EML ElectroComp 500

Back in 1973, this synth rode the wave of portable performance instruments like the Minimoog and ARP Odyssey, but with a twist—its op-amp design by industrial engineers gave it a distinct, precise tone that's tighter and less fuzzy than transistor-based classics, perfect for leads and wild effects.

Dual VCOs pump out sawtooth, square, and noise waveforms for thick monophonic sounds, feeding into a standout 12dB/oct multimode resonant filter that switches between lowpass, highpass, and bandpass. A single ADS envelope handles VCA duties with repeat for drones, while the LFO offers six waveform shapes to modulate oscillators, filter, or amp; sample/hold and track/hold add quirky movement. Sliders and switches sit neatly above the 44-note keyboard for hands-on tweaks, including ring mod, octave shifts, a scale slider for microtonal playing, external audio input with overdrive potential, CV/gate, and sustain pedal—all in a compact, Odyssey-esque panel that's easy to gig with.

Owners dig its unique filter syrupiness and modulation depth for sci-fi textures—think the V-2 rocket blast in Devo's "Through Being Cool"—though some note it lacks the low-end punch of three-oscillator beasts and has fewer options overall compared to EML's modular siblings like the 101.