2018 is the year of hybrid sound synthesis. Half of the synthesizers in the ranking is a delicious blend of analog + digital synthesis in different proportions. Sometimes even digital + digital, which is also interesting. Another half is an attempt to recreate the behavior of cult synthesizers of past years. This is our only chart for 3 years in which there are two MOOG synthesizers at once! This is an interesting and versatile chart, which you should familiarize yourself with and express your opinion, because otherwise you definitely risk missing something important!

The Dreadbox company has been pleasing us with novelties during all the Spring 2018. Over the past month, they have presented a third version of their Erebus synthesizer and its smaller version Lil' Erebus, which comes as a DIY kit, but the most intriguing and long-awaited news from the company was the Medusa synthesizer prototype that they brought to the Superbooth 2018, held in Berlin from 3 to 5 May.

Bastl Instruments features the Thyme effects processor, Erica Synths introduces the Erica Black VCF module, Dreadbox Hades ands Elektron Octatrack MkII are shipping. Two new Kickstarter projects launched by Kvgear and KOMA Elektronik.

Polyphonic synthesizer Abyss was presented at NAMM 2017 but there were not so many details given. Now Dreadbox let us know about everything including price.

Dreadbox have announced their paraphonic analog module NYX! This instrument is surely unique owing to its reverb effect produced by Crazy Tube Circuits. Guys from Dreadbox have also promised that the demo video would be uploaded till 21 December. Coming soon!