Affordable monosynth for strong lead and solo sounds

[Spider]

A very subjective final consideration: I own both the Microbrute and the Bass Station II.
First and most important: they both sound great. Different sonic options and different nuances, of course, but both are really good instruments.
Neither of them comes close to the Moog sound, however (I advise you on this as you are also looking at a Slim or Little Phatty).

The BSII is way more powerful, more features, full size keys, etc. And of course, having patch memories is a HUGE plus.

But don't underestimate the Microbrute. It looks like a toy but it's very, VERY serious stuff. The single oscillator and filter are not so limited as they look (there are some clever tricks and workarounds), the sequencer is actually better than that on the BSII, and the patch matrix is SO much fun.
Not having patch memory is clearly a limitation, but it also forces you to really LEARN how to make sounds.
Want that kind of sound you liked so much? You don't just scroll the preset, you have to re-build the sound wave by wave, envelope by envelope.
It looks like a drag (and it is, sometimes), but it's also unbelievably didactic.
Seriously, the Micro has been the most instructive and fun musical tool I encountered since I first laid my hands on a piano. It should be included in the mandatory equipment in all music schools.

When I'm looking for deep, complex sounds, I use the BSII.
But for random knob-twisting, cord-patching unashamed fun, I almost always turn to the MicroBrute, and it never fails to deliver it.

[andyysplash]

I also don't find 2 octaves THAT limiting in a mono synth. Two octaves is about the natural extension of a human voice, that's the reference for any solo sound. So it's the most pleasant-sounding range you are likely to use in a solo.

You make a valid point regarding the range thing. The advantage a 37-key board has is that it covers a 2-octave range in every single key (playing in G could require lots of octave shift since you'd be missing a fifth at the top end) and there are some solos that use a wide range to great effect, building the intensity of the solo - a great example would be Cory Henry's solo on Lingus. He uses almost the whole range of a King Korg.

Two octaves wouldn't be the end of the world and I can really understand the benefits in terms of portability, but to me it feels like it would be a bit cramped. I'll see what boards my local PMT stocks and have a noodle about on them.

[andyysplash]

First and most important: they both sound great. Different sonic options and different nuances, of course, but both are really good instruments.
Neither of them comes close to the Moog sound, however (I advise you on this as you are also looking at a Slim or Little Phatty).

The BSII is way more powerful, more features, full size keys, etc. And of course, having patch memories is a HUGE plus.

When I'm looking for deep, complex sounds, I use the BSII.
But for random knob-twisting, cord-patching unashamed fun, I almost always turn to the MicroBrute, and it never fails to deliver it.

Thanks for the insight - if I had the money and space I'd take a Little Phatty, BSII AND a Minibrute just for their unique sounds and interfaces. It sounds to me that the BSII might be the ticket if the range doesn't put me off. Else it's stepping up for a Mopho or up even more for an LP. Although they're all different and have very different filters, I've heard some great lead sounds on all three synths and being able to program something that can cut right through the mix and offer plenty of expression is the key factor, regardless of the differences in character.