“The Novation Bass Station II was the obvious choice for my “Staff Pick”. A real Analogue Monophonic Synthesizer with Aftertouch for less than $500 is a great value! With modern features such as 128 Location Patch Memory, MIDI over USB, USB Bus Power, MIDI Clock Sync, Multimode Filters, and Overdrive/Distortion/Osc Filter Mod all available at the same, the BS2 will growl and shake the neighbor’s windows. There is a generous helping of knobs and switches that make sound design quick and fun. I have spent countless joyful hours really digging in to this hands-on instrument!