Not in production but I recently got a Waldorf Q Rack and it’s a glorious yellow beast.
16 parts multitimbral, drum maps, 16 voices, beautiful arp, sequencer, 3 stereo outs. It’s unbelievable what Waldorf achieved in 99.
2 Likes
Arguably unbelievable what synth makers haven’t achieved in 2023 
10 Likes
Sweet. But looks like they fetch similar prices to the G2 keys (unexpanded)
Roland Aerophone Pro is multitimbral but you’d be better off going with a Fantom or Integra if you aren’t interested in wind controllers as I think it’s only a single channel. That said it’s basically one Zone of a Fantom.
Video showing layering with mostly SuperNATURAL sounds:
On the AE30 you can get to:
4 SuperNATURAL Sounds
4 Zen Core Parts (each with up to 4 Partials)
There’s also drum kits though I haven’t played around with trying to hit two things at a time polyphonically.
From my understanding though the FANTOM has all that and more.
Sure, it’s not cheap, the interface is not modern and it’s a 20+ years old synth so you’re gambling when you make the decision.
But man, search on youtube and see for yourself how good and ballsy Q and XT sound compared to modern synths. Of course it depends if you like it or not, it has a certain character, not your ordinary modern kind of sounds. But you can definitely tame it, however if you are not looking for something different go with Virus or Hydrasynth or even VST’s and some outboard gear. Waldorf M is a safe bet as others said and you get both the character and the modern interface without the vintage hassle.
Pro tip: use the Reverb offer button with confidence 
1 Like
4 Likes
most versatile multitimbral synths are commonly called grooveboxes.
4 Likes
Hm, I don’t see any groovebox on the market which has synthesis options anywhere near as deep as, say, the Hydrasynth Deluxe.
Here’s one no one’s mentioned yet, the Mayer EMI MD900 - 4 part VA / wavetable with a price tag of over 3K it’s well out of my range. Couldn’t find hardly any sound demos, but there’s this on the their website. If were around 1500, I’d may be consider it. Apparently they going to release the same synth engine in a smaller body for under 2k around the end of year.
2 Likes
Futuresonus Parva is 8 part analog mutitimbral. 3 DCO, 4 ADSR, 4 LFO, 2 VCF. 40 mod destinations. Ticks a lot of boxes for $1k. The hardware is effectively stranded though with Futuresonus seemingly no longer operating.
2 Likes
PS: I thought exactly about the same synth when I read your first post and there you were 
1 Like
The only thing I don’t like about it is the free space. I mean, yes, I wish I had that space on my Kronos, but I don’t. Ideal to put an effects pedal on the right and the Blackbox in the left.
1 Like
i don’t have any experience with Hydrasynth, but Roland Zen-Core (MC-707) is fairly deep.
or when it comes to earlier gen grooveboxes, E-Mu Command Station is Proteus 2500 under the hood.
Apparently there’s a review on Sonic State…
1 Like
I had a Command Station - excellent digital filters, other than that - a bitch-to-program rompler, albeit with a lot of modulation options.
and that modulation options rock, that’s why i have 3 working units.
2 Likes
Compared to the Nord G2, the OT, Bass Station 2 and Korg ER-1, the other bits of kit I had at the time (and still do) overall the Command Station didn’t really stand up. It’s good for super saw trance sounds and fx but that’s not my thing. The sequencer is powerful, but not a fun UI. I stopped using it after I got an OT, sold it - no regrets.
In case you didn’t see this, a long-time Command Station user is arranging a production run of ROMs put your own samples on
ooo, is that a desktop model I spy?
8 outs! Now we’re talking.
I found this glowing review: “I was struck by how I realized the Parva sounded like how I wanted the OB-6 to sound.” That’s quite an endorsement.
Oh I love saying this.
VIRUS!
Seriously, any of them. They’re all brilliant and they’re only getting more expensive.
3 Likes