KVR Audio

EnGee · Post by **EnGee** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:46 am

Hi there,

I was looking for a VA so I checked my download folder and I found 2 (I already had 2 in the VSTplugins). I spend the day with the 4 and I must say, they sound really very good. Every one has it's own character and every one has one negative! In the end I love them all, but still my fav is the first synth that the synthesis 'clicked' with me and began to delve into designing my own sounds (in all my synths!). It is Synth1.

However, every one has one negative IMO:

Synth1 : only 32bit
Charltan : Needs little bit more options for sound design.
NoiseMaker : The GUI is not very comfortable when working with it.
TyrellN6 : The CPU usage can be high.

I haven't choose a magware/facebook one. TyrellN6 might be considered magware, but I didn't have to subscribe to or like anything. I have downloaded it from page 3 in the magazine's article (as explained in U-he website).

Which is your fav synth of the 4? I mentioned only 4 because that what I use, it doesn't mean they are the best free!

I was curious about what the others use or choose as their favourite free synth.
So,
Which free synth is your fav? and Why it is your fav?

If you don't like any of them, please write the reason

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:04 am

EnGee wrote:Hi there,

I was looking for a VA so I checked my download folder and I found 2 (I already had 2 in the VSTplugins). I spend the day with the 4 and I must say, they sound really very good. Every one has it's own character and every one has one negative! In the end I love them all, but still my fav is the first synth that the synthesis 'clicked' with me and began to delve into designing my own sounds (in all my synths!). It is Synth1.

Which is your fav synth of the 4? I mentioned only 4 because that what I use, it doesn't mean they are the best free!

I was curious about what the others use or choose as their favourite free synth.
So,
Which free synth is your fav? and Why it is your fav?

If you don't like any of them, please write the reason

Since you asked....

I don't much care for any of them, to be honest. I certainly appreciate the effort that went into them, and I take nothing away from the developers who worked so hard and gave away their products. But I'm looking for certain sounds, and TyrellN6 is the only one that comes close. Unfortunately, I almost never turn to it because of the CPU issues. I've had--and removed--the others from my system.

If I had to guess, I'd say Synth1 is going to win this "contest", even though Tyrell is in the lead now.

Steve

idfpower · Post by **idfpower** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:08 am

My top fav free synth is Kairatune. I do use a couple other freebies: Waspy LE, Firebird, Oatmeal and a few from Angular Momentum. And I plan on using a handful extra free synths in my future projects (like Kruudster and the new HYDi). My absolute top fav (be it commercial or free) is Sylenth. NOTHING tops it.

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:18 am

I don't care at all for three on your list and not enough for the fourth one to have kept any of them on my system. If I did re-install any of them, it would be TyrellN6. BTW, Tyrell is a free download direct from U-HE, no magazine required.

Total number of free synths on my system now: 5

I could only list the free synths I have still installed that fall closest to yours and they would be HG-Fortune STS-26; Tone 2 Firebird; Zebralette.
The first two are 32b, the last is 64b. Firebird is the one I use the least.

Zebralette is what I've been using the most because of its relationship to the two bigger Zebras (2/HZ).
I carry a copy on my tablets now since it's light and helps me consider what I can program in Z2/HZ. When I want or need a bigger sound, none of the free ones are my first thought. So technically, none of them are 'favorite'.

EnGee · Post by **EnGee** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:36 am

Thanks all for your opinions

@BBFG#
Can you please tell me where is the direct download of TyrellN6 in U-he website?
I only found this:
"Download TyrellN6 from here: Amazona TyrellN6 V3 (go to page 3 of the German blurb, and scroll down until you see the Mac/PC file links)." in this page:
http://www.u-he.com/cms/tyrelln6

mabian · Post by **mabian** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:49 am

Indeed there's no direct download @ u-he, but Amazona doesn't require any registration to download the synth.

- Mario

Shask · Post by **Shask** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 11:22 am

For me it is Synth1. The sound just grabs me.

Everyone seems to love Tyrell N6, but I just cannot get into it. I have installed it like 5 times. I don't know know what it is, but the sounds just don't grab me. Too clean maybe? I dunno.

Aubrey Lamont · Post by **Aubrey Lamont** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 12:20 pm

I love TyrellN6. Great sound and lots of good presets.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 12:58 pm

EnGee wrote:Hi there,

I was looking for a VA so I checked my download folder and I found 2 (I already had 2 in the VSTplugins). I spend the day with the 4 and I must say, they sound really very good. Every one has it's own character and every one has one negative! In the end I love them all, but still my fav is the first synth that the synthesis 'clicked' with me and began to delve into designing my own sounds (in all my synths!). It is Synth1.

