Best Mono Synths in 2024!
Our Top-10 picks in every price range!
I feel that Monophonic synthesizers are a dying breed of synths. Modern synths are way more versatile than ever before and even if they are not actually polyphonic, they are at least paraphonic offering the ability to play chords. And I totally get it. Companies nowadays have a ton of competition so to make a monophonic synthesizer in 2024 doesn’t really make sense. A few years ago, polyphonic synths, especially analog ones, were very expensive so your gateway to hardware synths would probably be a mono one. My first analog synth was the MicroBrute by Arturia which I still have and love! But since Korg’s Minilogue, things have changed dramatically (by the way, Minilogue was my second analog synth).
Making this list, I realized that it would not be that different if it was made a few years ago. Most of the synths featured are not new, or they are re-issues of older models. Polyphonic synths are much capable of producing mono sounds and even have mono or unison modes so you can’t really justify buying a monophonic synth in 2024. Or not?
Well, it depends. I view my studio and hardware gear as a band setup. I have samplers and percussion for drum parts, guitars for, well, guitars, poly synths for pads, and a mono synth as my bass. And that’s actually all you need. I even made a buying guide to create a full home studio setup with less than 3.500€ that included a Mono Synth! So, in that context, I think that a powerful mono synth still has its place in your studio.
So here are our top picks!
10. Erica Synths - Bassline DB-01
DB-01 is a bass desktop synthesizer with a 64-step sequencer, perfect for acid basslines and all sorts of bass sounds. It’s fully analog, has a multi-mode filter that can be pushed to the extreme, a powerful sub-oscillator, and a unique BBD Detune circuit for those classic detuned bass sounds. it is a synth that’s meant to be sequenced to create detailed and rhythmic basslines. Another cool feature is that it has built-in scales to stay on pitch but also allows you to create microtonal scales which is not something you often see.
9. Dreadbox - Typhon
Typhon is one of the most loved Dreadbox releases. It’s an affordable analog synth with effects. Dreadbox designs are quite simple but their sound is their key selling feature. Typhon has two analog VCOs, a 24dB lowpass filter, and analog VCAs that produce full and thick sounds. You can then add the 3 digital LFOs to modulate anything you want and you have a rich and evolving sound with minimal effort. It runs on USB power and it also has an input that allows you to process external sounds through its wide range of effects that have distortion, chorus, reverb, delay, and more.
8. BASTL - SoftPop 2
SoftPop 2 is definitely the weirdest one on this list. It’s a fully patchable analog little synth that takes a completely different road when it comes to its design and architecture. It has an 8-step sequencer that can have 8 patterns that are not only used for pitch and gate. The sequencer can store parameter changes for each step which opens up so many options for experimentation and performative sequencing. SoftPop 2 is not your average synth but a rather unusual, experimental synthesizer for people who want something unique and performance-oriented.
7. Korg - MS-20 Mini
Boring, right? I think that the MS-20 will be featured in lists like this one for many years to come. It’s still one of the most iconic and powerful monophonic synthesizers ever made and despite the abundance of synths available, it’s still one of the best options for any studio. The MS-20 Mini is a faithful recreation of the vintage MS-20 and their only difference is their size. It has 2 analog VCOs and 2 VCFs that sound amazing, and it can be patched to create all sorts of sounds. It’s also not just a bass synth. The MS-20 is incredible for lead sounds and plucked sequences and it sounds beautiful every time. It’s one of the greatest examples of a synth done perfectly and that’s why it’s still so relevant.
6. Moog - Minitaur
We’re going to see a lot of Moog in the top positions. Minitaur is probably the simplest synth on this list. It’s a tiny desktop module with two oscillators, the classic Moog Ladder filter, analog VCAs, two envelopes, and an LFO section. While it’s such a basic design, the Minitaur is another awesome option for bass. Having all that Moog magic in it, it just sounds so beautiful and fat despite its small size. You can’t really go wrong with this one. For someone who needs an easy-to-use, robust bass synthesizer, I feel that the Minitaur is the best one out there. You won’t get a wide palette of sounds but you will get an instrument that’s perfect for basslines and sub basses.
