I need a retro 70s/80s synthesizer sound, like Tangerine Dream but with the meditativeness and softness of Schulze or Jarre. Soft arpeggios, full brass (like Oberheim) and texture pads that layer well are the thing. I rarely use leads. Very retro, but soft and flexible sound that blends in many contexts, including progressive Berlin old school/cinematic/hybrid/ambient/80s cinematic score.
Something that strikes a balance with both 70s and 80s sound, like best of both worlds.I know TD used Minimoog and Modular, but Blade Runner was all CS-80.
Prophet 5 was an integral part of Miami Vice's sound. Drive and Hotline Miami soundtracks are more of a modern example of that retro sound. Something unique, yet retro.
I already have Omnisphere 2 but one additional synth with unique sound wouldn't hurt and the Arturia stuff is currently -50% off in the Keys Behind Melodies sale.
I thought I should also get a decent reverb while I'm at it and demoed Valhalla's Shimmer and VintageVerb. Shimmer was fine, but I really like the retro/Phil Collins-vibe I'm getting from VintageVerb in an ambient track, but is it flexible enough for hybrid/orchestral scores or should I invest in another reverb for that? Something like Albion's Loegria's chamber orchestra has a nice built-in reverb but I tend to place the synths in the same acoustic space. I know Valhalla's reverbs are ridiculously low-priced, but I'm currently investing 100 bucks, one synth, one reverb. Alternative suggestions are more than welcome though.
