by Aurum Noble » 16 Apr 2013 15:04
If you shop around on eBay, you'll find tonnes of cheap hardware synths, especially the Roland JV/XV rackmounts, which are really good, and if you're not after retro 1980s/1990s sounds, many of the sounds are still useful, and a lot of studios still use them, a testament to their longevity, although if you want something more hands on, the SH-201s are really good, and can be used for the sort of sounds you'd normally find in Massive, plus, the VST editor is really good.
If you're after something more retro, the Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50 and Korg M1s are your go-to synths, since they can be acquired so cheaply, due to the fact that these synths were the best-selling synths, and the M1 is still the best selling synth to date, despite it being discontinued in 1994, when the Trinity and Triton took over. Also, the M1 is full of useful sounds, particularly if you're not keen on using the rather clichéd Piano 8' preset or one of the organ presets, although it'll be useful if you're producing house music, since these sounds have sort of made a comeback recently.
By the way, when it does come to MIDI-ing it up to your DAW, do be aware that the older synths (especially those produced before USB became popular) may not take too kindly to cheap MIDI-USB converters, and it's best to use one from a more reputable manufacturer, or alternatively, use an external interface that'll have some room for when you want to expand.