Annual top list December 2021 - My best software synthesizers

Spoiler: - My 64 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 092 VSTi - Studio One (4K Ready)

- My 64 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 092 VSTi - Studio One (4K Ready)

Adam Szabo - Viper VSTi - 64 Bit
Ample Sound - ABP 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Ample Sound - AGM 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Ample Sound - Ample Bass Upright VSTi - 64 Bit
Ample Sound - Ample Guitar LP VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - ARP 2600 V3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Buchla Easel V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - CZ V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - DX7 VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Mini V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - OB-XA V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Pigments - 64 Bit
Arturia - Prophet V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Synclavier V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Synthi V VSTi - 64 Bit
Arturia - Vocoder V VSTi - 64 Bit
AudioRealism - Bass Line 3 VSTi - 64 BIt
Dead Duck Software - Reducktion VSTi - 64 Bit
discoDSP - Discovery Pro VSTi - 64 Bit
DS Audio - Thorn VSTi - 64 Bit
E-Phonic - Invader 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
FabFilter - Twin 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Cypher 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Fusor VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Strobe 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
GForce - M-Tron Pro VSTi - 64 Bit
IK Multimedia - Hammond VSTi - 64 Bit
IK Multimedia - Modo Bass VSTi - 64 Bit
IK Multimedia - Modo Drum - 64 Bit
IK Multimedia - Syntronik VSTi - 64 Bit
KarmaFX - KarmaFX Synth Modular VSTi - 64 Bit
Keilwerth Audio - Avenger VSTi - 64 Bit
Korg - M1 VSTi - 64 Bit
Korg - Triton VSTi - 64 Bit
Korg - Wavestation VSTi - 64 Bit
Korg . MonoPoly VSTi - 64 Bit
KV331 - Synthmaster One VSTi - 64 Bit
MemoryMoon - Messiah VSTi - 64 Bit
MusicLab - RealGuitar 5 VSTi - 64 Bit
MusicLab - RealStrat 5.VSTi - 64 Bit
Native Instruments - Massive X VSTi - 64 Bit
Nektar - Bolt VSTi - 64 Bit
Nils Schneider - Nils K1v VSTi - 64 Bit
Parawave - Rapid VSTi - 64 Bit
Phuturetone - GR-8 VSTi - 64 Bit
Plogue - Chipsynth MD VSTi - 54 Bit
Plogue - Chipsynth PortaFM VST - 64 Bit
Plogue - Chipsynth SFC VSTi - 64 Bit
Presonus - Studio One - Impact VSTi - 64 Bit
PreSonus - Studio One - MaiTai VSTi - 64 Bit
Psychic Modulation - Phonec 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Reason - Europa VSTi - 64 Bit
reFX - Nexus 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Reveal Sound - Spire VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen - B.I.T VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen - Blade 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Sonic Academy - Ana VSTi - 64 Bit
Sonic Academy - Kick 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Sonic Charge - Microtonic VSTi - 64 Bit
Spectrasonics - Omnisphere VSTi - 64 Bit
Spectrasonics - Trilian VSTi - 64 Bit
Steinberg - Backbone VSTi - 64 Bit
Steinberg - Retrologue 2- 64 Bit
SugarBytes - DrumComputer VSTi - 64 Bit
SugarBytes - Factory VSTi - 64 Bit
SugarBytes - Thesys VSTi - 64 Bit
Synapse Audio - Dune 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Synapse Audio - Obsession VSTi - 64 Bit
Togu Audio Line - TAL Noise Maker VSTi - 64 Bit
Togu Audio Line - Tal-J-8 VSTi - 64 Bit
Togu Audio Line - Tal-Mod VSTi - 64 Bit
ToneBoosters - Flowtones VSTi - 64 Bit
Toontrack - EZ Bass VSTi - 64 Bit
Toontrack - Superior Drummer 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Tracktion - F EM VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Any Cable Everywhere VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Diva VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Hive 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Podolski VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - The Dark Zebra - Hans Zimmer VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Zebra CM VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Zebra VSTi - 64 Bit
U-HE - Zebralette VSTi - 64 Bit
Unfiltered Audio - Lion VSTi - 64 Bit
UVI - Falcon VSTi - 64 Bit
Vast Dynamics - Vaporizer 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Vember Audio - Surge VSTi - 64 Bit
Vital Audio - Vital Spectral VSTi - 64 Bit
Waves - Bass Fingers VSTi - 64 Bit
Waves - Codex VSTi - 64 Bit
Waves - Element VSTi - 64 Bit
Xhun Audio - Little One VSTi - 64 Bit

