BEST SYNTHS AND MUSIC GEAR OF 2023

[@GrooveSynthesisMark]

Thank you for this, Devin. We can't tell you enough how much we appreciate all of the support you've given us (and the 3rd Wave) this year. We're lucky to have been able to forge a great collaborative relationship with you. Looking forward to much more in the future!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks so much Mark and back at you guys! I’m so stoked to see all the success the 3rd Wave is having for your team and can’t wait to support with whatever is coming next for the Groove team 😃

[@AudioLomtik]

Toughest question of 2023 😀 If you had to keep either the OB-X8 or the 3rd Wave but couldn't keep both, which would it be?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

What a tough question... but I'm going 3rd Wave, its just so much more versatile. I do still think that the OB-X8 oscillators and SEM filters are still the best sounding thing on the market right now though

[@AudioLomtik]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Thanks for the insight, I actually just pulled the trigger on the module version -- too many folks are raving about the sounds, I guess I caved into FOMO for the new year :). Have you tried importing Serum wavetables yet? I haven't heard many folks talk about the direct support for those yet... given the popularity of Serum, and given the filter and signal path of the 3rd Wave, I have a feeling there are a lot of interesting possibilities there.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@AudioLomtikgreat idea! I know it works but I honestly haven’t even imported any wavetables. I just love the PPG waves and virtual analog side so much I haven’t gotten bored yet! Hah

[@scottmcauleysounds]

Nice selection there Devin! Mercury X sounds crazy good! I have a 3rd Wave on Route to Scotland as I type :D

[@michael999michael999]

Had a 3rd wave for 6 months now. It’s the best synth you can buy for making music (recording/producing). So flexible. So easy to use. Sounds phenomenal. Works well with ableton.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Excellent choice Scott! I’m excited for it to arrive for you. And yes- this year was one of the best ever for reverb pedal releases!

[@benjaminrogers1343]

I love my Seaboard Rise 2 and Expressive E Osmose

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Me too! MPE is the future! Which one do you prefer?

[@benjaminrogers1343]

@MilesAwayOfficial honestly I like them both they have different features that allow for different types of expression amd control

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@benjaminrogers1343 agreed

[@TrevorOuellette]

The Moog Matriarch was my first hardware synth and couldn’t be happier.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Great first synth choice! Video on the Matriarch coming soon :)

[@Jason_Drums_]

So much Quality here, what a Year 🎉 Amazing video to finish 2023 with 👌 I loved the Walrus Reverb ❤ but all are just fabulous 🤩 🙌

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Happy new year and thanks for watching! Hope you have a great one and see you in 2024!

[@Jason_Drums_]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Absolute pleasure and thank You 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 can't wait for 2024 🙏🏼😍😻 🙌

[@paulmapp8306]

Said it before....you and me are so similar lol. 3rd wave, Check. osmose, check. Equator 2, check. Guitar background, check. My fractal axe-fx 3 is also my hardware synth fx unit.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Yes very similar indeed, haha, that’s awesome. Maybe the guitar background explains our hardware FX addiction 😂 I’d love to check out the fractal axe

[@paulmapp8306]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Been using Fractal since the first standard back in 2007. Kept a couple of valve amps around but wasnt using them... though I was using a VHT 2:50:2 power amp with the AFX at the time (for live). since AFX2 theres been no need for any vales at all - so Im running a SS power amp into a cab for on stage, and direct to FOH.

[@kahyyamdavis7783]

Can’t wait to see your matriarch video

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Just posted it! you watch yet?

[@kfunkenstein864]

Suscribed after watching your Argon/Cobalt video only minutes ago which led me to this... Great stuff. Thank you!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Welcome aboard! I am planning new synth videos every week in 2024 so stay tuned! Just posted a new one today.

[@DrivenCrane1]

Yamaha Montage Mx is the best synth of 2023-2024.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Excellent choice! I definitely want to try that one, loved the original Montage. Did you get the Poly AT model?

[@MrHihojonnyo]

Happy holidays! Hope Ruffles is doing better.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Happy holidays! Definitely still very sick (had to have a trip back to the hospital) but doing better again now, thanks for asking :)

[@marksteiner3493]

Great video! Question... what do you think of the UBXa synth in light of the OB6 as far as filter tone? Your vid a while back fully sold me on the OB6. Thanks for having incredible ears and skills!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I haven't tried the UB-XA yet but I would say its trying to compete more with the OBX8 than the OB-6. The OB-6 SEM filter is just so unique both in tone and the morphing features, whereas the UBXA basically copies the curtis filters on the OBX8. OB-6 as of 2024 has nothing that is like it on the market, if I was buying a single OB style synth I would personally get it over the Behringer or the OB-X8. It's just so usable and the perfect blend of modern and vintage.

[@wiktorskrzypczynski6514]

Are you planning to review Osmose? Can't decide whether to splurge on it or to try Touche SE with some vsts first

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I did review the Osmose! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHXKmZitlsugsLc Let me know if you have any questions. I've owned Osmose, Seaboard, Touche. Osmose is absolutely incredible, second to none for playing. But make sure you like the built in sounds, as not everyone does.

[@urbannpa]

The one synth I never see when people talk about Best New Synths....is the Vector.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I haven’t tried the Vector! It looks super cool though, what do you like about it?

[@gustafforsberg4006]

What is that rainbow light sensor in the background called?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Massdrop FFT Audio Light!

