Favorite RE synth in 2018 - POLL

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Favorite RE synth 2018 - POLL

Expanse
36
17%
Respire
19
9%
JPS Harmonic Synthesizer
7
3%
Nostromo
22
10%
Viking 2
21
10%
Antidote
20
9%
Legend
23
11%
Oberon
4
2%
Zero
6
3%
FM4
6
3%
Parsec
20
9%
Proton
2
1%
Predator
7
3%
ABL3
2
1%
RYM2612
4
2%
Vibro
0
No votes
Chip64
0
No votes
Ivoks
3
1%
Korg Monopoly or Polysix
7
3%
PX7
8
4%
 
Total votes: 217
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TritoneAddiction
Competition Winner
Posts: 4219
Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Location: Sweden

13 Jan 2018

So this poll has probably been done a thousand times already but it's a new year and the results might be different, so why not.

I could only choose 20 options max so many great synths have been left out unfortunately. I've tried to pick the synths that seems to be the most popular and talked about.
If your favorites aren't included in the list just write them in the comment section instead.

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Loque
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Posts: 11175
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

13 Jan 2018

Nostromo update was one of my favorites. I love the big mod matrix. Wonder why no other dev used knobs to switch between pages.
Reason12, Win10

mojo
Posts: 97
Joined: 12 May 2015
Location: france

13 Jan 2018

For me it's oberon and nostromo. I use them everytime and almost always find interesting sounds

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FLVZ
Posts: 519
Joined: 17 Aug 2016
Location: ZW | GB

13 Jan 2018

Currently can't look past VK2 for most things I try to do. I've barely used eXpanse, though I see myself using it more by the end of the year. ReSpire is another one I'm tempted to get, a really capable synth hopefully the bugs have been sorted out for it...

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miscend
Posts: 1955
Joined: 09 Feb 2015

13 Jan 2018

You didn’t include Resonans

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TritoneAddiction
Competition Winner
Posts: 4219
Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Location: Sweden

13 Jan 2018

miscend wrote:
13 Jan 2018
You didn’t include Resonans
I know. I had to leave many synths out because 20 options was the limit for a poll. The list is just me guessing what synths people like the most.

WongoTheSane
Moderator
Posts: 1851
Joined: 14 Sep 2015
Location: Paris, France

13 Jan 2018

TritoneAddiction wrote:
13 Jan 2018
miscend wrote:
13 Jan 2018
You didn’t include Resonans
I know. I had to leave many synths out because 20 options was the limit for a poll. The list is just me guessing what synths people like the most.
It might be interesting to separate "workhorse" synths (ReSpire, VK2, Nostromo...) which are all-around devices and "niche" synths (JPS, Resonans, Ivoks...) which only do one thing but do it better (emulate a particular hardware synth or use a particular synthesis method). This way, you wouldn't hit the 20 limit. It would require everyone to revote, but we have nothing better to do :D

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TritoneAddiction
Competition Winner
Posts: 4219
Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Location: Sweden

13 Jan 2018

WongoTheSane wrote:
13 Jan 2018
TritoneAddiction wrote:
13 Jan 2018

I know. I had to leave many synths out because 20 options was the limit for a poll. The list is just me guessing what synths people like the most.
It might be interesting to separate "workhorse" synths (ReSpire, VK2, Nostromo...) which are all-around devices and "niche" synths (JPS, Resonans, Ivoks...) which only do one thing but do it better (emulate a particular hardware synth or use a particular synthesis method). This way, you wouldn't hit the 20 limit. It would require everyone to revote, but we have nothing better to do :D
Nah, I'll just leave it. :D
I'm sure there are many ways to put all synths in different categories. I've made my decision.

People can still write in the comment section if they want to mention other synths.

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miscend
Posts: 1955
Joined: 09 Feb 2015

13 Jan 2018

Expanse, Legend and ReSpire currently in the lead. I feel bad for Parsec.

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miscend
Posts: 1955
Joined: 09 Feb 2015

13 Jan 2018

TritoneAddiction wrote:
13 Jan 2018
miscend wrote:
13 Jan 2018
You didn’t include Resonans
I know. I had to leave many synths out because 20 options was the limit for a poll. The list is just me guessing what synths people like the most.
It’s understandable, I just thought Resonans would be a bit more popular than some of the other niche options.