Spoiler: - My 64 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 95 VSTi (Sonar) Not 4K ready

- My 64 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 95 VSTi (Sonar) Not 4K ready

2nd Sense Audio - Wiggle VSTi - 64 Bit
Admiral Quality - Poly-Ana VSTi - 64 Bit
Air Music Tech - Hybrid 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Air Music Tech - The Riser VSTi - 64 Bit
AIR Music Tech - Xpand!2 VSTi - 64 Bit
BeepStreet - Sunrizer VSTi - 64 Bit
BigTick - Rhino 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Cakewalk & rgc audio - z3ta+ VSTi - 64 Bit
Cakewalk - Dimension Pro VSTi - 64 Bit
Cakewalk - Rapture VSTi - 64 Bit
Cakewalk - z3ta+ 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Camel Audio - Alchemy VSTi - 64 Bit
discoDSP - Vertigo VSTi - 64 Bit
E-MU - Emulator X3 v3.0.0 VSTi
Full Bucket - Tricent MK II VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Cypher 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Fusor VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Geist 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
FXpansion - Strobe 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
GForce - impOSCar 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
GForce - M-Tron Pro VSTi - 64 Bit
GForce - Oddity 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
GForce - Virtual String Machine VSTi - 64 Bit
Hamburg-Audio - Nuklear VSTi - 64 Bit
Image line - Maxx Cluster Toxic IIII VSTi
iZotope - BreakTewaker VSTi - 64 Bit
Lethal Audio - Lethal VSTi - 64 Bit
LinPlug - CronoX 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
LinPlug - Octopus VSTi - 64 Bit
LinPlug - Rob Papen - Albino 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
LinPlug - Spectral VSTi - 64 Bit
MuTools - MUX Modular VSTi - 64 Bit
Native Instruments - Absynth 5 VSTi - 64 Bit
Native Instruments - FM 8 VSTi - 64 Bit
Native Instruments - Kontakt 5 VSTi - 64 Bit
Native Instruments - Massive VSTi - 64 Bit
NI - Reaktor - Flesh VSTi - 64 Bit
NI - Reaktor - Kontour VSTi - 64 Bit
NI - Reaktor - Polyplex VSTi - 64 Bit
NI - Reaktor - Rounds VSTi - 64 Bit
Nils Schneider - Nils K1v VSTi - 64 Bit
Novation - V-Station VSTi - 64 Bit
Ocean Swift Synthesis - Aeolian Dream Box VSTi - 64 Bit
Ocean Swift Synthesis - Aeolian Meditation VSTi - 64 Bit
Ocean Swift Synthesis - Defiant WT VSTi - 64 Bit
Ocean Swift Synthesis - Enterprise VST - 64 Bit
Ocean Swift Synthesis - Polyphenom 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Plugin Boutique - Carbon Electra VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - B.I.T VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - Blade VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - Blue II VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - Predator 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - Predator VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - Punch-BD VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen & John Ayres - RAW VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen - Blade 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen - Quad VSTi - 64 Bit
Rob Papen - Vecto VSTi - 64 Bit
Roland - Zenology Pro v1.52 VSTi
Softube - Heartbeat VSTi - 64 Bit
Softube - Model 72 Synthesizer System v2.5.9 VSTi
Softube - Parallels v2.5.9 VSTi
Solcito Musica - SuperTron VST
Steinberg - Backbone VSTi - 64 Bit
Steinberg - Retrologue 2- 64 Bit
SugarBytes - DrumComputer VSTi - 64 Bit
SugarBytes - Factory VSTi - 64 Bit
SugarBytes - Thesys VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - P80 VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Performer VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Professional VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Sirius VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Tarkus VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Trance Pro VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Ultimate VSTi - 64 Bit
Superwave - Wavelight V.M.I. VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Electra2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Gladiator 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Icarus VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Nemesis VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Rayblaster 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Tone2 - Saurus 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Tracktion Software - BioTek VSTi - 64 Bit
Waldorf - Largo VSTi - 64 Bit
Waldorf - Nave VSTi - 64 Bit
Wusik - Wusikstation 8 - VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-lab - PolyM VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Stix VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Syn X 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Xils 3 VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Xils 4 VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Xils 505 VSTi - 64 Bit
Xils-Lab - Xils V + VSTi - 64 Bit
XLN Audio - Addictive Drums 2 VSTi - 64 Bit
XLN Audio - Addictive Keys 2 VSTi - 64 Bit

