AudioFu

Best General Synthesizers for Intermediate 2025

Perfect general synthesizers for intermediate - easy to play and learn on

Last updated: October 29, 2025 • Next update: November 5, 2025

PRICE RANGES: Under $50 Under $100 Under $200 Under $300 Under $500 Under $800 Under $1,000 Under $2,000 Under $5,000
SKILL LEVELS: For Beginner For Intermediate For Professional For Advanced
GENRES & STYLES: For Electronic For Pop For Rock For Ambient For Film Score For Sound Design
BRANDS: Korg Behringer Yamaha Roland Arturia Sequential SOMA Moog Sonicware Stylophone Novation Modal Mellotron Waldorf UDO Audio Teenage Engineering
Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#1

Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition

by Sequential
Ambient Sound Design Film Score
Key Feature:
• Versatile for multiple music styles
✓ PROS
  • • Suitable for both studio and live use
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
✗ CONS
  • • Jack of all trades, master of none
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

Sequential Prophet 10 Special Edition10-Voice Polyphonic Analogue SynthesizerLimited special version in lacewood...

⭐ 4.9/5 (46 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 601188
$5,489
Buy at Thomann View Details
Sonicware ELZ_1 play - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#2

Sonicware ELZ_1 play

by Sonicware
Sound Design Electronic Pop
Key Feature:
• Suitable for both studio and live use
✓ PROS
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✗ CONS
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types
  • • May not excel at specific synthesis methods

Sonicware ELZ_1 playCompact Synthesiser with Looper17 Synth enginesincluding low-bitgranular and physical modelling33...

⭐ 4.4/5 (12 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 604368
$769
Buy at Thomann View Details
Mellotron Micro Black - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#3

Mellotron Micro Black

by Mellotron
Pop Film Score Rock
Key Feature:
• Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✓ PROS
  • • Often includes preset banks
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✗ CONS
  • • Can be overwhelming with too many options
  • • May lack specialization in any one area

Mellotron Micro BlackDigital MellotronSample playback engine with 24-bit audio data100 Mellotron and Chamberlain sounds...

⭐ 4.9/5 (14 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 604256
$1,209
Buy at Thomann View Details
Roland Juno-D6 - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#4

Roland Juno-D6

by Roland
Film Score Sound Design Electronic
Key Feature:
• Suitable for both studio and live use
✓ PROS
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
✗ CONS
  • • Jack of all trades, master of none
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

Roland Juno-D6Synthesizer61 Velocity-sensitive keys128 Voice polyphony8 PartsZEN-Core sound engine with more than 3800...

⭐ 4.8/5 (19 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 600079
$1,044
Buy at Thomann View Details
Modal Carbon8 - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#5

Modal Carbon8

by Modal
Film Score Ambient Sound Design
Key Feature:
• Good all-around synthesis capability
✓ PROS
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
  • • Often includes preset banks
✗ CONS
  • • May not excel at specific synthesis methods
  • • Jack of all trades, master of none

Modal Carbon8Digital Synthesizer8-Voice polyphonicTouch-sensitive FATAR keyboard with 37 keys and channel aftertouch2...

⭐ 4.8/5 (45 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 603352
$1,088
Buy at Thomann View Details
Behringer DeepMind 6X - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#6

Behringer DeepMind 6X

by Behringer
Rock Film Score Electronic
Key Feature:
• Often includes preset banks
✓ PROS
  • • Often includes preset banks
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
✗ CONS
  • • Can be overwhelming with too many options
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

Behringer DeepMind 6X6-Voice Analogue SynthesizerClassic polyphonic synthesizer with six real analogue voices for an...

⭐ 4.8/5 (56 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 614900
$747
Buy at Thomann View Details
SOMA Lyra-4 Black - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#7

SOMA Lyra-4 Black

by SOMA
Ambient Sound Design Electronic
Key Feature:
• Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✓ PROS
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
✗ CONS
  • • May not excel at specific synthesis methods
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

SOMA Lyra-4 BlackAnalogue Drone SynthesizerFour voices / oscillatorsEach voice is freely tunable in a wide...

⭐ 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 607407
$439
Buy at Thomann View Details
UDO Audio Super 8 White - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#8

UDO Audio Super 8 White

by UDO Audio
Electronic Ambient Pop
Key Feature:
• Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✓ PROS
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
  • • Suitable for both studio and live use
✗ CONS
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types
  • • May lack specialization in any one area

UDO Audio Super 8 White16-Voice Polyphonic Analogue Hybrid SynthesizerBi-timbral analogue signal pathSemi-weighted...

