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Top 11 Best Eurorack Module Synth Brands In The World 2024

My New Microphone Top 11 Best Eurorack Module Synth Brands In The World

Since 2018, Eurorack has been the dominant hardware format for modular synthesizers. The popularity of Eurorack has brought plenty of module options and manufacturers to the market. Companies large and small offer Eurorack modules, and many even supply DIY kits.

When it comes to knowing the brands to look out for in Eurorack, there's a lot to sift through. There are plenty of brands that enter and exit the market within short periods of time. In contrast, others have solidified their position as top companies in this favoured yet niche modular synthesis environment.

In this article, we'll have a look at the top brands that produce Eurorack modules.

The Top 11 Best Eurorack Module Synth Brands Are:

  1. Mutable Instruments
  2. Intellijel
  3. Make Noise
  4. Cwejman
  5. Erica Synths
  6. Doepfer
  7. ALM Busy Circuits
  8. Xaoc Devices
  9. 4ms Company
  10. Tiptop Audio
  11. Behringer

Of course, any “best of” list is subjective by nature. I've done my best to make this as objective as possible. I've included not only my own bias but also the opinions of others (in real life, in online forums, and by which brands professionals use). I've also taken into account the number of models and the objective nature of the models in each brand.

We'll get into each of these brands in greater detail to explain why they made this list. I'll also include several module examples for each brand, along with a link to their official website and a bit of the company history.

Related My New Microphone articles:
Top 11 Benefits Of Learning & Playing Synthesizer

The Ultimate Synthesizer Buyer’s Guide
The Ultimate Eurorack Buyer's Guide


Click here to return to My New Microphone's articles on musical equipment brands/manufacturers.


mnm France 1 e1557783197834 | My New Microphone

Mutable Instruments

mnm Mutable Instruments Logo | My New Microphone

Mutable Instruments is a one-woman show from France and one of the biggest names in the Eurorack community. The company's modules have been staples in Eurorack synths across the world for a long time and remain highly sought-after to this day.

The Eurorack modules from Mutable Instruments are innovative yet easy to understand. There's not a rack in the world that couldn't be improved with a Mutable Instruments module (or several modules).

This brand releases everything with open-source code and has its own forum to support users/builders of Mutable Instruments products. The modules haven't only inspired hours of music but also an entire community of synth builders and experimentalists to build their own units.

Notable Modules:
Rings (Resonator)
Marbles (Random Sampler)
Plaits (Micro-oscillator)
Tides (Tidal modular)
Stages (Segment generator)

mnm 300x300 Mutable Instruments Plaits 1 | My New Microphone
Mutable Instruments Plaits

Mutable Instruments was founded in 2009 by Émilie Gillet in Paris, France. The company is headquartered in Paris to this day.

Official Website: mutable-instruments.net


mnm Canada e1557772573364 | My New Microphone

Intellijel

mnm Intellijel Logo | My New Microphone

Intellijel is another highly regarded name in the Eurorack community and has been for a relatively long time.

The Canadian company offers a wide variety of Eurorack modules ranging from must-have utility modules to complex modules with special and unique characteristics. Whether you're looking to add a high-quality basic module to your rack or something to take your sound to unchartered territory, Intellijel will certainly have a solution for you.

Intellijel's manufacturer, Dena Technologies, is located in the same warehouse, allowing everything from design, manufacturing, testing and shipping to happen under the same roof. This relationship has made it possible for Intellijel to maintain boutique-like design experimentation while also being able to supply more modules to the market.

Notable Modules:
Metropolix (Multi-stage sequencer)
Noise Random Tools 1U (Utility)
Quad VCA (VCA)
Planar 2 (Modulator joystick)
Cylonix Shapeshifter (Dual complex morphable wavetable digital VCO)

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Intellijel Quad VCA

Intellijel was founded in 2009 by Danjel van Tijn in Vancouver, Canada. The company headquarters is in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Official Website: intellijel.com


mnm USA e1557772655914 | My New Microphone

Make Noise

mnm Make Noise Logo | My New Microphone

Make Noise boasts an impressive line of Eurorack modules that are sure to add new sonic possibilities to your modular synthesizer. The company has been making a name for itself as one of the best Eurorack modular manufacturers since its inception in 2008.

The founder of the company, Tony Rolando, spent time working at Moog Music and brings this expertise to the company to produce some of the world's most outstanding Eurorack modules.

Make Noise is made up of forward-thinking designs that bring fresh and strange ideas to the table to produce some of the greatest, most curious modular synthesizers on the market today.

