Your 5 favorite Reason/Rack Extension synths?

[muckmclane]

Honorable mentions. Nostromo - would be a perfect synth for me, but for some reason I can't get it to sound thick and powerful enough. Always goes on a "thinny" sound. I probably don't know how to use it properly. But for quick weirdness...you just can't beat that random button.


https://www.youtube.com/user/MrMataya000


M

While Nostromo may not be the best at all types of timbres(ex: I never use more than 1 voice per osc), there is a massive world of dry wavetable timbres that my ears often crave:

[BRIGGS]

Why only five?

[TritoneAddiction]

Why only five?

Just more interesting that way imo. When you can only choose a select few, you tend to put more careful thought behind it.
So what are they? Your 5 favorite Reason/RE synths?

[challism]

VK2
Nostromo
Revival
Resonans
Parsec

[BRIGGS]

Why only five?

Just more interesting that way imo. When you can only choose a select few, you tend to put more careful thought behind it.
So what are they? Your 5 favorite Reason/RE synths?

Subtractor
Europa
Monotone
Complex-1
Grain

[r2101]

Sub & Mal
strangely enough torsion lab ... it is beautifully weird and wonderful...
vk2
parsec

[Benedict]

Sub before Europa!!

Not saying you are wrong as Sub is a mighty synth but can you explain?

[BRIGGS]

Sub before Europa!!

Not saying you are wrong as Sub is a mighty synth but can you explain?

Who me?

The subtractor is fast....real fast. And, the sound quality is classic.

Before you know it, you already have a song.



After that, you can swap it out for other synths, if your song really needs it. YMMV

[Benedict]

Fair enough.

[dvdrtldg]

Noxious is awesome. Needs a bit of help sometimes if I'm trying for big beefy sounds, but it's full of surprises and a great creative sound design tool

I'd be interested to hear what you guys like about Noxious versus its big brother Oberon

Also: there's entirely too many people still sleeping on Oberon in this thread!

I trialled Oberon when it appeared, and found it really hard to get sounds out of it that struck me as interesting or inspiring (I seem to remember it got an update and the trials were reset - so I tried it again, and didn't like it again lol)

I also remember thinking the UI was very user-unfriendly - overall it just didn't sit right with me, even though it's obviously a very powerful and flexible synth

Prepared to believe I might be missing something, and I just haven't experienced that "a-ha" moment. But my problem is waaaaaaay too many synths already so I probably won't revisit Oberon unless it goes on crazy sale

[adfielding]

I'm going to go with non-native devices/RE synths for my list as otherwise three of the entries would be Thor/Europa/Grain. As for the others, I'm going with

PolySix/VK-2/Legend/Complex-1/ReSpire

I'm using PolySix less these days, but it's earned its spot because I've had a crazy amount of use out of it since I picked it up in 2013.

VK-2 is my current 3rd party RE synth favourite. I just love how it sounds and it's incredibly quick to dial in a decent patch. Yes it can get CPU intensive with polyphonic patches using the higher quality algorithms, but that's why the algorithm options are there and tbh I quite like the optional "zero compromise" approach to sound quality.

The Legend and VK-2 cover a lot of the same ground for me but they both have their own unique sound, and they both sound excellent. The Legend is more CPU efficient and is one of the most "analog" sounding soft-synths I've ever used. I'm a fan of pretty much everything Synapse and The Legend is a beaut.

Complex-1 is fantastic... but I have to be in the right mood for it. When I'm in the mood for it though it's a patch design time-dilation device. It's definitely more of an exclusive "sit down and focus on making cool sounds" device as opposed to the other synths here (which I'll happily drop into a tune and dial in a patch as I'm working on it), but for sheer sound design goodness it absolutely deserves a spot.

ReSpire is an odd one because I really like how it sounds, but programming the RE version isn't a whole lot of fun so I tend to rely more on modifying presets. I've heard the VST version provides a much better UX but, despite the RE version having its quirks, I still use it quite a bit.

