Top 5 RE Synths?

[FLVZ]

I'm interested in hearing your subjective opinion on this.
Top 5 rack extension synthesisers (lets stick to synthesis please),
Based of the quality of presets (not quantity because we all know who the winners would be).

Basically if I bought Reason today and I purchased these 5 synthesisers,
I'd be able to get satisfying sounds straight out the box without too much work.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[Jackjackdaw]

If you bought Reason today you wouldn’t need to buy 5 extra synths to get good sounds out of the box.

[huggermugger]

I don't rate a synth on the quality of its presets.

[Noise]

- Antidote / Synapse Audio
- VK-2 Viking Synthesizer / BlamSoft
- The Legend / Synapse Audio
- Complex-1 Modular Synthesizer / Reason Studio
- PredatorRE / Robpapen

If I had to just keep 5 RE from my current tools to work with, this was about it.
A special mention to Europa and the patch (Pads/5th elemental) it's truly beautiful. This one confirms what Jackjackdaw mentioned.

I've check for complex-1, I guess it's not included in reason.

[selig]

According to my Instruments menu the top instruments are
Dr Octa Rex
Europa
Grain
Kong
Kontakt 7
Mimic
ReDrum
Subtractor
Thor

I don't know if the order implies use, as I DO use Complex-1 a decent bit but it's not on the list (and I hardly use Mimic and Grain). Antidote and Friction should be on that list instead of Mimic and Grain if you're going by use over time. Or maybe this list resets when you update, I've never actually paid attention!

[Jackjackdaw]

I have a startup template that I have used for years. It has
Drum Sequencer/Kong
NN19
Grain
Europa
Complex -1
So all stock except Complex-1 (and maybe Drum seq, but it was stock for me). Ofc I use a bunch of other stuff but this is core Reason for me, I can get my shit done. I could probably strip it back to Europa and Kong and do everything I want. Beat, Synth, Resample

[Quarmat]

I do not own some of the epic ones everyone praises (antidote, legend, viking2, etc.) so my list is based of what I own and what I use the most.

Strictly synth: no samplers/romplers/sample manipulators; also no stock Reason devices: only rack extensions.

1) Algoritm. Whatever I do with it it sounds good. Patches are many and awesome, and a few tweaks away from the sound I have in my head.
2) Amalgam. I have a sweet spot for his hybrid Fm/subtrac. Not easy to get the sound you look for out of it at the beginning , but very powerful once you get your hand.
3) Objekt. This thing has so much potential it almost scares me. Every sound can evolve as if it had a will of its own.
4) Spectra. An amazing (and now free!) spectral synthetiser and re-synthetiser. Lots of super good patches and if you want you can dig veeeeery deep.
5) Parsec2/Complex-1. I can't decide which to let out of the list. They are so good and poweful in their fields. I just love them equally.

[Chi-Individual]

Synapse: Antidote, Legend, Obsession
Reason Studios: Algoritm, Objekt

[crimsonwarlock]

I do not own some of the epic ones everyone praises (antidote, legend, viking2, etc.)

Such huge constraint

I must admit I do have all the epic ones

[dvdrtldg]

1) Algoritm. Whatever I do with it it sounds good. Patches are many and awesome, and a few tweaks away from the sound I have in my head.

I trialled Algoritm when it first appeared and for some reason it didn’t click with me.Then I bought it as part of the recent synth bundle (along with BVX & Complex-1) and can’t believe how good it is! Absolute powerhouse, super deep but easy to program and experiment with. Too early to call it a Top 5 Favourite perhaps but I’m in love

I’m not much of a preset guy, but at the moment - based on the amount of use they’re getting - my top 5 would be

Europa
Objekt
Legend
VK-2
Nostromo

[challism]

My favorite RE synths (not necessarily according to your criteria because I don't care much about patches):
*Objekt - a masterpiece
*VK-2 - I beta tested this years and years ago and it's been one of my top REs since the very first time I used it.
*Nostromo - absolutely the best randomization function of any instrument in Reason.
*Parsec - it's so good. Sounds amazing.
*Revival - amazing hybrid synth and a very original concept. I love it. The onboard FX are amazing and worth it just for those. Sadly, it's no longer available. I'm so glad I have it.

Honorable mentions (REs): Friktion, ALB3, Expanse, Legend, Antidote, Algoritm, SubBoom
Honorable mentions (stock devices/non-REs): Thor, Europa, Malstrom

[RandomNoise]

If you bought Reason today you wouldn’t need to buy 5 extra synths to get good sounds out of the box.

