EML ElectroComp 100

Back in 1970, this suitcase-style beast beat the ARP 2600 to the punch as one of the earliest portable semi-modular synths, packing four VCOs into a duophonic design when most rigs were still monophonic and wall-sized.

Housed in a sturdy blue wood carrying case with a 44-note keyboard, it delivers subtractive synthesis through versatile multimode filters—lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch—paired with two envelopes and four LFOs for wild modulation. A patchbay mod matrix lets you reroute signals freely, while sample-and-hold, white/pink noise, and continuously variable waveforms (sine to pulse-width) add endless texture; multiple audio ins feed the oscillator mixer, filter, or output, with CV/gate ports for external control and portamento for smooth glides from its single mono out.

Ultra-rare with fewer than 100 made, it's a collector's dream that's popped up in hands like Eddie Van Halen's, though some note its sounds lean quirky over powerhouse and the interface demands hands-on tweaking. If you're chasing vintage analog grit from the dawn of portable synths, this one's a time capsule worth hunting.