You can get the Hydrasynth Explorer at Thomann*.
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The Best Budget Polysynths: KORG Minilogue XD
Although it’s been out for a while, the KORG Minilogue XD still deserves a spot among the best budget polysynths. Although it only has four-voice polyphony, there are several voice modes, including Poly, Unison, Chord, Arp/Latch, and a 16-step polyphonic sequencer. Available in keyboard and desktop versions, the Minilogue XD offers a unique combination of two analog VCOs with a powerful digital multi-engine oscillator that can deliver anything from morphing wavetables to FM. You can even load additional oscillator models created by third-party developers and the vibrant user community. This makes the synth incredibly versatile.
Korg Minilogue XD · Source: Korg
Compared to the standard Minilogue, the effects section has been expanded considerably and offers a selection of modulation effects, delays, and reverbs. Despite the Minilogue XD’s extensive capabilities, it has a straightforward user interface that makes it very approachable, even for synthesis beginners.
The KORG Minilogue XD is available at Thomann*.
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