Synth Icons
🎹 Synth Icons is the podcast where legendary keyboards come back to life. Hosted by producer and synth expert Andy Whitmore, each episode dives into the world’s most iconic synthesizers — from the lush analog power of the Yamaha CS-80, to the digital sparkle of the DX7, to the unmistakable sounds of the Korg M1.
Andy recreates famous riffs, compares hardware to modern software emulations, and reveals the stories, sounds, and production secrets behind the instruments that shaped pop, film, and electronic music.
If you're a synth enthusiast, a producer, or just love classic hits, Synth Icons lets you hear the legends for yourself.
👉 Follow for more synth deep-dives, blind tests, and studio stories.
🎧 Watch the full video versions on YouTube → @AndyWhitmore
Synth Icons
CS-80 Blind Test | Yamaha vs Arturia, Softube, Cherry Audio & XILS
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
🎧 Can you tell the difference between the legendary Yamaha CS-80 and today’s best software emulations?
In this blind test, I compare the real CS-80 with recreations from Arturia, Softube, Cherry Audio, and XILS Lab — and the results might surprise you! 🎹
You’ll hear iconic sounds made famous by Vangelis, Michael Jackson, Toto, and even Doctor Who, but only one of them is the true analog hardware. Play along, make your guesses, and see if your ears can spot the genuine CS-80 among the plugins.
👉 Subscribe for more synth deep-dives, blind tests, and behind-the-scenes stories from the studio.
🎹 Watch the full video version on YouTube → @AndyWhitmore
🎧 More Synth Icons episodes:
- Hohner Clavinet D6 – Famous Riffs You Instantly Know
- Roland Jupiter-4 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were Jupiter-4)
- Korg M1 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were M1)
🔧 Work with Andy
- Production, mixing & mastering: https://www.andywhitmore.com/
- Studio: https://greystokestudio.com/
📲 Connect with Andy
- YouTube: @AndyWhitmore
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andywhitmore2014/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndyWhitmoreMusic
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andywhitmore9583