The "I don't get it" or your 3 overrated synths thread

[rich_h]

It's interesting to note which synths are NOT in this thread, and, tho I'm sure there are more, Korg Legacy hasn't been mentioned, at least negatively. Personally, I highly rate KLC1, but can't really see what the fuss is about the M1, which, IMHO, would be far more useful with better modulation possibilites.

I agree, I use the original Legacy collection a lot, but I can't get excited about the M1.

Mind you, I wasn't much of a fan of the M1 in the first place, so maybe that has something to do with it!

[stanlea]

As for my three: Wusikstation, SynthMaster, Atmosphere

Why do you think SynthMaster is overrated? BTW, have you used it at all? It has a free version too!

I agree. It would be very useful to give some arguments, or just say "I don't like it, but I don't know why..."

[stanlea]

OK. Gone thru the whole thread and compiled a list of synths, with 5 or more negatives. First page is now updated with a summary of those synths.

Hope this is useful for those in the market

I would be even more useful if you could give a digest of the main critics.

[bluedad]

It's interesting to note which synths are NOT in this thread, and, tho I'm sure there are more, Korg Legacy hasn't been mentioned, at least negatively. Personally, I highly rate KLC1, but can't really see what the fuss is about the M1, which, IMHO, would be far more useful with better modulation possibilites.

I agree, I use the original Legacy collection a lot, but I can't get excited about the M1.

Mind you, I wasn't much of a fan of the M1 in the first place, so maybe that has something to do with it!

I just got the digital collection after playing the wavestation demo for the last few months, totally forgetting about the M1. Now that it's here, the M1 is all I've been playing. I feel like a musician again! I never was even remotely interested in KLC1(apart from the wavestation)

[Caleb]

OK. Gone thru the whole thread and compiled a list of synths, with 5 or more negatives. First page is now updated with a summary of those synths.

Hope this is useful for those in the market

Oooo - I didn't realise this was going to be creating a black list. Is that a good idea?

I suppose it won't become a sticky anyway so it probably doesn't matter.

Regards
Caleb

[de la Mancha]

Hope this is useful for those in the market

I'm not sure the summary would be that useful for me. The only useful tool for me is to try a demo for myself, to see if it meet my needs, my style, my CPU and my creative process.

If 11 people don't rate Absynth, doesn't help me. (It just so happens that I love it), but all that means is we are different, not a basis for purchase. By the same token, if a magazine gives a synth 9 out of 10, it doesn't mean I'm going to like it.

This thread does no harm, in fact it is very interesting when people justify their selections, but anyone reading it should form their own opinion from their own trials, because even if 99% of people don't like something, it doesn't mean you're not in the 1% who do.

[CypherOne]

any synth is over-rated in my hands...

[bermudagold]

I forgot to mention physical modelling synths. What a snore-gasm.

Sad thing is, i've tried 3 PM synths: Tassman made quite decent flutey sounds, Modelonia made some ok brass sounds, and String studio makes some nice plucked string sounds. WHEN YOU PRESS ONE KEY.

if you try to play a legato line with a keyboard, there's nothing in the synths to simulate the transitions between notes that would be characteristic of those instruments - something that should happen automatically with a physical model.

What's the point in physically modelling a trumpet if you're not going to model the fact that a trumpet is not played with a keyboard??

Thank you....I been sayin this for a minute....PM has been a let down....yes its way more expressive than samples,..but if ur modeling an existing instrument that extra expressiveness is lost without the instruments natural interface....a keyboard with pitch and mod wheel dont cut it....unless u have a midiaxe, a breath controller, and a bowed midi controller if one even exists....the point is lost....what u get is a synthetic sound and a huge cpu hit....if ur gonna have to use a keyboard controller, might as well use samples

[topaz]

Thanks to this thread I checked out the AB4 demo, I was looking for something to inspire me that wasnt another pumped up dance synth and boy was I happy I did.

I am picking up Absynth4 on the morrow.

I love KVR for things like this

topaz.

[blakflag]

1. Your Favorite Synth

NO WAY! You're totally off base here. I use this synth all the time, for every track I make.

2. Your Second Favorite Synth

I can see how you'd characterise it this way, but for me that's a benefit, not a drawback.

3. Your Third Favorite Synth

I agree, it suxx0rs.

[spaceman]

I think this thread is a bit overrated now

[SARcazm]

Hope this is useful for those in the market

I'm not sure the summary would be that useful for me. The only useful tool for me is to try a demo for myself, to see if it meet my needs, my style, my CPU and my creative process.

If 11 people don't rate Absynth, doesn't help me. (It just so happens that I love it), but all that means is we are different, not a basis for purchase. By the same token, if a magazine gives a synth 9 out of 10, it doesn't mean I'm going to like it.

This thread does no harm, in fact it is very interesting when people justify their selections, but anyone reading it should form their own opinion from their own trials, because even if 99% of people don't like something, it doesn't mean you're not in the 1% who do.

Actually that quote was me, not Caleb (poor guy!)

Of course no-one should base their buying decisions just on +/- threads; that'd be dumb! However, there's good info in here that can be used as an aid to make an informed decision. See, Topaz got curious about AB4 from here and is now (hopefully) a happy Absynth buyer!

[seamoss]

2) Minimonsta - I don't get the fuzz about this strange thing. It's marketed as a Moog emulation, and maybe it sounds like a real Moog, i don't know. But to me it sounds raspy/dry/digital (it's like synthetic strings compared to a real orchestra). Granted, it sounds very powerful and interesting, but it has no analog sound to me (the real VA winner is.... Moog Modular V - as analog as it gets at the moment )

How could your opinion be so wrong?

[jjensson33]

How could your opinion be so wrong?

There's no simple right or wrong, you know... (There are even people out there who like techno-music, hahaha)
jj

[saulc12]

There seems to be a lot of comment about SE synths in general on here, but in order for a synth to be over-rated it would need to be highly rated by some people in the first place and the majority of SE synths aren't. Only a few specific SE instruments seem to be well received and these generally deserve the praise they receive even if they do sometimes suffer from clunky interface syndrome...

My own 3 would be:

1. Plex, could never get anywhere with this and while the sound was interesting the programming was way too fiddly and the sound was on the thin side...

2. Vanguard, because it just doesn't do anything that a lot of other cheaper synths don't do

3. Hypersonic (steinberg's the Bland)...