I'm second to that. The only exception I can think of is ABL3 if you are a fan of the TB303, as non of the stock synths get that true acid sound like the ABL3

[RobBarnett]

I'm interested in hearing your subjective opinion on this.
Top 5 rack extension synthesisers (lets stick to synthesis please),
Based of the quality of presets (not quantity because we all know who the winners would be).

Basically if I bought Reason today and I purchased these 5 synthesisers,
I'd be able to get satisfying sounds straight out the box without too much work.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you're thinking of buying Reason 12, I have a licence for sale on ebay and it includes the licence transfer of the Reason 11 Suite rack extensions (including Complex 1) -https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134639283965 ... R8jd1v6lYg

[Przemyslaw]

My Top 5 Re synths:

ReSpire
Antidote
Legend
Expanse
Europa

[amanitamix]

Korg Monopoly = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... g-monopoly

Luna Dual Performance Sythn = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... ance-synth

Cobra Phase Engine = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack-extension/cobra

Antidote = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... e-antidote

The Legend = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... ynthesizer

[dusan.cani]

Korg Monopoly = https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... g-monopoly

Korg Monopoly is another incredible sounding synth with superb analog flavour. It can do excellent vintage analog-type basslines as well as various polyphonic sounds and leads...

[ambi]

Korg Monopoly is one of my favorites as well.
I also like ES-01 a lot.

[FLVZ]

Really interesting to see everyone's lists. Ofcourse I believe everyone is speaking from experience (ownership), I really want some of the new ones by Ekss & RS but I have so many synths already I just can't justify it atm. I might make an exception for Objekt on the grounds of it being a total different horse from the rest.

I think I've always gravitated towards analog subtractive synths when looking for bread and butter sounds.

1. VK2
2. Legend
3. MonoPoly
4. Basimilus
5. Expanse

Trying to get to grips with Spectral and Zero but they are so deep and I don't fully understand all the controls (perhaps why I stick to subtractive). Hoping to at-least learn those two before buying Objekt or anything else. Complex-1 is another which I find a minefield. Not had time to learn it, not found the presets useable, so if anyone in this thread knows somewhere I can get some decent patches, please do share.

Presets are useful in creative flow, no I don't judge a synth by its presets. Some people in these forums ey...

[Re8et]

I depends what sounds are you after.
If you love modulating stuff and unpredictable, weird stuff,
then this is my top 5:

A-Series Modular system
Ammo1200 semi-modular
Complex-1 (mono-poly combinators)
Stock Subtr/Thor/Europa (coupled with Alien-Seed KRON)
Expanse (4 OSC can emulate poly DUAL Jupiter 8 patches, you can load Jupiter wavetables, it's the only one that does it)

I left out other great sounding synths with more out of the box great sounding patches, but less weirdness/modularity.
Legend - VK2 - Noise Engineering - Ekksperimental sound - Oberon - Nostromo (randomizer inside)
WTFM - Processed Piano - Predator2 (Jupiter waves also) - Antidote - Respire - Blamsoft modular system (VK1)
Maia (Also can do DUAL patches, maybe even badass more than Expanse, but Expanse is advanced wavetable synth AND 4 osc)

[TritoneAddiction]

Europa and Legend are the only two synths I use on a regular basis. Other than those I tend to switch things up constantly synth wise.

But if I had to add 3 more synths I might go for Expanse, FM4 and Parsec.

[DJMaytag]

No idea about presets. I think I use a preset in an RE for the first time today (just needed a filler effect).

[reasonosaer]

grain, nostromo, antidote, obsession, re-tron, expanse, vk-2, jps harmonic, s73, obsession, spectra, revival, es01

i can have as many favorite as i want don't fence me in

[Faastwalker]

Objekt
Complex-1
Nostromo
Parsec
Zero


....... off the top of my head.

................................;

Antidote
Resonans

[dvdrtldg]

Zero

I keep forgetting about Zero. One of those synths that require a lot of finicky clicking around and neurotically fine adjustments, but it's worth the effort. Big and deep, can deliver massive sounds

[dvdrtldg]

One RE synth I've been rediscovering recently is Arkana by Quadelectra. It's a granular synth with two oscillators (each with five grain emitters) and an A/B mix knob. The real genius is that it has randomise knobs for pretty well every parameter (grain position, offset, speed, length, pitch, formant, pan, gain) and you can very quickly & easily dial in big complex evolving sounds. Definitely fills a niche between Proton, Grain, Torsion and the other granular instruments, I really like it



https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... lar-synth/