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Do you have any synths that you just love to play around with, even when you aren’t trying to make music? Synths that hit that sonic sweet spot no matter the patch? Or synths with a feature set that keeps you mentally or sonically engaged? Just curious who may spend hours just listening to a synth like I do.

For me these hit the spot:

Generate(vst) - I honestly have no idea how to use this synth but the sounds it makes are incredible. I always get good sci-fi sound design vibes from it.

The Legend and Obseession(RE) - whenever I just want to hear 80s analog style sounds these are my go to for just messing around.

Complex-1(RE) - I’m determined to figure this one out. This is my mental challenge synth. I could never do modular IRL.

Just ModSynth app on Android, because it fits in my pocket, when inspiration strikes. : ) Sounds nice, too.

SugarBytes Aparillo, I can browse patches all day and just marvel at how incredibly complex and huuuuge it sounds.

To play around, I felt in love with fabfilter twin 3, the UI is really the best around and the visual feedback of what you are doing on the sound really really help.
I am not a great sound designer and it's like this plugin gives me super power.
Like the OP I love obsession and the legend. Twin 3 seems a good progression on these ones.

An old one but a good one… Thor. Still does it for me. Also, Europa… kind of Thor’s direct offspring but bigger and even better. Both stock synths can do so much.

In REs, The Legend. Best Moog clone around IMO. In plugins… Drum Computer by Sugar Bytes. Insanely capable and more than slightly weird instant groove machine.

I love messing around with Antidote, I find the oscillator setup and possibilities really interesting combined with the filters, turn on some effects and mess with the matrix and it is hours of exploration, I like the way it functions visually too.
I just find the sounds it produces has a certain something I don't find messing with other synths.

It's hardware but Microfreak. Stuff it through a delay and/or reverb pedal and noodle away. You can modulate anything and everything by putting more than one finger on the same key, or by "trilling" on a key and it has more oscillator types than I can remember. There is always something new and pleasing to be discovered in that magical little box.

Subtractor:

Because it uses 0% cpu... I can use it like a guitar, and put gobs of effects after it.

Endless

Any synth with a big lush stacked oscillator still makes me smile, especially if it’s stereo like Antidote or Europa. In hardware it would be Peak and HydraSynth.
I’ve always been a sucker for the slow evolving detuned oscillators, or in a pinch one oscillator with pulse width modulation (back in the days before the ‘super saw’ stacked oscillator was introduced). Add some slow phaser/flanger/chorus/delay combinations and make it even better for me! Could play/listen for hours, still to this day.

I’m scared of going to hardware synths. I think that would be the point of no return for me.

For me, it is still the DX7/PX-7. The small nuances in the sounds are hard to do with other synths, even today.

Viking 2. So far I've never actually used it any music but the times I'm just fiddling around and want to hear good sound it's usually my first choice. I'm surprised more people here don't talk about it.

crimsonwarlock wrote: ↑

18 Feb 2023

For me, it is still the DX7/PX-7. The small nuances in the sounds are hard to do with other synths, even today.

+1

anything DX wins

Obsession by Synapse Audio, and Horizons by Skrock (the poohbear patches are great).

Europa
Legend
VK-2
Zebralette
Vital

Little off topic but could you tell me please what is so special in Europa synth nowadays? I started from Massive then tried Serum and after bought Expanse. Is there something very special about Europa after all? Spectral filtering?

It's gotta be Legend for me. I don't really care for the included patches. But playing around with the filter section in combination with the drive and feedback knobs is very satisfying. Also I love using a tad bit of noise as modulation on my sounds.

dvdrtldg wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

Europa
Legend
VK-2
Zebralette
Vital

Looks like i need to buy legend and VK-2.
Because the other synths you mentioned are also my favourites.

BRIGGS wrote: ↑

18 Feb 2023

Subtractor:

Because it uses 0% cpu... I can use it like a guitar, and put gobs of effects after it.

Endless

Exactly, also monotone for similar reasons, its a simple lo-CPU synth but can produce really good sounds.

Also since noone mentioned, tribute by speo, its a very different animal...but if you want to hear a nasty growl, this thing's got it.


Edit - im falling in love with maelstrom again. Chota packet, bada dhamaka (small packet, very big bang)

_andreypetr_ wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

Little off topic but could you tell me please what is so special in Europa synth nowadays? I started from Massive then tried Serum and after bought Expanse. Is there something very special about Europa after all? Spectral filtering?

For me the first plus point is that its part of the reason rack. I generally don't like using vsts unless i absolutely need to.
Secondly it can produce most of the sounds i want in my pallette.
Thirdly its very CPU efficient.(for the kind of synth it is)
And also if you need to, you can load your favourite wavetables(from other synths probably)

visheshl wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

_andreypetr_ wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

Little off topic but could you tell me please what is so special in Europa synth nowadays? I started from Massive then tried Serum and after bought Expanse. Is there something very special about Europa after all? Spectral filtering?

For me the first plus point is that its part of the reason rack. I generally don't like using vsts unless i absolutely need to.
Secondly it can produce most of the sounds i want in my pallette.
Thirdly its very CPU efficient.(for the kind of synth it is)
And also if you need to, you can load your favourite wavetables(from other synths probably)

Thanks! Good points

I have to mention Grain, too.

Drop in any sample, and go crazy!

BRIGGS wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

I have to mention Grain, too.

Drop in any sample, and go crazy!

100% agreed!

Grains is a grain+spectral cocktail like no others...

visheshl wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

dvdrtldg wrote: ↑

19 Feb 2023

Europa
Legend
VK-2
Zebralette
Vital

Looks like i need to buy legend and VK-2.
Because the other synths you mentioned are also my favourites.

Give also a try to obsession, same category as vk2 and Legend but even better sounding IMHO.