MidlifeSynthesist: The Great Synth Sell-Off Regrets

We start with the Moog Subsequent 37, a synth that clearly got MidlifeSynthesist ensnared like a moth to a vintage neon lamp. This beast had him hooked with its soulful Moog warmth, resonant bass, and creamy filters – elements that make it legendary in the synth realm. But like any synth aficionado with itchy fingers, the Prophet 8 Rev 2 had MidlifeSynthesist caught in a web of its own. He recounts the initial mistake of selling his beloved Moog, chasing the allure of eight voices over two. It was a classic case of gear lust leading astray, and he quickly found himself hunting for another Sub37 on the second-hand market like a lost mixtape from his crate-digging days. It’s a story all too familiar for those who’ve loved and lost in the (synth) game.

Enter the Sequential Pro 3. If there’s a party where synths show off their best impressions, the Pro 3 would take the cake with its incredible sound-shaping ability and friendly mod matrix. MidlifeSynthesist waxes poetic about its paraphonic capabilities and intuitive sequencer. Yet, in another twist of synth fate, he found himself once again at the crossroads of keeping the Pro 3 or rekindling his Moog affair. In a trade-off that seems right out of a beatmaker’s soap opera, he swapped the Pro 3 for another shot with the Moog Subsequent 37. The decision was driven by an emotional need rather than pragmatic calculations, proof that in the synth world, the heart often feels the beat more than the head calculates the hertz.

Ah, the Teenage Engineering OP-1. A synth that sparks as much debate as an experimental beat’s tempo changes. MidlifeSynthesist reminisces about its intriguing design and funky workflow that either loved or frustrated users. Originally sold to fund a Matriarch in his Eurorack foray, he now regrets letting this innovative piece go. Yet, in the convoluted world of synth choices, its successor, the OP-X astronautically ‘stunned’ him and filled a void, albeit at a wallet-busting cost. The OP-1 remains a siren call, a legend that, despite replacements, lingers like the smell of street food in his music journey.

Finally, we meet the elusive Roland System 8 – a unicorn in MidlifeSynthesist’s synth saga. This virtuoso of digital timbre left his hands too soon, guided by the online criticisms he now wishes he’d ignored. It’s the classic tale: forum opinions led to his premature goodbye to a synth that could’ve been his bread and butter. He describes his journey away from the System 8 like switching from a classic brew to a watered-down light beer, an act filled with regret. Although attempts to re-acquire it resigned to marketplace ghosts, the lesson lingers – trust your ears, not the voices echoing through digital halls.