However, every one has one negative IMO:

Synth1 : only 32bit
Charltan : Needs little bit more options for sound design.
NoiseMaker : The GUI is not very comfortable when working with it.
TyrellN6 : The CPU usage can be high.

I haven't choose a magware/facebook one. TyrellN6 might be considered magware, but I didn't have to subscribe to or like anything. I have downloaded it from page 3 in the magazine's article (as explained in U-he website).

Which is your fav synth of the 4? I mentioned only 4 because that what I use, it doesn't mean they are the best free!

I was curious about what the others use or choose as their favourite free synth.
So,
Which free synth is your fav? and Why it is your fav?

If you don't like any of them, please write the reason

Well, Synth1 is the only thing that's really versatile out of this pack, Charlatan, Noisemaker and Tyrell N6 are all quite limited, for example you wouldn't want to use them for pad sounds due to the limited polyphony, and no unison except for Tyrell. Personally, i would choose Dune BE over all these, versatile, easy to use, and a really warm sound. Synth1 can sound pretty cold for pad sounds, you'd need a chorus to make them warm at all.

Charlatan and Tyrell are very nice for bass sounds or arps though. I've grown a bit tired of Noisemakers sound lately, it just sounds a bit too clean for my ears, and the envelopes are not exactly banging.

Anyway, for an all-in-one solution, i would choose Dune.

Oh, and as it was mentioned above: Firebird is very cool too.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:04 pm

Oatmeal, Voyager and Firebird are my favorite freebies.

Quietinthedark · Post by **Quietinthedark** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:22 pm

I mostly use Synthmaster. But I use Oatmeal a lot too.

yessongs · Post by **yessongs** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:53 pm

I tend to think of synths by how I use them.

Mostly for leads:
Prodigious also a great solina in addition to being the best for leads
Antitranspirant just for leads
Minimogue Luxus just for leads
Voyager also pads
Zebralette also pads and I just compared with Zebra CM and it is better than the CM version IMHO.

Mostly for Pads:
Dune fattest sounding free pads synth but so so on leads.
Firebird created a few pads I really like
Oatmeal what a monster free synth
Synth 1 has a few decent leads as well but mostly pads you really need to spend a lot of time going through the 10,000 sounds for this beast to find what you like.
PG8X
HG Fortune sts26 etc...

Players worth getting and using:
Alchemy especially after you get Computer Music and
Sample Tank just for the tron patch alone
AAS Swatches
NI Komplete players
UVI

I will play around with Tyrell, Tal and Charlatan mostly charlatan every once in a while and mostly for leads but Tal Uno is okay for pads as well though all of these are not a first choice for me. I have Synthmaster as well and others that I love way more now. I did try Tyrell again recently because a free sound set came out for it but the sounds were meh as most are with Tyrell. I consider Mausynth in the same league as these 3 and Synth 1 is probably a step up from these.

There are lots of low cost magware versions of synths that work as well but they are not really free. Z3ta was the best that they ever gave away free then Synthmaster CM and BE also players like Alchemy CM and Poly KBII CM. Z3ta 2 is worth the upgrade by the way and it is periodically on sale for Sonar users and regular Z3ta is free with sonar producer as is Rapture another great one and Dimension Pro and the full version of addictive drums plus TH2, Breverb and more. That package of synths makes getting Sonar producer a must and it is the best synth / FX package behind NI Komplete and IK's Total Studio. Oh and you get an industry leading DAW as well.

mabian · Post by **mabian** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:02 pm

Shask wrote:For me it is Synth1. The sound just grabs me.
Everyone seems to love Tyrell N6, but I just cannot get into it. I have installed it like 5 times. I don't know know what it is, but the sounds just don't grab me. Too clean maybe? I dunno.

I found I didn't like its sound as well, then I discovered it's because it's mostly mono...just slap something like ValhallaRoom after it and its sound will definitely become awesome

- Mario

rockstar_not · Post by **rockstar_not** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:09 pm

Try looking here for a more complete viewpoint on this: www.kvraudio.com/ratings.php

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:11 pm

Just saw another new function on KVR: The poll can be linked to related products in the KVR database, maybe you want to do so, EnGee.

Edit: Just saw that everyone can do this. Hope that's ok then.

Which free synth of the 4 is your fav?

Which free synth is your fav?