Good first hardware synth?

A little background, I enjoy doing music projects and I'm a pianist / keyboardist. Right now I have a simple Yamaha DXG 88 keys, unweighted, that has been serving as my MIDI controller for years. I do almost exclusively VST work through my PC. But now I'm getting a craving, something itching deep down, for a hardware synth. There's the allure of that analog sound that is calling to me.

One of my favorite bands, Infected Mushroom, boasts about the Nord G2 a lot. I have also seen demos of the Virus TI2 and it sounds very impressive. Price is a bit of a concern for me, $2,000+ is kind of pushing it for an impulse buy. Is ebay or craigslist the answer?

I'm kind of stumped as to where to start looking for a synth. I don't do any live playing and I don't need a drum pad on it. I don't need TOO many knobs (I don't think), a mod wheel and pitch bend would of course be nice. I want something that will give me good options for fiddling to get a good array of sounds with that thick analog feel to it. Weighted keys would be nice.

Is it worth it to splurge on a synth, or should I fall back to my next lust for 88 weighted keys?

If you want an 88 weighted keyboard or 73 note waterfall it is hard to work without it.  That is a big investment, as noted.  I played the nord waterfall and it was very nice  but close to $2000.  There are some cheaper boards w/ limited sounds which might work for you as a piano.

As far as synths - that is personal too.  Not the keyboards (tho I like Fatar) but the sound.  Softsynths are cost effective and Novation makes pretty good controllers and fatar keys.  Another option is a cheaper gm style synth with 61 keys. 

Novation is the best bang for buck.  A good hardware synth is nice if you have a "sound" in mind (I have a fizmo which is unique sounding).  If not, and you do a lot of basic arranging a basic S&S synth is a good deal - yama, korg etc.  Those are all sub -$1000 and have nice keys and some controllers.  Good, if bland and or basic sounds.  Y)ou can replace their sounds after recording.  The nords are good for more synthy sounds, and their latest "keyboard" synth sounds great as organ etc. and the waterfall keys are really nice (tho after all these years of playing synths wore my fingers out a little).

I'd spend some time at a local music shop and then decide how much "sound" is worth to you.  I'm happy most of the time w/ a novation and softsynths, with the fizmo and analog stuff thrown in on top.
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sorry to contradict, Herb, but there's analog synths and then there's digital synths and the analog synths are not samples or digital reproductions.

now, that may not be what the OP means, but I wanted to make sure that anyone reading this wasn't confused by your statement. 

analog synths - modern ones are the Smith Prophet and Mopho, Korg Microkorg and Moontron, Alesis Micron, Access Virus, all of the Moog synths are analog (by no means an exhaustive list...).

the analog synths create the sound you hear using oscillators and filters, not samples or digital manipulation of samples.

I have a Roland JP-8000 and a M-Audio 88es Keystation for a 88 note midi controller. Works fine for me.

It is so confusing, as for analog synths there are many options. Real analog synths that have real oscillators and filters, modelled analog synths that digitally model and perform and sound like a real analog synth and samples of analog synths. They can all sound great.

Perhaps the OP might consider an instrument like Fantom or Motif that has 88 weighted keys and a monster synth involved. I am confident it could come up with killer analog synth patches, as well as a lot of other things too.  It will more useful to you in the long run than an expensive real analog only synth

The pure fat sound of real analog is not only limited to the real thing. Some of the modelled instruments sound excellent and so do even the samplers. I have got incredible sampled Kurzweil and EMU analog synth patches to die for.

Then there are the virtual instruments and coming from someone that has had all the real analog hardware you could ever want, these plug-ins sound absolutely fabulous and can rip off the sound of many real analog synths so well it does not matter. (Anyone thinking otherwise has simply not heard what is out there!) So wst3, Korg have done their own MS20 to perfection, there are a few very very good ARP 2600 emulations and I have got and heard countless plugins that do the Roland sound easily. Sell off your old analog gear while people are still silly enough to pay a lot for it because eventually it will be worthless.

