Synclavier

Born from Dartmouth College labs in 1977, this pioneering digital synthesizer kicked off the era of high-end workstations, blending additive and FM synthesis with groundbreaking sampling long before it became standard.

Its core is a custom 16-bit ABLE computer running the rack-mounted CPU, paired with a sturdy 76-note keyboard—early models had a simple plastic action, later upgraded to a weighted VPK with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity from Sequential Circuits. Peppered with 132 illuminated buttons and one main knob for hands-on control, it delivers 64-voice polyphony through 8 stereo outputs, with 32MB RAM expandable to 768MB and unlimited storage via hard disks. Dive into partial timbre editing for harmonic tweaks, FM/additive engines, stereo sampling up to 100kHz at 16-bit, multitrack sequencing, and even notation printing—all without menu-diving hassles.

Musicians and studios embraced it as the ultimate production tool in the 80s, powering hits from Frank Zappa to Michael Jackson, though its sky-high price drew envy and awe in equal measure; today, collectors chase these beasts for their unmatched audio fidelity and historical swagger.