I am not one to normally ask a question as broad as "Whats the best" but I am in the market for a softsynth under $100 that can do many type of leads...I can make bass sounds for many genres and that is easy enough but all the synths I have currently are all free like triangle 2, Iblit, etc they can do leads but they are more bass makers than lead synths...T2 can do alot from tranceleads to Hardstyle cutting leads and Iblit has pwm leads and hooverish sounds...but they are still limited..so I am looking for a softsynth that can do alot of lead sounds.

btw on another note I am purchasing Fat machine soon for bass sounds anybody can tell me how they get by with it.

thanks

Linplug Delta III.

Essentially same as Albino, classy sound with excellent filters and as flexible as they get. Same goes for RGC Pentagon I which is around the smae price, but I'd prefer Delta's interface.

... and don't forget the updated Synth1 it's perfect for "trancey" leads.

DeltaIII is certainly worth a look, also Discovery

discoDSP Discovery is great sounding, and very fun to program. It's also a little under $100 so you could put the extra $20 towards something fun like Tau2, or DX10. You might want to take a look at that.

You could also think about saving up an extra $50 and then you'd be able to pick up something like z3ta+, Rhino, or Albino, all are great for this and will give you a ton of sounds.

Go for Pentagon 1. I'm not that fond of the factory presets, but this thing is capable of lots of sick sick sounds. Really easy to program after you sit with it for a bit too (the northern beat skin improves the layout a bit too IMO).

Delta III !

one of the most flexible lead synths around. Very nice.

Also, check out Buzzroom's Lallapalooza V2 !!!!!
Wow! Seriously, this is a real coup !
http://www5c.biglobe.ne.jp/~buzzroom/vst.html

CoreTrooper wrote:

btw on another note I am purchasing Fat machine soon for bass sounds anybody can tell me how they get by with it

I like Fat Machine a lot-it's what I usually use for leads if I'm not using Reaktor.I'm not a big fan of the shipped presets(sorry,liqih),but it's easy to get some very expressive sounds.Fat Machine+Predatohm+EllotronixXL=instant Fripp-not a bad place in my book at all
ew

great topic, as i am searching the same thing. for $100 or less?

you could go linplug alpha, free or otherwise. although i will assume you already have a boatload of synths that can do what it does.

ive always thought fm-heaven a real bargain ($70); and it is the easiest of the fm synths to program. it loads DX7 patches, and due to its 6 osc / full mod matrix / 16 waveform design has a *huge* sonic potential. it is also very light on the CPU. but the current version lacks filters. the osc key scaling partially compenstates this; also, the dev has promised two multimode filters in the next release (whenever that will be). if fm-heaven had the filters now, i would already own it.

if you are willing to wait, FLstudio is currently working on a very similar synth, "sytrus". it will do everything fm-heaven does and more, plus three multimode filters. downside -- it will not read the 10000 existing dx7 patches.

if you are willing to go slightly more than $100, say $120 or so, then IMO rhino is the best synth available. it has a rabid following here at kvr, and rightfully so. it does almost everything well --analog subtractive, the full fm mod matrix thing, loads dx7 patches, *plus* infinite osc wave shapes which you can design yourself in its additive wave constuction tool. just download the demo and listen to the presets; you will be impressed. it does have one big downside though -- CPU usage, on par with SE.

hope this helps

Under 100 - Pentagon I. I like it because it is easy to program nice leads, and easy to assign knobs to your controller so that you can be expressive. With a little more, z3ta+. It has the best, smoothest lead sound to my ears.

Robert

smart wrote:

discoDSP Discovery is great sounding, and very fun to program. It's also a little under $100 so you could put the extra $20 towards something fun like Tau2, or DX10. You might want to take a look at that. You could also think about saving up an extra $50 and then you'd be able to pick up something like z3ta+, Rhino, or Albino, all are great for this and will give you a ton of sounds.

I wish Albino was only $50 more It's now $179. Sound have gotten it when I had the chance for $149. Oh well. Rhino is 100 euro, BTW. Killer synth, killer on your CPU though. If you don't mind freezing, you got yourself a beast!

Devon

synth 1

I'd go with z3ta+ or Rhino. The two most versatile soft-synths around - save for maybe Absynth.

Another vote for Synth1 or Pro 53 if you can find it on sale.