Vanilla Synth by muSonics – Boutique Analog Beauty at Superbooth 2025

video upload by Jonathan Knightsnare

"At Superbooth 2025, I had one of those “stop in your tracks” moments when I stumbled across muSonics' Vanilla Synthesizer — and luckily, got to hang out with the incredibly thoughtful creator, Amos, who walked me through the philosophy and craftsmanship behind this stunning instrument.

The Vanilla Synthesizer is a 5U modular analog synth, but don’t let the minimalist look fool you — under the hood, this thing is loaded with sonic personality and beautifully engineered references to vintage legends:

🎛️ The filter takes inspiration from the SEM/Oberheim lineage, offering that sweet, musical, slightly gritty character that feels alive at every knob turn.

🎚️ The mixer section is modeled after a vintage Moog CP3, giving your waveforms a subtle analog saturation that glues sounds together in a way no plugin can touch.

🔁 Normalized patching means you can play without any cables, but every section can still be overridden, so it's flexible for both beginners and modular veterans.

🌰 All of this is housed in a gorgeous solid walnut enclosure, handcrafted and finished in Illinois — it’s a tactile joy that looks like a piece of mid-century art as much as a synth.

What struck me most wasn’t just how good it sounds — which it does — but how thoughtful the whole instrument feels. It’s clear that Amos isn’t just an engineer, but a true musician and synth lover who’s building tools meant to inspire.

This isn’t mass-market gear. It’s boutique, handcrafted, analog music woodwork. And if you’ve ever wanted a synth that feels like an heirloom, this is it."