hi,
beacause synthmaster is on good sale but i normally wanted serum synth - is serum much better or are both very good?
synthmaster has also very cheap and a loooooot presets to buy...
on some sites the synthmaster is pushed to be a very very good synth - but it seems that the sites are buyed by synthmaster - dont know - any advices?
thx,
bennetto
Synthmaster vs Serum
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Distorted Horizon Distorted Horizon https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=392076 - Banned
- 3882 posts since 17 Jan, 2017 from Planet of cats
2 different beasts.. You can't go wrong, no matter which one you buy.
Personally I'd go synthmaster way, since it's more versatile (more oscillator options etc especially when v3 comes out), but if you want/need a dedicated wavetable synth with possibility to create own wt's... Serum.
Personally I'd go synthmaster way, since it's more versatile (more oscillator options etc especially when v3 comes out), but if you want/need a dedicated wavetable synth with possibility to create own wt's... Serum.
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- KVRist
- 141 posts since 3 Dec, 2018
Id go synthmaster because v3 coming soon
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- KVRian
- 1427 posts since 27 Apr, 2012
Both are good
Serum:
Better user interface and workflow. SynthMaster isn't bad, but some things like managing modulations are a bit more clunky. Also, all modulations in Serum are animated, but SynthMaster's aren't (yet). SM's scaling on some its controls seems weird to me (a big part of the range of the env decay knobs is very short times), while Serum doesn't have this.
Many more filter types, including a bunch of comb/flanger "filters" and unique things like the reverb filter and scream filters. One thing SM does have that's kind of unique is a filter with a continuously variable slope.
Better effects. Especially notable is the distortion. SM only has a waveshaper with a few breakpoints. Serum's distortion has a bunch of algorithms plus a dual waveshaper with arbitrary breakpoints. Serum also has a built-in OTT multiband compressor, which is almost a must for certain EDM genres (hilariously it seems like half of Serum tutorials are just someone spending 9 minutes making a mediocre sound and then slapping the multiband compressor on it at the end). Finally, you get another instance of Serum's many-multimode-filter in the FX section.
More flexible Wavetable oscs. Serum has more ways to warp wavetables. Also in what to me is a baffling design choice, using many of SM's "warp" modes requires you to sacrifice the oscillator phase control because the warp setting uses the same knob.
Better LFOs: Serum's 4 LFOs are really looping (or not if you want) MSEGs with great workflow (add as many breakpoints as you want, wherever). SM has two MSEGs per layer in addition to traditional LFOs but they're not as nice.
Best-in-class wavetable editor. SM doesn't have any wavetable editing at all (yet).
Many more tutorials available. Most are targeted towards EDM, but still if that's your thing it's something to consider.
SynthMaster:
Much more CPU friendly. Serum is a notorious CPU hog, while SM is one of the most CPU-friendly synth I own.
Significantly more extensive architecture. Serum is two wavetable oscillators, and sub, and a sample osc fed into a single filter. SM has two layers with two main oscillators (see below) and 4 mod/sub oscillators fed through two filters and then a chain of per-layer fx each. In addition to oscillator unison there is unison per-layer.
More oscillator modes. In addition to wavetable oscillators and basic oscillators, SM has sample oscs (not as friendly as Serum's but supporting multisampled sounds), "additive" osc mode with up to 8 waveforms at different pitches, volumes, etc., and vector osc mode that lets you mix four different waveforms.
Arp/sequencer. Serum doesn't have this functionality at all.
More modulators.
(Many) more and more varied presets out of the box.
Major upgrade in the near future.
Quite a bit cheaper (buy on sale!).
Both:
Great sound
FX version of the synths (though I'd much rather have SerumFX due to the aforementioned differences in FX)
Serum:
Better user interface and workflow. SynthMaster isn't bad, but some things like managing modulations are a bit more clunky. Also, all modulations in Serum are animated, but SynthMaster's aren't (yet). SM's scaling on some its controls seems weird to me (a big part of the range of the env decay knobs is very short times), while Serum doesn't have this.
Many more filter types, including a bunch of comb/flanger "filters" and unique things like the reverb filter and scream filters. One thing SM does have that's kind of unique is a filter with a continuously variable slope.
Better effects. Especially notable is the distortion. SM only has a waveshaper with a few breakpoints. Serum's distortion has a bunch of algorithms plus a dual waveshaper with arbitrary breakpoints. Serum also has a built-in OTT multiband compressor, which is almost a must for certain EDM genres (hilariously it seems like half of Serum tutorials are just someone spending 9 minutes making a mediocre sound and then slapping the multiband compressor on it at the end). Finally, you get another instance of Serum's many-multimode-filter in the FX section.
More flexible Wavetable oscs. Serum has more ways to warp wavetables. Also in what to me is a baffling design choice, using many of SM's "warp" modes requires you to sacrifice the oscillator phase control because the warp setting uses the same knob.
Better LFOs: Serum's 4 LFOs are really looping (or not if you want) MSEGs with great workflow (add as many breakpoints as you want, wherever). SM has two MSEGs per layer in addition to traditional LFOs but they're not as nice.
Best-in-class wavetable editor. SM doesn't have any wavetable editing at all (yet).
Many more tutorials available. Most are targeted towards EDM, but still if that's your thing it's something to consider.
