KVR Audio

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 4:53 pm

Neither the supersaw in Dune 2 sounds near as good as the one in Sylenth1, nor is the character very similar. It's another synth really. What do_androids_dream means with presence is probably that Dune 2 is quite on the "thin" and tame side. At least that way my impression when demoing it, and also my impression when listening to soundsets made for it.

Yorrrrrr · Post by **Yorrrrrr** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 4:58 pm

Yes, they have different character. Nothing sounds like Sylenth1. And no two synths sound the same. That's why we are plugin collectors. But DUNE 2 and others are overall better synths.

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:04 pm

Yorrrrrr wrote:
do_androids_dream wrote:
Yorrrrrr wrote:DUNE 2 is also at $99 and a MUCH better value (and better synth, in 2015)
Sounds nothing like Sylenth though - nothing like the presence Sylenth has in a mix.
Yes, for the typical same old same old EDM, maybe.. Care to explain the 'presence in a mix' argument?

It's not something that can be explained that easily because it's something I've learned through experience. Through mixing over a thousand records of my own and clients I can tell you that certain things sit in a mix better than others. For instance, analog synths tend to need next to no processing to sit in their 'place' in a mix. Most softsynths tend to need a lot more and just 'collapse' after a certain point with compression for instance. Who knows why this is but it IS. Sylenth seems to be a software exception to that rule. It 'stands up' in a mix with little jigging and poking necessary which means it retains it's character very well - just like analog synths do. I like to think of it as magic

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:06 pm

chk071 wrote:Neither the supersaw in Dune 2 sounds near as good as the one in Sylenth1, nor is the character very similar. It's another synth really. What do_androids_dream means with presence is probably that Dune 2 is quite on the "thin" and tame side. At least that way my impression when demoing it, and also my impression when listening to soundsets made for it.

Yes, if we're talking about the aesthetic qualities of the sound itself Dune does have a lack of 'body' for want of a better word.

Yorrrrrr · Post by **Yorrrrrr** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:15 pm

Well, if Sylenth1 includes "magic" or "analog-like-presence-in-a-mix", then by all means get it OP! No other soft synth has that feature.

C-note · Post by **C-note** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:15 pm

Sylenth 1 is still the best, nothing else sounds as good and uses so little CPU.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:35 pm

Sylenth is still a good synth and because it's so often used since years, it's not only to have a large preset library it's also very easy to find tutorials how to make this or that sound.

If you need the sounds used and heard in dozens of productions, I would think about buying Sylenth for $99. I use sometimes Sylenth _and_ Spire because both sounding different. It's a different splash of colour in the "painting" and because of the limited features/easy interface it needs also not a lot time to create typical sounds like plucks, detuned/stacked osc sounds etc.
It's IMO not a "must have" synth in 2015 but it's still a good tool in the toolbox

db3 · Post by **db3** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:52 pm

I ignored the Sylenth hype for a very long time while it was only 32bit on mac, but couldn't resist trying the new 64bit version. I was really surprised how great it sounded and picked it up straight away.

Some special secret voodoo sauce going on for sure.

If I could only use one plug from: Sylenth, Massive, Hive, Spire, Dune2, and ANA...it would be Sylenth.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 8:05 pm

Sylenth is the same as it has always been

Spire is a far better synth than Sylenth in pretty much every respect. Sylenth does not have enough diversity of tools. For years now, every new sound set sounds like existing ones. If you like the Sylenth sound, maybe it is for you, but you cannot get away from it. It is too limited for that. Sylenth is also weak in the low end, but the highs have a nice shimmery quality. You do get a good 'bang for your buck' as far as cpu use, but I would much rather have a higher sound quality like many newer synths provide. The filter drive in Sylenth also is kinda displeasing to my ear and you are just stuck with it.

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 8:08 pm

Thank you for your replies. As far as I recall original e-mail from KVR (I think) about the sale price, it said something about users receiving version 3 for Mac right away and for PC users it will be available when released. I am looking on Lennard Digital Sylenth page and I don't see that any more. I am on PC. Is there expected to be some newer version that already available for macs?