If you have created a great piece of music do you really think the listener is going to think to themselves 'Oh I wonder if that is a real 2600 or a plug-in"  No, it will be emotional connection the music makes to them. Music transends the hardware by a mile. They have only the stereo master to listen to.

I used to think like you, but have long given up on that idea that only real analog synths can create real analog sounds. The hardware will fail, displays will fade out to nothing, parts will cost a fortune..... it goes on.  Now the knob thing is true sure enough but look at the controls on something like StudioBlade listed below. You can route most of these to parameters and tweak away. I found when I owned all that stuff you only tended to tweak certain parameters anyway and they are well covered these days. Now we have got touch sensitivity and in many cases the virtual equivalents go further than the original instruments.

The next generation keyboard is the integrated design. Get a powerful computer to do the work for you instead and make it reliable. This is the future of hardware instruments for sure.

Then maybe think OpenLabs Neko:
http://www.openlabs.com/nekoxxl.html

or something like this:
http://www.musiccomputing.com/studioblade

or how about something amazing like this that can house your laptop so easily live.
http://www.musiccomputing.com/ikeydock

(This is what Victor has been up to since leaving Open Labs)  You would have to mad not to consider an instrument like Neko or Studioblade. Because we now know the sound is there so why not have something ultra powerful like this for similar or less money than a big flagship instrument like Fantom or Motif. They have designed it so it is as robust as a hardware synth live. People like OpenLabs and now MusicComputing have been doing this for a while now and they are pretty expert at it.

I would think carefully about an over expensive real analog type synth. It is not the only way to get these sounds and they will only be able to make those sounds whereas other options will do great analog sounds but so much more as well. eg Native Instruments 'Prism' can do Dave Smith stuff standing on its ear, but also creates sounds the Dave Smith would never be able to even dream of. Have a close look at 'Prism'. No other instrument can move the harmonics horizontally and alter the amplitude of them like 'Prism' can. Once you hear that sound you will never go back. Most standard analog instruments are just plain boring compared to that concept. It is extroadinary! 'Prism' is one of the most exciting things ever to have come out recently and it is only $79!

I am someone who's living depends on how good my synths sound in doco soundtracks and the like. I have got rid of most of my analog (and hardware) gear now and if there was a problem with my sound believe me the people hiring me would let me know! Instead they are saying, Jeff your soundtracks are getting better and sounding better. I agree with them.

Analog - get a mini-moog (can't have mine, tho) and it is pure hog heaven.  But it won't control anything else, is single voice, yada yada yada.  The Dave Smith stuff is DCO (digitally controlled Oscillators), which sound great, more stable and you can rack up multiple voices.  It sounds like you might want his Prophet o8.  Analog, 61 keys, control for the synth just like yea old time.  And it does Midi so you can play softsynths.  And affordable as analog goes - esp. for 8 voices.  $2000, so that blows your 88 key budget, but you said analog.

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Hi James I would agree with you. I have heard that (Gaia) is a mightly synth and totally ideal for someone who wants to play something and get their hands on an easy to use machine. Some of these things can be so musically inspiring. And you are right, it is important to be inspired by any instrument you are operating.

My approach, while works involves computers and controllers. But if you are someone who works with these tools, it is OK. I am still loving how warm and fat things are sounding now in the all virtual plug in world.

It is also good to talk about developments in virtual instruments. I see them as only getting better and better and becoming more important all the time. There will always be those who will hang on to their hardware till the end. I was one, but have changed now and happier for doing it.

I suppose this thread should be in the 'software' section but the OP did talk about a good hardware synth choice for these days and I mentioned that instruments like StudioBLADE at Music Computing are worthy of a look as they are based around a different approach to a hardware device, based on a computer. Much more powerful, update savvy and cheaper than an expensive workstation type keyboard.