SynthMaster:
Much more CPU friendly. Serum is a notorious CPU hog, while SM is one of the most CPU-friendly synth I own.
Significantly more extensive architecture. Serum is two wavetable oscillators, and sub, and a sample osc fed into a single filter. SM has two layers with two main oscillators (see below) and 4 mod/sub oscillators fed through two filters and then a chain of per-layer fx each. In addition to oscillator unison there is unison per-layer.
More oscillator modes. In addition to wavetable oscillators and basic oscillators, SM has sample oscs (not as friendly as Serum's but supporting multisampled sounds), "additive" osc mode with up to 8 waveforms at different pitches, volumes, etc., and vector osc mode that lets you mix four different waveforms.
Arp/sequencer. Serum doesn't have this functionality at all.
More modulators.
(Many) more and more varied presets out of the box.
Major upgrade in the near future.
Quite a bit cheaper (buy on sale!).
Both:
Great sound
FX version of the synths (though I'd much rather have SerumFX due to the aforementioned differences in FX)
Softsynth addict and electronic music enthusiast.
"Destruction is the work of an afternoon. Creation is the work of a lifetime."
"Destruction is the work of an afternoon. Creation is the work of a lifetime."
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- KVRAF
- 2373 posts since 9 Jan, 2014 from Worldwide
A vote for serum here. Really good synth.
Dune 3 presets! - https://newloops.com/collections/dune-presets
Diva, Hive, Repro, Presets - https://newloops.com/collections/u-he-synths-presets
185 Omnisphere Presets https://newloops.com/products/omnispher ... -2-presets
Diva, Hive, Repro, Presets - https://newloops.com/collections/u-he-synths-presets
185 Omnisphere Presets https://newloops.com/products/omnispher ... -2-presets
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- KVRian
- 1090 posts since 24 Jul, 2018
How can one person be selling a synth so cheap but on the other hand buying these sites? Lol. Synthmaster is more powerful overall then Serum, Serum has a better workflow, gui, and WT Editor. Synthmaster is an amazing value and should be bought regardless if you have Serum or not but you won't need it with Synthmaster
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- KVRian
- 527 posts since 22 Sep, 2016
Serum will never go on sale BUT, it can be had for only $9 a month from Splice. I also own both Synthmasters, and while I like them, I don’t love them. I love Serum. I’m not a great synth programmer but, Serum makes me feel like I am. It offers a staggering amount of Oscillator, noise and filter options, and the visual modulation feedback is really nice too. People don’t talk about it quite as much as they used to but, Serum was pretty much one of the top synths out there not too long ago. Once it’s paid for Serum offers free updates for life. There are plenty of 3rd party presets for it as well. You can’t beat 9 bucks a month
Last edited by W23 on Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRian
- 751 posts since 5 Jun, 2001
i love both, i own Synthmaster and i'm buying Serum on Splice
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Spencer Maddox Spencer Maddox https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=406543 - KVRian
- 814 posts since 19 Oct, 2017 from The Empire State
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- KVRian
- 527 posts since 22 Sep, 2016
Spencer Maddox wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:02 pmI relate way too much to this.
This is my new unofficial motto
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- KVRAF
- 6576 posts since 14 Nov, 2006 from Ankara, Turkey
Well you can: $15/month for Slate Everything Bundle, just saying
(Synthmaster is part of Slate Everything Bundle. They haven't announced it yet, as I guess they're also waiting for v3.0)
Comparing Serum to SynthMaster One makes much more sense right now I believe. Yes we're missing a wavetable editor for now, but it'll be a reality with 3.0 and we'll put that in SynthMaster One v2.0 as well (plus sample playback osc for SM1)
Imagine a wavetable editor where you draw waveforms (freehand or segmented) and then apply time/spectral domain effects (we'll call them wavetable FX)
Works at KV331 Audio
SynthMaster voted #1 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster One voted #4 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster voted #1 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster One voted #4 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
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- KVRAF
- 2752 posts since 15 Feb, 2017 from a worn out vinyl groove
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- KVRAF
- 5813 posts since 17 Aug, 2004 from Berlin, Germany
I use Synthmaster One more often than Serum or Synthmaster...
The decision should be made because of your own needs and for a synth where you have the feeling it helps to be creative and also finish a song. Because of the technical view, people will prefer Synthmaster because of the more flexible design and people often praise Serum as the best available Wavetable synth. I think both is correct but it says nothing about your own needs.
The decision should be made because of your own needs and for a synth where you have the feeling it helps to be creative and also finish a song. Because of the technical view, people will prefer Synthmaster because of the more flexible design and people often praise Serum as the best available Wavetable synth. I think both is correct but it says nothing about your own needs.
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VELLTONE MUSIC VELLTONE MUSIC https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=404834 - KVRAF
- 2062 posts since 19 Sep, 2017 from The Future
Serious battle,different animals - Synthmaster2 produce harmonically rich sound(analogish or hybrid),
Serum offers very clean modern sound(more like digital era)and they actually complete each other very well as dynamic duo,
so i think when compare N1 vs N2 synths
is more where this one will be more suitable instead of other(inside the mix)
Cheerz
Serum offers very clean modern sound(more like digital era)and they actually complete each other very well as dynamic duo,
so i think when compare N1 vs N2 synths
is more where this one will be more suitable instead of other(inside the mix)
Cheerz