[@ДмитрийКужеев]

Hi Miles What is the name of rgb EQ in the background?!)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

It's Massdrop FFT Audio Light!

[@ДмитрийКужеев]

@@MilesAwayOfficial tnx Bro🤝

[@Screaming-Trees]

My most used gear was the miniKorg 700FS reissue and the Matriarch. If you make UK garage, speed garage, techno, house etc you just need a mono synth really. Or rather you can get by with just a mono synth. I have a bunch of poly synths but 90% of all production work is done on the aforementioned. The miniKorg is both vintage and modern sounding at once, all character all the time, minimalist and one huge sweet spot all of the time pretty much. The Matriarch is the best UI probably, ever. Mine is the dark though not the colour scheme one. Probably should have gone colour scheme. Makes sense. Most surprising synth for me was the GS Music E7. That's the sleeper of the year. And I hate modules generally. Next year I'll consolidate all of my poly synths into the Moog One because, well the Moog UI is a master class in good design and that'll be that. Just the couple of monos, the korg, the Matriarch, and the One. Keep the E7 as a bit of a luxury because I really like the way it sounds. Might even toy around with the idea of swapping the matriarch for the Grandmother because I want to work faster.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Love all these choices! The E7 really is the dark horse poly synth choice. It just sounds so good. I’m doing a custom patch bank in January so stay tuned. MiniKorg looks so cool, I briefly played one at the store but not long enough to get a feel for it. Loved the sound and fader controllers though :)

[@Screaming-Trees]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Yeah the E7 is definitely a dark horse. I think I learned about it from this channel actually. Great sounding. And even though I don't really like modules, it's an ergonomics thing that I've never been able to get comfortable with, I made an exception in the case of the E7. The MiniKorg is great at those high pass/low pass mix type basses and that ring modulator makes it sound very modern. Perfect for the styles I compose for. Looks vintage but it can be very modern sounding. The minimalist approach is sort of reminiscent of the Reface CS or something like that. Very easy to get good sounds quickly. It's all about modern sounding analogue. For me anyway. Hence the One and some of these oddball synths like Matriarch and MiniKorg.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I think we have similar taste! Now I really wanna try a Minikorg, haha. Would love to find one to rent to do a video on one day! @@Screaming-Trees

[@Screaming-Trees]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Nice. You can probably pick up a used one somewhere. Reverb maybe? Or go to a shop and try one out might be a possibility too. Although I find that's hit or miss. Mostly miss. I buy on Visa and then use the 30 day return to test in my own environment. I find this works best for me. Can't always judge things as well in the shops.

[@2ammusik]

Oh wow. You have the Matriarch and Subsequent again. I thought you got rid of those for some reason.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I did sell the Matriarch! Never sold the sub though. I’m working on a video why I rebought it after regretting selling. I never do that , and I keep getting questions from viewers like yourself haha

[@2ammusik]

@@MilesAwayOfficial lol yes. We like to know your opinion on things like this. We only value this type of stuff from great musicians. If your music sucked we wouldn’t care hahaha.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@2ammusik really appreciate the kind words! I am sticking to a stricter upload schedule in 2024 for these videos so stay tuned, lots of fun stuff coming

[@ilovecatsandsynths9702]

The only new synth I got in 2023 is the Roland SH-4d and I use it more as a portable scratch pad. But I did get the Walrus Audio Sloer (probably after seeing your original review of it), and more recently the Meraki stereo BBD delay pedal. Next year I hope to get a MPE controller, maybe the Rise 2. As for the synths that inspire me the most, that would be the Take 5 (love that thing!), OB-6, MODX, Hydrasynth and Matriarch.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

That's a seriously great set up! Glad you are digging the Sloer :) I really need to try the Take 5, I've heard nothing but great things. I also have heard the SH-4D is really fun as well, and the Meraki is on my list to check out ASAP - what a work of art, congrats

[@ilovecatsandsynths9702]

@@MilesAwayOfficial I could have sworn you had a Take 5. Heck, I have a “Miles Away” patch on mine, based on a tutorial sound design video you posted a year or two ago. Maybe you used a different synth for that sound and I replicated it. Sort of an ambient pluck sound.

[@Iamirxclej]

Love youu❤

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

thank you as always for watchin!

[@bobmason1361]

Roli

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Did you see my 2 videos on ROLI? Just posted yesterday.

[@bobmason1361]

@@MilesAwayOfficial No, I'll check them out. Thanks. I had a CS80 years ago. Having got the bug again due to YT, I searched for an alternative. I couldn't afford a CS80 these days. I have a Roli Seaboard Rise 2 now. It's a great replacement on the CS for expression and I find the keywave/keyboard feels natural and is easy to use.

[@iposhi2Videos]

I came from your feature in Bo Beat's video where you talked about the osmose, I really loved that song snippet and I was wondering if it was an official release from you? I would love to know

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Welcome and thanks! It's not currently out but I will releasing it on KZbin Demo Tracks EP for in new year on my Miles Away VIP profile. Stay tuned! For now check out some of my other tracks, Don't Say That is a similar upbeat progressive vibe :) open.spotify.com/artist/3V8H59FqUdudlO1Fl019tg?si=Hphtl4MTQXi_LwuW-QcKOA

[@iposhi2Videos]

@@MilesAwayOfficial that's great to hear, thank you!!🙏