What Are Top Best Software Digital Synths Ever?

[do_androids_dream]

It depends by what criteria you measure it. Most well known? Most popular? Personal favourites? The only softsynth I'ved ever used that comes close to the sound of a DX range synth is Bigtick Rhino (please don't mention FM7/8 - sounds nothing like a DX!). That makes it one of the best ever for me.

[sugo]

Yep Rhino is also nice sounding, with lot of good worked presets.
And don`t forget Xhip! Esspecially the next generation seems to become very nice

[Ingonator]

FM:
- NI FM8
- Tone2 Nemesis
- Dexed (freeware)

Wavetable:
- Waldorf Nave
- Waldorf Largo
- Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V
- Tone2 Icarus (not officially released yet)
- UVI Falcon (of course Falcon could do a lot more than only wavetable synthesis)

Vector synthesis/Wave sequencing:
- Korg Wavestation plugin
- Prophet VS + Hybrid synth in Arturia Prophet V

unique digital synths:
- Hamburg Audio Nuklear
- Tone2 Rayblaster


Both Icarus and Nemesis allow simple additive Resynthesis (simple as the is no dedicated envelope for each partial like in e.g. Alchemy) and editing waveforms with an additive style editor (where Icarus has a lot more partials for editing).

[chk071]

I always wondered why waveshaping synths are not more common and popular. Something like Z3TA 2, but with better filters, and with a bit better overall sound would be great to have. It's really flexible, fun to tweak, modulating the waveshaping elements gives a nice movement. There's really so much gain from that form of synthesis. Hope some company will pick up the ball, and bring out a nice waveshaping synth soon.

[recursive one]

I always wondered why waveshaping synths are not more common and popular. Something like Z3TA 2, but with better filters, and with a bit better overall sound would be great to have. It's really flexible, fun to tweak, modulating the waveshaping elements gives a nice movement. There's really so much gain from that form of synthesis. Hope some company will pick up the ball, and bring out a nice waveshaping synth soon.

Did you try Diversion? It does waveshaping among other things. And it definitely has good filters.

[chk071]

Funnily, i listened to a demo of Diversion yesterday, and really liked it. Gotta give the demo a try i guess.

[AnX]

Phantom
Augur
Bazille
Dune2
VirtualCZ

[wagtunes]

I totally misunderstood the OP's criteria. I thought he wanted all of that in one synth. The closest thing I could think of was MPowersynth. Now that I understand, I'd like to edit my list of one. LOL.

Wavetable

Serum
Nave

FM

FM8

Phase Distortion

Bazille

Other Stuff

MPowersynth (most overall digital sounding synth)
Cycle (most unusual sound engine)
Harmor
Rayblaster
Wavemapper 2

[felis]

N. I. Absynth
Waldorf Nave

[recursive one]

Gotta give the demo a try i guess.

Yeah, you totally should. One of the best sounding "purely digital" digital synths imo, if you have Spire and like it (iirc, you do) Diversion would be great addition as there is some vague similarity in the overal sound character but not much actual overlap.

[EnGee]

By digital, I mean the following....

1. Frequency Modulation [FM]
2. Waveable
3. Phrase Modulation [PM]
4. Additive

In other words, it's NOT analogue/analog at all. The digital synths can be freeware or commercial ware.

Thank you in advance.

Nice one! I like this question and already know (almost) the answer within my collection

1. FM8
2. Blofeld (Largo) - But sometimes I prefer Massive, so it is between those two monsters
3. Bazille (Phase Modulation)
4. Razor

[ATN69]

Seems no one mentioned Dune2, which is capable of additive and FM synthesis. Besides of that you can load up wave tables. Dune 2 have pretty much all that fits the bill.

[AnX]

Seems no one mentioned Dune2

Yes they have.

[ATN69]

Seems no one mentioned Dune2

Yes they have.

Ups! Sorry, I missed it was in your list

[mcnoone]

Zebra2
Dune2
Imposcar2
Alchemy