I really want to get a synth but I don't know much about them. I've been trying to do some reading up over the past few weeks and it seems theres so much out there, and none of its cheap!
I want to be able to use it with and without the computer. I've just found a microkorg on ebay which sort of seems like what I want.
What do you guys recomend as a beginners synth?

well im not sure about "actual" synth machines, but what I use for synth (can be heard in The Man (Final) ) is a Casio WK-3300 plugged into my computer sent through guitar rig or something and I downloaded synth VSTis or something i dont know what they were but it worked.
man im no help lol.
good luck to you

I recently purchased a s/h Roland JV 1080 synth module for under £100 on ebay. you can buy cards to add sounds/patches, depends on what sounds your after, the one I bought was a biggy in the nineties, but as I said you can purchase additional cards and have more uptodate sounds to

Synth Modules can be used with and without PC's

This site is really cool
http://www.synthmania.com/

Denis

I suggest searching this site for general synth info, as they cover just about every available piece of machinery out there.

I've tried the Microkorg myself - it packs some impressive sounds, I have the Korg MS2000 myself and it's driven by the same engine. The inbuilt vocodor is really neat, and adds a lot of fun. I think the mini keys are a drawback though, but it does make for portability. I don't know about PC connectivity... It has MIDI but you can't use it as instrument input source, so you're still going to have to plug it into your audio inputs if you want to record it to PC.

If you want USB connectivity, the Alesis Photon has USB and audio inputs, but I can't recall having a vocoder onboard. The sounds are awesome, they're cooler than the Korg's I think, they're also cooler than the Novation Xiosynth which is a cool USB synth with audio in/outputs (I have that one too). Both the Xiosynth and the Alesis have the same amount of controller pots for VST instruments.

If you don't care so much about onboard synths and are just looking for a controller synth with audio inputs, there's quite some of those too. Personally I think that may be a better option, hardware synths are after all nothing more than software embedded in chipsets anyway... I that case soft synths and a good controller keyboard are the way to go.

BUT to answer your question.... The microkorg is pretty cool, certainly would be something I'd pick now if I hadn't had a MS2000 already - still would want a USB synth with both audio and midi. You still need midi and audio interfaces if you want to connect the microkorg to your computer.

i thought i would suggest the

korg nanoKey midi keyboard,,,

you don't need to buy an interface..

and you can change out the sounds you know?

you can have a synth or a guitara or a piano!!

and starting at 50$

thats not bad...

its USB 2.0 so no midi connectors...

i've just stumbled across this crazy little thing

http://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/Korg-Kaossilator-Mini-Phrase-Synthesizer-In-Pink/9YL

The Kaos pad is killer but its more for manipulating existing sounds... let me put my two cents in... I vote for a midi controller and then you can use virtual synths!  Much more flexible!  If you go with out board gear you better know what its capable of and be comfortable with the sound... many of them can be a bit limiting even if they do support upgrades... having said that, if you do consider going outboard then there are several good synths out there... I suggest hitting a music store and auditioning some... not a good idea to grab one cold turkey...

+1 for midi controller and virtual synths, i got m-audio oxygen 61 key midi controller use it with Native Instruments Massive synth, pretty much all i use, massive has the best synth interface i've come across and then you can just automate all the massive parameters you want assigning them to the midi controller, most hardware synths i've use ared a pain in the ass to actually use cause there's no GUI like in soft synths so you gotta do everything through LED displays which is a pain in the ass, if u wanna splash out on synth though i'd recommend http://www.access-music.de/events/11-2004/virusti_details_keyboard.php4 mates got on, amazing sound 

+1 for M-Audio Oxygen! I have the V2...  But I use a mix of Fm8, Massive and Refx Nexus mainly... Although I have a few other go to's...