KVR Audio

computercontrolled · Post by **computercontrolled** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:07 am

I want to buy a new synth i use mostly sylenth 1, pro 53 and some freebies. I ve searched thru the net and im between those 2, i just would like to know ur opinions..wich would u choose, i realy dont like complex synths too much.

BASSDRIVE · Post by **BASSDRIVE** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:25 am

I personally like Surge better. Surge comes with very good useable presets and I like to build off those.

Tronam · Post by **Tronam** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:33 am

I find Surge's workflow very well laid out and inspiring to program. Vember put a lot of thought into its interface. While Massive is very powerful and feature rich with insane modulation flexibility, I found its general tonal personality to be somewhat clinical and underwhelming. It could be a better way to go though if you're looking for something that contrasts the two subtractive VAs you already have. Zebra is another possibility worth considering. Though it's a modular, which typically makes my head spin, I have found it to be one of the easiest to understand and program.

bsalter · Post by **bsalter** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:42 am

Another vote for Surge... I have both and rarely use Massive. With Surge, you have the choice of using it in a simple way or a complicated way, depending on what you want to do. I find myself programming sounds about 3x faster with Surge than any other synth. And Surge can do basic classic analog sounds much better than Massive, while both are good at digital wavetable sounds (nothing like Zebra, tho). Only point where Massive wins for me is the FX.

CypherOne · Post by **CypherOne** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:13 am

Massive.

C-note · Post by **C-note** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:46 am

Massive

sonic-sector · Post by **sonic-sector** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:11 am

I must say the sound of Surge appeals more to me.

PaulSC · Post by **PaulSC** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:08 am

These two are architecturally quite similar, but sonically rather different. I use both regularly and love them equally.

Feature-wise, Surge has a fuller FM implementation (but no filter FM), more flexible modulation routing, a larger number of ways to twist its wavetable oscillators, unique oscillator modes like windowed wavescanning and Sample&Hold noise, user-customizeable wavetables (although the implementation is cumbersome), and two independently programmable, stackable layers. Compared to Massive, I favor Surge for pads and animated, layered sounds. My only real complaint is that I find the signal routing controls a bit obscure -- have to learn how a few details work all over again if I've been away for it for a few weeks.

Massive's feature set has its own strengths including Filter FM, inline (per-voice) effects, fuller control over oscillator phases, and a variety of colored-noise options that make for excellent (and diverse) percussion voicings. Signal routing is presented very clearly. While Massive is sometimes considered clinical or bland, I find that it gains character when parameters are pushed to their limits (whereas many synths just get generically ugly when handled that way). I favor Massive for clean/glossy timbres and for stuff pitched in high registers; in spite of its name and its reputation, it's great for refined, delicate sounds. Complaints? Many parameters can only receive modulation from one source at a time; the signal path is just pannable mono per voice; there's no stepped-random modulator (just a handful of pseudo-random stepped patterns that repeat after short cycles).

xx JPRacer xx · Post by **xx JPRacer xx** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:25 am

Wow, very detailed descriptions Paul.

soundmagus · Post by **soundmagus** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:34 am

+1 for Massive

amiga909 · Post by **amiga909** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:54 am

+1 surge

reason: surge has a much better sound-quality/cpu-usage ratio

Nielzie · Post by **Nielzie** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:02 am

+1 SURGE

MaxSynths · Post by **MaxSynths** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:55 am

Surge without any doubt. Massive is very heavy on CPU and very time consuming on programming. Surge has huge amount of usable presets, good sound, great workflow and it's very light on CPU.

JediMind · Post by **JediMind** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:09 pm

MaxSynths wrote:Surge without any doubt. Massive is very heavy on CPU and very time consuming on programming. Surge has huge amount of usable presets, good sound, great workflow and it's very light on CPU.

+1
CPU-wise, Surge would be your best choice.
Soundwise...they're both really powerful. I like the way Surge sounds, though; and its interface as well.

Roman Wisniak · Post by **Roman Wisniak** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:20 pm

+1 surge

although not as cpu friendly as mentioned earlier.
try to load 3 x virus ti oscillators, 2x unisono and set string envelope - cannot use more than 6 voices on my core i7 config.

Surge or massive??