Based on the other reviews from 2014, you'd think this synth was a failure. Then why would an analog synth enthusiast who sold all of his digital synths to start purchasing analog synths purchase a Blofeld... In 2019? Blofeld released new firmware in February 2018 and a whole bunch of new sounds as well. I do agree in the wild variations of volume between presets, but I bought this synth for the sound design functionality, not the presets. I could not find another synth that had the capability of sounding so massive, with 25 voices, a comb filter, 3 LFO's, 3 oscillators, built in effects... Yet that also had the capability for me to design a whole sound around a phrase my kids said using wavetsble synthesis. Analog? No. But the "new" freshly updated 2018 Blofeld has helped me realize that sound is what matters, not analog vs. digital. I made some pads, a sample-based piano sound I loaded, some hefty bass and searing/soaring lead sounds, and this heavy synth with an amazingly deep yet simple sound design matrix is exactly what meets my needs. My first analog synth was a Minilogue, which has great character and I love it- not selling that. But it can't do this stuff... Not even the XD can do everything the blofeld can do, although I want that too... :)