But what about a Polyphonic P5 (Prophet 5) that only has a Mono Out? 
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The title of that video is super misleading (presumably for the youtube algorithm). That reviewer actually REALLY liked the Hydrasynth Explorer. At roughly 18:05-18:20 he calls it the “Best Beginner Polysynth” and “Best Price to Fun Ratio” of 2022.
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For the OP, if you pursue the Blofeld for its multi-timbrality be prepared for StressFest 2023. Set up a punching bag by your workstation, because you’ll want to hit something until you get used to it.
(I never got used to it)
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Hi there! I think the Digitone would be a very good first choice: you might want to add more synths later, but for now it will give you not one but four extra layers. Which is a big value for a starting setup. It’ll give you a track for baselines, a track for lead, and another which still has 6 voices for poly pads. Etc. Since you only have a DT, it will make it lots easier to create full tracks.
It does have its distinct tones (which can be both beautiful or nasty), but you can just decide from YouTube videos well enough if that sort of pleases you or not.
There’s also the Digitone version with Keys. Which supposedly has very quality keys. Sómetimes it’s hardly more money secondhand, if you are lucky to find someone selling it.
PS Also, I think it’s good to trust your gut a bit. If you approach music from a place of playing keys, it might be the right bet to get a keyboard synth instead of a desktop version without keys. For a lot of people there’s still a difference between a synth with built in keyboard vs using a separate midi keyboard (I’m not a keys player so approach everything from a programming steps perspective, so I only have desktop synths with no keys.)
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DT+DN is the way, they were built for each other, and you’ve still got another four midi tracks for whatever else you feel the need to plug in!
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The Geometry packs for Digitone are sick. I appreciate the way that subtle analog imperfections are emulated so well.
I didn’t want to recommend the Digitone out of hand, but now that I see the OP is considering one, I will say that it ticks all the boxes (and some extra ones) as a poly-synth companion to the DT.
With basically identical sequencing and other workflows, the learning curve would be mostly about the FM sound generation.
On thing I enjoy about using more than one Digi box, especially in live settings, is being able to go back and forth between each as a “focus”. So, I might have a Digitakt-centric song, enhanced by some Digitone FM parts, then morph to a more Digitone-centric song, enhanced by some samples from the Digitakt. Designing my longer-form performances around this back-and-forth focus shift frees me up so that I don’t have to be so restrictive about insuring certain sounds carry over from pattern to pattern on just one box. Having that back and forth makes transitions more seamless and continuous, more like a DJ set, but with the Digi instruments as “decks”.
This may be WAY outside of the realm of what the OP wants to do, but for me, being able to do this back and forth between devices with a (mostly) identical workflow on them is a real brain saver when you’re in the thick of it. YMMV
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My first hardware synth was Minilogue. I enjoyed it for many years and it taught me well.
It doesnt have even a half of the features that most synthesizers that were recommended in this topic, but what it does have, is beautiful simplicity, that lets you focus on what you are doing.
You like how Modal sounds, so why not? They sound great, have awesome keybeds, and are just as hands on. Or are you searching for largest amount of features instead?
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@mitya33 Take a look at the Fred’s Lab Töörö :
“The Töörö is a polyphonic and multitimbral synthesizer module with 6 voices, 4 parts , per voice analog filters and a stereo signal path.”
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… and Gorilla Glue it side by side to the Digitakt. You can thank me later.
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