Suggested vst plugin synthesizers that sound similar to analogue synthasizer

[tdm71]

All Xils-Lab Synths, Arturia SEM V, NI Monark, Korg LC Collection, ImpOscar, Dcam, Vaz.

For the Xils-Lab Oxium I made a patchbank replicating the Roland Jupiter 8 factory library, but more than words, I also made around 60 A/B comparisons clips between Oxium and a REAL Jupiter 8, playing the same phrases.

And you can listen to all those clips here "Oxium VS Jupiter 8" ( audio clips are located at the bottom of the page )and make your own idea on Oxium, analog synths, etc, etc.

Maybe it's just me, but how the heck do you load it into Oxium? I try and go to the bank but then nothing changes with the presets?

[Lotuzia]

All Xils-Lab Synths, Arturia SEM V, NI Monark, Korg LC Collection, ImpOscar, Dcam, Vaz.

For the Xils-Lab Oxium I made a patchbank replicating the Roland Jupiter 8 factory library, but more than words, I also made around 60 A/B comparisons clips between Oxium and a REAL Jupiter 8, playing the same phrases.

And you can listen to all those clips here "Oxium VS Jupiter 8" ( audio clips are located at the bottom of the page )and make your own idea on Oxium, analog synths, etc, etc.

Maybe it's just me, but how the heck do you load it into Oxium? I try and go to the bank but then nothing changes with the presets?

The IB Jupiter 8 soundbank will only load in Oxium 1.5. You should update your Oxium version to V1.5. ( its free )

It then appears as a separate soundbank in Oxium. IB Jupiter 8 has been tested by more than one hundred Oxium users during the 1.5 group buy, and many of my own customers since, and has been reported to work OK in 100% of the cases on all systems, platforms etc.

If you still have trouble please contact me with your order details, if you bought IB Jupiter 8 on my site, or contact Xils-Lab if you bought Oxium during the Oxium Reloaded group buy.

LtZ

[crimsonwarlock]

I've used SQ8L, and while I think that it's an interesting plugin, neither it, nor the original from which it's based, sound particularly good to my ears.

-- snip --

I don't find this surprising, I wouldn't pick out SQ8L as being a particularly "analogy" plugin, but then again, the original wasn't particularly "analogy" either. It has, IMO, a lackluster filter and digital oscillators.

I used to own a ESQ1 myself, sold it when the SQ8L plugin came available as it does a fantastic recreation of the Ensoniq's sound.

The filters in the Ensoniq synthesizers are CEM-chips (NOT digital, analog components inside). The funny thing is that CEM-chips where used in many famous analog polysynths, Oberheim being the obvious example. Because of that, you can get pretty good Oberheim-ish sounds from a ESQ1 or SQ80 and therefore also from the plugin. You have to do some tweaking as they do indeed have a pretty flexible architecture, so you need to find your way around in the hundreds of parameters.

The EXACT same CEM-chips (there are many) as used in the ESQ1/SQ80 where used in the Prophet2000.

So I totally get what do_androids_dream is pointing at

[sqigls]

I for one actually like the filters on the ESQ1, except for the lame 1 slider affair... it's actually not possible to tweak the cutoff (so to speak), the filter only moves to the new frequency with the next note on message. I got used to having to use the LFOs to modulate the filter, though i think using an external controller works. I'd pay for an authentic sounding ESQ1 plugin for OSX, so much of my early synthesis experience revolved around this synth and i actually miss the sound.

[crimsonwarlock]

I for one actually like the filters on the ESQ1, except for the lame 1 slider affair... it's actually not possible to tweak the cutoff (so to speak), the filter only moves to the new frequency with the next note on message.

How about mapping the mod-wheel to the cutoff? There where a few factory patches that had this specifically setup.

[ghettosynth]

I've used SQ8L, and while I think that it's an interesting plugin, neither it, nor the original from which it's based, sound particularly good to my ears.

-- snip --

I don't find this surprising, I wouldn't pick out SQ8L as being a particularly "analogy" plugin, but then again, the original wasn't particularly "analogy" either. It has, IMO, a lackluster filter and digital oscillators.

I used to own a ESQ1 myself, sold it when the SQ8L plugin came available as it does a fantastic recreation of the Ensoniq's sound.

The filters in the Ensoniq synthesizers are CEM-chips (NOT digital, analog components inside). The funny thing is that CEM-chips where used in many famous analog polysynths, Oberheim being the obvious example. Because of that, you can get pretty good Oberheim-ish sounds from a ESQ1 or SQ80 and therefore also from the plugin. You have to do some tweaking as they do indeed have a pretty flexible architecture, so you need to find your way around in the hundreds of parameters.

The EXACT same CEM-chips (there are many) as used in the ESQ1/SQ80 where used in the Prophet2000.