⭐ 4.9/5 (35 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 598712
$3,739
Buy at Thomann View Details
Roland Juno-D8 - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#9

Roland Juno-D8

by Roland
Electronic Film Score Pop
Key Feature:
• Versatile for multiple music styles
✓ PROS
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
✗ CONS
  • • May lack specialization in any one area
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

Roland Juno-D8SynthesizerWeighted 88-key keyboard with Ivory Feel (PHA-4 standard)128 Voice polyphony8 PartsZEN-Core...

⭐ 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 600081
$1,429
Buy at Thomann View Details
ESI XSynth - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#10

ESI XSynth

by ESI
Sound Design Electronic Rock
Key Feature:
• Good all-around synthesis capability
✓ PROS
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
  • • Versatile for multiple music styles
✗ CONS
  • • Can be overwhelming with too many options
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types

ESI XSynthVirtual Analogue Subtractive Synthesiser25 velocity-sensitive keys with polyphonic aftertouch10-voice...

⭐ 4.7/5 (41 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 618226
$402
Buy at Thomann View Details
SOMA Flux - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#11

SOMA Flux

by SOMA
Ambient Rock Film Score
Key Feature:
• Good all-around synthesis capability
✓ PROS
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
  • • Suitable for both studio and live use
✗ CONS
  • • May lack specialization in any one area
  • • May not excel at specific synthesis methods

SOMA FluxDigital Synthesiser with Magnetic KeyboardTouch-free play via two magnetic controllersPositiondistance and...

⭐ 5.0/5 (38 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 608946
$1,517
Buy at Thomann View Details
Moog Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#12

Moog Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D

by Moog
Film Score Sound Design Rock
Key Feature:
• Often includes preset banks
✓ PROS
  • • Often includes preset banks
  • • Suitable for both studio and live use
✗ CONS
  • • Can be overwhelming with too many options
  • • Jack of all trades, master of none

Moog Geddy Lee Minimoog Model DAnalogue SynthesizerLimited Geddy Lee (Rush) signature model in special finishModified...

⭐ 4.8/5 (52 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 612740
$6,159
Buy at Thomann View Details
SOMA Lyra-4 White - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#13

SOMA Lyra-4 White

by SOMA
Pop Sound Design Rock
Key Feature:
• Often includes preset banks
✓ PROS
  • • Often includes preset banks
  • • Suitable for both studio and live use
✗ CONS
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types
  • • May not excel at specific synthesis methods

SOMA Lyra-4 WhiteAnalogue Drone SynthesizerFour voices / oscillatorsEach voice is freely tunable in a wide...

⭐ 4.9/5 (44 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 607405
$439
Buy at Thomann View Details
Moog Muse - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#14

Moog Muse

by Moog
Rock Film Score Pop
Key Feature:
• Often includes preset banks
✓ PROS
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
  • • Good all-around synthesis capability
✗ CONS
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types
  • • Jack of all trades, master of none

Moog MuseBi-timbral analogue synthesizer8-voice polyphony61-key keyboard with velocity sensitivity and aftertouchPitch...

⭐ 4.6/5 (44 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 593534
$3,629
Buy at Thomann View Details
SOMA Lyra-8 Rust Edition - Professional Music Instrument Photo
#15

SOMA Lyra-8 Rust Edition

by SOMA
Sound Design Electronic Pop
Key Feature:
• Suitable for both studio and live use
✓ PROS
  • • Often includes preset banks
  • • Wide variety of synthesizer sounds
✗ CONS
  • • Sound quality may vary across different types
  • • Can be overwhelming with too many options

SOMA Lyra-8 Rust EditionAnalogue Drone SynthesizerSpecial edition with oxidised metal housingEight voices /...

⭐ 4.6/5 (52 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 618417
$835
Buy at Thomann View Details

How to Choose the Best General Synthesizers

Budget Planning

  • • Under $200: Entry-level
  • • $200-$500: Intermediate
  • • $500-$1000: Advanced
  • • $1000+: Professional

Quality Check

  • • Sound clarity & tone
  • • Build materials & finish
  • • Hardware durability
  • • Overall craftsmanship

Key Features

  • • Your musical style
  • • Skill level match
  • • Intended use case
  • • Brand reputation

Frequently Asked Questions

Key factors include build quality, sound characteristics, playability, brand reputation, warranty coverage, and value for money. Consider your musical style, skill level, and intended use to find the best match.
Budget depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners can find quality options for $200-500, intermediate players should consider $500-1500 range, while professionals often invest $1500+ for premium features.
Higher-priced general synthesizers typically offer better materials, craftsmanship, and performance. They're worth it if you're serious about music, perform regularly, or need professional-grade features.
Top brands combine quality, innovation, and reliability. We evaluate brands based on build quality, sound performance, durability, and customer satisfaction to recommend the best options for different budgets.
Both have advantages. Online offers better prices and selection, while stores allow hands-on testing. We recommend researching online first, then testing in stores if possible. Many online retailers offer excellent return policies.

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