would the korg minilogue xd make a good beginner all in one synth?

racefaceec90 · October 2022

have wanted to get a synth for a while now (to attempt to make new retro wave, ambient soundscape, vangelis, jean michel jarre style warblings etc).

what i mean about all in one synth is that it could do everything (within reason) to make a whole track (and not have to buy extra software if possible) as i am not rich and £500 is a lot of money for me to spend out (unfortunately the korg price has risen by £50 odd pounds since i last looked at the price of it :-(

by all accounts the korg is pretty easy to use (which is partly why i am looking at it tbh (being a complete synth novice) but it is quite powerful for it's price too.

what do you synth experts think, a good synth to get or any other options you might recommend (not virtual though as i actually want to physically play it etc (plus my laptop is a very cheap non powerful one so couldn't handle software anyways.

thanks in advance :-)

monquixote · October 2022

It's a good choice but if not having a keyboard isn't a deal-breaker then a Roland MC-101 is a very powerful synth, drum machine, sequencer and FX box.

GavRichList · October 2022

They're a great little synth and whenever I've used them I've been really impressed. I dont personally think there are any obvious significantly better ways to spend your cash. They sound ace, and you should be able to learn subtractive synthesis on it pretty swiftly.

goldtop · October 2022

I had the earlier version - no XD suffix - and even that was a great little synth.

TeleMaster · October 2022

I've had the Minilogue and it was super cool. Had a lot of features even the Prologue doesn't have.

joeW · October 2022

I have the non digital one and it really is excellent for getting into synthesis. I found having hands on a physical unit a lot more inspiring than using my mac. I don't use it much now as i have 2 bigger synths but it still is sounds great and is very portable, and for the price of a decent pedal, its hard to go wrong.

PeteC · October 2022

Yes - they're great . I had the original Monologue and it was fantastic - I miss it and would buy another. ( probably an XD )

Jez6345789 · October 2022

For me a few years back wanted to get back into some of synth stuff I loved in the 70’s for a while and my choice was Arthuria V collection a midi keyboard and a few other free plugins.

I owned a good few mono synths in my youth and yes physical knob twiddling is fun but a pack like the Arturia covered all those itch’s I could never afford to scratch.

Your mileage may vary

personalnadir · October 2022

I think the Korg Minilogue XD is a really good value for money synth. I don't think you'll get much that will compete for it pound for pound. The only similar synth (which is actually a bit cheaper and has more voices - it can play more notes at once) is the Dreadbox Nymphes. However the Nymphes doesn't have a keyboard so you'd have to buy a midi controller, and it looks more fiddly to use. On the flip side it's tiny, so also doesn't take up a lot of room if space is an issue.

One thing that's worth saying is that there are a lot of different types of synths: wavetable, wavefolding, subtractive, granular, fm etc

It might be worth checking out the different variants and seeing which sounds appeal to you the most. In the FM category you have some particularly affordable options in the Volca FM2 (note there's an older Volca FM with fewer voices) and the Model:Cycles. There are also some lovely retro flavoured synths out there by Twisted Electrons if like me you have a lot of nostalgia for 90s gaming or computer sounds.

If you have an iOS device the Moog apps are great synths and I think are free or super cheap to try.

monquixote · October 2022

The new Arturia Mini Freak looks excellent.

Stratavarious · October 2022

Just popped in to say same…. The Minifreak looks like a Minilogue XD challenger.

I still love the Prologue 16 for hands on ness.. but after something smaller.

personalnadir · October 2022

Stratavarious said:

Just popped in to say same…. The Minifreak looks like a Minilogue XD challenger.

I still love the Prologue 16 for hands on ness.. but after something smaller.

The Minifreak looks fantastic, just want a model without a keyboard. That said it's a whole different type of synthesis to the Minilogue? It's digital oscillators (including Mutable Instruments Plaits) whereas isn't the Minilogue an oldschool four voice analogue synth?

MrTee · October 2022

Misread as Kylie minogue. Carry on

monquixote · October 2022

personalnadir said:

Stratavarious said:

Just popped in to say same…. The Minifreak looks like a Minilogue XD challenger.

I still love the Prologue 16 for hands on ness.. but after something smaller.

The Minifreak looks fantastic, just want a model without a keyboard. That said it's a whole different type of synthesis to the Minilogue? It's digital oscillators (including Mutable Instruments Plaits) whereas isn't the Minilogue an oldschool four voice analogue synth?

Yeah the Mini Freak is a digital wavetable synth with analogue filters and I think it might also be able to do virtual analogue

The XD is an analogue poly synth with digital FX and a digital wavetable oscillator.

paulmapp8306 · October 2022

OK. Mlxd I a great synth for the money.

It's only 4 voice poly though, it's NOT going to fo a whole track on its own without being other stuff, less you don't mean self contained.

If your using a daw to track, and want the synth to do all your sounds but not all at once, possibly. Depends though as some of the soundscape evolving pads may need more than 4 notes.

That said you won't get better analog for the money. If you don't need analogue but would prefer more voices then modals cobalt should get look. Ifv4 noyes is enough, grab the korg.