Should I buy a classic analog or digital synthesizer in this day and age?

Early analog synthesizers such as Moog’s Mini Moog and the ARP 2600 had lots of switches, sliders and dials. When synthesizers went digital by 1980, there were less of these.
This refers to such revered models as the Moog Minimoog, the ARP 2600, the Yamaha CS-80, the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, the ARP Solina String Ensemble and the Yamaha DX7 and Fairlight CMI Mark III.

You just opened up a big can of worms in the synth players’ world. This is a debate that has been raging for years. However, I’ll try to give some advice to steer you in the right direction.

First, I applaud you for your familiarity with the classics. But deciding on an analog or a digital is purely a matter of preference, and there are three schools of thought. The analog camp claims that digital is cold and expressionless. Digital diehards say analog is muddy and unclear. The third group (which I would consider myself) acknowledges the stregnths and weaknesses of each, and prefers to have a combination of both.

To complicate things further, there are a number of analogs being built today including a modern version of the Minimoog (known as the Voyager) and a new Prophet as well; the Dave Smith Prophet 08. Some companies are even making modulars as well. And with advances in analog technology, many of the problems associated with classic analogs, such as oscillator drift, are not an issue.

If you decide you do want both, allow me to point out the Dave Smith Evolver. This comes in both a polyphonic and monophonic model. It has two analog oscillators AND two digital oscillators that you can combine to create some amazing sounds. Another great synth is the Roland V-synth. The first version of this has come down significantly in price and can emulate analog synths, but can also twist sounds in ways you’d have to see to believe.

Of course, there are TONS of other choices out there. You may want to check out www.vintagesynth.com to see some of the more obscure choices out there. These can sometimes offer a cheaper alternative to the more popular classics that have become so expensive. And these oddball synths are often just aas capable or even more so than their counterparts.

Good luck in your endeavour…

ARP Odyssey + MOOG Taurus 1 + Roland TR-808