Spire vs Predator 2

[4damind]

Spire has this modern digital "Virus-like" sound, Predator sounds a bit more "Hifi" (for the lack of a better description and to avoid "analog" ).
Predator has a very good and large preset library not focused only to Trance or EDM, Spire has more this typical EDM/Trance presets and the library is not very large.
I prefer the GUI of Spire and the workflow is IMO also a easier to understand.

I use both synth very often and never had a crash with both synth.

[W23]

I own both. I use Spire more. The first Predator had the advantage of using slightly less CPU but, that's not so much the case with V2. I personally find that Spire has a thicker sound (more solid low end) that is almost 3D. I've heard people say Spire has sound like that of hardware synths. I don't know if I agree with that that comparison (Diva, Monark, RePro, the Legend, and a couple of Xils synths are certainly closer) but damn, Spire sounds good! Very distinctive in it'so own right, and (to my ears) Spire works better in a mix than Predator 2.

[chk071]

I've heard people say Spire has sound like that of hardware synths. I don't know if I agree with that that comparison (Diva, Monark, RePro, the Legend, and a couple of Xils synths are certainly closer) but damn, Spire sounds good!

Depends what kind of hardware you mean, i guess. Whenever i heard people saying that Spire is close to hardware, usually, people comapred it with a Virus, JP-8k, and likes, not so much with analog hardware.

[W23]

Yeah that's true. I've heard that Spire does sound more like a Hardware VA synth. I've never owned a Virus, or a JP-8K, so I can't really comment to that but, I totally see your point

[fluffy_little_something]

Soundwise Spire is superior in my view, more sophisticated, Predator sounds a bit brutish to me. For instance the unison, there was that ugly phase attack in Predator last time I checked. With some detuning settings there was ugly scraping sound...

If Predator had a much better sound quality, it would be one heck of a synth. I would not have sold it...

[EnGee]

I also think Spire has more interesting sound than Predator 2. I would choose Spire. Predator 1 was cool and I thought Predator 2 would be cooler and a great synth, but in use, I didn't find the new features did match the quality of sound (which I don't think it has been improved from version 1).

Anyway, I would buy Spire if I don't have already Dune 2 and Massive which i like more than Spire.

[twal]

I think that Spire overall has a "better sound", especially (or primarily) if you want Techno, Trance etc. But, I don't make that kind of music and Predator 2 has a lot of sounds that are great for Hip Hop and RNB. I think a lot of people that come to this place (KVR) are not so much into Trap/Hip Hop; I'm talking Trap with Rap, so synths like Predator 2 and the likes get brushed aside.

[HcDoom]

For me Predator is more capable than Spire. Also, both can be used for any style of music - its just about how good you are with your tools and what are your preferences. And Spire is certainly not above P2 as some guys mentioned here.

[dune_rave]

In my case, I just prefer Rob Papen stuff, and don't use many other plugins including Spire.
Speaking of Predator2 I don't call it new synth, because many features are from the previous version.
So it's like the case of ImpOSCAR1 and ImpOSCAR2.
Predator is an older plugin than Spire, and for me this means it is better
but in others eyes Predator is just a *dated* plugin.
However, in march comes another update (bigger wavetable editor with special features) that will make Predator more special.

[recursive one]

I don't own Predator but most demos I've found online show somehow generic, uninteresting sound. Spire is very "coloured" synth, in a good way. It has a bit thin but very nice basic sound and it manages to sound good at extreme or unusual settings, e.g. you may use a very fast LFO or an oscillator as a modulation source for filter or another oscillator and get nice sounding and musically useable results.

[Dasheesh]

Spire has this modern digital "Virus-like" sound, Predator sounds a bit more "Hifi" (for the lack of a better description and to avoid "analog" ).
Predator has a very good and large preset library not focused only to Trance or EDM, Spire has more this typical EDM/Trance presets and the library is not very large.
I prefer the GUI of Spire and the workflow is IMO also a easier to understand.

I use both synth very often and never had a crash with both synth.

100% agree with this. I would add, I adore the character of the filters of spire and they go way, way beyond the EDM sounds it's used for. The problem is reveal cut spire short of its capabilities for sake of the CPU bitchers in a lot cases. It very much aggravates me when I come across one of these short cuts. Anytime they could save CPU they did. There is a lot of stepping and phasing and the envelopes are difficult to control. Spire likes to take on a life of its own... think of her like an old stubborn hound that is loyal and you would never think of giving her up but she is a constant pain in the ass.

[amg56]

[quote="GeorgeZ"][quote="inkwarp"]i prefer spire but it is unstable as compared to predator which i have yet to have a problem with...[/quote]

Yup, I'm in the same boat. I've had Spire since beta and I've never used it in tracks as it's very unstale on my system Great synth, but rather scary to use imo (for ref Win7 x64 running FL Studio x32 and x64)[/quote]

I've been running Spire on Win 7 and Win 10 64 bit, with Live, FL, and Bitwig, and it's never crashed on me, so I just cannot relate to these comments about instability. There were a couple of minor UI defects that they cleaned up months ago. Basically, I've never had a serious problem with it.

I was looking forward to the revamped Predator but the UI design, even with light skin, is very problematic. The person who designed it didn't have a good concept of how to pick contrast values. I tried to deal with it but I have better looking and sounding options at this point.

[Synthman2000]

Both of these are are on my B list unfortunately. This could be down to underuse (probably a reason for that) and generally not having a great impression sound wise. Predator because it is a bit glassy sounding and has an old skool tone it cannot seem to shake off despite the update. Predator (1) was a really fun synth to use, logical, effective parameters but there was always something that I could not put my finger on about the sound quality. I cannot get over that aspect.

Spire, excels at nothing compared to my other synths (I don't do supersaws)... it can also sound rather thin and I personally find that is hard to shake off. Nice GUI and feel and it seems perfectly stable here. I dislike the envelopes, very fiddly and never tight enough for some duties.

Given superb sound designers and presets I would probably change my mind and think they sound great but I am not a great sound designer I am a fairly slow programming synths and that means you gel more quickly with synths you get results from faster and more intuitively.

In any other market they would be both good, serviceable products. But given superior competition other synths simply do what I want to hear better. You know.....we have bloated folders and the same, best sounding synths keep getting loaded up and some collect cobwebs.

Not every synth can be on your A list.

I am not convinced I will install either after a planned update/.dll purge.

Of course you can download and install both and make your own mind up which is what you should always do. I would happily use Massive over either, that is still a killer synth and it uses very low resources.

[Vortifex]

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