Spoiler: - My 32 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 039 VSTi (jBridge)

- My 32 Bit VSTi - 2021 - 039 VSTi (jBridge)

Adam Szabo - JP6K VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
AlgoMusic - M42 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Analog To Digital - Supersaw Plus VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Cakewalk - Session Drummer 3 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
ConcreteFX - Kubik VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Groovecube - Exciton v2.0.1 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - Lazy Percumat VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - ProtoPlasm 21 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - STS-17 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - STS-21 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - STS-33 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - Swamp XT VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
H.G. Fortune - X-WoF 4 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
LinPlug - CRX4 VSTi - jBridge - 32 Bit
LinPlug - Rob Papen - Albino 2 VSTi - jBridge - 32 Bit
Luxonix - Purity VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Maxx Claster - Toxic III VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Mesa+ - Add v1.21 VSTi (32 Bits) jBridge
MHC - Extreme VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
MHC Synthesizers and Effects - Industrial Tones VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
MiniSoftmusik - UniRetroPro v 2.5 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Native Instruments - Carbon VSTi - jBridge - 32 Bit
Native Instruments - FM7 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
ProSounds - PS-1 Performance Synthesizer v1.2 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
reFX - Vanguard VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
RGC Audio - Pentagon VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
SoftPlug.com - Adventus VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Steinberg - Dcota v1.0.1 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Steinberg - Wizoo - Xphraze v1.2 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Synthepolis - nrg-A VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
TerraTec - Komplexer VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
TubeOhm - Pure-D16-24 Rack VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
U-HE - Zebra Computer Music VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Ummet Ozcan - Genesis Pro v1.0.3 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
White Noise Audio Software - Zero Vector VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Wizoo - Darbuka VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge
Wusik - EVE 3 v3.0.4 VSTi (32 Bit) jBridge

 

Last edited: Nov 29, 2021

+1 on Obsession, what a sound damn! I couldn't afford an OB-8, this is quite it!

No love for The Legend though in your list? I'm gonna check it now, I only heard great things about it.

 

Hi @spncart, thanks for your comment. I will install "The Legend" tomorrow. Synapse Audio is really a great company.

 

a small one here, not my top, but when it there you hear it...
Bleass Alpha

 

Bleass great company I use all their FX plugins. Never used Alpha gotta open it now! Cheers

 

Great me too. Keep me posted on how you like it too. Cheers

 

That is quite a list you have there. A couple I am jealous about and longing for, Viper and Rapid, which I have read a lot of great things about. Unfortunately too expensive for my poor ass.

Have you tried the Martinic AX73? It has a cool old school vibe and sound, and for me stands well above most of the new synths around these days. Simple to use and great sounding in a mix.

 

Yes I have tried, he makes partly quite annoying high frequencies, he is therefore unusable for me.

 

Huh.. I never noticed that, but never looked for it either. Is it certain cutoff/resonance freqs or just ingrained in the design of oscillators and synths sound?

 

I wanted to make a soundbank and no matter what I tried the high frequency was not to fight, I then surfed the internet where someone wrote a review that also reported the annoying high frequencies, now I knew that not my hearing is spinning, but the programmer there has not worked thoroughly enough or he himself has a limited hearing damage. I have almost every software synthesizer there was and there times installed and tested.

 

It might be the way I am processing that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in my mixes. Anyway thanks for the heads up, I will certainly check it out closely next time!

 

I live by moto "choose the best and f**k the rest" (I love to know the synths/plugins in depth), so my list hasn't changed much in years. In no particular order I mostly just use: u-he Repro-1/5, Hive 2, ZebraHZ/2, Obsession, Legend, GForce OB-E, SEM and Oddity,TAL-J8, Sampler, Drum and Mod, a lot of DSP56300 Virus C rack, Cardinal modular, some synths from Roland Cloud (Zenology is great!, JD-800, SRX modules) and Korg Collection (Triton, MonoPoly, MS-20, Wavestation, even M1).

Some I can only use in Windows and that's a huge annoyance, but not actually that hard to do since I use three computers/Reapers connected through ReaStream over a network switcher. Desktop PC runs Debian Linux 11 and laptop runs Windows 7. I also have a Macbook Pro 2013 with MacOS 10.13 on the side for some stuff, running Reaper, too.

