Best Theremins for 2026
🎶For most first-time players the Moog Theremini is the theremin to buy. Its adjustable pitch correction snaps your hand to the notes of a scale, so you can play a recognizable melody on day one, and it has a built-in speaker, so there is nothing else to buy.
How we chose. ShopSavvy doesn't play or test instruments. These four picks come from the manufacturers' published specifications, Amazon owner ratings recorded by ShopSavvy, and ShopSavvy's own price history: 62 price observations from 28 retailers between November 2022 and October 2024. Theremins are a small category and prices move rarely, so the figures below are the most recent we have; check the current listing before you buy.
What to look for. A traditional theremin has two antennas, one for pitch and one for volume, and nothing to touch, which makes it hard to play in tune. Decide first whether you want that challenge (Moog Etherwave, Burns B3) or help with it (Theremini). Then check the output: the Etherwave and B3 have no speaker and need an amplifier or powered speaker.
At a glance (prices ShopSavvy recorded):
- Overall: Moog Theremini, $399 at 15 of 16 retailers (October 2024)
- Traditional analog: Moog Etherwave, $899 at 19 retailers (November 2022)
- Budget: Burns B3, $246.79 and $629.48, the only two prices on record (October 2024)
- For kids and tinkerers: MicroKits Theremin Electronics Kit, $39.95 to $39.99 (October 2024)
🥇Overall Best: Theremini Theremin
The Moog Theremini keeps the theremin's play-without-touching idea and removes most of the frustration. Its pitch correction can be dialed from none to full, locking your hand to any of 22 scales starting on any of 12 root notes, so beginners can play in tune and get less help as they improve. The sound engine is based on Moog's Animoog synthesizer with 32 presets, and it adds a built-in tuner, speaker, headphone jack, CV output and USB MIDI.
It doesn't sound or respond like a classic analog theremin, which matters if you want to learn traditional technique.
Amazon owners rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 505 ratings recorded by ShopSavvy. When we last checked prices in October 2024, 15 of 16 retailers listed it at $399 and Amazon at $383.37.
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📚More About Theremini Theremin
More Answers
Still curious about the Theremini Theremin? Here are some answers you might find interesting:
🥈Best Traditional Theremin: Moog Etherwave Theremin
The Moog Etherwave is the best-known analog theremin: a vertical pitch antenna, a loop volume antenna, and no pitch correction at all. That makes it the right choice if you want to play the instrument the way it has been played for a century, and the wrong one if you want quick results, since playing in tune takes practice.
It has no built-in speaker, so plan on an amplifier or powered speaker and a cable, plus a stand to mount it on.
ShopSavvy's price records for it are older: 31 observations from 19 retailers in November 2022, every one at $899. Check the current price before you buy.
💸Lower-Cost Traditional Theremin: B3 Theremin
The Burns B3 is a ready-to-play traditional theremin with a rod antenna for pitch and a loop antenna for volume, a playing range of about five octaves, standard 110-volt power and a removable microphone-stand mount. Like the Etherwave it has no speaker; the maker's own listing says an amp is needed to hear it.
Amazon owners rate it 4.2 out of 5 across 105 ratings recorded by ShopSavvy, lower than the Moog models, so read recent reviews for build-quality comments.
ShopSavvy has only two prices on record for it, both from October 2024: $246.79 and $629.48. That is too few to call either one typical, so compare current listings carefully.
📚More About B3 Theremin
More Answers
Still curious about the B3 Theremin? Here are some answers you might find interesting:
Best for Kids and Tinkerers: MicroKits Theremin Electronics Kit
The MicroKits Theremin is a build-it-yourself breadboard kit: no soldering and no tools, roughly 20 minutes of assembly, and a full-color manual, recommended for ages 6 and up. The finished circuit responds to your hand like a theremin, which makes it a good STEM project and a cheap way to find out whether the sound appeals before spending hundreds.
It is a learning kit, not a performance instrument; don't expect the range or control of the Moog or Burns models.
Amazon owners rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 765 ratings recorded by ShopSavvy. In October 2024 four retailers listed it at $39.95 to $39.99.
How we researched this
How we chose these: these picks weigh published manufacturer specifications and aggregated owner and expert reviews for the 4 products listed here, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data. No retailer or brand pays to be included.
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