Best Synthesizers Over 2000 Euros
The above 2000 euro segment is where manufacturers stop making compromises. Instruments in this category have a clear identity, a considered architecture and a voice of their own. We gathered five synthesizers that deserve attention for different reasons - some impress with the depth of their sound design, others with their sound, and others still with their approach to expression. None of them is the universal "best choice." Each fulfills its own purpose - and that is precisely what makes the choice interesting.
Contents
1. Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave Keyboard
Groove Synthesis is a relatively young company from California, founded by Bob Coover, who previously co-created instruments such as the Prophet-12 and OB-6 at Sequential. The Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave Keyboard is their version of the PPG Wave 2 for modern times - and they approached the task without compromise.
Inside: 24 voices of polyphony, 4-part multitimbrality - effectively four independent synthesizers in a single enclosure. Three oscillators per voice can operate in three modes: classic 8-bit wavetables from the PPG Wave 2.2/2.3, modern 96 kHz wavetables, and analog waveforms. Filters are analog SSM, the same type as in the original PPG Wave, plus a digital multimode filter.
What sets it apart is the degree of historical accuracy. You can enable a mode in which the synthesizer reproduces the artifacts of the original PPG - pitch inaccuracies between notes, the characteristic stepped switching of waveforms, voice drift. These are not bugs - they are options. All of it can be disabled to get a modern wavetable instrument without any quality compromises. The Wavemaker function allows you to create your own wavetables from audio material directly on board - something the PPG Waveterm used to do as a rare and expensive add-on to the original PPG.
The synthesizer is large and takes up considerable space, especially the keyboard version. The Desktop version solves the size question while featuring an identical sound engine. If you need a deep wavetable instrument with historical context and enormous sound design capabilities, the Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave Keyboard is very hard to look past.
2. Waldorf Iridium Desktop MK2
The Iridium arrived in 2020 and over several years became one of the most popular instruments in the digital flagship segment. The Waldorf Iridium Desktop MK2 is not a cosmetic update. An upgraded CPU board with increased RAM and flash memory made it possible to raise multitimbrality from 2 to 4 layers - meaning four full patches can run simultaneously. A new Seeds engine has been added: transition points between timbres are not defined by static waveforms, but dynamically synthesized through sub-oscillators that can be modulated via ring modulation, FM, and other methods.
Worth noting: a collaboration with Aphex Twin - a long-standing Iridium user - produced the Per-Note Parameter Locks feature. Each of the 128 notes can independently be assigned up to 16 parameters, and all of it is saved as part of the patch. The Flavour knob, borrowed from the Protein line, adds micro-variations in timing, timbre, and pitch, bringing sounds to life. The remaining engines are all present: Wavetable, VA, Particle, Resonator, Kernels - six engines across three oscillators.
This is a desktop module without keys. The interface, despite the breadth of functions, is logical, but the instrument is deep enough to keep you busy for a long time. The Waldorf Iridium Desktop MK2 is one of the most synthesis-rich instruments in this price category, built for those who work with sound as a material.
3. UDO Audio Super Gemini White
UDO Audio is a British company that attracted attention with its very first instrument - the Super 6. The UDO Audio Super Gemini White is essentially two Super 6s in one enclosure, though the math is slightly more complex: 10 voices in binaural mode (5 per layer) or 20 in mono. Two fully independent synthesizer engines with FPGA-based DDS oscillators, an analog signal path, filters, envelopes, and LFOs for each layer. Each layer has its own complete set of physical controls on the front panel - white and orange fader caps distinguish them visually. Practically every parameter is accessible physically, without going into menus.
The binaural mode is UDO's signature feature. In this mode every voice is doubled: the left and right channels receive independent synthesizer voices with the ability to detune, shift phase, and apply independent modulation. The result is a very wide, spatial stereo image that is difficult to achieve by conventional means.
The absence of a screen is a deliberate choice by UDO, but it means that working with patch names requires a different approach. Some users may find this inconvenient. MPE was not implemented at launch and is promised in future updates - worth considering if that is an important parameter. Physically the instrument is large: nearly 105 cm wide. The keyboard supports polyphonic aftertouch and a ribbon controller is included. The UDO Audio Super Gemini White is a very alive, tactile instrument with a unique stereo character - for those who value playing by hand and analog warmth with digital stability.
4. Moog Muse
Moog rarely releases polyphonic synthesizers. The Moog Muse is the eighth (or fifth, depending on how you count) polyphonic instrument in the company's history. Following the Moog One with a price starting at five thousand euros, the Muse is positioned as a more accessible flagship - and the difference is tangible.
Eight voices, two analog oscillators per voice inspired by the Minimoog Voyager, plus a modulation oscillator that can also function as a full third oscillator at audio frequencies. Two transistor ladder filters configurable in serial, parallel, or stereo arrangements. Bi-timbral structure.
