If you could only have ONE $200 ish VSTi synth...

[AD80]

But I can tell you that it's doing -everything- I need a synth to do and more. Looking forward to the Vox'd soundset that's due out soon, too.

Greg

I agree. I'm about to join the new group buy. WS is AWSOME for evolving pads. And great at analogish subtractive stuff. Its range is incredible.

[AD80]

Reaktor Sessions.

All these other people have lost their buckets..they can be safely ignored.

[Sargon]

Zebra, for sure! Good sound and very flexible.

[ugo]

for starters, i'll echo the suggestion of wusikstation. its a great synth and at the $50 group buy price, its really hard to beat. but in addition to WS...

zero vector = $149 - this is a killer synth that deserves way more attention around here. it does VA and early digital sounds equally well, plus its got vector control, lots of mod options, and damn cool filters.

rhino = $136 - impressive versatility and digital excellent pads. (btw, check out the presets of daniels, great work.)

imposcar = $170 - ok, this would require a little extra cash if you got something like WS too, but imho imposcar's tone is nothing short of amazing. although it excells at analog tones, it can also produce some cool digital stuff too thanks to its additive user waveform creation.

-ugo

[x_bruce]

If only one, VirSyn TERA 2.

If I could split, much as I like a lot of other synths, probably still TERA 2, but as an exercise in good value, for money:

package A - warm and fat analog/monster synth
rgc:audio Pentagon 1 $99
Big Tick Audio, Rhino 2 $140

package B - monster synth, smoother analog
Big Tick Audio, Rhino 2 $140
LinPlug, Alpha Synth $60

package C - value pack
ConcreteFX, Kubik $100
rgc:audio, Square 1 $35
Wusik, Wusikstation $100

and as mentioned, LinPLug/Rob Papen Albino $199, for the wildman in all of us OhmForce Symptohm:Melohman $199. Both are incredible concepts taken to their logical conclusion. Symptohm is a bit more obtuse to initially use but is capable of nearly any sound once you learn it's unique programming style.

[ew]

I'm split between Don's sentiments on one hand and Jon's, Doug's,foosnark's, kuniklo's and Bruce's on the other. Reaktor Sessions IS an obvious choice, but Tera is Tera- it's a killer of a synth.

Zero Vector's not a bad choice either, and there's always Absynth 3...

Between those four, you should find the synth of your dreams.

ew

[scam_artist]

zero vector = $149 - this is a killer synth that deserves way more attention around here. it does VA and early digital sounds equally well, plus its got vector control, lots of mod options, and damn cool filters.

imposcar = $170 - ok, this would require a little extra cash if you got something like WS too, but imho imposcar's tone is nothing short of amazing. although it excells at analog tones, it can also produce some cool digital stuff too thanks to its additive user waveform creation.

-ugo

my sentiments exactly

[spaceman]

Tera 2

[origami]

reaktor sessions

[bluedad]

reaktor sessions - synths, samplers and mind boggling fx
Tera 2 is probably the most versatile synth out there, covering a wide range.

[Miro]

reaktor sessions - synths, samplers and mind boggling fx

and amazing support for yet more madness/lushness (take your pick) from the new .ens developers like sickle. wow.

[haydxn]

well, if i weren't a student, i'd say reaktor session. but still i don't think i could live with only session, being a tinkerer, PLUS i managed to get the educational version of Reaktor for £175, so i'm going to say Reaktor.

i couldn't live without reaktor...

that's pretty much the only vsti i use nowadays anyway (everything else is freeware, except microtonic)

[TheWall]

for the wildman in all of us OhmForce Symptohm:Melohman $199. Both are incredible concepts taken to their logical conclusion. Symptohm is a bit more obtuse to initially use but is capable of nearly any sound once you learn it's unique programming style.

I'd vote for Symptohm too, but it's actually labelled as 199 euro...

Sytrus is excellent too.

There are way too many great VA plugins these days. It's really hard to just pick one.

[dystonia_ek]

Definitely Reaktor Session. For the price of one synth (or a small bundle) you get about 1800 synths, samplers, effects, drum machines, and a lot of stuff that there's not even a name for yet.

[Kraku]

For me: impOSCar
For you: ...who knows...?