Computer Music/Radar's Best Soft Synths 2015

[KingTuck]

Keeping in mind though that populating a list with 50-some bad popular softsynths would be next to impossible.

As would be listing any of the softsynths from manufacturers that don't advertise with them.

Random jab at Music Radar that didn't really have anything to do with what I was saying. In any case I'll just roll with it, some examples? Seems they have most of the well known names here. Your phrasing implies they're neglecting just oodles and oodles of software from this poll. I don't think it's true.

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't think it was true.

EDIT: Actually having a look at this year's list... it looks a LOT better than last year's... where a large number of the major players were left out.

Hahahahaha why did you even respond with the pre-edit part? I asked you for an example and you just said nothing back. Weird, man. Weird weird weird. At least you gave me a good laugh. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't think it was true." might be the least possible communication your response could have ever brought.

Isn't this list largely the same as last years?

[Ben H]

No. The Computer Music list last year was MUCH shorter and had MANY more omissions.

I don't remember exactly what they were now. There WAS a big long thread on here though with everyone chiming in on what was left out.

In the end though, I don't base my purchases on what Computer Music is paid to push/review. Neither do I base them on what they tell me is "popular".

[Kinh]

I dont understand why Sylenth keeps getting praised. I tried it in Ableton and it sounded tacky. As far as editing, that may be another matter. But the factory presets weren't that impressive, not enough bite, in fact very casio. Maybe designers have come up with better presets since but the way I see it, the makers of Sylenth would've made sure the factory sounds would be the best the synth could offer. And they were not good.

[maschinelf]

edit

[Apostate]

I really love some of the presets on Sylenth, but I notice I really don't open it much. To be fair, it could be because I prefer deeper synths and am on a programming bonanza as of late.

Still, really cool synth imo. Yeah, it's getting long in the tooth, but still useful, at least to me.

[basslinemaster]

No mention of Loom, Hybrid 3, Vacuum Pro, and probably loads of other brilliant synths...
But it actually has Harmor!

I also wonder how they actually made that list, there are plenty of synths on there that (as far as I am aware) are not as popular as Loom, Hybrid 3, Vacuum Pro, and many of the others that haven't been included, and Sytrus now presumably has tens of thousands of new users (however many people own FL Studio Producer edition).

Rather like how you can't vote for FL Studio in the Sound on Sound 'favourite DAW' poll... perhaps they should start doing that with the elections, so they get the 'desired result'.

[basslinemaster]

dubstep is indeed terribly out of fashion, has been for over a year now. sytrus is cool and all but I don't think that many people use it compared to fm8.

FL Studio Producer now includes Sytrus for free, so there are presumably tens of thousands (or more?) of users (of which I am one!)

[BDeep]

For a site like Musicradar, it would be quite easy to make the list based on number of pageviews of the products they've reviewed. That's what I'd probably do. Obvious drawback of course, is that synths that didn't get a review (I couldn't find one on Loom after an admittedly quick & un-thorough search) don't show up on their list.

[Apostate]

Sytrus now presumably has tens of thousands of new users (however many people own FL Studio Producer edition).

Not just them, Cubase 7.5 users like me have had Sytrus for quite awhile as well, and it was worth double the $129 US I paid for it, easily. I think it might be the best, most powerful FM soft synth there is.

Of course, one has to get past the learning curve.

The omission of Sytrus is the most glaring omission for me, the inclusion of Einklang and Ana the most goofy. But that's just me (shrugs).

[Kinh]

I dont see the point in these polls anyway, the whole things too subjective. Different synths are better at certain tasks and worse at others. Its like comparing a hammer to a spanner. So there's no such thing as a best synth unless its a "best synth for....??" Yes, you can say the one that does the most, in which case you can cross of most of the ones at the beginning of the list including Razor and Monark..wtf??

[chk071]

I dont see the point in these polls anyway, the whole things too subjective.

Hence they ask for "your favorite VST/AU synth plugin".

[xx JPRacer xx]

I dont understand why Sylenth keeps getting praised. I tried it in Ableton and it sounded tacky. As far as editing, that may be another matter. But the factory presets weren't that impressive, not enough bite, in fact very casio. Maybe designers have come up with better presets since but the way I see it, the makers of Sylenth would've made sure the factory sounds would be the best the synth could offer. And they were not good.

I find the presets very good. Sure it's best to layer them, but I think they are very good, even to these days!

[dupont]

SYNTH1 is the best and it is free
I think computer music team has not included it in the list because they had not been paid for

[cron]

Given that just about every synth in Computer Music gets rated an 8 or 9, they're going to find it pretty hard to rank them in order. At least they can discount the really crap ones that score a 7.

In first place: All the synths!
In second place: All the other synths!

[chk071]

I saw a synth rated 7/10 there, and a host rated 6/10 IIRC. I don't think they get paid either, it's rather a give and take. But you can surely read something out of the rating. If it's rated 6/10 it's at least of... debatable quality.