If I wanted to find a synth that looks the most crap on the outside, yet makes me deeply awestruck by its actual sound, this is it. The DW-8000 stands out by two characteristics: it's super cheap and uniquely sounding. Moreover, it's very versatile across patch domains - the most apt description of its character would be a "lush & friendly sounding Yamaha DX-7". The point where this exciting story ends is the interface. If this piece of gear had real-time knobs to control at least some of the parameters, it would be worth every money. OK, to give you a more tangible idea: I would happily pay double of its current price (meaning I would pay $600: I'm writing this in 2007).

The punchy, spacious sound of the DW comes from digital waveforms (16 to choose from) put through one deep quality analog filter and then through a digital delay. Nice strings, organs and elecpianos, good FX sounds and great, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawesome pads. You need to get this piece of equipement for the sake of these sounds alone. Once auditioned, their brain-caressing ambience is hard to eradicate from memory.