that I've ever gotten a chance to play is probably the Access Virus TI Polar. I remember playing one at the Guitar Center in Brea in around 2005ish. I heard the actual sound that Timbaland and Danja Handz used on the "My Love" song when I was messing around playing with that synthesizer. That's one deep, amazing synth, easily the best I've ever gotten to use.
It's the perfect combination of depth of programming, but easily accessible. So you could have some "happy accidents" from tweaking the knobs on it and seeing what you come up with. The sound is very warm or has a good analog like feel considering how high tech and expensive it is in comparison to other synths.
The best for just pure sound is probably the JUNO-60. Straight out of the keyboard with just some simple or basic studio monitors, it sounds really thick and fat. It epitomizes the "analog" sound of all of the synths I've ever been lucky enough to get my hands on. It probably started my whole gear lust for analog and my desire for warmth and that analog sound.
I like my Motif ES. It's very deep and I've learned a lot about it the more I use it. It's mostly menu diving, so navigating it and really knowing it, is kind of like a you get what you put into it sort of thing. But if you get the hang of it, it's pretty amazing. Seeing as how it's actually a workstation, the synthesizer portion is really really something else. The effects are some of the best I've heard. I've always heard stuff about the Roland effects, but I like the Motif's effects more for whatever reason.
I've got a V-Synth that I haven't even began to scratch the surface of, that's pretty damn good. It's got lots of knobs, but I'm kind of slacking on it for whatever reason. I'm hoping to get into it in the next couple of months when I pick up a few new pieces of equipment.
I never use Midi, so hopefully it will open up a new world of sonic possibilities once I get a chance to really get the two connected. I'm hoping to get that FL Fire soon, FL Fire is a godsend.
Uhh, more than anything I'm obsessed with the 80s sound. And I'm hoping to recreate or get some of that warmth or characteristic sound and somehow incorporate it into what I"m doing.
I got a vocoder, recently, but I haven't spent as much time using it yet. I'm so close though. I want a three-tier keyboard stand and to bring in my mixing board, so that my sound will finally thicken up and knock and be what I'm working towards.
I like synths.
)Especially for that price. 