Originally posted on September 19th, 2009

Last edited on April 17th, 2010

Since their introduction to the consumer market, hardware synths have always been relatively expensive - even back in the 1960s and 1970s synths cost thousands of dollars. In 1981, the Pro-One from Sequential Circuits became the first synth to retail for under $1,000 - which after accounting for inflation would still add up to more than $2,300 today.

While hardware synthesizers can still often cost thousands of dollars (not to mention tens of thousands for large modular setups), not all synths are that expensive.

The following table lists the top ten hardware synths most widely used by bands in the database with an average eBay closing price of less than $400. Average prices at other retailers are listed as well as a list of the bands that have used each synthesizer. The table is generated dynamically, so it is subject to change as price and band information becomes available.

1. Korg microKorg - Average Used Price: $278
	Users include: Duran Duran, KMFDM, VNV Nation, Freezepop, Tweaker, Welle:Erdball, Unter Null, Haujobb, Helalyn Flowers, Julien-K, Xotox, Cobra Killer, Terrorfakt, Synapscape, Sista mannen på Jorden, C/A/T, The Crystalline Effect, Access To Arasaka, Atom™, DYM, S.K.E.T., Mono No Aware, Marching Dynamics, Cervello Elettronico, Lost Signal, The Rorschach Garden, Third Realm, Lucidstatic, Andraculoid, Brainclaw, AD:keY, Shiv-r, E.I.D, iameb 57
	Prices: eBay: $278, eBay EU: €262, eBay UK: £213, zZounds: $399
	See also: Novation K-Station, Alesis Micron, Korg microX, Roland SH-201

2. Roland Juno-106 - Average Used Price: $373
	Users include: Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Four Tet, The Human League, Autechre, Celldweller, Covenant, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Mesh, Velvet Acid Christ, Neuroticfish, Haujobb, Deadsy, Elegant Machinery, Thermostatic, Gridlock, Neuroactive, Neikka RPM, Terrorfakt, Iszoloscope, Cesium:137, Synapscape, Interface, C/A/T, Mr Jones Machine, Lost Signal, Anhedonia, Tristraum, K-Nitrate, Frontrunner
	Prices: eBay: $373, eBay EU: €429, eBay UK: £416
	See also: Roland JX-3P, Roland JX-8P

3. Yamaha DX7 - Average Used Price: $213
	Users include: Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Brian Eno, The Human League, Alphaville, Plaid, Oomph!, Telefon Tel Aviv, Covenant, And One, Front 242, Die Krupps, Robert Rich, Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Chemlab, Gridlock, Aslan Faction, FGFC820, The Azoic, Neuroactive, Ah Cama-Sotz, P·A·L, Memmaker, Darkmen, False Mirror, Frontrunner, MC1R, Logic Division
	Prices: eBay: $213, eBay EU: €165, eBay UK: £155
	See also: Korg DS-8, Ensoniq ESQ-1, Yamaha TX81Z

4. Novation BassStation - Average Used Price: $263
	Users include: Nine Inch Nails, Plaid, Carbon Based Lifeforms, ISAN, Psyclon Nine, Welle:Erdball, Merzbow, Dawn of Ashes, Drop The Lime, Frank Bretschneider, Stendeck, X-Marks The Pedwalk, Diskonnekted, Shnarph, Cdatakill, Edgey, New Modern Angels, Mr Jones Machine, Nullvektor, K-Nitrate, 16Pad Noise Terrorist
	Prices: eBay: $263, eBay EU: €194, eBay UK: £243
	See also: Novation A-Station, Novation K-Station, Waldorf Pulse, Novation SuperNova

5. Korg Prophecy - Average Used Price: $341
	Users include: Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Autechre, Baracuda, Project Pitchfork, Velvet Acid Christ, XP8, Accessory, Neuroactive, Cyanotic, Terrorfakt, Rx, X-Marks The Pedwalk, Synapscape, Winterkälte, Config.sys, Contaminant, K-Nitrate, Noxious Emotion
	Prices: eBay: $341, eBay EU: €377, eBay UK: £162
	See also: Korg Trinity

6. Yamaha CS1x - Average Used Price: $168
	Users include: Boards of Canada, Suicide Commando, Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Chemlab, X-Marks The Pedwalk, Somatic Responses, A7ie, Sista mannen på Jorden, Centhron, yelworC, P·A·L, Supreme Court, Lost Signal, Phylum Sinter, Neurobash, Everything Goes Cold, K-Nitrate
	Prices: eBay: $168, eBay EU: €119, eBay UK: £102
	See also: Yamaha AN1x, Yamaha CS2x

7. Waldorf Pulse - Average Used Price: $398
	Users include: Nine Inch Nails, Oomph!, Covenant, :wumpscut:, Mesh, Assemblage 23, Project Pitchfork, Elegant Machinery, Accessory, E-Craft, Neuroactive, Synapscape, Lowfish, Displacer, Mono No Aware, Fractional, MS Gentur
	Prices: eBay: $398, eBay EU: €221, eBay UK: £316
	See also: Novation BassStation

8. Yamaha AN1x - Average Used Price: $288
	Users include: Velvet Acid Christ, Dawn of Ashes, Gridlock, cEvin Key, E-Craft, Neuroactive, Distorted Memory, Epsilon Minus, Interface, Centhron, Yade, Brainclaw, Config.sys, Contaminant, Halo in Reverse
	Prices: eBay: $288, eBay EU: €252, eBay UK: £154
	See also: Yamaha CS1x, Roland SH-201

9. Kurzweil K2000 - Average Used Price: $313
	Users include: Nine Inch Nails, Duran Duran, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, :wumpscut:, Front Line Assembly, Information Society, Nitzer Ebb, Feindflug, Mortiis, Elegant Machinery, Chemlab, E-Craft, Implant, Captain Ahab
	Prices: eBay: $313, eBay EU: €315, eBay UK: £245

10. Dave Smith Instruments Evolver - Average Used Price: $587
	Users include: Nine Inch Nails, Telefon Tel Aviv, Celldweller, Kid606, Neuroactive, Uberbyte, Displacer, New Modern Angels, Mr Jones Machine, The Rorschach Garden, Skoyz, K-Nitrate
	Prices: eBay: $587