It’s not hard to find portable synths, but they typically have one or two effects at most — even larger models (with some exceptions) tend to only have a few. You won’t have that issue with Dreadbox’s just-introduced Typhon, however. As Synth Anatomy notes, the USB-powered analog mono synth includes 12 DSP stereo effects, such as a bit crusher, distortion, flanger and reverb. You might not have much trouble producing a favorite sound wherever you’re playing.

There’s also a 32-note step sequencer that can be used for pitch and modulation, not just for notes. This isn’t absolutely essential when other instruments can often automate parameters without using a sequencer, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the option in this class. The design is also relatively newcomer-friendly with a clear layout.