r/synthesizers • u/Ledings • 21d ago

What Should I Buy? suggestions industrial ebm techno synth?

Hey everybody, I'm looking for suggestions for synths that produce bass in the vein of Schwefelgelb and Phase Fatale. VST or hardware. I am working with Serum, but I am not totally happy with it yet. Maybe I just need some effects that saturate? Thanks for any suggestions!

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u/KulshanStudios Iridium Core | Rev2 | JP-8080 | TI2 | Blofeld | NL2X | JD-08 21d ago

In general, hard to go wrong with Waldorf Blofeld. Either the actual hardware, or the plugin version

It's used by veteran industrial bands, even

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u/lie_believer 21d ago

can confirm, i’ve planned on getting one for like a decade and finally bought the desktop this year. this synth can do pretty much anything, and if you load in custom wavetables…

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u/Nineball_SG 21d ago

Any Elektron is really good for that. I produce almost strictly with those machines and I make some noisy industrial tekno with those boxes.

The Digitone or A4 would be really good for that.

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u/Legitimate_Horror_72 21d ago

Serum 2 has great saturation and distortion available. Some excellent new filters. Learn Cytomic's The Scream if you want a cheap and very powerful single band saturator/distortion. Or add Blue Cats Destructor 2.

If your heart is set on hardware, there's the cheap-o Donner synth or look at the Erica Synths DB-01.

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u/Clusterchord1 ppg • vs • p5 • obxa • jp8 • jp6 • rhodes • eurorack .. 21d ago edited 21d ago

blofeld is a not a bad choice. but i would go a step further in that direction...

the original Microwave 1 rev A. it was on tons of ebm, hc, idm and techno records in early and mid nineties. its got:

snappy envelope, a hard, clangorous, buzzy lofi digital tone & edgy analog filter/vca

i had or have all old digital waldorfs (blo, xt, q) and it sits much better than any of them in a denser, agressive track. and without much help. which is a great advantage because, the less you need to eq your bass,, less you mess up the phase - and consequently, the better your transient clarity.

digi waldorfs, fwiw, i love for scarcer, ambient arrangements, where all subtleties of their evolving textures can be better perceived.

other ideas of similar dna and pedigree like mw:

yamaha dx/tx - early mk1 series definitely has the edge for ebm, industrial etc suggestions: orig tx7, tx216, dx7, tx81z - a true techno classic.

casio cz-101/1000 - another digital with character. it sounds analog and lofi digital at the same time - just pure perfection.

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u/SparkyFix 19d ago

The blofeld offers a heck of a lot more bang for the buck than the microwave. Used market it will cost about a fifth of a decent condition Rev A. Not to say I don’t feel the warm fuzzies for the MW but realistically it’s not on the same level and is more of a nostalgia piece.

The Casio is a true pro move though.