Gear of the year 2024: The 10 best synths, samplers and drum machines

[@brian106699]

4:11 video starts

[@RollrightKnights]

Aye. "So let's get straight into it.... " *Proceeds to not get straight into it for a couple of minutes 😬

[@jonnyspeed8974]

the video should have been 4 minutes... not 30 with 4 minutes of utter fucking nonsence at the start

[@DanChippendaleMusic]

Digitone II is fantastic. I think it's one of the most versatile boxes for different use cases around. If you want a groove box, then it can do it all. If you use it as a synth with 16 tracks like i do, then it shines at that too. The sounds it can make, and a lot simpler but far deeper than the original, are amazing. The three LFOs per voice are the icing on the cake. Love it

[@quantumsheep]

I got my first ever MPC this year (The Keys37) and fell in love pretty much straight away :)

[@johnl.lenartz4045]

I couldn't agree more! I absolutely love this thing... it has sparked creativity and made me fall in love with other parts of my kit all over again finding new ways to use it with this.

[@aaronparys1750]

Interesting Choices but I would have to say the Sonicware Ambient 0 or the Solar 42 would be on my top 10 list

[@Che-mish]

First top 2024 top 10 I see which actually includes the Digitone 2. I've bought a lot gear in the last 30 years, but It's my favorite device. It's so versatile and fun to play with.

[@West1Think]

Elta Solar 42f ?

[@jonathanonguitar]

+1000 points for the Lerxst T-Shirt

[@pierremarty5056]

Best gear of 2024 is the criminally underrated dirtywave model 2

[@Jm-lr2fv]

Preach brother

[@Ælectronic_Palace]

hell yeah

[@paulchristey]

NO.1 Digitone 2 :) guess what I got for Christmas (trying to avoid reading the manual)

[@callum6224]

But that’s the fun part

[@bloopbleepnothinghere]

How did you not read the manual obsessively whilst you were waiting for the shipping? For me half the fun of new gear is the obsessive research. I have been known to read a manual even if I don't own the gear, just to see what it can and can't do. I'll obviously also watch every single video I can find. I basically edge like this for a month until I can't take it any more and release by finally clicking the submit order button. Post purchase behaviour is thinking it's the best thing I've ever bought and I can sell almost everything else. It will most certainly be the last thing I ever need to buy, and my wife will be sure to know that. Then after I've become a semi pro on whatever gear I got it will become neglected as I go back to my TR8s. The true all I need machine is always the TR8s. I hate the tiny screen, weird button combos, and all of that, but fact is it's the world's best, modern drum machine. It's just no one wants to admit it. You may argue the Digitakt has it beat, but I'll just say fader and knobs per channel. Everything you want is per channel at your fingertips. Wow, I don't know how all that fell out of me. I guess I love that thing more than I thought 😅😂

[@motiontracker5395]

@@bloopbleepnothingherequality mate. Weird / funny / informative in equal measure. Impressive

[@Tripwelleverday]

Teo5 is magical

[@creatorsremose]

Definitely interesting choices and seem to be a little unorthodox, which I like. Other than the Muse, Move and PB12 I don't share any of your choices but still much appreciated!

[@compucorder64]

The Digitone II is a great synth. That said, I don't desperately feel the need to sell my Digitone and upgrade to a Digitone II. It's been a year of incremental improvements, building on things from before. Some solid stuff, but nothing hugely exciting, if you already have a decently kitted out studio. 2023 was a bit like that too, from memory. I guess the knock on effects of inflation, chip and labour shortages. There was some more interesting stuff in the modular synth world. And in softsynths too, like Dawesome Myth, Madrona Labs Sumu, Zebralette 3. On the retro side, Cherry Audio Atomika is fantastic. Cherry Audio GX-80 & Softube Model 77 are both great too.

[@3lackavar]

The used market for Digitone mk1 exploded after mk2 released. I picked up one for $275 usd to complete the Digi trinity.

[@fluim0102]

As a synth the Digitone 2 is a bit better (comb filter allows to make guitar, piano, chello patches for example that sound amazing), but as a groovebox it is really a major step up. 16 tracks instead of 4, twice the pattern length

[@hwoccurrence]

IMO the Murmux V3 sounds way better than both the Polybrute 12 and the Muse, and it has poly aftertouch with a lovely interface..

