ANA 2 or Serum

[tehlord]

To me this isn't apples and oranges, it's green apples vs red ones. Seriously, there's next to no different between any of the synths mentioned except controls, workflow and GUIs.

Except that with ANA2 you can load samples into any one of the three sample oscillators (which the other synths don't have - and I don't count the minimal sample import that Serum has as being a sample oscillator) and the fact that ANA2 has a comprehensive arpeggiator/sequencer section with chord memory.

My vote would be ANA2. I actually prefer some of the workflow option in Serum, but ANA2 is a far deeper synth and just sounds incredible.

[Distorted Horizon]

Wags knows how to surprise :O

I actually liked that

[mgw38]

ANA2 is really nice in theory but I stopped using it due to the preset loading issue. Even in the latest beta version, the plugin will still sometimes forget the last plugin state when a project is loaded into the DAW and instead reinitialize ANA2. This is exceptionally annoying. Probably the most annoying bug I ever came across in a synth plugin. It seems to me that making sure the plugin loads correctly should be one of the top three priorities a developer needs to take care of:

1) Make sure that synth does not burn down the system.
2) Make sure the synth actually produces sound.
3) Make sure the synth does not forget what it is doing.

[chk071]

A competent producer with the right FX and a thorough knowledge of mixing can make just about any synth sound good

Surely. Again though, i already wrote that a few times here. It's rather not about that, but, about stuff which sounds so good out of the box that you don't even have to spend much time making it sound good. Spire or Sylenth1's supersaws just sound good out of the box. And they also have a pleasant sound, when the filter cutoff is modulated with an envelope with short decay times, resulting in a plucky sound, which is very "weighty", and thick (something i also hear in sound demos of the Virus, and even more so in sound demos of analog synths). I tried the same with the mentioned Synthmaster a couple of times, and, it just sounded lame to me, because there's no bang, no beef in the sound. It just sounds thin.

In German, we would say the filter "grabs". Another esoteric term, i know, but, i just don't know how i should describe it in another way. Here's a sound demo of what i mean (starting from 0:32):



I always tried to replicate such sounds with Dune CM, but, there's something odd with how the filters and envelopes "swallow" the sound. Dune 2 had the same issue, until they built in the "analog" envelopes, but, even with those, it often sounds a bit thin and strawy. Again, no offense to the Dune 2 crowd, i'm just stating my opinion here. Feel free to disagree, but, please, let's stay civil. Especially goes out to the guy with the radioactive avatar.

I never felt the supersaw in either Dune 1 or 2 to be very pleasant sounding as well. That's what i mean with those subtle differences. They all sound a bit different in those regards.

[wagtunes]

A competent producer with the right FX and a thorough knowledge of mixing can make just about any synth sound good

Surely. Again though, i already wrote that a few times here. It's rather not about that, but, about stuff which sounds so good out of the box that you don't even have to spend much time making it sound good. Spire or Sylenth1's supersaws just sound good out of the box. And they also have a pleasant sound, when the filter cutoff is modulated with an envelope with short decay times, resulting in a plucky sound, which is very "weighty", and thick (something i also hear in sound demos of the Virus, and even more so in sound demos of analog synths). I tried the same with the mentioned Synthmaster a couple of times, and, it just sounded lame to me, because there's no bang, no beef in the sound. It just sounds thin.

In German, we would say the filter "grabs". Another esoteric term, i know, but, i just don't know how i should describe it in another way. Here's a sound demo of what i mean (starting from 0:32):



I always tried to replicate such sounds with Dune CM, but, there's something odd with how the filters and envelopes "swallow" the sound. Dune 2 had the same issue, until they built in the "analog" envelopes, but, even with those, it often sounds a bit thin and strawy. Again, no offense to the Dune 2 crowd, i'm just stating my opinion here. Feel free to disagree, but, please, let's stay civil. Especially goes out to the guy with the radioactive avatar.

I never felt the supersaw in either Dune 1 or 2 to be very pleasant sounding as well. That's what i mean with those subtle differences. They all sound a bit different in those regards.

As I also said, some synths sound better to me than others. But I think a lot of that is subjective. See, Dune 2 is one of my favorite synths. I just like the way it sounds and I use it a lot. Synthmaster I used to use a lot but not so much anymore. I've found things I like better.

If this was a science, we could put all synths but one or two out of business. But it's not. It's all totally subjective. Which is why we have a gazillion synths out there all selling. Well, supposedly all selling. Nobody really knows for certain unless sales figures are released. And sure as hell nobody is going to do that.

[wagtunes]

Wags knows how to surprise :O

I actually liked that

Please don't go around saying things like that. They'll lynch you for musical treason.

[phreaque]

Alright that Serum became a signature vst for EDM and highly acclaimed.

But!!

1. ANA 1 & 2 bundle costs less than single Serum
2. Rapid costs almost the same
3. Avenger

All of above are much more advanced and capable to do many stuff that Serum can't do and they are either less in price or the same.

IMO, Serum is a very over estimated vst, don't get me wrong, it sounds good, but compared to its price, it's not the go-to vst, if it will be $100 then okay.

[Distorted Horizon]

Wags knows how to surprise :O

I actually liked that

Please don't go around saying things like that. They'll lynch you for musical treason.

Do you have the exported tracks somewhere? I'd like to make a remix of that

[wagtunes]

Wags knows how to surprise :O

I actually liked that

Please don't go around saying things like that. They'll lynch you for musical treason.

Do you have the exported tracks somewhere? I'd like to make a remix of that

Sorry, I don't. Nobody ever came anywhere close to even considering listening to anything I do let alone do a remix. Actually, that's not true. One person did a cover version of my song "Hang Me At Noon" and did a really good job of it.

Orignal

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... ex-on-lead

Cover

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... -version-1

Sorry for the OT guys.

[Distorted Horizon]

Sorry, I don't.

Shame. It sparkled an idea or two.

[chk071]

As I also said, some synths sound better to me than others. But I think a lot of that is subjective. See, Dune 2 is one of my favorite synths. I just like the way it sounds and I use it a lot. Synthmaster I used to use a lot but not so much anymore. I've found things I like better.

The question is in this context: Would they be your number 1 synths for Trance-related sounds. I'd say: Depends. I wouldn't choose either Synthmaster or Dune 2 for typical supersaw, or pluck sounds. Spire and Sylenth1 sound MUCH better for me for those. I always found that Dune 1 has great FM sounds though. So, as i mentioned, horses for courses. But, there's no truth in saying "Just produce the living shit out of it, and you'll make them sound the way you want them to sound". To a degree, yes, but, not fundamentally.

[hamayame]

After some thought, I will take Viper by Adam Szaboo for my next big synth (64 bit for next update!). the raw multisaw sound what I looking for on a Trance track is there (even though I still 50/50 with ANA2).

Good luck for OP in finding what sound you looking for.

[wagtunes]

Sorry, I don't.

Shame. It sparkled an idea or two.

Okay, I pulled up the project. I had no idea this song was so complex. It's 24 tracks. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do to make it so that you can mix this.

[Distorted Horizon]

what I'm supposed to do to make it so that you can mix this.

Just like you export the master channel, but instead you export all the channels separately (including fx sends if it has).

Like

Kick
Hat
Snare
Bass
Lead 1
Lead 2
Vox
etc etc

[Distorted Horizon]

Like this

https://www.doctormix.com/blog/how-to-e ... -in-cubase