5. Roland - SE-02
Probably the most underrated synth of the Roland Boutique series, the SE-02 is a collaboration with Studio Electronics that deserves more credit. With an architecture that reminds us of the classic Minimoog, the SE-02 has three analog oscillators with six waveforms to choose from, an analog filter, and an LFO with nine different waveforms. It also has a sequencer with song mode, the ability to run external signals through its filter, and a delay. It might not have the hype of a Roland vintage synth or drum machine like all the other Boutique instruments (and literally every Roland product ever made) but the SE-02 is a new design that’s way more powerful than it seems.
4. Moog - Subharmonicon
I love this synth. The Subharmonicon has two analog VCOs with four sub-oscillators and two four-step harmonically clocked sequencers. And that’s the unique feature that makes it stand out. The idea of the Subharmonicon is that you create your sounds using the VCOs’ controls and its Ladder Filter and then sequence them in harmony to create polyrhythmic and evolving patterns just by turning the sequencers’ knobs. With that alone, you can create an infinite amount of interesting sequences and rhythms that you wouldn’t probably program on another synth and that’s why this one is so special!
3. Erica Synths - SYNTRX II
The most expensive synth on this list is none other than the SYNTRX II. First of all, let’s just take a moment and appreciate the beauty of this instrument. It looks so good you would want to get your hands on it every time you see it. But it’s not just looks. SYNTRX deserves a full article for itself since it can do so much and it has such a well thought panel and architecture. The thing that will first catch your eye is its 16X16 modulation matrix that allows you to reprogram and reroute everything. It also has a joystick that can be routed to anything through the matrix and you can also record its motion to add complexity to a patch. It is truly a gem of a synthesizer, beautifully built, and sounds marvelous.
2. Dreadbox - Erebus Reissue
If I were to start over, I would probably get the Erebus as my main mono synth. It’s fully analog, it’s very compact, it has a built-in Echo, it’s semi-modular, and, most importantly, it sounds incredible. Erebus was the synth that made Dreadbox known all over the world so you know there’s something good going on with it. There have been a few iterations of this synth and the latest one is the most refined one. It has knobs instead of sliders, the now-classic Dreabbox filter, and snappy envelopes for punchy basslines. Like Moog synths, Dreadbox synthesizers may look limited in features but where they excel is their sound. It’s also quite affordable and I’m sure no one will be disappointed by having one in their studio!
1. Moog - Grandmother
A third Moog in the same Top-10 list? Well, yeah. Moog is one of the few companies alongside Dreadbox that stick to their analog and handcrafted synths (hopefully) so they are one of the few companies that still make mono synths. Grandmother is the perfect all-rounder monophonic synthesizer. It’s not cheap but also not unreachable, it has all the mojo of a Moog synthesizer with Dual analog oscillators, a Moog Ladder filter, and even a physical spring reverb tank built in! You can’t go wrong with the Grandmother and the only thing that will probably keep you from getting it, would be the itch of spending a few more and getting its bigger sister, the almighty Matriarch!
Conclusion
It is pretty obvious that Mono synths are not that popular anymore and only a few companies still make them. And when they do, they’re all mostly analog and many of them are semi-modular because there is no other way of making a monophonic synthesizer appealing these days. You can get more power with the same or less money than buying a simple mono synth but at the same time, you will probably sacrifice in sound.
On the other hand, if you have very clear goals and you need to fill in the gap of a bass or lead sound, a good mono synth will always be an important part of your setup. Plus, not having the extra voices, will urge you to think more about your melodies and focus on making them more interesting without the extra help of chords or harmonies.
A good analog synth, even if it’s mono, will never become obsolete so give them so more love!
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