The real reasons why analog synths are superior to softsynths

[SODDI]

This is so easy.

Hardware synths and software synths are different kinds of instruments. They may share a number of sound creation schemes and psychoacoustic models, but they are not the same.

They can create similar sounds, but that's all. It's even a question of whether they should try to. Run all the A/B tests you want, it doesn't matter.

A lot of it is fake nostalgia anyway.

[zerocrossing]

Anyone using a softsynth from 10 years ago ??

Think anyone will be using a contemporary in use today softsynth in 10 years time ??
Maybe the occasional person might have forgotten to come out of their wardrobe with their beloved XP and beloved Synth1 and Oatmeal, but I can't see today's softsynths lasting 10 years, let alone decades more. All confined to dead harddrives in the sky.

Analog lasts. Digital Hardware lasts. Softsynths are disposable.

True that. Once a softsynth is not updated to the new OS, it's obsolete. Developer can die or kill himself, or just tire from developing.

Well, first of all plug ins are written to a plug in standard, not to an OS. This means if your host recognizes VST2 and your plug is VST2 then the OS has little to do with it. I've got stuff I bought for an XP machine that installs perfectly on a Windows 8 machine. What's more an issue is with pre Intel Macs. I've run into a bunch of issues with incompatible processors but all my OS issues have had something to do with the installer, not the plug in itself. I'm not saying it doesn't ever happen, but it's not a big thing to worry about.

[rockstar_not]

I read the last two pages - didn't bother with the rest.

Did anyone bring up the reality that when some of the first digital synths started coming around, the analog synth market disintegrated rather rapidly?

I love playing a minimoog lead, but jeez, I can get 99% of the way there with freeware? I'll take the freeware. Some will argue that it's more like 90%. Fine, have your 9%, I'll have my freebie and enjoy it. And my studio space (and lack thereof) appreciates it.

Oh, you have an Arp 2600 that I can play with too? Why thank you very much! And some Rhodes and Wurly and B3 - all for the asking? How much did you say they weigh? Nothing? Why, that's a miracle! How much do they cost to maintain? Nothing?

If you've never had to lug a suitcase Rhodes around, or screw the legs onto a Wurly 200 series and keep from dropping it on your toes or destroying the keybed, or try to duplicate a particular sound on an Arp Odyssey - then maybe you can't really appreciate the golden age we live in with these freely available WITH NO MASS and no physical maintenance for our use.

I realize this might sound like the keyboard equivalent of the grumpy old man talking about how he used to have to walk 3 miles to school uphill each way in the snow with no shoes, back in the day.

If I had a giant studio space where each of these favorite instruments could live and self-maintain, of course I would do it - but the lack of back-breaking mass and lack of physical maintenance required, and general lack of cost will keep soft instruments as 'superior' to me to their analog/hardware analogues for a very long time in my book.

[jancivil]

I grew up with the Minimoog. I have a sim that was free, and I wouldn't say it gets me 90% there. I would say though that I think Monark gives everything up that a Minimoog does, without the issues unless you want the issues. And they appear to be good models of the issues! Both of the minimoogs I have worked with are dead today, dead, dead dead. Don't try and tell me a story about the permanence of things.

I find most of the arguments for 'hardware' quite specious, 'hardware' doesn't tell anything of the technology but its housing to begin with. A lot of these synths people fetishize didn't do anything for me in the first place. The difference between a DX7, which I loved to work with and that was one thing that sounded pretty good I thought, and FM soft synths is a certain inferiority and low fidelity of the former! For me most of these Japanese synths were crap. Korg. REALLY? Jesus. Roland. Caucasian, PLEASE. People will fetish a fvckin Ensoniq here. Perverts.

The things I work with represent innovation and new ideas in synthesis, from Absynth to Reaktor. Just read the fricken manual for Reaktor Spark or Skanner, for pity's sake.

It's 2013, people.

As far as a Hammond live, as has been noted, it's problematic to experience it on a record, if it was recorded to tape and repro'd on vinyl or whatever. I do strive for that feeling the rattle of an amp and all that in a production, but guess what, you can drive the shit out of an emulation or particularly a model and it's not qualitatively different at the end of the day as far as a record. But get freaky with some numbers behind that, feh. Your ears don't give a flying fvck about it.

I have seen some of the most bent arguments in this thread as anything at KVR. Pass the popcorn.

[Sendy]

This is so easy.

