The SYNTHESIZER Tier List

We did the Tier List thing. Ranking the best synths I've ever owned.
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#synth #synthesizer #tierlist #synths

[@IanWaugh]

Hey Miles - Love stuff like this.- mini reviews without the boring bits 😊

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you like them! Will definitely do more tier lists

[@nightcruisemusic1558]

Great rankings! I've owned most the stuff in your S Tier and for me the OB-6 is the greatest. I just think it does it all and is so easy and inspiring to use.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Well said! I'm right there with you, OB6 is my fave synth I've ever owned. Stay tuned to my channel for when I get my new OBX8, I'm gonna do a full comparison video!

[@DG-ss1gc]

This is my first video of yours , thanks for doing these. You combined with the guy who does no talking demos is just great for getting info quickly. Looking forward to listening to your release. Was disappointed that you have not used the Aleisis Andromeda . I know they are up there with Dave smith price levels. Maybe someday you’ll get to try one out .

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching and welcome to my channel! Lots of other synth videos :D Andromeda looks amazing, right up my alley, but yea sadly ive not found any that are remotely affordable. If one ever shows up for a good deal locally I’ll get it and make a video (fingers crossed)

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

Thanks for sharing your Tier list. I have several of these synths and would rank them in same order. This provided me with some additional items to add to my "Wish List".

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad I could help Luis!

[@electrom4gnetik465]

Wow this was great! I was hoping to see the Rev2 or even the Pro3 (like an analog tier list!), but I think all of these synths would definitely look like something a 1st time buyer could consider! Oh boy I'm keeping notifications on for that OB-X8 vs OB-6 video!! I just want BOTH 🙇‍♂️ but it be nice to hear those juicy filter sweeps 😋 especially the growls!! Keep up the good work! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you liked it! Yea I wish I had the chance to own Rev2, but can't justify it with how many polysynths I have already. Pro3 keeps getting recommended so I'll try to get one later this year! And yes! I can't wait for the OBX8 to arrive so I can make those videos :D appreciate the support!

[@nagchumpalot]

I can tell you this.. I own a lot of synths Old and New.. Nothing beats the REV 2 for sound design in a poly! And the PRO 3 SE edition is the nicest built Mono and only mono you should ever need , sounds Incredible and has the Prophet 6 and OB6 filter plus wavetables.. Possibly Dave´s best design ever. My opinion. For me I love having the REV 2 and an OB6 ultimate pair.. I do want to try an OBX8 for sure though.

[@noiselabproject9659]

@@nagchumpalot Yeah I bought an OB6 desktop a few months ago and I play it via my Rev 2 and when playing pad type sounds together from the Rev2 keyboard it sounds truely epic, like you said a great combo

[@trueneutral3092]

my spidey sense tells me based on your S-Tier synths, that you might elevate the Pro-3 to GOAT-tier status, if you were to personally try it. i understand if that conflicts with your love of the Sub37, but IMO you'll get over it, say screw it and have an affair with the GOAT mono synth that is the DSI/Sequential Pro 3.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

you are the second person here to recommend me the Pro 3! I gotta check one out. That sounds insanely cool, the idea of a more fatter Pro 2 or a deeper Sub 37. i could get behind that :D

[@trueneutral3092]

@@MilesAwayOfficialthe reason I think it fits you in particular like a glove is that I feel like i identify with you in regards to vst interrupting workflows (ive fallen into that trap too many times) but speaking for myself i still crave synths that have that horsepower under the hood that cant be replicated easily with software. Heres the rub w this particular synth: the 3 note paraphonic mode, along with the flexibility that the combination of the 3 oscillators (two analog, one wavetabling digital) in conjunction with the 3 filter types, all of which i am pretty sure youre intimately familiar with in your workflow, what these elements provides plus the endless modulation.. gives us both that workflow dynamic that that is easily lost on certain other synths, both hardware and software alike. It's a mono analog synth that makes you feel like anything is possible, and is concisely organized enough to reel you back in and keeps you focused on the things that help us keep/attain our dream: doing the actual work itself.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@trueneutral3092 you nailed it with what I look for with hardware synths! Fast workflow that doesn't have the distractions of menus on a computer + hard to emulate sound! Wow, the Pro3 sounds amazing. Everyone here keeps suggesting it, I'm gonna try to keep my eye out for a good deal on one to do a video this fall once I've done everything on the OBX8 I need to! Thanks for the awesome detailed recommendation :)

[@trueneutral3092]

@@MilesAwayOfficial maybe if you'd like to try it out, perhaps make a video review.. or, with no video at all (up to you) we could work out something for you to give it a try

[@nagchumpalot]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Go for SE edition build quality is ridiculously good and the tilt function is so good! It´s Dave Smiths Modular MINI MOOG!

[@Jason_Drums_]

Amazing Video 👌 I completely agree with you 💯 thoroughly enjoyed this 🤩 🙌

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you enjoyed Jay!

[@joshtackett]

What is the free web application called that you mentioned in regards to the Matriarch global settings?