Notable Modules:
Maths (Synthesizer)
QPAS (Quad-core stereo filter)
STO (VCO)
DPO (Dual VCO)
Rene Mk2 (Sequencer)

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Make Noise Maths

Make Noise was founded in 2008 by Tony Rolando (a former Moog Music employee) in Asheville, North Carolina, USA, where the company is still headquartered today.

Official Website: makenoisemusic.com


mnm Sweden e1557782086309 | My New Microphone

Cwejman

mnm Cwejman Logo | My New Microphone

Cwejman first came to be in the 1970s with its development of the Synthra analog synthesizer. It wasn't until 1998 that the brand came out with its second product (the Cwejman Analogue Workbench). Today the company has a solid list of highly sought-after Eurorack modules that have found places in modular synth enthusiasts' racks around the world.

Cwejman does not produce at a large scale, so it can be difficult to find their products on the mass market. The waiting list is long, but if you're willing to wait, the modules are certainly worth it for their superior design and sonic quality.

The company's ergonomic and dispositional modules may be rare, but they are well-known within the Eurorack community as some of the best units available.

Notable modules:
ADSR-VC2 (Dual envelope generator)
CRV-24 (4-band crossover)
QVC-4 (Quad vector controller)
VCA-4MX (Quad VCA Mixer)
VCO-2RM (Dual oscillator)

mnm 300x300 ADSR VC2 | My New Microphone
Cwejman ADSR-VC2

Cwejman was originally founded in the 1970s and got into the synth market in 1998. The company is run out of Sweden.

Official Website: cwejman.net


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Erica Synths

mnm Erica Synths Logo | My New Microphone

Erica Synths is a Latvian company made up of visionaries, engineers, and musicians dedicated to producing high-end and inspiring Eurorack modules.

The company has been around since 2014 and has slowly but surely been making a name for itself as a premier Eurorack module manufacturer. With a passion for audio synthesis, Erica Synths continues to put out stimulating modules that offer novel opportunities for new and unique sounds and functions.

As Erica Synths discontinues its older legacy DIY Eurorack projects, it makes them open-source to further develop the collective knowledge and resources of the Eurorack community at large.

Notable Modules:
Fusion Plasma Drive (Distortion)
Black VCO2 (VCO)
Fusion Ring Modulator V2 (Ring modulator)
Pico Drums (Percussion synthesizer)
Black Hole DSP 2 (24 custom effects)

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Erica Synths Black Hole DSP 2

Erica Synths was founded in 2014 by Girts Ozolinš in Riga, Latvia. The company is still headquartered in Riga today.

Official Website: ericasynths.lv


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Doepfer

mnm Doepfer Logo | My New Microphone

This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning Doepfer. After all, it was Dieter Doepfer and Doepfer Musikelektronik that invented the Eurorack modular synthesizer format in 1996.

Since then, the German brand has grown its reputation as a great modular synth manufacturer into one of the best Eurorack module producers in the world.

The company's A-100 analog modular system has everything a Eurorack enthusiast could want and more. Drawing on experience from the 1970s and earlier, the Doepfer combines vintage wisdom and modern design to produce some of the world's best Eurorack modules.

Notable Modules:
A-124 SE (Filter)
A-140 (Envelope shaper)
A-149-1 (Qunatized/stored random voltage generator)
A-151 (Quad sequential switch)
A-185-2 (Precision adder|bus access)

mnm 300x300 Doepfer A 140 | My New Microphone
Doepfer A-140

Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH was founded in 1977 by Dieter Döpfer in Germany. The company is headquartered in Gräfelfing, Germany.

Official Website: doepfer.de


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ALM Busy Circuits

mnm ALM Busy Circuits | My New Microphone

ALM / Busy Circuits is a superb manufacturer of Eurorack modules from the United Kingdom.

The company produces high-end modules emphasizing build quality, attention to detail, ethics, and responsible sourcing. This results in creative and fun modules that inspire original sounds.

In addition to producing some of the best Eurorack modules on the market, ALM / Busy Circuits offers world-class support to the users of its incredible products along with ongoing product update to continuously improve upon some of their best-selling modules.

Notable Modules:
ALM017 – Pamela's NEW Workout (Master clock and modulator)
ALM022 – Squid Salmple (Sampler)
ALM023 – mmMidi (MIDI to CV interface)
ALM027 – Boss Bow Two (Multi-mode switch)
ALM028 – Pip Slope Mk2 (Envelope generator)

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ALM Busy Circuits ALM017 – Pamela's NEW Workout

ALM Busy Circuits was founded in 2012 by Matthew Allum in London, United Kingdom, where the company is still headquartered today.

Official Website: busycircuits.com


mnm Poland e1557775120500 | My New Microphone

Xaoc Devices

mnm Xaoc Devices Logo2 2 | My New Microphone

Xaoc Devices is the premier modular synthesizer company from Poland and is a top manufacturer of Eurorack modules.