[@miguel_orama]

Murmux is THE synth of the year. Absolutely gorgeous.

[@Pericalypsis]

Sonicware Liven Ambient Ø is my pick.

[@FerIsella]

Good calls.

[@furialeon]

Best new compact groovebox, sequencer, synth etc… hands down is the Teenage Engineering OP-XY, it has way more features than the Digitone like the brain, their workflow, arrangement (pattern, scenes, song). Why was the OP-XY not included in your list? Was it the price? From a functionality perspective how is Digitone better than the OP-XY?

[@TheNimasan]

torso s4 and vector tempera. in this list the p6 for me!

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

Digitone 2 is the most Synth for the money considering that it can act as effect box for other 2 instruments. BUT there is a huge missing in this moment THE CHORD MODE and ARPEGGIATOR for the MIDI TRACKS, if #elektron will add this Digitone will be the mist powerfull and immediate sequencer on the market to finish full tracks

[@MusicRadarTech]

Definitely agree that chord mode and arp need to be added. There's certainly a lot more gained than lost compared to the original on the whole though. That's a good point about it acting as an effect box too.

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

@ ah by the way you are totally right it is ABSOLUTELY SUPERB DRUM MACHINE (my favourite modern drum machine as the drums sound so good inside a mix), i tend to use the mk1 as drum machine + sequencer of 2 analog synths + reverb/chorus/delay fx box for those analog synths (as fm bass and pads i prefer the FB more) and Digitone to me is perfect for those three tasks but #elektron need to see the potential of this box in a wider view than just “an fm synth”, may be if you can give them some feedback they might consider your opinion a bit more. cheers and merry Christmas

[@iamghostgun]

But they won’t, they make you buy 4 boxes to get an exclusive feature on each box even though they run the same hardware. Thats why I bought an XY

[@Bigger-Circuitry-Bigger-SOUND]

@ i believe you are right unfortunately #elektron might think like this but it is silly because by creating a bad brand experience you lose more in the long run, as someone might come with the same idea but implemented ! look the end of native instruments that they overlooked the user and brand experience and from once upon a time leader in the industry they are disappearing now because of Akai taking all the market why because Akai put features that users ask in their gears as swiftly as possible, #arturia from the other side keep adding features to the freak line and they continue to sell like bread. In fact i might sample all the #Digitone drums than pair the BlackBox with the korg nano fold (that has ARP and chord mode) and have the same benefits of Digitone + Extras than sell digitone 🤔

[@alexotaola]

Syntakt’s latest update included arp and more machines. So hopefully when DTII starts to update there’ll surely be more tricks up its sleeve

[@MauricioVives]

7:00: Typo... "PMW"

[@williamshaneblyth]

And nothing on that list actually grabs me at all. Not saying they are bad they arnt well 1 or 2 are. When it comes to making music im still happy with my little hydrasynth explorer and Fantom 07 keyboard theres no real need for anything else . Bitwig being my daw of choice but thanks for the list was interesting

[@ptah23]

All of these are unaffordable. Can you do a top ten budget gear for 2024? Limited to £400 for a poly synth and under please

[@unemployablegraduate]

This is the elephant in the room if you’re on a typical U.K. wage, yes. Prices keep going up and wages stay the same. What was ‘affordable’ even just 2 or 3 years ago is no longer within reach. The ‘average’ wage is quoted as being £35k or something, but the reality is that most of us outside London are on £24 - £27k. After you’ve paid your bills and council tax you’re lucky if you can afford a BOSS compact pedal every six months.

[@unemployablegraduate]

This is the reason Behringer are doing so well.

[@ptah23]

@@unemployablegraduate i agree, i want to see a video ranking the top 5 behringer releases this year

[@AutPen38]

The reason why many people in Britain are earning less than 30k is because "the market" wants cheap stuff made by low wage workers in China by Behringer. It's kind of an ironic trap, but if Brits keep buying cheap Chinese stuff, there's no reason for British employers to pay higher wages. You literally can't have cheap products AND high wages, as someone/everyone has to be paid badly for the company to be able to sell cheap products.