[@christopherjanzen]

I have a question for you as I feel we’re in a similar boat in terms of hardware and musical taste. I also have a Summit, Matriarch, Subsequent37, and Nymphes. And of course, I’m now lusting after the OB-6. I’m wondering, because you have all of these same synths, if you had to part with one to get the OB-6, which would it be? I’m leaning towards saving up a bit more, and selling the Nymphes as I feel like the OB-6 and Summit could cover most of it, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts on these particular synths. Thanks!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Hey Christopher! Thanks for the question: you are correct, I just sold my Nymphes to help fund my OBX8. It's amazing sounding but a lot of the similar "aliveness" you can get on the OB6 :) if you forced me to sell one Moog it would be the Sub 37. Matriarch and OB6 are the two best sounding synths I own and I will never sell em.

[@bangmateo7481]

Awseome video man thanks

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

thanks for watching dude

[@theJustScience]

what about the moog one? have you played it? it has dream specs but so hard to get good sounds out of it! where would you put in comparison to the oberheim or prophet synths?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I've only played one at music stores! I'd love to review one if I can find a loaner locally, but I can't afford to drop 10k sadly.

[@marcusjamesofficial]

solid rankings

[@itsJoel59]

I am a sucker for vintage gear, so I'm throwing in a vote for that video!! This was great :)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you! Noted, will try to put together a list when I have some time over the holidays!

[@noiretblancvie-afterhours]

Solid list!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thank you so much dude love your channel ❤️ big inspiration for this tier list too haha

[@SPL-6]

Your placement for the Voyager is absolute blasphemy. Straight to the jail!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

HA. Sorry! I totally understand its historic importance and some folks love them, there's no bad Moog

[@MrCowfood]

So where do you land p5 or p6 and of course are you going to have an OB-x8 here soon?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I was about to buy a Prophet 5 before they announced the OBX8, I bought the OBX8 instead! They told me they are almost ready to ship so stay tuned here! I will work some stuff out to eventually sell off some gear to get a P5 or P6. I don't have enough experience with the P5 to give it a tier, but I immediately fell in love the one time I played one :D incredible

[@Jim_KYB]

Would be good to see this for vintage/classic synths.

[@wrmusic8736]

admittedly that can be a boring (e.g. everybody did it) list: S tier will be like Jupiter 8, Trident Mk2, CS80, Prophet 5, OB-X/Xa, Minimoog, A tier will be Juno 106, Memorymoog, Polysix, Prophet 600, OB-8, DX7 and D50 maybe. Now the OTHER tiers can be quite interesting though, there is a bunch of weird stuff made in the '80s like Six-Trak or Akai AX-60 which expects you to connect S612 to it for use as an oscillator source, many other synths that are not quite special in how they sound or what they do but are unique nonetheless.

[@YotamPiano]

For some reason Moogs are so phat. Maybe it's the filter but whenever I hear a Moog funk bass or a searing lead I'm grooving. In the past I used to own a few hardware keys like Jupiter 6, Korg Poly 800, MS-20, Roland FA-06 etc. but the one that I enjoyed by far the most was the DX7II. It oozes character, responds to velocity, aftertouch, pitch/mod wheels felt premium, and those multi stage envelopes oh my the most musical I've tested out of any synth :-) I can tell you like sequential synths too. Never had one but I'm a huge fan of the Prophet sound from recordings.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

yes Moogs are still king for bass, but correct, Sequential is my fave company. Need to try a DX7II that sounds insane!

[@LaymensLament]

about the argon, also a synth i want, i recently tried to recreate parts of the architecture in phase plant as well as bitwigs grid and you can get very similar sounds but the argon itself features 30 wavetable modifiers to derez or otherwise manipulate your wavetables and i think its worth to have for that feature even if its basically a softsynth

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I totally agree! Did you see my full review of the Argon 8? Since I made this tier list they released firmware and made it 10x better with new filters and more tables and vintage knob

[@philxdev]

i´d say these modals argon or cobalt would be a great start especially the big version. the keybed plays so nice that it makes a good midi controller for other gear.

[@andresplemons]

Great video

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Glad you enjoyed it! Gonna do other tier lists in the future cause of the good reception here so stay tuned :)

[@Jdjwjdjzbsjwbb]

Good to see that the synths i own (prophet and sub 37 ) are in the S-tier. Great video!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Two of my desert island pics! Sub 37 especially is on bass duty on literally anything I've released since 2020

[@jmcoffin1]

I agree with most of your ratings. If it had been available a few years ago, I am curious where you would put the Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave on this list.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Easy S tier. It's my fave synth I own now. Did you see my videos on it?

[@hansilamusic]

LOVE the Minibrute but won't argue with the rating because I think the synth reminds of a Salt and Vinegar potato chip... intense and people either love or hate it.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

HA. That is the best analogy ever. It's so true. If you love that Brute factor sound literally nothing else, hardware or plugin, sounds like it.

