scorbett

I owned the Focal Twin 6BEs for about two years before I snagged the Sub6. I always knew the focals were good speakers, but something about them just didn't "click" with my head until I got the Sub6. It just rounds out their sound perfectly, makes you feel like you're completely immersed in the music. I've used bad subs before. They exaggerate the lows and make a room sound like your brother's souped-up car rig. The Sub6 has plenty of power (350W), but the bass it produces is incredibly clean, fast, and accurate.

Between these and my Focal Twins/Sub I always get a good mixdown that translates. They reveal everything and don't sound harsh while doing it. The only downside is they're heavy, so I can only wear them for an hour or so before needing to take a break. Perfectly balanced across the spectrum though, from 20Hz to 52Khz, with ample dynamics (so long as you have a good headphone amp or your audio interface does).

The Andromeda A6 was my first analogue synth and remains a staple of my setup. It's a sixteen voice monster that can easily rival a large modular when setup correctly, and comes equipped with decent outboard effects (the analog overdrive is tasty too when used correctly). This isn't a beginner's instrument, it's something you delve into for hours to build sounds that just aren't possible with any other instrument.

I grabbed a MatrixBrute toward the beginning of the year, and it's quickly worked its way to being my staple monosynth. It's a three oscillator, two filter analog monster, and nothing else I own comes close. The MatrixBrute is capable of everything, from screaming leads to complex sequences to soft ambiences. The Steiner Parker ladder filter likewise gives it a unique, smooth and warm flavor that no other synth in my getup has. As the name implies, this synth is solidly aimed at programmers and sound designers, but the keyboard is still one of the best I've ever played.

I was lucky enough to buy one of these LE versions of the Little Phatty Stage II. At the time I was in pretty desperate need of a solid mono synth to handle bass and lead duties, and the Phatty stepped up to the game perfectly. What's surprising is that this synth lends itself well to more than these areas. I've used it to create percussion sounds, FX, and even pads/drones. The warmth of the Phatty's oscillators and filters help it sit in a mix with minimal or no EQ (albeit for more percussive sounds you'll want some good compression). Nowadays I tend to reach for the Subsequent 37, but when I need something more gritty the Phatty still sees plenty of use.

The Focal Twins are a favorite of studios and artists for a reason, they're brutally honest but not harsh. They reveal transients of material with easy, and show under or overcompression of sounds without exaggerating the effects of the processing. Likewise, when matched with the Sub 6, they're wickedly balanced across the spectrum. It's hard for me to imagine I'll find another pair of monitors I can trust as much while still having fun listening to them. Best buy for the money in this price range, guaranteed.