The vst synths lame test.

[kraster]

Thanks for the tests. Can you please do Massive X, UA PolyMax and Opal?

Tried Polymax but it's too limited for this test. The FM sounds good but things like Unison can only be applied to monophonic synths and modulation options are pretty limited.

It is a very nice sounding synth though. Filters sound cool and the effects are very nice.

What about Opal compared to Massive X?

I don't have Opal unfortunately.

[Jac459]

I decided to restart the Avenger from scratch with v2.

Avenger 2:
CPU:High, spikes still present in Apple Silicon..
Usability: mixed bag, the UI is good, and some parts are excellent, with lots, lots of option to play arround with the sound in a way that is immediately gratifying. On the other hand, I found myself struggling a bit to find some basic features like having the LFO polymorphic or accessing the MSEG or deleting in the modmatrix. It is not bad but not awesome as Phase Plant, Current or Serum.
Final Result: Again clearly awesome, from the synths I have tested, Avenger 1 or 2 consistantly score the best because it is so easy to manipulate the sound on the way you want. Overall, my feeling on the v2 of Avenger is that, yes, it may be a bit expansive and the launch was not perfectly done but the value delivered by the synth and the quality of sound is beyond any any criticism... Well done to the developers!

[Jac459]

Antidote Reason Rack Extension by Synapse:
CPU: Low (equivalent Current/Serum)
Usability: Very good, Antidote is a simple VA with one front panel very well organised and packed with a lot of features.
Final Results: Whaou! Antidote is a kind of legendary synth in Reason Studios Rack Extensions realm, and boy does it deliver ! It seems a bit ancient and low key when compared to other modern synth but the sound it delivers, in a not so straight forward setup is really really top, more or less at the same level than Avenger (and it tells a lot). The guys of Synapse really kow what they are doing...


This test makes me willing to buy Dune 3 but I will try to be strong.

[kv331]

8: synthmaster 2 (by JAC459)
CPU: not fully tested.
Usability: terrible. I had bugs and had to restart the Synth. I struggled even to get the init patch. Then after the UI was somewhat unresponsive in some parts without being greyed so I wouldn't know if I tried something forbidden or if it was another bug.
Final results: Not finalised. I didn't manage to do what I wanted.

Here's the dropbox link to the preset:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/txdkyldu ... s1kk5&dl=0

Osc 1 (saw) with 7 voices unison, ring modulated with Mod1, phase modulated with Mod2
Filter 1 on, cutoff modulated with LFO1
LFO1 speed modulated with ADSR2 env

FYI: I did not encounter any issues/crashes when building this preset.

and here's the screenshot of the preset:

sm2 lame synth test.jpg

[Jac459]

8: synthmaster 2 (by JAC459)
CPU: not fully tested.
Usability: terrible. I had bugs and had to restart the Synth. I struggled even to get the init patch. Then after the UI was somewhat unresponsive in some parts without being greyed so I wouldn't know if I tried something forbidden or if it was another bug.
Final results: Not finalised. I didn't manage to do what I wanted.

Here's the dropbox link to the preset:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/txdkyldu ... s1kk5&dl=0

Osc 1 (saw) with 7 voices unison, ring modulated with Mod1, phase modulated with Mod2
Filter 1 on, cutoff modulated with LFO1
LFO1 speed modulated with ADSR2 env

FYI: I did not encounter any issues/crashes when building this preset.

and here's the screenshot of the preset:


sm2 lame synth test.jpg

Thanks a lot, very appreciated !
I think I was not very clear in my description because your preset was far from the intended result BUT it was an excellent start. I detached the LFO rate from the ADSR1 and put it on an MSEG so I could modify AMP and LFO rate separately.
I also changed a bit the oscillators and the modifiers.

I will update the test accordingly.

But the way, I am 2 weeks on holidays for Christmas with only an iPad and I plan to train myself and become black belt with Synthmaster 2 during this time .

[Jac459]

Zero hybrid Reason Rack Extension:
CPU: Low
Usability: though this synth is normally an FM synth, it can also do more as it is a real power house. The whole setup process is quite easy as all the features are in one panel. The affectation of envelop to LFO was a bit complex though.
Final result: very good sound overall but the effects are a bit "simple". The FM is obviously top not though.

[meecek]

Now get Expanse, Blamsoft, when they're at $9, and get sometime with it, you won't regret. 4 osc, and if you're creative and you don't want to look at your cpu, you'll be good just with one oscillator with modulators (and sequencer and cc sequencer, and eq, and mod matrix, and and and...)

[zerocrossing]

I did Massive X.