[@synthlogue]

I agree on the XD being an S, and the summit being between A and S, having both. I've also got a system 8 that i'd rank somewhere between A and B (if it was more expressive to play it would be an A), A modwave that i'd class as a solid B, a wavestate that i'd also class as a B. I had an OG minilogue and agree with your assessment there. I had a Behringer poly D which i'd class as between an A and B for me, but could be a solid A for some, and the korg monologue thats a good B, A novation bass station II thats between an A and a B, A JDXI that was probably a C, mostly due to form factor and complexity, a behringer Pro-1 that is a solid B, an arturia Microfreak that is a B for me, but could easily be an A for others, A roland TB-3, that is a C as a great one trick pony, I have a novation ultranova that i rank as a very good B. I had a Korg modx 61 thats a solid A if you need a rompler, but it wasn't for me and a korg krome that was a B, but also not for me.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Great list as well! I love that your list includes a bunch of synths I couldn't include here so thanks for the awesome comment :)

[@sarahhey8654]

Cool analysis Bro. I like how the S tier is all about character and inspiration and A tier is workhorse. You must instinctively be drawn to 12db/Oct low pass filters...I think the new P5 has selectable filters like the OBX8? Happy to see the Minilogue XD alongside Sequential - it was my first analog synth a couple years back too :)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Well said, that's exactly how i decided between S and A! Yea the 12DB lp filter sound just works for me, it's so wiry and emotional, especially the SEM sound. You can't go wrong with the XD.

[@SpacehotelMusic]

I have a prophet 10 rev 4, it is only 24db filter but yeah you can select rev 2 or rev 3 (SSM or CEM) style filter, both 4 pole. I have an OB-6 also and they are my 2 favourite synths I've owned (also had stuff like Prophet 6, Prologue 16, rev2 etc)

[@vanislesam]

Great vid! Would've loved to see Prophet Rev2 16 voice and Moog Little Phatty II on the rankings

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Never used the little phatty actually! Rev 2 I've used but don't own, so I didn't rank it but it gets a high B from me. You have to work to coax out the nice sounds a bit more than the P5/6 but its a killer workhorse.

[@vanislesam]

@@MilesAwayOfficial It really is. I loved the sound of Little Phatty 2 (Two Lanes use it in their production), very warm but I wanted something new but vintage sounding so I got myself a Matriarch this week. Love that synth.

[@za7876]

Ha! You surprised me by topping prologue with minilogue XD - didn't see that one coming 😀 IMO prologue 16 is an easy S-tier and I would still rate prologue 8 higher over 2 minilogue XDs (even though you can chain them - it's still 2x4 voices not 8). I do agree that XD is a good progression from original minilogue - which as you said was instrumental in bringing the "analogue" back to the masses. Also I'd drop Cobalt 8 one notch, simply because (again IMO) it's almost an invisible synth - like a Toyota Camry - it does everything it's supposed to do in a competent manner, yet it does not stand out. Except for Modal app which is an exemplary S-tier support application for multiple platforms. This was a fun list. 🙂 I think "the most bang for the buck" round-up would look very different though. (And yeah, my Neutron is also super noisy - and it has some random note hold/latch malfunction, it emits signal even when not triggered. There was a slight improvement after firmware update, but I think Ima have to take it apart) Now I have a challenge for you: imagine you have to scale down and move to a desert island - on which surprisingly there is power but no Internet (one of them self sustainable islands, okay? 😜) - which 3 hardware synthesizers are you taking with you (DAWs not allowed)? 😃

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

For me minilogue is S tier because of price and portability! It's the best sounding synth in that price range by far, and the motion sequencer is sick imo. I adore my prologue and will never sell it, but there's just a couple limitations for a flagship that stop it from being S. High A though! I like your idea for a best bang for your buck list! Desert island I'm taking my Ob-6, OB-X8 and Novation Summit :)

[@nikolazimmermann8547]

ThanX

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

thanks for watching friend!

[@Andy-Kach]

It will be interesting to hear your review on Arturia PolyBrute

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I’d really like to review one! I reached out to Arturia for a borrowed review unit but didn’t hear back, and my local music store doesn’t rent them. I don’t have the space to just buy one . But if the opportunity arises I will do a review

[@noiselabproject9659]

Yeah not a bad list, AMongst other things I have an OB6 and a Prologue and am happy with them. WOuld be nicer even if the OB6 was an 8 voice to help with voice stealing when using/making patches with a longer decay but you can`t have everything I guess and it`s still S Tier. Although the Prologue only has 1 LFO I didn`t mind as I didn`t need it to be too complex and the wavetable OSC is a great addition having said that I found the Analogue Squarewave to be a bit rough sounding for my liking and so I sometimes use a cleaner sounding squarewave from the wavetable OSC and A Tier is what I would give mine too. Speaking of complex I also have a DSI Prophet Rev2 and overall it`s my fave synth but purely for the sound I`d make it an A tier on your list however with 16 voices and the depth of Synth complexity and it`s BiTimbral ability it`s an easy S Teir for me in the end.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for the comment! I really want to try the Rev2. It's on my list of synths I'd like to own and make a preset pack for so I'm really happy u give it such high praise, it definitely seems like a super underrated synth!