The Moog Muse is a very Moog-like instrument - and that is simultaneously a strength and a limitation. The sound is recognizable, the filter character is intact, the low frequencies are dense. But if you are looking for an instrument that does everything - this is not the Muse. Honestly: the absence of polyphonic aftertouch at this price is a fair criticism, and competitors in this range implemented it long ago. A single built-in effect - the Diffusion Delay - is also modest by today's standards. Early firmware had oscillator tuning issues; current versions have improved the situation considerably, but the analog nature of the instrument means periodic retuning is part of the package. If you want a polyphonic Moog - specifically a Moog, with its character and history - the Moog Muse is exactly that.
5. ASM Leviasynth Keyboard
ASM released the Hydrasynth and earned genuine recognition with it. The ASM Leviasynth Keyboard is their next step - radically different in approach.
At the core is algorithmic synthesis: 8 oscillators per voice, 16 voices of polyphony. Oscillators are configured in "algorithms" - connection schemes defining how they influence one another. 144 preset algorithms plus the ability to create your own. Available synthesis types: phase modulation, FM, pulse width modulation, HTE Sync, phase distortion. Over 300 waveforms for each of the eight operators.
The key difference from classic FM synthesizers is the hybrid filter section. A 4-pole analog low-pass filter at 24 dB per octave, plus 18 digital filters including Korg MS-20 emulations, with morphing between them. This is precisely what most FM instruments have been missing. Algorithmic morphing - the ability to transition smoothly between different oscillator configurations in real time - adds a lively, unpredictable character. MPE is fully implemented.
This is a complex instrument. FM synthesis requires a different way of thinking, and the ASM Leviasynth Keyboard, despite its 144 ready-made algorithms as assistance, remains a tool for those willing to put in the work. The absence of USB audio is a noticeable omission noted by several reviewers. Nevertheless, the ASM Leviasynth Keyboard is a convincing answer to the question: what if FM synthesis had proper filters and a modern design.
Team Pick
Two instruments that particularly caught our attention and are worth keeping on your radar.
UDO Audio DMNO White
The UDO Audio DMNO White is one of the most interesting announcements from UDO in recent times. It is essentially two independent 4-voice synthesizers in a single enclosure with 44 keys, but the central idea is the Play Modes system: 8 modes, each of which reconfigures the interaction between the two engines differently. From classic layers and splits to Cycle mode, random modes, and Series - in the last one the output of the first synthesizer becomes the input of the second, effectively turning the instrument into a complex oscillator.
The new Dynamic Multi-Core Stereo VCF filter offers several connection modes - parallel, serial, stereo - and several response types within each. A built-in 2 in/2 out USB audio interface, an audio input with a preamp and envelope follower, and CV/Gate outputs. The VFD display is a rarity among modern synthesizers and looks very good. The UDO Audio DMNO White is not a budget version of the Super Gemini - it is a different instrument with a different emphasis on the interaction between two engines and performative flexibility.
Arturia PolyBrute 12
The original PolyBrute appeared in 2020 and immediately sparked debate. 6 voices were criticized as too few for a flagship bi-timbral instrument, and the lack of polyphonic aftertouch was seen as an oversight. The Arturia PolyBrute 12 addresses both: 12 analog voices and a new FullTouch keyboard with a patented mechanism.
FullTouch is not simply polyphonic aftertouch. The keyboard tracks the full movement of each key in real time and offers three distinct modes: monophonic aftertouch, polyphonic aftertouch, and two Alt modes in which the entire key travel becomes a source of expression - not only the bottom of the press. MPE is supported. The synthesizer engine is the same as the original: two analog oscillators per voice with the Metalizer wave folder, two filters - ladder at 24 dB and Steiner-Parker at 12 dB, three envelopes, three LFOs, a modulation matrix with 64 connections. The Morph function - a smooth transition between two states of a patch - is present. The Morphee pad and ribbon controller are also intact. The instrument is noticeably heavier due to the doubled voice count. The sequencer is functional, but without exceptional ambitions. The Arturia PolyBrute 12 is one of the most expressive analog polyphonic synthesizers on the market right now - and if live performance is your first priority, it deserves particular attention.
Summary
All five instruments on this list occupy the same price range but serve entirely different purposes. The Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave Keyboard is the choice for wavetable enthusiasts with a historical sensibility and a need for deep sound design. The Waldorf Iridium Desktop MK2 offers one of the richest synthesis engines in this category - a tool for those who work with sound systematically. The UDO Audio Super Gemini White wins through the uniqueness of its stereo image and tactile experience - an instrument for playing, not programming. The Moog Muse does not try to do everything - but what it does, it does with the character only Moog possesses. The ASM Leviasynth Keyboard is the modern answer to FM synthesis with hybrid filters and algorithmic morphing that genuinely needs to be heard.
The choice does not depend on budget - it depends on the music you want to create.