I use some hardware synths to complement the software, or vice-versa. Those who know old hardware synths/samplers will immediately recognise these: K2000VP, A5000, A3000, S3200XL, S-760. They're great fun!

p.s. I also like to use some obscure synths like Madrona Labs Aalto, Virta, Kaivo, Xils 4, Syn-X, 5000, Audio Damage synths like Continua, which is a great sounding and flexible synth and Quanta is good for interesting, generally experimental/ambient sounds.

 

Last edited: Jan 11, 2023

I don't mean to disrespect anyone here, especially synth gurus, but why on earth would anyone need so many synthesizers? In asking this, I already feel that I'm not half the musician I should be . For most of my recording life, all I've ever used is Xpand2! This year for the first time ever, I installed Korg Triton, Omnisphere, and Nexus 3 (no AAX from the "other side" unfortunately), and I'm already overwhelmed. I own the Oberhausen and I've never used it. I had a license for Falcon while I was on Pro Tools support plan, and I never installed it.

What I mean to say is that whenever I want a sound to be different, I use modulation plugins, delays, saturation, or transient shapers to make them vary. What am I missing? Why is having so many choices so relevant?

 

1. I agree that oftentimes we're just addict to installing every single synth vst that's coming out

2. It is true that one should start getting deep into 1/2/3 synths max until they master them and make the best of them

3. That said, it's not a bad idea to own like 50 synth vsts at first to play around and try them out in different contexts until you find your sound and your best use with them. Because this takes time! and a lot of trial/error and experimentation. Now I narrowed down my list to 4/5 synths max but I'm glad I tried so many of them out first.

 

So what are those 4-5 synths in your shortlist? Can you explain what makes them so important?

For instance, I started using Xpand2 because it came bundled in my DAW. I love romplers. Those fixed sounds can be tweaked once rendered to audio. I hate the tiny buttons and browsing the presets is a pain, but it has always been effective for me. Omnisphere is a huge beast. There are years of a learning curve ahead of me, but it can also deliver instantly useable sounds. What I love about Nexus is the way sounds are categorized. The browser is awesome, so cool that I'm planning to buy a license. If anyone is selling a Nexus 3 license, let's talk.

 

Last edited: Jan 11, 2023

Depending on the song I usually end up with using just 4-5 different synths out of all I mentioned. They differ in workflow and sound, so with experience I learned which ones I want to use for this or that song or sound. I used to have 100s of VSTis 10 => years ago, but with time I lost interest in those I haven't found useful or good sounding/hard to mix with. I think it's important for a newbie to try a lot of different synths, but equally important for workflow and to be productive, to choose, use and learn only 10-20. Same with FX plugins. For me, the only irreplaceable ones are actually u-he and TAL synths... and one I forgot to mention - Dexed which sounds quite different cos it's FM synthesis.

Speaking of synthesis, different synthesis gives you access to quite different sounds, so to stay competitive you have to own different synths capable of producing those different sounds.

 

Last edited: Jan 11, 2023

Also recommend newbies to go for synths with great visual feedback like Serum, Pigments, Hive, Vital, etc. cause it really helps to understand what you're affecting. So I'd consider Spire and Diva to be a little more advanced. But once you understand the fundamentals of synthesis it's really easy to use another synth with a different workflow. And at a certain point, you gravitate to certain synths because of a specific character or a workflow that helps you achieve whatever you're trying to design quickly, like @SineWave mentioned. I can make a Moog-like synth on Serum for example, or I could just use Monark/Diva/Mini/Legend for example. Need a supersaw? I can do it in Diva or just pull up Serum - pull this, pull that, turn a few knobs, turn this on - done.

 

I see UVI Falcon on your list, i've been trying to stay away from these big mega pack sample based type plugins, but was just reading about and listening to an 808 plugin demo that requires Falcon and thought maybe I would give it a try. I am reading vastly different reviews of it, some say the synths suck but the rest ok, overhyped, overpriced, mediocre sounding junk, while others are praising it as best of best in its class amazing must have. What do you guys think about it? Should I take the plunge or run far away from it..

*And yes, I did a UVI Falcon search and the results came up with this thread along with page after page of individual expansion pack reviews.

 

I use legit Falcon all the time with very few expansions. Usually multiple instances of it. You can keep the installation relatively small while still being very useful.

 

Cool.. So for example I could just install the Falcon plugin itself, then pick and choose, like if I only want that 808 plugin and nothing else? Or is the factory library required, then pick and choose?