[@ricardozimmermann7363]

Hi, can u answer pls 2 questions? Have u witnessed "tuning issues" with prologue? I want one so bad as my first synth but have read about this Problem. 2. I love the prologue for its ground tone, thats why i want to stick to it but i always hear there is after touch and only one lfo, so is limited in modulation and diversity. Is there a synth that has a very similar ground tone but more features.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Tuning issues completely solved with firmware years ago :) 3rd Wave has a similar wiry/electric raw tone and is much deeper for modulation but its about 4x as expensive, I just did a review on it. Prologue is still one of a kind friend!

[@heikoelswyk7735]

I wonder where you would put the GS E7 Synth?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

new tier list coming this year! GS E7 gets a A tier

[@heikoelswyk7735]

@@MilesAwayOfficial thank you for your answer. I am thinking about a really good analog Synth, somethIng like the Prophet 6, but the sounds I heard from the GS E7 were also really wonderful. I will see, I am not in a hurry 😉

[@miklosmesterhazy2639]

Any specific reasons why there are no any Roland synths on this list? 🙂

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

To be on this list it has to be a modern (not vintage) synth I’ve owned or at least rented, and I’ve not owned any modern Roland! Need to do an update to this list once I do :)

[@cyrusalthor8583]

I'd love to know where the Hydrasynth Deluxe would fall on this list.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I need to try one still, it looks amazing!

[@jasonmoyer]

Just get a Pro 3. It has all the stuff you like about the Pro 2 and sounds like a proper Sequential VCO monosynth. P6 filter, OB-6 filter, ladder filter (with or without comp!), P6-ish VCO's, a wavetable oscillator with user importability, etc.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

that sounds insanely dope, I am so interested in the Pro 3. If I can sell my Pro 2 I will buy one and do a video on it :)

[@_Saucer_]

I don’t do any kind of music stuff but I love watching your videos😂

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Much love 😅 glad you enjoy hearing me ramble! New song announcement really soon btw!

[@_Saucer_]

@@MilesAwayOfficial I’m ready

[@_Saucer_]

@@MilesAwayOfficial also is there anyway you can possibly give me a shoutout much love❤️

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@_Saucer_ currently don't do shoutouts in my videos but if it changes I'll let ya know

[@_Saucer_]

@@MilesAwayOfficial that’s ok thanks👍

[@morgan8937]

I've been trying to identify what synths the artist Jerro might have been using because his style seems quite unique to me...and I like it. I'm a noob to synths but after a year of not hearing anything like it, I stumbled across your Argon and Cobalt 8 videos. Your demo song sounded really close. Not sure if it was just because of the glide and spread, but I also just identified in one of his rare studio vids, that they had an OB-6. Then just watched this tier vid and it seems that the OB-6 tops your list. Incase you're interested in hearing the set that originally piqued my interest, I'll link it. But yes, your music sounded very similar to me. Did you work with Jerro?! Lol. Sorry if this comment seems random! Id love to know how to create this kind of music on a synth etc. TY kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3bafJaHrJangbsfeature=shared

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I'd never heard Jerro but just listened, he's excellent! I appreciate the compliment comparing our sounds. He's just going for a classic warm subtractive sound. So any basic analog or VA polysynth with lots of controls and voices would work. Look into (priced low to high): Dreadbox Nymphes, Behringer Pro-800, Cobalt8, Novation Summit, Prophet 6/OB-6. I have videos on almost all of those so check them out and see which one you like the sound and workflow!

[@morgan8937]

@MilesAwayOfficial Hi, just wanted to thank you for the thoughtful and helpful reply. I had been looking at the hydrasynth explorer but I think I prefer the per knob control of some of the great options you recommended. Cool that you listed them in ascending price order.👌 Looking forward to catching up on your content as a new sub. Super insightful. Thank you so much and have a great weekend!

[@rederickfroders1978]

I have a Minilogue XD for that dark and atmospheric vangelis blade runner sound. For serious "pads" and atmosphere its brilliant. The OG minilogue is awesome, but sounds too thin for me.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Totally! Prologue has a similar vibe, "dystopian" is how I describe their character

[@MadelnMachines]

Time for a 2023 tier list?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Definitely gonna update this eventually! Probably not til next year, would like to try a few more new ones first :)

[@compucorder64]

For me, I wouldn't trade my Peak for three Minilogues, never mind choosing one over a Summit. The Novation does have a character, but it is in the combination of the filters, distortions and the lovely fx which all work so well together. The Arturia Polybrute belongs in the S tier too, as well as the Waldorf Iridium Keyboard. For the S tier, I think the OB-6 is IT for Sequential. I wouldn't have both the OB-6, and P-6. I actually sold my P6 for a Peak and a Roland JX-3P+PG-300. I preferred my older P-8, because it's much more interesting, as a programmers synth, as is the Peak. And I preferred the JX-3P for simpler Strings and Pads.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Totally fair comments! I think it could be justified to switch places for the XD and the Summit depending on who you are, they are really close for me, in terms of crazy value for Price - Summit is like the big version of the XD there. I do really really love the 3 drives and distortions on the Peak/Summit, so that's definitely a strong justification for S tier! I would love to get an Iridium Keyboard or a Polybrute but I bought the OB-X8 instead. I'll try to get my hands on them in the future to review though :)

