Korg Wavestation A/D

Back in 1991, this rackmount gem took vector synthesis from the keyboard world and made it studio-friendly, adding a killer twist with stereo analog inputs that let you filter and warp external audio right into its evolving soundscapes.

It's a 2U digital powerhouse with wave sequencing across up to four oscillators per patch—each pulling from 484 waveforms in 4MB ROM—blending them via a joystick for real-time vector control, just like its keyboard siblings. Polyphony hits 32 voices across 16 multitimbral parts, with a lowpass filter, mod matrix, LFOs, and envelopes per voice, plus 55 digital effects programs running six at once, including vocoder modes for those inputs. You'll find 140 patches and 200 performances in internal memory, MIDI In/Out/Thru, a PCMCIA slot for expansion, and balanced XLR stereo outs alongside standard jacks.

Players still hunt these down for the hypnotic, otherworldly pads and sequences that defined '90s electronica—Orbital and Future Sound of London leaned on Wavestations hard—though editing demands patience without a full keyboard.