So I totally get what do_androids_dream is pointing at

You're preaching to the choir. They are CEM chips, yes, but not a remarkable filter. I've experimented with using various "filter on a chip" ICs for my DIY modular with several such chips, including the late model CEM chips such as the CEM 3379 that's in the ESQ1/SQ80. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I have at least 20 such CEM chips in my junkbox. The prophet 2k is no more remarkable than the ESQ-1 in terms of raw analog sound, which, is one of the reasons that they go so cheaply. In fact, I have a prophet 2000 as well as an ESQ-1, both were less than $100.

People hear CEM Chip and automatically assume that they're all the same, they're not. The designs are similar but evolved over the years. That said, and I know that it's blasphemy to some, I'm not impressed with the CEM filter sound. I haven't really liked any of them that much including the famous CEM3320 which is used in a number of classic polysynths, and, is really the chip that people mean when they talk about the CEM sound. Incidentally, it (and the 3328) is also the chip that is least like the rest of the CEM filter chips.

The Korg 2069, SSM 2044, Roland IR3109 (as used in the Juno 6/60/106), and of course the incomparable SSM2040, completely spank the CEM chips all night and all day. Some CEM implementations are a little more interesting than others, such as the multimode filter in the M12 which uses a CEM3372 along with a precise mixer to tap the various filter sections. I've often felt, however, that the best thing that one could do with an M12 is to replace the 3372 filters with something like a korg 2069.

Also, while I think that SQ8L is an interesting plugin, it's not all that accurate, yes, in fact, it would benefit from a zero delay feedback filter. What makes it interesting is the adherence to the ESQ interface and the fact that the one interesting thing about the ESQ-1/SQ-80 is the nice architecture.

When people ask this question, I assume that they want plugins that sound as close as possible to the very best analogs made, not the, somewhat anemic, pedestrian synths sold by the millions. As nice as the ESQ-1 is, it sounds rather sterile compared to really good analog synths. The former category, I'm afraid, is really limited to plugins like Diva, ACE, and the like, that have made serious efforts to model the detail of (high quality) filters and movement in (high quality) oscillators.

I'm pretty opinionated on this, I've owned a lot of analogs, including some of the best ever produced. I know that some people get bent out of shape, and I'm not saying that all cheap analogs are crap, but, synths like the ESQ-1 are not benchmark synths in terms of analog sound, they are, IMNSHO, low end analog synths (actually hybrid), produced to reach a price point, that contain serious compromises in their design.

YMMV.

[crimsonwarlock]

People hear CEM Chip and automatically assume that they're all the same, they're not.

I'm aware of that. But I also happen to like the sound of most CEMs.

What makes it interesting is the adherence to the ESQ interface and the fact that the one interesting thing about the ESQ-1/SQ-80 is the nice architecture.

Agreed, as that was certainly part of its appeal to me. However, while it might not exactly replicate the sound of its hardware version, it comes close enough to work in a mix.

To be honest, I'm not one for the endless discussions on 'how analog' (or not) a plugin can sound. I'm pretty sure with the quality of plugins these days it's very hard or probably impossible to tell what synth was used, either hardware or software, in a seriously orchestrated and/or arranged track. Numerous hardware has existed that actually sounded pretty crap on it's own but worked a charm inside a mix (the DX7 was/is famous for that notion, just to give an example).

[ghettosynth]

People hear CEM Chip and automatically assume that they're all the same, they're not.

I'm aware of that. But I also happen to like the sound of most CEMs.

What makes it interesting is the adherence to the ESQ interface and the fact that the one interesting thing about the ESQ-1/SQ-80 is the nice architecture.

Agreed, as that was certainly part of its appeal to me. However, while it might not exactly replicate the sound of its hardware version, it comes close enough to work in a mix.

Absolutely. But that includes a lot of plugin and then these conversations become just another "what's my favorite plugin" list.

To be honest, I'm not one for the endless discussions on 'how analog' (or not) a plugin can sound. I'm pretty sure with the quality of plugins these days it's very hard or probably impossible to tell what synth was used, either hardware or software, in a seriously orchestrated and/or arranged track. Numerous hardware has existed that actually sounded pretty crap on it's own but worked a charm inside a mix (the DX7 was/is famous for that notion, just to give an example).

I agree, but, I think that if people want something that's close to analog, it's necessary to do more than just model the architecture well, you also have to model the subtlety of the analog components.

Anyway, it's back to more interesting work for me. Thanks, btw, for sending me that article along.

[mridlen]

MiniMogueVA-TD/MiniMogueLUXUS-TD... those are my favorites at this time. Diva is too CPU hungry for me during this era, but I might switch in the future... next computer maybe. SQ8L sounds really good as well. One of my favorites. It sounds kinda digital though (by design), but it seems to be really accurate of the original. I also like the TAL synths (all of them), those sound really analog. HYDi is my new favorite, waveforms are really unusual and it has a lot of ways to add noise. It's a good one to layer along with other synths if they aren't quite as dirty.