[@compucorder64]

@@MilesAwayOfficial So nice, I'd love an OB-X8. At that tier though, maybe AAA tier, I'm super interested in Baloran The River. An 8-voice Moog Source influenced poly, that's fully multi-timbral. I really like having multi-timbral synths. But, I can't afford OB-8X, or Moog One, or Baloran. I wonder how much Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave (PPG Wave) synth is going to cost...

[@SpacehotelMusic]

I sold my P6 also and don't miss it. Didn't fall in love with the tone compared to my OB-6. Now I also have a Prophet 10 rev 4 and it sounds vastly better than P6 did to me. Just more depth and character, for me the overall best tone in any modern sequential synth with OB-6 (and poss OB-X8) a close second. Don't like much of their other stuff (esp the rev2 I had)

[@compucorder64]

@@SpacehotelMusic The DSI Evolver's have a more interesting sound. From other people's playing I do like the sound of the Pro-3. But that's someway between the Evolver and the Pro-style synths. But, it's a bit expensive for what it is. And Moog Grandmother raw tone sounds better. Can always add an external wavetable OSC. And a Zoia for effects and extra modulation. Then have a better sounding synth (albeit without easy preset access).

[@F0nkyNinja]

what about vintage synths?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Might do a separate vintage synth tier list!

[@djktana]

That double filter hack on the summit makes it S tiers easy

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Fair! It's very powerful. What other synths would you consider S tier?

[@jimgreulich7860]

Thanks for making an enjoyable video... agree mostly with your takes, although seeing a Voyager next to a Behringer (much less a TD3 lol) makes me cringe ;-) Personally, I would have put the Virus and Pro2 up 1 tier, although I have the Ti2 and Pro3, so not an exact comparison. Even so, I think the only thing against the Ti/2 is the Mac compatibility issues, but what you get in that box (insane polyphony, ultra mutli-timbral, amazing sounds, and decent effects), it's any easy S/God-tier for me as a PC user. Also, while I love my Subsequent 37, I'm not a big fan of expensive synths with zero patch memory (I know a lot of players don't agree with this lol)... so would rate the GM & Mat lower, especially for beginners.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for the comment dude! And LOL about the Voyager next to the Behringer, maybe I was a little harsh. I sold my Pro 2 and while I respect that it has a huge fan base, it just wasn't for me. I might give the Pro 3 a shot. As for the Virus, someone else said the same thing. I need to try to find a good deal on one locally here in Canada!

[@79Glitch]

Why didn’t you rank the Dfam?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Tbh I missed it and forgot to include it! Good catch. I’d give up a very high C or a low B tier. It’s awesome and so fun but super limited, so I recommend it for a specific type of person!

[@Iamirxclej]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh 🦋🦋🦋

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for watching :)

[@Ribbonium]

I have some unique ways of using synths, and some work better for me than others. I basically agree with you about the Korg Minilogue XD (I have two of them) as far as great sound, but it fails where I needed it the most. If I play fast in mono/unison mode (with certain specific but non-radical envelope settings) there is an annoying "clacking" sound on the attack. This makes it useless for me as a lead synth, which is what I bought it for, but it still does many other things well -- best sounding oscillators that I have! So for a lead synth, I now mostly use the Sequential Pro 3, which does not have the glitches of the Minilogue XD, sounds fantastic, and is very versatile. I've only used mine for about a month, but I love the Pro 3. It's one of the best synth purchases I've ever made. I'll be interested in your opinion when you get your hands on one. It's really a completely different synth from the Pro 2. I also have, and love, the Novation Summit. I held off on buying one until they fixed a lot of bugs and released v. 2 a few months ago. As you noted, the Summit can do just about anything, and does everything well. I use it for all kinds of things, but it works extremely well as a mono/unison lead synth also. I haven't found anything to dislike about the Summit, except that it's got so many options that it can take me awhile to dial in on the sounds I'm looking for. I would have given the Summit an "S", though your S/A rating is reasonable. I would give the Pro 3 an "S", and the Minilogue XD an "A". I've got other synths also, but not of the type that you are rating here. But even so, let me mention that the Korg Kronos can do amazing things and compete with more dedicated synths if you take the time to get the best out of it. It's extremely complex, takes a lot of time to program, but the results can be much better than might be expected from a workstation synth. It's not by accident that the Kronos has been the top rated workstation for well over a decade now. Those who call it "dated" are maybe too lazy to do the work to get the best out of it. If I wasn't so lazy myself I could probably get the Kronos to do just about anything the Summit can do!