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TritoneAddiction
Competition Winner
Posts: 4219
Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Location: Sweden

14 Jan 2018

miscend wrote:
13 Jan 2018
TritoneAddiction wrote:
13 Jan 2018

I know. I had to leave many synths out because 20 options was the limit for a poll. The list is just me guessing what synths people like the most.
It’s understandable, I just thought Resonans would be a bit more popular than some of the other niche options.
I can see your point. I was gonna include it at first, but it's got surprisingly little attention for some reason. I'm just going on memory here but I haven't seen people talk about it as much as one would expect. I tried Resonans myself at one point and I thought it was pretty cool. I liked it.

I threw some of the oddballs/niche synths in the list because they are hard to replace if you like them. Resonans is definitely hard to replace and should be on the list like many others that didn't make it. It's just that I had to make a desicion on what I thought most people would actaully pick as their favorites. The list is more about popularity rather than quality, though obviously they go hand in hand too. Of course the most popular instruments (Expanse, Legend for example) are popular for a reason.

sdst
Competition Winner
Posts: 896
Joined: 14 Jun 2015

14 Jan 2018

Expanse
Legend
Vecto

the best three synth in the shop, my opinion

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jayhosking
Posts: 613
Joined: 28 Nov 2016
Contact:

14 Jan 2018

Legend, eXpanse, VK-2. It's neat how, in many ways, Legend and VK-2 overlap in their sound palette and use case, BUT, because the work flow and UI elements are different, I often end up with vastly different sounds when I'm tinkering and exploring. Because of this, both Legend and VK-2 have found unique places across the songs I'm making, and also makes me excited for any other synths with different workflows to come out.

There are many things we're still missing in the RE world, but between these three synths and Europa, I feel like REs handle my synth needs as well or better than anything else out there, AND when combined with the rack, they're unbeatable for my needs.

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Adabler
Competition Winner
Posts: 496
Joined: 05 Oct 2017
Location: Oslo

14 Jan 2018

I am very much in love with PX7 at the moment. Admittedly, I don't really understand how it works, but it sounds very nice. Currently working on a PX7 only song. I find making usable drums difficult but it is fun to work within it's limitations. Also, it is super friendly with my old CPU!
:reason: 12, Win10

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FLVZ
Posts: 519
Joined: 17 Aug 2016
Location: ZW | GB

14 Jan 2018

Adabler wrote:
14 Jan 2018
I am very much in love with PX7 at the moment. Admittedly, I don't really understand how it works, but it sounds very nice. Currently working on a PX7 only song. I find making usable drums difficult but it is fun to work within it's limitations. Also, it is super friendly with my old CPU!
My votes went to Px7, MonoPoly & Vk2. Really in love with the vintage gear emulations, Px7 is a real workhorse at little cost of the cpu. When people talk about must haves, I'd say Px7 is one because of the versatility and the easy life it gives the cpu!

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TheGodOfRainbows
Posts: 640
Joined: 31 Mar 2015

14 Jan 2018

In no particular order:
JPS Harmonic Synthesizer
RYM2612
PX7


I like retro digital synths! From lo-fi, to hi-fi. JPSHS is unique from the others in that it is an additive synth, and tones can be shaped similar to using the 16 harmonic sliders, like an organ. And I just like the gui and color scheme.

Finishing up on next album using only JPSHS, and it's delayed again ofc. But it's been fun working with it for the past few months. While I'm working on these 'one synth' records, I don't touch another synth for the duration of working on the project, no matter how many months that may be!

But I like working with these old synths because I like the idea of making new music and sounds with relics of the past. Although old technology, they were good then, and still are viable instruments.

scratchnsnifff
Posts: 1423
Joined: 21 Sep 2016

14 Jan 2018

Loque wrote:
13 Jan 2018
Nostromo update was one of my favorites. I love the big mod matrix. Wonder why no other dev used knobs to switch between pages.
I wish more synths had as much complexity as nostromo. The amount of LFOs,envelopes, and mod matrix spots is a dream!

