Looking the best FM and granualar AUs.

[Lotuzia]

Anybody can give me good advice.

1) I am looking for FM software.
I want the best sound quality but level of editing at list on Native Instruments FM 8 or better.

I was looking at Tone 2 Nemessis and i might like the sound quality i totaly dislike how childish editing possibilities are.


2) I am looking for granular synth.
Again i want the best sound quality and more editing possibilities are more better.

*best* can always be discussed, and most of times doesnt make sense.

This said, the *best* FM synths, for me, or the more interesting ones, are NI FM8 and RP Blue II. If anything, you can create very nice and complex presets with both of them. Both are very deep in programming, compared to a synthesizer like Toxic for example, wich is much more limited, though it has a sound of it's own. They sound different enough one from each other to make it worth get both. Or demo them to figure out wich one is the best for you, in case your wallet isn't extra large. My 0.002

[chilly7]

I was looking at Tone 2 Nemessis and i might like the sound quality i totaly dislike how childish editing possibilities are.

Nemesis is not "childish", maybe you just do not know how to use it properly.

The big point of Nemesis is that i actually does REAL FM while most other so called FM synths (including those from Yamaha like the DX7...) actuallöy do phase modulation. The result could be similar but with more complex waveforms than a Sine and in some cases even with a Sine the result could be also quite different.
The real FM inc,uded wit hNemesis works properly with ANY waveform, no matter hoe compex it is. Due to this in Nemesis you could load custom waveforms and also create new ones with the built-in simple additive editor (or modify loaded waveforms with this).
Besides that Nemesis includes a bunch of additional oscillator modes that go beyond usual FM including e.g. phase distortion and many others.

To emulate the sound of old FM synths Nemesis also includes phase modulation modes that emulate the way how the DX hardware synths worked (and also NI FM8 which is a great synth IMO).

As both phase odulation and real FM (= frequency modulation) are included it is easy to compare results of using both in Nemesis, you just have to switch the oscillator/synthesis modes (real FM modes are called "NeoFM" and phase modulation "PM").


So Nemsis is a slightly different approach to FM but if you need a synth with 6 or more operators or a synth that properly replicates a DX7 something like e.g. NI FM8, the free Dexed or others seem to be a better choice.

So that was my point. I liked the sound and innovative move to FM but editing possibilities for me too childish. I want atlist editing level of FM 8 or more. Where i can rote operators the way i want and i have graphical envelopes where i can by hand draw what i need but not ADSR.

P.s. Some people prefer easy of use and simple editing but i do not. What i do not need i do not use but what i need i use. More editing possibilities gives me more chance to get sound i need.

[sonictechtonic]

For granular synth on a budget you might want to check out The Mangle.

It doesn't have any effects to speak of (delay, reverb, etc.) so you would have to rely on your other plugins or DAW's tools there. However, the interface is informative and pleasant to look at and generally fun to work with.

[Ingonator]

I was looking at Tone 2 Nemessis and i might like the sound quality i totaly dislike how childish editing possibilities are.

Nemesis is not "childish", maybe you just do not know how to use it properly.

The big point of Nemesis is that i actually does REAL FM while most other so called FM synths (including those from Yamaha like the DX7...) actuallöy do phase modulation. The result could be similar but with more complex waveforms than a Sine and in some cases even with a Sine the result could be also quite different.
The real FM inc,uded wit hNemesis works properly with ANY waveform, no matter hoe compex it is. Due to this in Nemesis you could load custom waveforms and also create new ones with the built-in simple additive editor (or modify loaded waveforms with this).
Besides that Nemesis includes a bunch of additional oscillator modes that go beyond usual FM including e.g. phase distortion and many others.

To emulate the sound of old FM synths Nemesis also includes phase modulation modes that emulate the way how the DX hardware synths worked (and also NI FM8 which is a great synth IMO).

As both phase odulation and real FM (= frequency modulation) are included it is easy to compare results of using both in Nemesis, you just have to switch the oscillator/synthesis modes (real FM modes are called "NeoFM" and phase modulation "PM").


So Nemsis is a slightly different approach to FM but if you need a synth with 6 or more operators or a synth that properly replicates a DX7 something like e.g. NI FM8, the free Dexed or others seem to be a better choice.

So that was my point. I liked the sound and innovative move to FM but editing possibilities for me too childish. I want atlist editing level of FM 8 or more. Where i can rote operators the way i want and i have graphical envelopes where i can by hand draw what i need but not ADSR.

P.s. Some people prefer easy of use and simple editing but i do not. What i do not need i do not use but what i need i use. More editing possibilities gives me more chance to get sound i need.

It would be nice if you could avoid the term "childish" as it seems to be a bit let's say "childish" to use this term...

As Nemesis is able to use any kind of complex waveform (opposing to just Sine or Sine and simple "sinoid" waveforms) and has some advanced oscillator/synthesis modes (including modes with a Sub oscillator etc.) it does not really need 6 or more operators to create complex sounds.
Like already mentioned it includes loading(saving of custom waveforms and has a simple additive like waveform editor.

If you need 8 operators there do not seem to many options for that (for example Linplug Octopus sems to be discontinued) and with more operators it gets more difficult to program FM whicjh could be difficult enough with using just 4.
Personally for doing dedicated FM i still prefer a combination of Nemesis and NI FM8. I had also used teh free Dexed (a DX7 emuation) a few times.

Currently i do not own many granular synths but UVI Falcon seems to be great for that and it has a FM modukle with 4 operators while you could use multiple of those modules as Falcon is modular). Due to the modular approach you could combine all kinds of modulations with those FM modules, including multistage envelopes etc.

[chilly7]

For granular synth on a budget you might want to check out The Mangle.

It doesn't have any effects to speak of (delay, reverb, etc.) so you would have to rely on your other plugins or DAW's tools there. However, the interface is informative and pleasant to look at and generally fun to work with.

Well i do not want synth on budget. Yes i am on budget but i do not want synth oon budget.
So that's why i can buy only one.

[chilly7]

Thank you all people for answers to help.

[chilly7]

For now i am looking maybe Zebra 2. But still did not decided. And also Uhe is working on new major version which will be 30 $ upgrade if am not wrong. So not bad upgrade price for such complex and high end quality synth. While other companies churge much more for much more simpler synths.

[EnGee]

Zebra 2 is an excellent synth and will keep you busy for a long time.

There are many other great synths that can do more than one kind of synthesis, like:
SynthMaster (many kinds of syntheses)
Dune 2 (VA, Wavetable and simple but powerful 3 operator FM)
Bazille (Phase Distortion and FM, it also can be used as VA and it has a killer sequencer)
..etc.

Linplug Octopus has 8 operators and it is a monster FM synth. I bought it for $20 and I think it is still with the same price if I'm not mistaken. I'm not sure if it has AU version, and also it will be discontinued (so it is like a clearance).

But the one that can 'spin' your head around is this!