[@jno8039]

I agreed for the Summit. It's an hughe invitation for sound design and I love it. For sure, not an immediat synth, but so deep and it sound incredible. Novation is not lying saying it's the best of two world

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your rankings Ribbonium! Totally see where you are coming from. That's really odd about the envelope settings, I never knew about that. So many people on this video want me to cover the Pro3! So I think I have to try to find a good deal on one, it seems amazing from what you are saying. Korg Kronos I have never even played! Gonna go check out some videos, thanks for the recommendation :)

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Very well said! I definitely think I could have put Summit bottom of S-tier, or top of A tier, it's interchangeable indeed

[@InXLsisDeo]

I would definitely get a hand on a 2600. Either ARP, or Behringer.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I've got a 2600m now! Video upcoming!

[@LukeLendrum]

Your pronounciation of Nymphes as Nymph-es is correct Greek pronounciation and what the Dreadbox guys say. Usual English pronunctiations would be Nymphs as in plural of Nymph. So really either is fine.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Fascinating! Thanks for the info :) did you agree with my list?

[@LukeLendrum]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Seemed correct to me. I don't think any synth was unfairly treated. I dream of owning an OB-6 or OB-X8 someday. 😭 My mate has a KB OB-6 and it's such an amazing example of something not having every single feature crammed into it... it's a basic architecture but everything it does is just so good. Its entire range is a sweet spot. I'll sing the praises of the Matriarch until I die. I will never sell it.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@LukeLendrum yep - Matriarch is along with my Ob6 as my "forever synth". They are the two best sounding keyboards out of anything on the tier list! And very true about the OB6 being a great example of less is more. Hopefully you can find a cheap ob6 if someone sells one to get an OBx8, and if not, the UBXa seems really exciting too!

[@kierenmoore3236]

If only the XD had a 24dB filter … 😢

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Would be game changing. The prologue too!

[@wrmusic8736]

I think it's a good idea to concentrate on modern (or fairly recent, e.g. 2000s) synths because everybody and their dog did and does vintage and unless it's some obscure guy like, say, RSF Kobol - it's better to put that effort into what's new because there is a lot of stuff made today that is really good, but obscure because it doesn't have the 'big' manufacturer name. Vintage stuff is really cool, I have some of it, but that well has almost dried out at this point.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Totally! That's what my channel focuses on, I love covering modern hardware synths from the perspective of someone who makes more contemporary music. Check out my videos on the 3rd Wave , GS E7 and OB-X8 - three of my new faves since this video! I'll leave the vintage stuff to legends like Alex Ball :)

[@wrmusic8736]

@@MilesAwayOfficial that's the point - I learned of e7's existence only like 3 days ago thanks to a totally random YT recommendation.

[@aquaticborealis4877]

I would give the Argon 8 a B-tier. Definitely not 2 tiers below the Cobalt. You might want to try the Sequential Take 5.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

That's totally fair. Argon is between B and C for me, C is still great, just definitely not as unanimously easy for me to recommend to everyone as the Cobalt, but i still think its an awesome keyboard! I'd really like to check out the Take 5, but all my synth funds for a while went towards the OBX8. Will keep an eye out for a rental or someone willing to trade locally!

[@HSTRTGMS]

I’ve always felt a little salty that you’ve amassed such a wonderful collection of premium synths. Then I realized that in addition to my mere 3 flagship synths - Prologue 16 (also my first synth), Super 6 and Pro 3… …I have ALSO amassed quite a nice guitar collection! I feel a trivial amount better now 😊.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

That's a great collection! And I don't have any guitars besides my trusty MIM Strat so I'm jealous of you :P Besides, this is a list of ones I've owned, past tense, most I've sold or traded to keep a steady flow of gear for the channel!

[@LukeLendrum]

The tiers make sense but would have liked you to put each tier in order. Summit belongs either very top of A tier or very bottom of S tier.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

great feedback for next time thank you! I'll make sure to do that :)

[@plantpoweredmuscle]

Minilogue xd and drum machine or Juno X?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

my personal choice is the minilogue XD and a drum machine, maybe even have some cash left over for a cheap Mono synth too

[@jorgeloco]

You didn't check the Hydrasynth?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I'd love to get one to review but its not on my list to buy right now!

[@UberOcelot]

Virus was S-tier in it's day, but yeah it's value proposition is less these days, especially with the Virus C VST.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I didn’t even know there is a virus vst! Is it accurate?

[@davlippo7]

I own none of these so was looking for the OB-X8

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Made this before my OBX8! I’d give that one an A

[@davlippo7]

@@MilesAwayOfficial The OB-X8 is the top shelf so why do you suppose it's $1,000 more in module form yet not "as good" as the OB6? That much more money tends to imply without argument that it's $1,000 better or at least sounds $1,000 better. After all and assuming $1,000 or portion of that was budgeted to mean something greater and the surface has no fancy additions I would assume it must sound $1,000 better by logical deduction. Same company to so beating themselves makes no sense either.

