Oh absolutely, I couldn't agree more. But as you said, it's the quality of the programming that shines through - not the fact it's h/w. For every shining example of a good h/w s/w I can forward a shining example of a good s/w s/w. For every Nord, there's an impOSCar. For every Virus there's a Spectra - the names don't matter. It makes sense to argue about good programming, but not whether it emanates from a black box or from a grey box. Absolutely I would rather use something a Clavia programmer coded than something an Arturia programmer coded. I'd also rather use a GMedia code than a Roland code.and that quality shines through in the final product.
Even Kilon made the point that a Motif isn't emulated in plugin form - that might be true, but it's not the h/w that is the point of difference. It's the coding, sampleset, featureset etc. There are also some damnably fine additive plugin synths (Spectra is just one I plucked out of the air, and that has been superceded over the past year) that are streaks ahead of anything ever released in additive h/w. But it's not the fact that it's a plugin that is the point of difference - again it's the quality of the coding,the featureset etc...the attention to quality and detail. Put Spectra in a keyboard with a few knobs and will that make it sound better?
Seems like nobody with any sense would argue that point. But it's OK to argue that h/w is necessarily better just because it's h/w. Sounds silly to me. You can get a VStation in a keyboard or as a plugin. Wavestation as keyboard, rack or plugin. They really don't sound any different (actually no - on a decent soundcard the plugins will sound marginally cleaner because of the poor old converters they used to put into h/w...). Argue about how a Motif is so unique and great and useable and probably I wouldn't bat an eyelid - but tell me it's so good just because it's h/w and I start to get offended - it offends my intelligence.
H/w 0s and 1s are no different to plugin 0s and 1s. What you do with those 0s and 1s is an entirely different thing.
Whyterabbit wrote:
Because if the s/w is in a box then its better because of QUALITY and you can remedy any inadequacies by using it with a DAW. So DAWS are not as good as software in a box. And DAWS cost more, even though you can buy them cheaper, and you'd have to buy one to do anything the software in a box can't do.
Aha...I see now.
.. In the end that's all it will ever boil down to 'an individuals instrument/s of choice is what's superior to them'. no one tool will ever be better to all people, and any weapon hw/sw/both can be very dangerous in the right hands. I did'nt read much of this thread so i may have gotten a bit off topic, i just felt like preaching