beginner synth choice help

Beginner Questions

Hello, I was recently thinking about getting myself a synth. I play in a shogaze-ish noise rock band with only 1 guitar (im the guitarist) and was thinking of getting myself a synth to pair with guitar stuff for live looped leads and super washy sections. The synth would probably be drowned in a lot of reverb, chorus and similar. I still dont know a lot about synths but I kinda got down to 2 choices, the Roland S-1 and the Yamaha Reface CS. My main issue is that money is a problem. I can barely save up enough for a Yamaha, anything more expensive than it is a no go. My big question is is it worth it over the S-1? I considered the fact that its bigger size would make it more practical for live playing and the fader layout has its uses too, but some people say it is kinda limited which doesnt really sound nice. On the contrary I heard that the S-1 has a lot of different options and menu diving isnt a particular a problem for me since I already do it on my pedals too. It does seem a lot more complicated to play and make something in a live setting tho. I dont know if its selling point is the portability or sound, but I would much rather pay for a good sound rather than portability. The price is much lower on the s-1 which is making me search for every possible excuse to buy it tho. Im a bit more inclined toward the CS but I would rather buy the S-1 if im not missing out on anything. Please help me. Thanks

Posted Dec 9, 2025, 9:39 AM UTC

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