Executive Overview
In the fast-paced ecosystem of modern electronic music production—where software plugins and endless digital preset libraries often dominate the workflow—hardware synthesizers that prioritize tactile performance and organic character stand out as rare treasures. Enter the LARYNX, a performance-focused, highly expressive analogue synthesizer crafted by the boutique Dutch gear manufacturer AnalogFX.
Drawing heavy inspiration from the legendary, long-defunct Synton Syrinx—a rare holy grail of synthesizer design originally produced in the Netherlands during the 1980s—the LARYNX bridges the gap between vintage analogue warmth and contemporary workflow demands. Built upon AnalogFX’s critically acclaimed SER-2020 architecture, this 37-key hardware instrument is much more than a mere nostalgia-fueled clone. It is a modern powerhouse boasting an aftertouch-enabled keyboard, deep real-time modulation capabilities, a versatile triple-filter formant architecture, and a rich array of creative performance tools including a 16-step sequencer, built-in arpeggiator, and onboard stereo delay.
However, exclusivity is baked into its very identity. In a move that ensures its status as an instant collector’s item, AnalogFX has limited the initial production run of the LARYNX to just 50 units worldwide. For sound designers, live performers, and synth historians alike, the LARYNX represents a rare convergence of rare historical lineage, boutique craftsmanship, and uncompromising modern sound-shaping potential.
Detailed Chronology: The Evolution from Synton Syrinx to AnalogFX LARYNX
To fully appreciate the significance of the LARYNX, one must trace the historical thread that connects it to the golden age of European synthesizer innovation.
The 1980s: The Synton Syrinx Legacy
During the late 1970s and 1980s, the Dutch company Synton—founded by Felix Visser—earned an elite reputation among electronic music pioneers for building exceptionally innovative, cutting-edge electronic instruments. While their modular systems and vocoders were widely respected, the Synton Syrinx, released in 1982, became their crowning achievement.
The Syrinx was famously unconventional. It featured dual oscillators, a unique touch-sensitive bender plate (the "Touch’n’Bend"), and a bizarre, highly flexible dual-filter configuration that allowed for vocal, formant-like filtering unlike anything else on the market. Only a few hundred units of the Syrinx were ever manufactured, making original models exceedingly rare, fragile, and prohibitively expensive on the vintage secondary market. For decades, modern musicians could only dream of experiencing the unique tactile layout and vocal-like timbres of the Syrinx without tracking down a museum-grade vintage unit.
The AnalogFX Renaissance
Fast-forward to the contemporary gear landscape, where boutique developer AnalogFX—led by founder and lead developer Marc Stroobach—has been quietly carving out a reputation for engineering deeply musical, uncompromising analogue hardware. Building upon the beloved architecture of their previous flagship creation, the SER-2020, Stroobach and his team set their sights on a monumental challenge: capturing the elusive, vocal-like magic and performance immediacy of the Syrinx while integrating the reliability, connectivity, and expanded sonic palette demanded by modern producers.
The result of this multi-year development cycle is the LARYNX. Rather than attempting an exact 1:1 replica that would inherit the reliability quirks and physical limitations of 1980s circuitry, AnalogFX reimagined the concept from the ground up. They kept the soul, the layout ethos, and the expressive performance controls—most notably the distinctive rectangular Touch’n’Bend bender positioned thoughtfully on the chassis—while injecting modern voltage-controlled components, digital control layers, and expansive routing options.
Under the Hood: Architecture, Sound Engine, and Connectivity
The LARYNX is a masterclass in packing profound sonic versatility into a compact, 37-key format. Every element of its hardware design has been meticulously tuned to give performers immediate, hands-on control over their soundscape.
Oscillators and Sound Generation
At the beating heart of the LARYNX’s sound engine are two CEM3340-based voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). The CEM3340 IC is a legendary synth component celebrated for its rock-solid tracking, rich thermal stability, and punchy, aggressive wave shapes that helped define the sound of countless classic polysynths and monosynths.
To supplement these primary oscillators, AnalogFX has integrated:
- A Dedicated Sub-Oscillator: Perfect for reinforcing the low end of bass patches, adding immense weight and foundation.
- A Versatile Noise Generator: Ideal for crafting percussion, wind effects, or adding analog grit and texture to leads and pads.
- Chord Mode: Expanding beyond traditional monophonic and duophonic limitations, the LARYNX features a five-voice oscillator Chord Mode, allowing players to unleash massive, harmonically rich analogue stabs and pads with a single keystroke.
The Triple-Filter Formant Architecture
Perhaps the most defining sonic characteristic of the original Syrinx was its filter design, and the LARYNX honors this heritage with a sophisticated triple-filter system.
Comprising PEAK 1, PEAK 2, and a Low Pass Filter (LPF), this configuration allows for complex frequency carving, self-oscillation acrobatics, and aggressive tonal shaping. Furthermore, the synth introduces a dedicated Formant Mode, which comes pre-programmed with 16 human voice formants. This feature unlocks the ability to morph synthesized tones into vowel-like, speech-like timbres—giving the instrument its namesake ("Larynx," the voice box) and allowing it to "speak" in ways that standard subtractive synthesizers simply cannot replicate.
According to AnalogFX, this trifecta of oscillators and advanced filtering enables a breathtakingly wide sonic footprint. The LARYNX is equally at home generating deep, sub-frequency analogue basses and cutting, face-melting leads as it is producing sprawling, evolving ambient textures and uncanny vocal approximations.
Performance Controls, Sequencer, and Effects
A synthesizer can have the finest oscillators in the world, but without expressive controls, it risks feeling sterile. The LARYNX addresses this through a semi-weighted 37-key keybed equipped with aftertouch, allowing performers to modulate vibrato, filter cutoff, or amplitude dynamically via finger pressure.
