Most interesting VCO?

[Lorenzo]

What do you think are the most interesting modular VCO actually commercialized?
And most important, why?

Thanks

[Per]

It is a pretty big question.
One answer could be the Moog Modular, as it sat a standard that everybody follow today, even though the production stopped ages ago. Another answer is the Buchla Modular, as it opened up for new ideas and gave us creative tools for non keyboard composition.
Some people may say the EMS Sythi, as it was affordable to ordinary musicians, and really brought strange sounds into rock music.
A fourth to mention is Doepfer. Not for innovative ideas, but for making a system that was cheap, affordable, and open to other manufactories to adopt. I think Dopefer is a big part of the hype on modulars we see today, together with the british Analog Systems.
I am not sure, really. Maybe Moog is the father, Buchla the mother
Per

[ndkent]

I'd agree in general with everything just said. The Moog most definitely set the standard. Only Buchla, who wasn't building in quantity (and arguably some other small quantity or one-off instruments like the Synket) wasn't aware of the Moog synthesizer.

EMS definitely came in first for a low price, though I'd say the "strange sounds in rock music" was mostly due to users initially not buying the keyboard or having trouble getting their keyboard to work properly. Certainly Moog and Arp were heard making strange sounds on records in that era.

Doepfer really did bring back modulars as viable and affordable in the mid 90s. I don't think they intended for others to adopt their format, and after all there were certainly others making Moog format modules way back and today. But since Doepfer used a rack system that was compact and used some existing 3rd party hardware meant for other electronic uses, others chose to build more or less compatible modules. Actually Synton used a 3U rack system back in the 80s and PAIA had their Frac Rack format for effects (though not a Frac synth system until after Doepfer).

As for stuff today -

The Livewire AFM has unique waveshape modulation and many waveforms no one else includes in VCOs.

The Cyndustries Zeroscillator has very comprehensive FM capabilities when used with a second or more VCOs as well as quadrature outs.

Buchla's current osc contains a second dedicated modulation osc and complex waveshaping.

[Per]

Maybe off topic, but:
How is the Livewire VCO?
I have, in my rack" VCOs from Doepfer, Analog Systems, Plan B, MFB,Cwejman, Metasonix and as well as Zeroschillators.
But I am still interested good VCOs, as I using lesser and lesser filtering.
So, how is it to work with the livewire VCO? Is it worth the money?
What can it do that other can´t do?
Per

[Lorenzo]

A simple question with an interesting answers
thanks

[mono-poly]

I would go for the serge nto.
If i want waveshaping i patch it to a waveshaper.