The only addition that could make it even better is sample loading :D but I love it as is for now
Mayor of plucktown :evil:

scratchnsnifff
Posts: 1423
Joined: 21 Sep 2016

14 Jan 2018

Expanse since it came out really stepped me up! Since it’s latest updates I think it has surpassed some vsts like Massive. I love it’s ease of use and it’s great sounding results. Nostromo because of all the modulation. I always forget about it but the crazy sequences that can be made with it are unparalleled.
Predator because it was one of the first powerhouse Res that still holds its own against new releases. My only thing with predator is that I wish it had the unison mono/legato modes like Quad. Would make it killer for making Reese basses
Mayor of plucktown :evil:

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Marco Raaphorst
Posts: 2504
Joined: 22 Jan 2015
Location: The Hague, The Netherlands
Contact:

15 Jan 2018

Revival is missing! Total unique character.

Most of the RE's are copycat synths, trying to mimic "classic" sounds. Not innovation, but remakes...

FrankJaeger
Posts: 302
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

15 Jan 2018

It was a tie between Parsec and Antidote for me. I love the sound of Parsec's Sub Standard Bass with Scream 4's Eazy Fuzz and Audiomatic's tape setting on it.

Antidote is more all around goodness but too many can be CPU hungry.
Midniite Music
My Gear: 2021 Macbook Pro M1/UA Volt 176 Interface/JBL Series 3, 8" Monitors/Akai MPK mini mk3/

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dvdrtldg
Posts: 2386
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

15 Jan 2018

Marco Raaphorst wrote:
15 Jan 2018
Revival is missing! Total unique character.
Revival is a top 5 synth for me. The UI is a bit of a pain and there's definitely a learning curve, but everything about it is pure quality. Incredibly versatile, and the organ sounds are a bonus. Plus the FX chain is really nice, the preamp is still one of my favourite distortion options in Reason and I use it all the time

Vecto - another oddball synth that rewards deep tinkering. Can really disappear down the rabbit hole for hours with this one

FM4 - cool as shit, easy to program, my favourite for aggressive dirty sounds

Arkana - one that everyone seems to have forgotten about, it was sort of overshadowed by Proton and Grain, but I've been loving it. Another simple but well designed UI, and working with two samples at once can get great results. Best when modulating the hell out of it

Resonans - great UI, lovely to program, sounds amazing and there's nothing else like it. Should be in everyone's rack

Of course I also love the workhorse favourites like eXpanse, Legend, Antidote, MonoPoly etc. But those are my top 5 left-field choices

The RE synths that I tried but didn't get on with were PX7 and Oberon. I just couldn't get anything out of them that I liked

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

16 Jan 2018

dvdrtldg wrote:
15 Jan 2018
Arkana... Another simple but well designed UI,
HA!
Only goes to show.
I remember demo'ing Arkana like
Image
thinking "who thought THIS was a good UI for a sample-based software granular synth?"

wishMachine
Posts: 38
Joined: 12 Dec 2017

17 Jan 2018

Big fan of the Korgs both Mono and Poly 6. Also get quite a heavy use out of the kHs ONE. I haven't trialled eXpanse yet as I know in my guts I will simply have to have it, same goes for Nostromo. There's quite a bit of competition cooking up now which is making for some interesting times (and holes in wallets).
:reason: 10 :record: :refill: :ignition: :re:

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dvdrtldg
Posts: 2386
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

17 Jan 2018

wishMachine wrote:
17 Jan 2018
Big fan of the Korgs both Mono and Poly 6.
Just out of interest, what does Polysix deliver that isn't covered by MonoPoly?

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raymondh
Posts: 1776
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

17 Jan 2018

dvdrtldg wrote:
17 Jan 2018
wishMachine wrote:
17 Jan 2018
Big fan of the Korgs both Mono and Poly 6.
Just out of interest, what does Polysix deliver that isn't covered by MonoPoly?
Polysix Signature sound. It's more gritty than the Mono/Poly, and there is the Polysix ensemble and phaser.
Easier to program (but less flexible).
Both great synths, but different.

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