Official TOP 20 Synths Poll April 2019

[JerGoertz]

Here you go, official KVR rankings.

https://www.kvraudio.com/plugin-ranks.php?show=20

- Jay

Thanks, I will be refreshing this link daily.

[shonky]

I don't even have 20 synths, let alone 20 favorites.

I have way more than 20 but regularly use less than half of those. Might be time for a big clearout.

Currently, I'd say:
1: Rapid
2: ANA2
3: Massive
4: FM8
5: Harmor
6: Operator
7: Padshop Pro (although this is actually a sampler)
8: Stix

[SLiC]

Here you go, official KVR rankings.

https://www.kvraudio.com/plugin-ranks.php?show=20

- Jay

Wow, the number one ranked synth on KVR is Purity!
I think we can all agree this particulat list is nonsense!

A top 20 isn’t a bad idea (although a vote may be better than a list) but what are we voting on? Value, sound, features, gui? If you have to own a
Livence to vote then you will get the most popular synths winning, notnesseserily the synths that sound the best....

[ATS]

1. Omnipshere
2. Falcon
3. Icarus
4. Rapid
4. Avenger
5. ANA 2
6. Nexus
7. Serum
8. Electra 2
9. Thorn
10. Alchemy
11. Trilian
12. Repro
13. DUNE 3
14. Zebra 2
15. Nemesis
16. Rayblaster
17. String Studio VS3
18. Halion
19. HIVE
20. Strobe 2

[BBFG#]

Here you go, official KVR rankings.

https://www.kvraudio.com/plugin-ranks.php?show=20

- Jay

Wow, the number one ranked synth on KVR is Purity!
I think we can all agree this particulat list is nonsense!

A top 20 isn’t a bad idea (although a vote may be better than a list) but what are we voting on? Value, sound, features, gui? If you have to own a
Livence to vote then you will get the most popular synths winning, notnesseserily the synths that sound the best....

Maybe start with setting the criteria for making it fair across the board. Not allowing any synth that isn't available on both OS platforms, or synths that are locked into one DAW. Or plugins that have been abandoned, unless the poll is for that very thing.
And then set the categories so we're not forced to compare synths with samplers or other host/modular systems. Let each one be their own category.

[imrae]

You know there are more than two operating systems right?

[BBFG#]

You know there are more than two operating systems right?

Oh yes, and the third one is a plus, but if we limited to being all three (w/o wine), that would be a short list.
Hopefully the 2020 poll will show more, but for now, the two that almost everyone does would be the minimum.

Maybe after Alchemy and Harmor get left off a few polls they might get the idea they're the ones missing out.

[SLiC]

1. Omnipshere
2. Falcon
3. Zebra2 HZ
4. Reaktor
4. Avenger
5. Output Kontact instruments (if I have to pick one, brass!)
6. Dune 3
7. Serum
8. Keyscape
9. Diva
10. VCV rack
11. Pigments
12. Repro
13. DUNE 3
14. Pianoteq
15. Strobe 2
16. Zone
17. V collection (yes, all of it )
18. Icarus
19. Sugar bytes aperillo (not sure I spelt that right)
20. Bazille

Based on use, so newer and newly updated may fair better! Zebra 3 will no doubt change the order!

[cthonophonic]

Ranking is kind of arbitrary for me beyond the top 5 (the ones I always return to) and almost meaningless beyond the top 10 (the ones I actually use regularly), but here you go:

1. Zebra 2
2. Pianoteq 6
3. Chromaphone 2
4. Repro-5
5. Softube Modular
6. Synthmaster 2
7. Cypher 2
8. Aparillo
9. Heartbeat
10. LuSH-101
11. Repro-1
12. Tassman 4
13. Synclavier V2
14. String Studio VS-2
15. Corona
16. Discovery Pro
17. Vertigo
18. VirtualCZ
19. Vacuum Pro
20. Hybrid 3

If nothing else, making this list is a good way of reminding myself that I don't really need any more synths, except Bazille... and maybe StiX... or some of those SWAM instruments...

[NeoKortex88]

you posted Dune3 twice.

1.Dune3
2.Falcon
3.Alchemy
4.Avenger
5.ZebraHz
6.Zebra2
7.Omnisphere
8.Serum
9.Sculpture

[NeoKortex88]

why you guys voted for Omnisphere isnt it a rompler?

[Bombadil]

Alchemy;
Omnisphere:
Synthmaster;
Hive;
Synthmaster One.

Notwithstanding Alchemy, I don't bother with the other Logic softsynths, so I can't rate them.

[sacer]

1. Diva
2. Tal-Mod
3. The Legend
4. Repro
5. Omnisphere
6. Softube Modular
7. Lush-101
8. Dune3
9. Falcon
10.Spire
11.Stobe2
12.Oddity2
13.Zebra
14.Reaktor
15.Cypher2
16.Stix
17.Sylenth
18.Avenger
19.Arturia Collection V6
20.NI Kore

21.PolyKB3
22.Tal Bassline
23.ElectraX
24.Nexus
25.Camel Audio Alchemy V1
26.Hive
27.Xils4
28.µTonic3
29.Rapid
30.Icarus

[nachenko]

I'm very very happy to say that it's impossible for me to put twenty. I managed to keep my GAS under control and greatly reduce my setup, including hardware.

Dune 3
ANA 2
Synthmaster 2
Ableton Sampler (I slice tiny chunks of audio from random sources and use it as synth)
Quanta (it's the only granular I've got)
Operator (only FM I've got)

And that's it.

Runner ups:

Repro 1/5 (recent acquisition, still trying to figure out how to get the most of it)
Form (same as Repro, recent acquisition)

That's it. I have more synths, but they don't cut it for me anymore)

[strovoknights]

1.Rapid
2.Viper
3.Dune 3
4.ANA2
5.Hybrid 3
6.Serum
7.Sylenth 1
8.Spire
9.Avenger
10.Predator 2
11.Hive
12.Chromaphone 2
13.Synthmaster 2
14.RAW
15.Bitwig Sampler as Wavetable and Granular synth
16.ANA 1.5
17.PunchBox as 808 Bass Synth
18.Jussi
19.theRiser
20.Thorn