Software vs. Analog in 2025 – Has the Balance Shifted?

[SoftSynthLover99]

Forget sounding the same you said the LegendHZ sounds better than the Moog One? statements like that are just so far detached from the reality of sound and music it makes these threads completely pointless and just a minefield for misinformation to spread.

I was one of the first owners of the Moog One 16v. I ended up returning it for a few reasons. It was terribly buggy on initial release, plus it wasn't quite what I wanted sonically. For me, the Moog One sounds too formal. I wanted a bit more bar fight and a little less chamber ensemble.

Nevertheless, there was no question at all, when I played it and/or compared it to software emulations, which one was the analog synth. The Moog One has an intrinsic presence and vitality to the sound.

Yep I get that I do run it through an H90 at times and various effects pedals. I personally like the more chamber ensemble and less "bar fight" sound it has. Although effects pedals and distorting preamps on the way in can push it into more agressive territory.

Moog One has this sort of hi-fi like pristine sound quality that I just connect with and I love the way it sits in a mix.

[IvyBirds]

Forget sounding the same you said the LegendHZ sounds better than the Moog One? statements like that are just so far detached from the reality of sound and music it makes these threads completely pointless and just a minefield for misinformation to spread.

There is no hardware synth that can do that, so Hans Zimmer who had a TON of actual hardware synths and can afford to buy and use whatever synth he wants to use asked Synapse to make it for him

Anyone who thinks someone with the legacy of Hans Zimmer is detached from the reality of sound and music is laughable

Hans Zimmer uses tons of hardware synths so of course I'm not talking about him. Why do you think he had AJHSYNTH rebuild a huge modular system last year? Just for fun? lol. https://ajhsynth.com/Hans_Zimmer_Interview.html
https://ajhsynth.com/Radiophonic.html

In his own words: What is it about AJHSynth that you find interesting and useful?

Really, honestly, it’s all about the sound … everybody has knobs and buttons but what not everybody has actually achieved is to go and create a brilliant and beautifully compelling sound.

Just because he incorporates software doesn't mean he doesn't use hardware anymore. In fact I'm interested to see how he scored the new F1 movie because from the sounds of it he didn't use any synths at all and relied on the orchestra for the most part.

There you go again being disingenuous and misrepresenting what I said and my point

I get it, it's all you have

I never said he never used hardware he himself said ina recent interview what he uses Zebra 90% of the time for his synth sounds which is another software synth he designed. That is a recent interview, not the one from 11 years ago. Times have changed and now when it's all about the sound he uses software

But again this is about you declaring the Moog One to sound "better" and it clearly doesn't in measurable way, and you want to be to the sole arbiter of what "Better Means".

But that doesn't fit your agenda when called on it, so you have to misrepresent and try to change the subject

But to recap Hans Zimmer in 2014

."What is it about AJHSynth that you find interesting and useful?

Really, honestly, it’s all about the sound … everybody has knobs and buttons but what not everybody has actually achieved is to go and create a brilliant and beautifully compelling sound."

Hans Zimmer in 2025

Screw that I now use software 90% of the time because it's all about the sounds and hardware is no longer king

[IvyBirds]

Yep I get that I do run it through an H90 at times and various effects pedals. I personally like the more chamber ensemble and less "bar fight" sound it has. Although effects pedals and distorting preamps on the way in can push it into more agressive territory.

Moog One has this sort of hi-fi like pristine sound quality that I just connect with and I love the way it sits in a mix.

Wow it's so HI-Fi and pristine you have to run it through software gotcha

[IvyBirds]

Forget sounding the same you said the LegendHZ sounds better than the Moog One? statements like that are just so far detached from the reality of sound and music it makes these threads completely pointless and just a minefield for misinformation to spread.

There is no hardware synth that can do that, so Hans Zimmer who had a TON of actual hardware synths and can afford to buy and use whatever synth he wants to use asked Synapse to make it for him

Anyone who thinks someone with the legacy of Hans Zimmer is detached from the reality of sound and music is laughable

Hans Zimmer uses tons of hardware synths so of course I'm not talking about him. Why do you think he had AJHSYNTH rebuild a huge modular system last year? Just for fun? lol. https://ajhsynth.com/Hans_Zimmer_Interview.html
https://ajhsynth.com/Radiophonic.html

In his own words: What is it about AJHSynth that you find interesting and useful?

Really, honestly, it’s all about the sound … everybody has knobs and buttons but what not everybody has actually achieved is to go and create a brilliant and beautifully compelling sound.

Just because he incorporates software doesn't mean he doesn't use hardware anymore. In fact I'm interested to see how he scored the new F1 movie because from the sounds of it he didn't use any synths at all and relied on the orchestra for the most part.

Also speaking of Hans Zimmer and what he thinks of the Legend HZ versus his hardware Moog's

This is what he said

"Zimmer also shares his fondness for Synapse Audio’s The Legend HZ synth, describing it as “a miniMoog with one important improvement”.