[@straighttalk2069]

This list basically amounted to the more cash you spend on a synth the better it will sound. A fairer comparison would've been comparing synths in the same price range.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I gave Minilogue XD S tier, one of the cheapest synths on the list! You definitely don't need bags of money to get a great sound :)

[@trebleboost7]

The Sub37 is also arguably a great value too. I think your ranking criteria was spot on. I have been in the quest for an analog poly and really appreciated this. For me the S tier are keepers!

[@dreamwalks8200]

crying for the sake of crying. Behringer Model D is A tier and 250 bucks. have you watched the video?

[@TaklaMakanMusic]

Virus TI > Summit. I stupidly sold my TI keyboard when I got the Summit. I have now corrected the situation.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your opinion! I know there are lots of die hard Access Virus fans. What do you like more about it vs the Summit?

[@TaklaMakanMusic]

@@MilesAwayOfficial The keybed on the Virus is better. A good Fatar TP9 on the smaller versions, and the superb TP8 on the 61 note one. The effects are generally better than the Summit, and while the Virus doesn't have the huge sounding reverb, it does have a more flexible reverb. The chorus is better and it also has a nice phaser and useful EQ section. The effects on the Summit have the dry/wet problem when used in series (you can't get fully wet and there are unwanted comb filter effects) while the TI's work as they should. The wavetables on the TI are far more useful. I found the Summit's to be rather samey and although the user ones could be made to be more interesting there are too few of them. The TI's USB connectivity is a bit dated and won't work on newer Macs, but I use mine with DIN midi and use the audio outputs and it works well. I prefer the 12dB filter on the Summit but the 24dB one is not great sounding. The Virus filters are clearly digital but sound good, and using them in pairs is far more intuitive than the Summit's dual mode. The filter overdrive on the Virus is perhaps not as good as the Summit's true analogue ones, but I do find it does what I need it to do. The filter tracking on the Summit is not instantaneous and sometimes leads to odd wheezes at the start of new notes. The Virus handles this well. The Virus' envelopes are excellent. Just the right shapes, unlike the Summit's which decay too quickly towards the end of their travel. The LFOs on the Summit are better though. The Summit hopefully will have some more work done to improve it, but there is little chance of any more updates to the Virus TI. It's an old design now and the main parts are now obsolete.

[@nickhaldin8674]

I’m surprised you havent played a rev2…for me its definitely A, maybe s-tier. Modulation galore and crazy sound design potential. I also happen to think it sounds fantastic too. Extremely weighty.

[@RayyMusik]

Excuse me for stepping in: The Rev2 has been my workhorse synth for 4 years (like the Summit for Miles). Yes, you can do a lot of amazing things with it - but at the end of the day it doesn‘t sound as classy as a P6, let alone a P5. The missing ’vintage knob‘ alone is a reason to not put it on the S tier. If I don‘t need a lot of voices, I more and more use a PolyBrute (even greater mod monster) instead of the Rev2.

[@jno8039]

@@RayyMusik May be not classy (what's that mean ?), but some people rather to havemore modern and a large landscape of sound

[@RayyMusik]

@@jno8039 Classy: that powerful but transparent sound with high- and low-end sizzle the P5/6 provide. The Rev2 tends to sound a bit muddier with a focus on mid-range frequencies.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for sharing, not sure how i missed this comment! I've played a rev2 once at my local music store, but I would feel fake saying I know it enough to review it. I bought a Summit instead after comparing all the features and demos, but Rev2 looks lovely! I will try my best to try one if I can ever find a rental/loaner unit and make some patches.

[@nickhaldin8674]

@@RayyMusik your descriptions are all extremely subjective and nebulous. Pretty much Everyone has agreed that the p5 has much more low-mid/ mids present in it. You are also talking about GIGANTIC price differences, and even capabilities. The P5/P6 is more than twice the price of the rev 2, and their capabilities are completely different. Yes, raw, the prophet 5/6 sounds fantastic. But so what? They are completely different synths. I don’t particularly like the way the polybrute sounds from what I’ve heard either, and it is also very different. What may be S tier or A tier is extremely subjective. No matter what you say, the rev 2’s capabilities are far beyond what a p5/6 could hope to do. Do i still love the p5/6? Absolutely. But for very deep sound design with an analog synth, the rev 2 is hard to beat. Also the vintage knob isn’t the end all be all. Its partly for people who can’t be creative enough with their patches. The slop knob on the rev 2 does enough.

[@walterharris7421]

The poly D should’ve been S tier if you loved it so much….. it is about the actual synth right ?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I said the Model D! I’ve not played the Poly D, so it’s not on this list.

[@KipCount]

Would love to see a detailed Summit vs Cobalt comparison. I know the Summit is more than 2x the price of the Cobalt 8X, but wondering how much you're actually losing with the Cobalt. You did have them both at A tier, though you did mention you'd put the Summit in between A and S if you could.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Hey! I don't have the Cobalt anymore, specifically because it's redundant for me with the Summit. But they sound equally good, they both have lots of modulation options. The big extras you are paying more for the Summit are: wavetables, really good implementation of FM, Bi timbral, and way better reverb and FX built in. Cobalt is still one of the absolute best synths in its budget though!

