Best FM synth of 2022?

[Examigan]

There are no tool tips, very few videos explaining the functions (sure, there's a manual, but i'm one of those people who'd much prefer a vid).

Did you see this video?

[Ah_Dziz]

I generally go with fm8 for standard type FM sounds and flow motion for ultra modulated and odd sounds. Flowmotion's morph sequencer makes it grand for rhythmic craziness without going modular. Bazille is also spectacular for many things as well as having a very clean signal path.

[Jac459]

The features of avenger 2 in FM are awesome I feel, with capacity to FM with a drawable LFO, FM with an other oscillator and many features to control the way it is FM-ed.

[Mr D]

The features of avenger 2 in FM are awesome I feel, with capacity to FM with a drawable LFO, FM with an other oscillator and many features to control the way it is FM-ed.

I agree, Avenger is very powerful, only it lacks the operator matrix from FM8 / F.'em, which is quite nice.

[Gam456]

There are no tool tips, very few videos explaining the functions (sure, there's a manual, but i'm one of those people who'd much prefer a vid).

Did you see this video?

The only problem with F.'em is the lack of algorithm.
It would be nice to have it as a starting point.

[Examigan]

I guess you could patch some together and save them as templates for simulating DX7 or other FM synth algorithms.

[egbert101]

You don't need to program an FM synth when there are thousands of presets going around the internet, so long as you can import DX7 sysex.

[mholloway]

You don't need to program an FM synth when there are thousands of presets going around the internet, so long as you can import DX7 sysex.

I seriously hope you're kidding here.

90% of those giant DX7 patch dumps available online are garbage, or duplicates of garbage.

They are also presets locked in the tech of their time -- the 80s. FM8, F'em and many others mentioned in this thread far surpass what those ancient DX7 presets offer.

[paulm12]

In my view, there is still a hole in the FM synth market for a "bread and butter" FM synth that has the following:

• Custom Algorithms (with a matrix like FM8)
• DX7/Sysex Import
• ​​​​​​​Resizable, Readable interface for modern displays (Sorry FM8)
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​VST3 support
• ​​​​​​​Reasonably low CPU usage
• Not a Reaktor/other sort of ensemble​​​​​​​
• ​​​​​​​Apple Silicon (Sorry BigTick Rhino)

I am excited about the forthcoming VST Ghost by Exacoustics (hopefully still in development and the company is not ex-acoustics).  It may not have DX7 import but it ticks the other boxes.  If they could add DX7 import I believe it would smoke a lot of the competition.

F.'em is insanely powerful but the CPU usage is high.  Opsix is similar for me.  FM8 is still amazing but the interface is too small and basically unreadable on my monitor.  Arturia DX7 V does great sonically but you cannot customize the algorithm.  IL Sytrus is crazy good but currently it is FL only (though I heard VST3 support is coming; this would be fantastic).
It seems FM synths seem to group into either directly emulating the DX7 (like the Arturia DX7 V, Dexed, OPS7), trying to do a lot of different things (F.'em, Ghost, BigTick Rhino), or trying to make FM "easy" but not being able to do most DX7 sounds (like those 2-4 operator FM synths from Waves, etc).  Ideally one would have a balance of these approaches - flexible, with the ability to do/import DX7 sounds, but still fun to program.  This, in my view, is why FM8 was so popular (and still is). 

The only one I know of that seems to do all of this is the FM Lab in Absolute.  But it doesn't really run as its own VST (I'm being nitpicky here).

​​​​​​​

[egbert101]

You can solve the CPU problem with Opsix by buying the hardware version. It does custom algorithms, imports DX7 and a whole lot more.

[gminorcoles]

updating opsix fixed my cpu issues on MAC fyi

[audiojunkie]

In my view, there is still a hole in the FM synth market for a "bread and butter" FM synth that has the following:

• Custom Algorithms (with a matrix like FM8)
• DX7/Sysex Import
• ​​​​​​​Resizable, Readable interface for modern displays (Sorry FM8)
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​VST3 support
• ​​​​​​​Reasonably low CPU usage
• Not a Reaktor/other sort of ensemble​​​​​​​
• ​​​​​​​Apple Silicon (Sorry BigTick Rhino)
• Linux Support

I am excited about the forthcoming VST Ghost by Exacoustics (hopefully still in development and the company is not ex-acoustics).  It may not have DX7 import but it ticks the other boxes.  If they could add DX7 import I believe it would smoke a lot of the competition.

F.'em is insanely powerful but the CPU usage is high.  Opsix is similar for me.  FM8 is still amazing but the interface is too small and basically unreadable on my monitor.  Arturia DX7 V does great sonically but you cannot customize the algorithm.  IL Sytrus is crazy good but currently it is FL only (though I heard VST3 support is coming; this would be fantastic).
It seems FM synths seem to group into either directly emulating the DX7 (like the Arturia DX7 V, Dexed, OPS7), trying to do a lot of different things (F.'em, Ghost, BigTick Rhino), or trying to make FM "easy" but not being able to do most DX7 sounds (like those 2-4 operator FM synths from Waves, etc).  Ideally one would have a balance of these approaches - flexible, with the ability to do/import DX7 sounds, but still fun to program.  This, in my view, is why FM8 was so popular (and still is). 

The only one I know of that seems to do all of this is the FM Lab in Absolute.  But it doesn't really run as its own VST (I'm being nitpicky here).

​​​​​​​

FIFY ^^^

[Gam456]

I guess you could patch some together and save them as templates for simulating DX7 or other FM synth algorithms.

At the moment there is no way to save a preset
The dev must a preset library,

[MattLeschuck]

Have to admit I really like Waves Flow Motion, easy to use FM synth that sounds great.

Also like Reasons algoritm.

[Jac459]

Have to admit I really like Waves Flow Motion, easy to use FM synth that sounds great.

Also like Reasons algoritm.

Yeah reason algorithm is the simplest FM synth I know. Yet 9 operators with full control. I like it.