Three great hard-soft hybrids

Elektron Overbridge

Elektron’s Analog Rytm beatbox, Analog Four/Keys synths and Analog Heat distortion box can be tightly integrated with your DAW through the company’s Overbridge software, allowing synchronization and patch editing from within a VST or AU host. You can even use the Overbridge devices as USB interfaces to record other gear.

Access Virus TI

A Ah handful of Access’ now-classic Virus series of synthesisers sport their Total Integration appellation, meaning that they can be edited and controlled from a computer over USB. Like the Elektron devices, the four Virus TI models can stream their audio over USB without the need for an audio interface.

Novation UltraNova and MiniNova

The latest models in Novation’s virtual analogue/wavetable hardware synthesiser line, the ’Novas come bundled with a plugin editor that can be instantiated in any VST or AU host, giving users immediate access to all parameters from within their DAWs. And yes, these Novae can act as USB interfaces for other hardware.