DreamStation DXi2

2016. Wow. My all time favorite soft synth is still working with Windows 10 (as a VST via 'polac's' awesome dxshell v1.0.4b wrapper). Here are 10 reasons I still love and continue to use this amazing synthesizer:

1) Practically zero CPU usage.
2) Zero aliasing. Seriously - if it does, then I certainly can't hear it and I have ears like a freaking BAT.
3) Best sounding PWM on any softsynth. Period.
4) Tuneable noise wave! Hardly any synthesizer (hardware or software) has this feature. Perfect for video game sounds, percussion and FX.
5) Solid, chunky, fantastic sounding raw oscillators (based on the Commodore 64 SID chip, apparently).
6) Characterful and gutsy sounding filters. Resonance can go from smooth and silky to ear-shreddingly distorted.
7) Separate user envelope to effect PWM, Cutoff, Pitch (osc 1 or 2), FM or AMP.
8) Separate PWM LFO.
9) Separate vibrato LFO (with delayed start - perfect for lead sounds)
10) Key off - a really quick and dirty way of making staccato sounds without having to program/edit note lengths. Lovely.

Sure there are more specialist soft synths available with plenty more bells and whistles, but this is my desert island synth. I can (and have) made entire songs with Dreamstation, including drums. I've also attempted to replace it over the years with 'better' soft synths, but I keep returning when I hear an older track which used Dreamstation.

It's the all rounder synth that nobody should be without and its interface is the most well laid out and simplest of any synth I've ever used.

The best part? It's free. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving this one a try.