My Top (non - ITB) RE devices and why - a descriptive list of instruments, effects and players (but no utilities!)

[stxlm]

I originally wrote this as a comment on reddit, but I thought it might be of interest here. My top picks from an extensive (160+, excluding free ones) RE collection. Feel free to add your own must have's - especially if you think there are better alternatives for some of my choices. I haven't tried *all* RE:s, after all!

Propellerhead Instruments:

• Parsec is #1, because it's unique-ness (at time of release), has timbres I like, a vocoder mode better than the ITB vocoder and inspires experimentation. A solid Props synth.
• Radical Keys - just as good as the Piano one, for solid electro-mechanical piano sounds.
• The A-List drummers, great for a believable drum performance. But I'm running out of patterns, I have to reuse my faves a lot.
• Complex-1 - my newest instrument. It's hard to master, I'm still just dabbling. But the tones and modulation (!) are unique in Reason terms.

Third Party Instruments:

• ABL-3 - it's just such a believable emulation of a 303. I can never get enough of that sound.
• VK-2 Viking - the thickest analogue tones. Also a programming beast, I haven't even begun to explore the modularity of it. I do not own the Legend, I can't motivate that purchase when I have VK-2.
• Antidote - for instant EDM tones. It was the best 3rd party synth for a long time.

Propellerhead Effects:

• Polar - it's easily the most versatile effect I've ever used. No vocal track without an ADT preset.
• Rotor - again, a very believable emulation. Great for grit.

Third Party Effects:

• Devastor2 - so versatile, and great at adding subtle thickness or total destruction. I use it for parallel processing on the full mix for almost every project. Just a tad.
• The kHs Toolbox - a great collection of very fine effects. Gain is everywhere, for volume automation. Haas for stereo width. There's at least one kHs effect in every project.
• ALL of the Softube products. But especially the Saturation Knob, the Tsar-1 reverb and the Tube-Tech. Tsar-1 is my one goto reverb.
• ALL u-he Uhbik products - but especially Q. It's almost always in my master insert to limit frequency range.

Players - this is a short list:

• Drum Sequencer - mostly for auditioning sounds, to be honest, to hear how they work in context. I do all my actual sequencing in the big one.
• Kompulsion - for the odd pseudo-generative sequence. I love any device with a RAND button.
• ST-100 - my secret weapon of late, to create the illusion of a person actually playing an instrument. Works on both guitar and electric piano.

Honorable VST mentions - I don't like to use VST:s, but there are a few I can't live without:

• Illformed Glitch2 is unbeatable for IDM-ish tweakery. Best used in moderation.
• MicroTonic is my favourite Drum synth. It has a sound, but it's a great sound.
• Ozone 8 - but I mostly use it standalone. It's cheat mode for mastering.

I almost never use any third party utilities. And the only utility I always use is the ITB Pulsar - I just crave modulation.