Honourable mention goes to Nostromo, both because of how interesting it can sound and also because I wish more synths had a vaguely intelligent patch randomiser built in. It's a fun way to get ideas going and I'm absolutely all for that.

[Arrant]

Thor - because it, along with the Combinator, just IS Reason and you can do so much with it.

Antidote - Probably the first synth RE that came along after REs were introduced and truly upped the ante sound quality-wise. Those effects
The Legend is great as well but I'm limiting myself to one Synapse synth here and Antidote is it.

ReSpire - Much maligned RE unfortunately because of some issues and a poor GUI compared to the VST version. However the fact remains that there is not a single other device in the Reason ecosystem (i.e. unless you want to use VSTs) which can give you that sound.

Double entry: VK-2 / Complex-1 For pushing the modular boundaries in Reason while sounding great

[rorystorm]

This thread should be called five favourites that aren't vk2 and the legend!
But you know, between them they're about as good as synths can get. Vk2 gets more points for having more options, the legend for being so straightforward to use.

My other choices are

Vk1- overshadowed by it's big brother but in some ways I prefer it despite its eccentricities. While it would be nice to have unison and polyphony, and the effect of the lfo on the pitch is insanely too, uh, effective, it's a beast.

ABL3 - does one thing, does it very well, and basically Acid's not dead.

Ivok - no one seems to like this synth. I just got it for Maymadness and I think it's fantastic. Also very easy to use, quite unique sound although the filter's not super amazing it's still excellent and has a beautiful low end.

Px7 - I use this for basslines all the time. It's a pig to program and that's why god gave us the one thousand and one patches for it.

Complex1 - I feel like I've still only scratched the surface with this, and I keep coming back to it. In some ways it feels really limited after playing with modularity in vcv rack, but that also makes it interesting....

On the other hand I really di not understand the excitement about oberon. I've tried and I've tried because interface is really interesting but the results sound like a two dollar shop keyboard I wouldn't bother buying for my five year old. But maybe there's something wrong with me.

Two other non synth essentials....

PSQ1684. I use this so much and again I feel like I've still only just learnt the basics so far. It's so powerful.

Delta which let's face it RS should buy the license for and include as a core device.

[dvdrtldg]

Ivok - no one seems to like this synth. I just got it for Maymadness and I think it's fantastic. Also very easy to use, quite unique sound although the filter's not super amazing it's still excellent and has a beautiful low end.

I like it a lot. It's a deceptively simple instrument, very subtle tweaking can give you a wide variety of sounds. And I love the filter

[rorystorm]

Ivok - no one seems to like this synth. I just got it for Maymadness and I think it's fantastic. Also very easy to use, quite unique sound although the filter's not super amazing it's still excellent and has a beautiful low end.

I like it a lot. It's a deceptively simple instrument, very subtle tweaking can give you a wide variety of sounds. And I love the filter

Yeah maybe I need to play with it some more!

[TritoneAddiction]

Ivok - no one seems to like this synth. I just got it for Maymadness and I think it's fantastic. Also very easy to use, quite unique sound although the filter's not super amazing it's still excellent and has a beautiful low end.

I've actually seen Ivoks geeting quite a bit of love, just not in recent times. I think newer RE synths have gotten most of the limelight.
Imo the other Red Rock synth Red70 has gotten way too little attention. It's actually really nice. I own both Ivoks and Red70 and even though I really like Ivoks, I find Red70 to be even more interesting. It can produce some really cool sounds.

[Benedict]

Ivok - no one seems to like this synth. I just got it for Maymadness and I think it's fantastic. Also very easy to use, quite unique sound although the filter's not super amazing it's still excellent and has a beautiful low end.

I've actually seen Ivoks geeting quite a bit of love, just not in recent times. I think newer RE synths have gotten most of the limelight.
Imo the other Red Rock synth Red70 has gotten way too little attention. It's actually really nice. I own both Ivoks and Red70 and even though I really like Ivoks, I find Red70 to be even more interesting. It can produce some really cool sounds.

