If you've ever been tasked with moving a vintage synth beast, you are already aware that the beauty of the machine is equalled only by the Herculean effort required to transport it… not to mention the issue of finding space for it in your home setup. Luckily for players with limited square footage for synth hoarding, many of today's most excellent options are also pint-sized and portable.
But as the world of synthesis keeps expanding, the options are becoming more enticing, more feature-packed, and increasingly more difficult to choose between. So we're grateful that our pal Bad Snacks took to her popular YouTube channel to share her personal "smol boi" synth picks.
- No. 5: Korg Minilogue XD
- No. 4: Roland Boutique Series
- No. 3: Roland MC-101
- No. 2: Teenage Engineering OP-1
- No.1: Critter & Guitari Organelle
- Honorable Mentions: Moog Werkstatt-01, Empress Effects ZOIA
Why does the OP-1 not top the list? Why might you want a standard Minilogue instead of a Minilogue XD? Why doesn't the Empress' impressive ZOIA quite make the Top 5? Watch the whole video above.
Which models would be on your Top 5?