Removed vote, in fact 99.9999...% isn't 100%, but ears of majory of people can't distinguish difference between original hardware and software emulation. Your message in fact isn't clear, confusing, because this depends of synth model, and Diva isn't an useful example to compare with real synth (Diva is exceptional, but doesn't emulate a specific hardware). Probably Diva in your comment, I suppose.

 

Well, I am a beginer in soft synth as I recently tryed kontakt using a midi controler keyboard.

I must say I'm a little bit desapointed on soft synths and I will explain:

1- Hardware synths (I own botg a kORG Triton Estreme and a kORG kronos) are much more responsive. I mean, even with a good laptop nd a good audio card I have about 6 to 8 ms latency. It seems to be ok, but those fractions of second are enough to unsync some arpeggiators when playing live.

2- I found some great kontakt libraries with astonishing sounds (orchestral sounds, for exemple) but they seem to be useless in live performance once different dynamics and articulations are stored in different sets of samples. In studio reciording/production, they sure are of great value, but for live performance, I don't see how to use them.

3- With both my hardware synths I can easily look for a sound I want to use in live performance (or in it's internal sequencer) by fast navigating into their libraries. I can also install aditional libraries wich contains hundreds of sounds and try any of them really fast (they are also in tabs or cathegories wich makes it easy to find them and swich between them). By the other hand, in kontakt, most libraries are huge in size and very specific. I mean, I download a 80 Gb woodwind library wich contains no more than a few wood instruments and even worse, only after downloading such a big library and try it I can evaluate if the download worth it. Just to give an exemple: Since I installed kontakt i downloaded about 2 GB of libraries, however, untill now, I did't find a fasthsynth sound that pleases me and fits for live performance or an acceptable accordion/musette sounds (I have plenty of good accordion sounds in my korg keyboards).

Just my humble opinion

Salomao

 

Having used the Tal uno plugin and the Cz emulator I can say that they sound great, however the real Juno 6 sounds way nicer to my ears and the Cz5000 is a lot more grainy and basic sounding than the plugin which I prefer but the software is nice. The Korg M1 plugin, Alpha Juno (Redominator) and Pg8x (Jx8p) plugins are about the closest I have heard to the real thing. Would be great if I could replace all my hardware with software but its not quite there yet BUT I expect it will be within 5-10 ys.

 

Professionals have their own studios can have many hardwares, but for hobbyist at home, 1-room apartment (like me), having many synths (and racks for hardware effects) is simply impossible! Is it possible to fit real hardware (not workstation, it's emulation too running Linux, have samples on HDD/SSD such Kronos) like... Steinway-D grand piano + upright + Rhodes + B3 + acoustic (complete) drum + cellos + brasses + guitars/basses (with many amps)... Having one hardware isn't enough (hardware limitations)... having many synths (or samples/Kontakt banks) in 2.5"/3.5" hard disk (or SSD) into your PC or Mac is useful and viable solution (good compromise) in general, IMO.

 

Also consider (many videos and, better, audio demos) about OP-X PRO-II (SonicProjects), as Oberheim OB-X and Roland Jupiter-8 (largely better than Arturia "toy"). Discovering recently TimewARP2600 (AS member recommendation) as fantastic ARP2600 emulation. Old SQ8L (Butchy) as Ensoniq SQ-80/SQ-1 - perfectly emulated (but discontinued, too bad). TAL synths also are fantastic, ReDominator (AudioRealism), PG-8X (free Roland JX-8P emu), Dexed (Yamaha DX-7)... the list is long...

 

Last edited: Feb 13, 2016

A person who can appreciate the any subtle sonic qualities of expensive hardware is most likely so experienced they can make better software synth sounds than anyone wondering whether it makes a difference anyway. Hardware has advantages (and disadvantages) of course, but it's completely wrong to think they're a necessity to making great music.

I think a lot of people undervalue soft synths because they're so easily attainable for free, or even legit the price isn't completely outrageous as far as musical instruments go. Instead of dreaming of home studios and drowning in hardware (Guilty!).. we should take pride in the stuff we have and make beautiful music. There have been masterpieces made on much, much less.