I just went on and bought UVI Vintage Legends. I also recently bought Arturia V Collection, and I did not have a chance to audition it. Having day job is no fun. I also bought bunch of bundles presets for Spire... I sure have enough, but if it has this special warm sound that stands out in the mix... I am looking for more arpeggiated sounds that play by itself with one key press. Not that I cant play... I like new sounds- Serum offers a lot of unusual FX that can take 4 to 8 measures to play the whole cycle. I love those things. They drive my Yamaha 8" monitors better than distortion guitar. I doubt old synth like Sylenth is able to produce anything modent like woobles or FX. I expect more leads and plucks from it, which I have in soooo many variation... It is like I want to buy it one minute and then I am thinking- no- it will be like another presets bank. What copy protection it uses? Will it install on more than one computer? I have Win 10 and Vista. My Win 10 has good CPU, my Vista is like Core Duo (dual core). Thank you.

fischkopf · Post by **fischkopf** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:28 am

If you want a plugin that hasn't got any update to it's synth engine and features in, like, 7 years, and you're just looking for THAT specific Sylenth-sound, sure you can get Sylenth. But there are so many more more versatile and overall nicer sounding alternatives these days, which also get updated more frequently that I don't see any point in buying Sylenth these days, especially for that price.

If you like your arpeggiated sounds, check out the free BlueArp, it works with every VST synth.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:40 am

Astralv wrote:Thank you for your replies. As far as I recall original e-mail from KVR (I think) about the sale price, it said something about users receiving version 3 for Mac right away and for PC users it will be available when released. I am looking on Lennard Digital Sylenth page and I don't see that any more. I am on PC. Is there expected to be some newer version that already available for macs?

Obviously, they released version 3 for Mac first, because the Mac people waited so long for the 64-bit AU. It's supposed to be released for PC when they're finished with the Mac updates.

Elektronisch · Post by **Elektronisch** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:20 am

chk071 wrote:Neither the supersaw in Dune 2 sounds near as good as the one in Sylenth1

Are you sure? Dune 2 supersaw sounds better then my virus, it has more body and strenght, im not sure if we are talking about same Dune 2. Sylenth1 lacks the body and the top end is very strident/harsh in a bad way, you definatly dont want to use that for supersaws.

Just compare couple of soundsets from same preset designer. Sylenth1 is so thin, you must have very small boomy speakers not to notice that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0WJyK3rE8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xc-BUDaUiI

and to add

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuKIYwv2nMk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7357GC0pf4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjsyNdXyMwY

To the topic starter, no imo its not worth to buy. Sylenth1 is not worth 99 on sale, but worth 99 not on sale. But everyone has theyr understanding of value. If you like the sound then it might worth it.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:29 am

You are aware though that Sylenth1 has been THE choice for all kinds of different EDM music and especially for the supersaw type sounds pretty much since its release right? Fair enough if you think that Dune's supersaw sounds better than the one of your Virus, i still say it isn't up to par with Sylenth1's, nor with that of other synths. And i still say it has a thin and fizzy sound which already was prominent on Dune 1 too. Both are valid opinions, but the hype around Sylenth1 surely doesn't come out of nowhere, if other synths were perfectly capable of the same kind of thing, they'd surely would find more usage (and create an equal hype) too.

Yorrrrrr · Post by **Yorrrrrr** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:42 am

"Thin"? That's how I would describe Spire. Thin, excited, bright sound. That thing without its effects sound weak. But..having said that, I still like its sound, for certain situations. Anyway, both Spire and DUNE 2 are overall better than Sylenth1, for sure. But they're all just tools after all, no synth is better at everything. Different colors in the palette, as someone said in this thread. If you want the same old, mainstream, limited Sylenth-y sound and a gazillion presets that sound the same, then that's fine!. The OP should buy Sylenth1, just for the sake of having the most popular soft synth ever in the toolbox.

Is the Sylenth 1 still good?