Complementing the aftertouch keybed is the signature rectangular Touch’n’Bend bender, mirroring the ergonomic placement and tactile feedback of its historical inspiration. For compositional inspiration and rhythmic complexity, the LARYNX includes:
- A 16-Step Sequencer: Designed for laying down hypnotic basslines and interlocking rhythmic patterns on the fly.
- A Built-In Arpeggiator: For sweeping melodic runs and dynamic note cascades.
- Onboard Stereo Delay: Adding lush spatial depth, echoes, and dimensionality to the dry analogue signal path without requiring external pedals or rack units.
Comprehensive Connectivity
Understanding that modern studios and live rigs require seamless integration, AnalogFX equipped the LARYNX with a robust array of I/O ports:
- MIDI IN/OUT: For integration with DAW software, hardware sequencers, and master keyboard controllers.
- Expression, Sustain, and Hold Pedal Inputs: Giving performers hands-free control over modulation parameters and sustain envelopes during complex live sets.
- Stereo Line Output & Headphone Input: Ensuring pristine signal transfer whether routing directly into a recording interface, mixing console, or monitoring privately on stage.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Scarcity, Craftsmanship, and Market Positioning
In an industry currently flooded with mass-produced, digitally controlled analog gear manufactured in massive overseas factories, AnalogFX’s strategy with the LARYNX represents a distinct paradigm: ultra-boutique, highly exclusive craftsmanship.
| Feature / Specification | Detail / Metric |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | AnalogFX (Netherlands) |
| Inspiration | Synton Syrinx (1982 Dutch analogue synthesizer) |
| Underlying Architecture | Evolution of the AnalogFX SER-2020 |
| Keybed | 37 keys with Aftertouch |
| Oscillators | Dual CEM3340 VCOs + Sub-Oscillator + Noise Generator |
| Filter Section | Triple-Filter System (PEAK 1, PEAK 2, LPF) with Formant Mode |
| Polyphony Modes | Monophonic, Duophonic, and 5-Voice Oscillator Chord Mode |
| Onboard Sequencer/Arp | 16-step sequencer and built-in arpeggiator |
| Effects | Onboard Stereo Delay |
| Initial Production Run | Strictly limited to 50 units worldwide |
| Connectivity | MIDI In/Out, Expression/Sustain/Hold inputs, Stereo Line Out, Headphone Out |
The Economics of Exclusivity
With an initial production run capped at just 50 units, the LARYNX is positioned firmly in the upper echelon of collector-grade gear. While mass-market manufacturers scale production to lower unit costs, boutique workshops like AnalogFX face distinct economic realities. Sourcing vintage-spec components like the CEM3340, hand-calibrating complex triple-filter analog signal paths, and assembling precision mechanical components (such as the touch-sensitive bender and aftertouch keybeds) requires immense labor and meticulous quality control.
This scarcity creates a dual effect. On one hand, it guarantees that owning a LARYNX is an exclusive privilege reserved for the fastest buyers and most dedicated sound design enthusiasts. On the other hand, it elevates the instrument beyond a mere utilitarian tool—transforming it into an investment-grade piece of modern music history that is likely to appreciate significantly on the secondary market, much like the original Synton instruments that inspired it.
Official Statements and Design Philosophy
The philosophy driving the creation of the LARYNX goes far beyond technical spec sheets; it is rooted in the tactile, emotional connection between musician and machine.
Marc Stroobach, Founder and Lead Developer at AnalogFX, encapsulated this ethos during the instrument’s official launch:
"With LARYNX, we wanted to create an instrument that feels alive under your hands. It’s inspired by some of the most expressive synthesizers ever made, but designed for today’s musicians who want immediate control, deep sound shaping, and a genuine connection between performance and sound. Every AnalogFX instrument starts from a passion for music and a belief that synthesizers should inspire creativity, not get in the way of it."
This sentiment strikes at the core of why hardware synthesizers continue to thrive in the modern age. In an era where producers frequently find themselves staring at computer screens, clicking mice, and navigating menus, instruments like the LARYNX offer a tactile sanctuary. Every knob twist, filter sweep, and aftertouch press yields an immediate, organic acoustic reaction—fostering an intuitive state of creative flow.
Future Outlook: The Legacy of AnalogFX and the Revival of European Synth Craft
The launch of the LARYNX marks a significant milestone not only for AnalogFX, but for the broader landscape of independent European synthesizer design. By successfully channeling the spirit of Synton’s legendary Syrinx while incorporating modern workflow staples like MIDI integration, chord modes, and onboard delay, AnalogFX has demonstrated that boutique manufacturers can successfully honor vintage heritage without being trapped in the past.
What Lies Ahead?
Given that the initial production run is strictly limited to 50 units, availability will undoubtedly vanish almost instantly upon release. Industry observers and gear enthusiasts are already speculating whether AnalogFX will manage a subsequent production batch or if the LARYNX will remain a rare, unicorn-status artifact in their product catalog.
Regardless of future production numbers, the LARYNX serves as a bold statement of intent. It proves that there is a thriving, passionate market for uncompromising, performance-oriented analogue instruments that prioritize character, physical expression, and deep sonic exploration over mass-market compromises.
For the fortunate few who manage to secure one of the initial 50 units, the LARYNX promises to be far more than just a synthesizer—it is a living, breathing voice of electronic music heritage, ready to shape the sonic landscapes of tomorrow.
The LARYNX is available now in a strictly limited run. To explore full specifications, audio demonstrations, and purchasing availability, visit the official AnalogFX Shop.