[@unemployablegraduate]

@@AutPen38 well, yes, you’re right. But which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[@thegoldenamerican]

Teenage Engineering OP XY should have made at least made the list …Honorable mention?

[@furialeon]

Totally agree. The OP-XY should be at least in the top 3 for sure. It is way more versatile, the OP-XY has chords, brain, the workflow, and ability to switch scenes and complete full songs… unlike the Digitone. I’m guessing that the price may have been the reason why it was ignored, which I disagree… it should be based on functionality/features.

[@quantumeseboy]

Only like Muse and maybe Multi/Poly.

[@damelos4039]

Well, I have 4 of the top 10. And I think the list is pretty accurate. I'm not sure the SYNTH should be up there but what the heck. Nice job fellas.

[@PeterKoperdan]

Why don’t you like Polyend Synth?

[@treetopjones737]

Moog Muse: $3500. for a poly synth now, SMH. Completely digital of course, but for that price you could buy TWO Hydrasynth Deluxes and have money left over.

[@davidmclean100]

You don't need any of these hardware units to make great music, none of them sound better or different to anything you can do with software, just get one or two great software synths and learn them inside out.

[@zemax0618]

Agreed, however you need to choose those "one or two great synths" wisely. I went through a few trials and errors before finding mines 🧌

[@mrfuzztone]

we would not have software synths if it were not for the hardware synths. For some people a hardware synth is still a nice experience. They can be inspiring. I have a lot of both. I do agree that software synths can sound very good. Of course I have Diva, Sylenth, Serum, Omnisphere, System 8 synths and many many more ... What can be important are good speakers and headphones.

[@AutPen38]

I think I'd quite enjoy lounging in bed while twiddling the knobs and pressing the buttons on an Elektron or Polyend device, but for cash-strapped people like me, hardware is a luxury. Software provides far more bang for the buck.

[@andreasroth990]

The Korg multi/poly doesn't do it for me at all. It doesn't sound analog and it doesn't sound like a good digital synth either.

[@onathanj]

And the Two-5 is not on spot one because? With its endless sweet spots and fantastic modulation capabilities it surpasses every other synth with ease. Polybrute 12 on second place? It doesn't matter if it has all these fantastic performance abilities when it sounds AWFULL. Just check out different forums, even people who like it defends its tone by saying that you can make it sound quite good but you need to program It well. But listening to the demos on YT even the pros presets sounds thin and have this bad tone. Which is a shame, because if it had the modulation capabilities of the Two-5 I would buy it instantly.

[@TheMorningIWokeUpDead]

i really would love to like the multipoly, but it just feels like a gimmick to me and the modulation makes it sound somewehat wonky and useless... Maybe it's just me.

[@matiasss550]

bla bla bla almost no tests. Garbage.

[@alexcepile1420]

Demos are the worst I've ever seen on those machines

[@HatredPrime]

Behringer boycott?

[@MusicRadarTech]

No, we've nothing against Behringer gear and a lot of it is great value. If anything it's more a case that, because they release so many things - many of which based on existing synths or drum machines - there's no one thing that we'd put in this top 10.

[@filipeventura2729]

Sucking up to Ableton with the terrible move, having 2 basic synths over 1k this video is terrible xD

[@HatredPrime]

@@MusicRadarTech kinda weird, I scanned through your playlist there is no single Behringer gear review in past 5 years, correct me if I AM wrong.

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

On my 3rd Behringer return this year...they do not deserve review time. Cheap disposable crap

[@filipeventura2729]

@@Farold_Haltermeyer ive had mine since 2019, no returns at all

[@Tripwelleverday]

The p6 is crap 💩 I bought it sent it back after 12 hours I hated it the menu diving and shift + alt buttons is a travesty and the sound was trash 🗑️ can’t believe it made the list straight trash I’d take a medival ko over that any day

[@Wild_D]

WOW another best of video....how original

[@Hrotti]

Go home Grinch! It's the end of the year, top of the year lists are to be expected

[@Paulruk]

And the most miserable git of 2024 goes to wild_d 🎉🎉