Hardware synths and software synths are different kinds of instruments. They may share a number of sound creation schemes and psychoacoustic models, but they are not the same.

They can create similar sounds, but that's all. It's even a question of whether they should try to. Run all the A/B tests you want, it doesn't matter.

A lot of it is fake nostalgia anyway.

Hardware and software completely different? I see them more as two different ways of arriving at the same destination. The sounds my software and hardware make really aren't all that different at all, in fact I'm sure nobody can tell what's hardware and what's software anymore.

[Caine123]

This is so easy.

Hardware synths and software synths are different kinds of instruments. They may share a number of sound creation schemes and psychoacoustic models, but they are not the same.

They can create similar sounds, but that's all. It's even a question of whether they should try to. Run all the A/B tests you want, it doesn't matter.

A lot of it is fake nostalgia anyway.

Hardware and software completely different? I see them more as two different ways of arriving at the same destination. The sounds my software and hardware make really aren't all that different at all, in fact I'm sure nobody can tell what's hardware and what's software anymore.

THIS! direct on point, you have people everywhere who wont admit.

[Kriminal]

This is so easy.

Hardware synths and software synths are different kinds of instruments. They may share a number of sound creation schemes and psychoacoustic models, but they are not the same.

They can create similar sounds, but that's all. It's even a question of whether they should try to. Run all the A/B tests you want, it doesn't matter.

A lot of it is fake nostalgia anyway.

Hardware and software completely different? I see them more as two different ways of arriving at the same destination. The sounds my software and hardware make really aren't all that different at all, in fact I'm sure nobody can tell what's hardware and what's software anymore.

you are one crazy dude...!!!

[lionscub68]

Everybody, go drink some egg nog, and music some fargin' music already.

[faun2500]

Same bloody stuff every time.


I have never been so inspired to create sounds as I have with hardware.


There, thats it. Said, done.

[trimph1]

I went from China to NYC carrying all my 20 or so synths.
Cost = 0

Checkmate!

Hardware 0
Software 1111111111111111111!!!!!!!

Yep. I certainly won't be touring with this lot.
Great to play with at home though.

[bailees7irish]

music some fargin' music

Looks like you were sipping some of that eggnog when you posted.

[bailees7irish]

10. They even smell better, especially when they get hot.

I once accidentally plugged a 120V laptop power supply into a Waldorf Microwave XT. It immediately began smoking and smelling like melted plastic. If it were analog, it would have smelled like fresh roses and warm chocolate brownies.

[lionscub68]

music some fargin' music

Looks like you were sipping some of that eggnog when you posted.

rassum frassum
damn kids... get off my lawn!

[trimph1]

I grew up with the Minimoog. I have a sim that was free, and I wouldn't say it gets me 90% there. I would say though that I think Monark gives everything up that a Minimoog does, without the issues unless you want the issues. And they appear to be good models of the issues! Both of the minimoogs I have worked with are dead today, dead, dead dead. Don't try and tell me a story about the permanence of things.

I find most of the arguments for 'hardware' quite specious, 'hardware' doesn't tell anything of the technology but its housing to begin with. A lot of these synths people fetishize didn't do anything for me in the first place. The difference between a DX7, which I loved to work with and that was one thing that sounded pretty good I thought, and FM soft synths is a certain inferiority and low fidelity of the former! For me most of these Japanese synths were crap. Korg. REALLY? Jesus. Roland. Caucasian, PLEASE. People will fetish a fvckin Ensoniq here. Perverts.

The things I work with represent innovation and new ideas in synthesis, from Absynth to Reaktor. Just read the fricken manual for Reaktor Spark or Skanner, for pity's sake.

It's 2013, people.

As far as a Hammond live, as has been noted, it's problematic to experience it on a record, if it was recorded to tape and repro'd on vinyl or whatever. I do strive for that feeling the rattle of an amp and all that in a production, but guess what, you can drive the shit out of an emulation or particularly a model and it's not qualitatively different at the end of the day as far as a record. But get freaky with some numbers behind that, feh. Your ears don't give a flying fvck about it.

I have seen some of the most bent arguments in this thread as anything at KVR. Pass the popcorn.

I'll have some as well.

Trying to tell anyone here what you said is going to be a hard sell.

My favorite one is...if you want hardware be prepared to pay and pay and pay on your electric bill.

[jancivil]

I wonder how many people didn't get that this is a Metathread, a thread about other threads really, and like a game just to see what happens.