I have both but rarely reach for them. Probably mostly due to oversynthsization with Europa/Thor/Sub. If I had those back in 1990 they would have welded to me. This was my entry for the Red Song Comp - I won too!!!

A competition entry for the new Red Rock Sound "Red 70" synth. The name immediately made me think of the 1985 Hi-NRG song "Red For Love" by Grant Miller. I always loved that style. I have had a few attempts to write Hi-NRG but this time I think I got close. This is a tribute to all the musicians who have made and kept this style alive; Patrick Cowley, Fancy, Latin Lover, Modern Rocketry, Lime... Keep dancing in the Lasers.

[Jac459]

Few days after May madness is good timing I think to relaunch this post.

With default instruments out of scope :
1 - Friktion : I don't like strings very much but this is a class on its own. Its guitars and flutes are from another world of realism and with so much parameters, realistically changing the sound, it is an unequalled expressivity to me, Physical modeling showing its superiority against hyper sampling (in particular for this kind of instruments). Resonans is a nice try on physical modeling but Friktion is an home run imho.

2 - ReSpire : I may be the only one to like (love) this RE and I understand the VST may be better. But oh my, these sounds, these presets are just so powerful, they just need to be tuned to your track. Even browsing to serum presets is not as satisfying and fun.

3 - Antidote : Awesome presets, awesome usability, decent UI. Maybe my most well rounded RE.

4 - Expanse : very nice controls and kind of intuitive workflow too, excellent presets.. And I do like the Ui.

5 - Oberon - Algoritm (tie). I like both equally and I have hard time to create the sounds I want with them equally .

(very) honorable mention: predatorRe, The Legend, Parsec, Scenic, Go2
To a lesser extend complex-1 and Vk2, modular may not be for me...

[Bes]

right now i don't even have 5

Aggregate Music System (lectric panda) and PSDN (alien seed tech)

[dvdrtldg]

Impossible to pick a top 5, but mine would include the ones that everybody loves - Europa, Friktion, Expanse, Nostromo, Legend, Antidote, VK-2 etc

Here's a Connoisseur's Choice top 5 - underrated gems, the ones that don't get talked about as much:

MonoPoly
Tres
Resonans
FM4
Vecto

[Iapetus 9]

Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
PSQ-1684

[DJMaytag]

1. Malström - it makes all kinds of crazy sounds, has some great comb filters, and it has unique LFO shapes that I wish other devices had.
2. Macro - such an easy synth to get a variety of sounds out of. I love that this came from the Eurorack world.
3. Europa - It doesn’t take very long to get something interesting out of it, but I love that I can spent all damn day tweaking it in a deep dive session.
4. Subtractor - mostly using it as a noise source for percussive patches and sweeps, but it’s got a nice crunchy sound for standard synth patches that’s a nice alternative to other synths. It cuts through a mix, but when all we had was this and Malström, maybe Thor later on? Wasn’t exactly a fan then.

All I can really say is these 4, which are by far my most used. I’ve got a bunch of contenders for the 5th slot, like Obsession, Khs One, the Noise Engineering modules, and and the Audiorealism RE’s.

[DJMaytag]

Nevermind the end of my last post… the 5th slot in my list is Algoritm. It’s the only one I don’t really program from scratch (“reset device”), but it’s only because FM programming is a lot more time consuming than I’d like it to be.

[Synthopathe]

Antidote - just sounds great and easy to get thick stereo pads

Legend - again just sounds amazing and has that moog sound

Redominator - great envelope section. Does things a little differently which I like. Lfo delay is nice.

Monotone - it just does bass so quickly and easily

Europa - a really well thought out modern synth. Just wish it wasn't red.

[Chi-Individual]

Gonna do RE's only for this one since I mainly use RS synths and fx.


Tied - Synapse Obsession and Processed Pianos - For their FX Sections.
Synapse Legend - Analogy goodness
Algoritm - Just crazy what it can do.
Drum Sequencer - It's been a life saver many times.
Tied - QNG and PatMut - Both are good when I have creators block