CPU: Relatively intense. I used Oscillator 2 (aux) as PM source and was hitting about 24% in Ableton. Using the dedicated PM1 and PM2 oscillators dropped it to 20%.

Usability: Very easy. Apart from routing oscillator 2 to the PM Aux and switching on Unison everything was on one page. Drag and drop modulation.

Results: My favourite of the modern digital ones I've tried. Very lush and everything sounds very cohesive and musical with a good deal of character while still unashamedly digital. It's a really lovely sounding synth overall.

I love Massive X, but I’m a little harder on it in terms of my usability rating. I won’t go into it, but it could use a lot of work in that department, like it doesn’t even support scroll wheel. But the sound is top notch. Hopefully now that they are pushing a polyphonic aftertouch controller, they’ll add that, though I’d be even happier if they added MPE. The sound is impressive, though. It’s replaced a few hardware polyphonic instruments in my world.

[Jac459]

Now get Expanse, Blamsoft, when they're at $9, and get sometime with it, you won't regret. 4 osc, and if you're creative and you don't want to look at your cpu, you'll be good just with one oscillator with modulators (and sequencer and cc sequencer, and eq, and mod matrix, and and and...)

Yeah, expanse is a great one too. Fully agreed. I will do my lame test on it for sure....

Expanse, zero and antidote are for me the best "non-reason produced" rack extensions.

I also need to "lame test" Europa....

[kraster]

I did Massive X.

CPU: Relatively intense. I used Oscillator 2 (aux) as PM source and was hitting about 24% in Ableton. Using the dedicated PM1 and PM2 oscillators dropped it to 20%.

Usability: Very easy. Apart from routing oscillator 2 to the PM Aux and switching on Unison everything was on one page. Drag and drop modulation.

Results: My favourite of the modern digital ones I've tried. Very lush and everything sounds very cohesive and musical with a good deal of character while still unashamedly digital. It's a really lovely sounding synth overall.

I love Massive X, but I’m a little harder on it in terms of my usability rating. I won’t go into it, but it could use a lot of work in that department, like it doesn’t even support scroll wheel. But the sound is top notch. Hopefully now that they are pushing a polyphonic aftertouch controller, they’ll add that, though I’d be even happier if they added MPE. The sound is impressive, though. It’s replaced a few hardware polyphonic instruments in my world.

Yeah it's criminal that it hasn't received more attention. There are still a good few niggly issues with it but it still sounds fantastic. In terms of just raw sound it's still one of the best out there.

Bright, lush and expansive is how I'd describe it.

I don't use it much but every time I do use it I always think that I should use it more.

[Jac459]

Europa Reason Rack Extension:
CPU: Low (not noticeable).
Usability: Good, everything on the same panel, with a tab for 3 oscillators. The oscillators are wavetables with countless modifiers (I didn't remeber there were so much, stupid me!). Each oscillator has also its own spectral filter like DS Thorn.
The Mod Matrix is efficient but I'd like some drag and drop...
Final result: Very good but dry because the FX are really... meh... The order of the FX is configurable but for example the EQ has... one band. That doesn't matter in RRP environment though as you can add any of the wonderful Reason FX outside of the synth. Overall, when I am using Europa, I really wonder why I don't use it much more often... It is really an outstanding synth with a rich spectral feature...

[Jac459]

DS Thorn;
CPU: High, about as high as Avenger, kind of a (bad) surprise actually.
Usability: All was smooth and good until I went to the LFO, ADSR and Mseg. They are behaving weirdly and I found it very difficult to configure them, to a point of frustration. I started with the adsr controlling the LFO and after struggling I tried on the mseg, not really easier. Surprising because the mod matrix is similar to the one of reason extensions and I had no issue with any of them.
Final result: a bit disappointing. I love the sound of DS Thorn, the oscillators and filters sound just great, among the very best I heard. But then the modulations are really not great and the FX really so-so, they show the age of this synth. On a positive note, playing with the glitch sequencer is always fun and good sounding.

[HOTF]

anyone done pigments ?

[DCrown]

anyone done pigments ?

I suppose pigments is a different level, so it might not be taken into consideration

Btw on page 1 you will also find pigments, well, very little information, though haha

[kraster]

A few more for the pile:

DS Thorn.

CPU: Heavy. Around 28% without OSC Oversampling and 34% with.

Usability: Pretty Easy. I did have to look up how to use the FM. It uses the next Oscillator as the modulator

But apart from that it's very easy. Modulation is straightforward.

Results: Very good! You definitely need to use the Oversampling. Very thick rounded sound. Missing a little bit of presence but could be easily dialled back in.