The company was founded in 2012 with a passion for sound and electronics. This passion shows in the variety of uncompromising yet affordable modules on the company's product list.

The world-class modules from Xaoc have found their places in racks around the world, giving synth enthusiasts access to endlessly enjoyable and novel sound-making experiences.

Notable Modules:
Batumi (Quadruple low-frequency oscillator)
Belgrad (Dual-peak multi-mode state variable filter)
Zadar (Quadruple envelope generator)
Sarajewo (Syncable analog delay line)
Katowice (Stereo variable band isolator)

mnm 300x300 Xaoc Devices Batumi 1 | My New Microphone
Xaoc Devices Batumi

Xaoc Devices was founded in 2012 by Marcin Łojek in Poland.

Official Website: xaocdevices.com


mnm USA 1 e1557772616184 | My New Microphone

4ms Company

mnm 4ms Logo | My New Microphone

The 4ms Company has experience in several fields of audio products (and several American cities). Starting as an effects pedal manufacturer and moving into digital hardware, this manufacturer had a ton of experience before jumping into the Eurorack game in 2009.

Related article: Are Hardware Synthesizers Worth The Cost?

This company is on a mission to make music better by designing and building innovative musical instruments. Its modules are cherished around the world for their uniqueness and creative potential.

4ms Company offers DIY kits and publishes many of its designs as open-source projects to help develop the Eurorack community even further.

Try adding a 4ms module to your rack and see why the company is one of the best for yourself!

Notable Modules:
Rotating Clock Divider (Clock generator)
Pingable (Envelope generator)
QCD (Quad clock distributor)
Dual Looping Delay (Delay)
Row Power 45 (Power source)

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4ms Company QCD: Quad Clock Distributor

4ms Company was originally founded as “3ms” by Dan Green in Chicago, Illinois, in 1996. Af the name change (in 2002) and several moves, 4ms is now headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA.

Official Website: 4mscompany.com


mnm USA 1 e1557772616184 | My New Microphone

Tiptop Audio

mnm Tiptop Audio Logo 1 | My New Microphone

Tiptop Audio brings the spirit of Silicon Valley to the modular synth market. The company offers a variety of Eurorack modules, including an impressive line of drum generators.

The modules from Tiptop are designed with a focus on performance and ergonomics, making them sound great and integrate easily into any Eurorack setup.

These innovative modules are world-class and give Tiptop a definite spot on this list.

Notable Modules:
MISO (Mix invert scale offset)
Z-DSP (VC Digital signal processor)
Circadian Rhythms (Performance sequencer)
Forbidden Planet (Analog filter)
TG ONE (Sample player)

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Tiptop Audio Forbidden Planet

Tiptop Audio was founded in 2009 by Gur Milstein. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA.

Official Website: tiptopaudio.com


mnm British Virgin Islands Flag | My New Microphone

Behringer

mnm Behringer Logo | My New Microphone

Behringer is, as Behringer does, reproducing legendary but discontinued audio equipment from the past. Love it or hate it, Behringer doesn't only bring back some of the world's best synth modules for decades past but also does so in Eurorack format and at a reasonable price.

Behringer's Eurorack modules are based on famous designs and are produced with quality and precision, offering highly sought-after pieces to the masses.

Check out Behringer for yourself when looking for your next Eurorack module and see just how impressive their modules are.

Notable Modules:
140 Dual Envelope/LFO
150 Ring Mod/Noise/S&H/LFO
172 Phase-Shifter/Delay/LFO
173 Quad Gate/Multiples
182 Sequencer

mnm 300x300 Behringer 150 Ring ModNoiseSHLFO 1 | My New Microphone
Behringer 150 Ring Mod/Noise/S&H/LFO

Behringer was founded in 1989 by Uli Behringer in Willich, Germany. The company is owned by Music Tribe (also founded and chaired by Uli Behringer), which is based in the British Virgin Islands.

Official Website: behringer.com
Parent Company: Music Tribe

Behringer

Behringer is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!


Building your Eurorack system can be overwhelming. For this reason, I've created My New Microphone's Comprehensive Eurorack Buyer's Guide. Check it out for help in determining your next Eurorack purchases.


When buying a synthesizer, it can be challenging to choose the most ideal option within your budget. For this reason, I've created My New Microphone's Comprehensive Synthesizer Buyer's Guide. Check it out for help choosing the best synth for your applications.


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Have any thoughts, questions or concerns? I invite you to add them to the comment section at the bottom of the page! I'd love to hear your insights and inquiries and will do my best to add to the conversation. Thanks!

This article has been approved in accordance with the My New Microphone Editorial Policy.

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