[@kierenmoore3236]

Nice list. I personally don’t think a beginner synth (only for specific users, then) should be an S-tier synth … Otherwise, if XD is an ‘S-tier beginner synth’, then Summit is an ‘S-tier workhorse synth’, etc … 🤷🏻‍♂️ Eh - nothing’s perfect … ☺️ Also, you need a PRO 3. ❤️

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

That's fair feedback! I will definitely do an updated ranking this year, but for me I sold my Summit to fund the 3rd Wave!

[@kierenmoore3236]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Looking forward to your updated hardware list! These are always fun … An updated VSTs list would be cool, too - if you’ve been able to try any others, eg Phase Plant … … and a vintage hardware list would be good, too! (you mention doing one at the start if this video). Hey, nostalgia sells … ! 😉

[@rayderrich]

I do not need to agree, I just love your reasoning to put every synth in the tier you feel fit. This was very entertaining and even educational. Now fix your white balance lol.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks so much! And yea this video was shot a bit rushed haha

[@macaballero]

Lol how is the prologue ur first and u already went thru so many

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I do music professionally - check out Miles Away - Bring Me Back, if you wanna hear what I make :)

[@The_Bit_Player]

You've misunderstood the Summit. The Summit isn't about inspiration, it's about reliability. Sure, the sound lacks character but that's what makes the Summit great. It's the carbon of synthesizers. The Summit will happily bond with any synth(s) or instrument, playing any genre and make your music sound better. You can't say that about any other synthesizer. It's the ultimate team player. The Summit is an easy S for me. Other than that, everything else looks OK. Maybe you were a little harsh on the Voyager, but I understand.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Thanks for the comment - totally hear you there, I did mention the Summit is my ultimate swiss army knife, even my preset pack for it is the most varied one I've ever done! I think it's definitely a strong argument for S-tier, so I could see it there too!

[@SuperChaoticus]

I'll forgive you for not renting or owning a Hydrasynth, but you really need to work on that.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

HA its on my list I swear! I reached out to ASM for a loaner unit to review but never heard back. Will try to buy one eventually.

[@Chyuuch]

disrespected the access virus lol but you're clearly an analog synth guy lol

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

I do like the virus but yes, guilty, I love analog haha

[@alleykat6273]

I find the og minilogue better if you have a (nicer) digital synth to complement it, i prefer its ui to the XD and its filter issues are not that bad with clever EQ’ing

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Fair point! I need to do a video on the OG minilogue eventually

[@ricardozimmermann7363]

If u chose one synth for the rest of ur life. Which

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

OB-6 or 3rd Wave

[@alexmagor7538]

Not a single Roland?

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Modern roland doesn't interest me sadly and the vintage stuff is incredible but too expensive for me to justify. Jupiter 6 is one of my dream synths to own eventually.

[@alexmagor]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Have you heard the Jupiter X in person? I remember checking it out in the store when I was synth shopping and preferring it over many of the other contenders.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

@@alexmagor I haven’t actually, my local music store doesn’t have one. Would love to give it a try

[@RoyChartier]

You mean "You did" not "We did" as this is an opinion piece based on your subjective experience.

[@bilonggrisimmeri]

What? No Roland? Boo hoo!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Need to get myself one! I am not a huge fan of the new ones and the vintage ones are too expensive. If they re-issued the Juno or Jupiter series I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

[@bilonggrisimmeri]

@@MilesAwayOfficial Don't hold your breath, it's never going to happen. My JD-XA is "sort of" analogue, though pretty bland and polite, compared to Sequential/Oberheim. It is, interestingly, X4 completely independent analogue monosynth voices. Roland's JD series is great if you like layering partials and transients (not really synthesis). I also like the harsh digitalness and bad effects.

[@muppetpaster]

Pretty pointless list....0:45 this goes for literally EVERY synth, how useless or great it is.... The fact you factor in "looks" makes it even more pointless....Also I see a MiniMoog, be it a Voyager or not... (and a D) And a TD3(Straight up copy ) which are basically all based on or are NOT modern synths....So your story also makes NO sense....

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

lol this is just a fun list because so many people who listen to my music asked what synths I used to make it. thanks for watching

[@k9killer221]

Completely useless evaluation.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Sorry to hear you didn't like it

[@johnstaf]

Why? What's wrong with it?

[@curtismarshall9561]

The SUb37 and P6 which are my mains, Pro 3 I feel the same you do about your Pro 2, it'd dope and all, but doesn't hit as hard.

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

good to know! I still wanna try the pro3 eventually to review

[@jimabbey9544]

My XD is my goto synth .I have a 1975 vintage Moog Sonic Six( rare synth) Even love my Korg monologue! ( can do moogish type sounds)have many other but these in my line up stand out!

[@MilesAwayOfficial]

Totally agree! Its so underrated for its size/price :)