“You don’t have to do that switch for the decay,” he says. “For the release you actually have a proper release. But it sounds as good as the real thing.”

https://musictech.com/news/music/hans-z ... ft-synths/

[SoftSynthLover99]

Forget sounding the same you said the LegendHZ sounds better than the Moog One? statements like that are just so far detached from the reality of sound and music it makes these threads completely pointless and just a minefield for misinformation to spread.

There is no hardware synth that can do that, so Hans Zimmer who had a TON of actual hardware synths and can afford to buy and use whatever synth he wants to use asked Synapse to make it for him

Anyone who thinks someone with the legacy of Hans Zimmer is detached from the reality of sound and music is laughable

Hans Zimmer uses tons of hardware synths so of course I'm not talking about him. Why do you think he had AJHSYNTH rebuild a huge modular system last year? Just for fun? lol. https://ajhsynth.com/Hans_Zimmer_Interview.html
https://ajhsynth.com/Radiophonic.html

In his own words: What is it about AJHSynth that you find interesting and useful?

Really, honestly, it’s all about the sound … everybody has knobs and buttons but what not everybody has actually achieved is to go and create a brilliant and beautifully compelling sound.

Just because he incorporates software doesn't mean he doesn't use hardware anymore. In fact I'm interested to see how he scored the new F1 movie because from the sounds of it he didn't use any synths at all and relied on the orchestra for the most part.

I never said he never used hardware he himself said ina recent interview what he uses Zebra 90% of the time for his synth sounds which is another software synth he designed. That is a recent interview, not the one from 11 years ago.

He asked AJHSYNTH to build that modular system in 2024 not 2014. After LegendHZ was released btw so maybe LegendHZ didn't do everything he wanted it to do? https://mixmag.net/read/hans-zimmer-ajh ... honic-tech

And what do you expect him to say about software he is associated with? When talking about software he is gonna praise the software. When he is talking about his hardware setup he is gonna praise his hardware. That's just the nature of marketing and unfortunately many people can't read between the lines to find the truth that gets lost in the middle.

"When Hans says that a particular synth sounds more engaging and fuller than others then he is speaking from a position of experience and authority,” the manufacturer continues.

Also you should look up the specs of the Moog One 16 voice as you are uninformed of the actual power. There are something like 14,000 components in the Moog One which together add up to 48 oscillators and 32 filters on no fewer than 16 printed circuit boards, plus three arpeggiators and three sequencers, five effects units, all comprising three separate polyphonic synthesizers

I have yet to even utilize everything the synth can do and still learning it, but saying LegendHZ is better in sound or function is completely ridiculous even if we are talking purely specs. About to fire it up and create some patches just for you

[zerocrossing]

my computer has carked it and my audio interface went "pop", so im definitely in the hardware camp this week. just me the modular and a pair of headphones

UAD killed Windows FireWire support with their last update and I went back a version just to make it working. Total pain in the ass. In the end, I had to drop $300 to get Thunderbolt cards for the computer and Apollo. What did I get in terms of new software? Now Console crashes the first time you open it. Every time.

[zerocrossing]

But to recap Hans Zimmer in 2014

."What is it about AJHSynth that you find interesting and useful?

Really, honestly, it’s all about the sound … everybody has knobs and buttons but what not everybody has actually achieved is to go and create a brilliant and beautifully compelling sound."

Hans Zimmer in 2025

Screw that I now use software 90% of the time because it's all about the sounds and hardware is no longer king

My Hans Zimmer can beat up your Hans Zimmer!

[pekbro]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

[zerocrossing]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

Two things. First, no. Second, a guitar is vastly different than a synthesizer.

[SoftSynthLover99]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

Yep indeed. Still remember my first custom shop Strat and it is still by far the best playing guitar I own. Guitars, synthesizers and outboard gear are very similar in that you do indeed get what you pay for a lot of the time.

And it's a reason you won't find anyone doing music professionally in a studio devoid of any hardware. At some point you are gonna try to upgrade the gear you use if you care at all about what you're doing IMO

[pekbro]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

Two things. First, no. Second, a guitar is vastly different than a synthesizer.

Heh, I don’t really care, I just wanted to be provocative…

[SoftSynthLover99]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

Two things. First, no. Second, a guitar is vastly different than a synthesizer.

Different instrument yes but all studio gear share one thing in common. You usually get what you pay for.

98b45723750ec7d2bdd7611918833397.jpg

[IvyBirds]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

Two things. First, no. Second, a guitar is vastly different than a synthesizer.

Different instrument yes but all studio gear share one thing in common. You usually get what you pay for.
98b45723750ec7d2bdd7611918833397.jpg

Only you don't, the Moog One is a perfect example. It was super expensive and full of bugs upon release, many users had all kinds of QC issues and they wouldn't stay in tune. They also promised things that never came to fruition

[jamcat]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

You know Dave Murray?

[pekbro]

I think it speaks volumes that successful musicians tend to gravitate towards HW.
When they can use whatever they want.

It’s like when I asked my friend Dave M,
a multimillionaire guitarist if I should consider
an affordable fender (his official guitar sponsor)
over a premium model fender, he said unequivocally, not to, in his honest opinion.

You know Dave Murray?

I do… and he did say that actually… he owns 2 houses where I work, yes 2. 1 for guests. I’ve
known him a long time actually, good guy.