I think I've asked "What's the must have VST?" but now I'm looking for good affordable synth. I wanted Serum at first- I soon realized that it's not necessary for all of it's greatness. My genre would be trance/progressive house, so I probably won't use all of Serum's tools.
Is there any good affordable synth that you recommend that would be good for trance/progressive house? I use Synth 1 currently, exclude that one please.
What is the good "affordable" vst synth?
-
- KVRAF
- 7760 posts since 15 Sep, 2005 from East Coast of the USA
Synthmaster and Helix are both less than $100, and are very capable synthsShiosan wrote:I think I've asked "What's the must have VST?" but now I'm looking for good affordable synth. I wanted Serum at first- I soon realized that it's not necessary for all of it's greatness. My genre would be trance/progressive house, so I probably won't use all of Serum's tools.
Is there any good affordable synth that you recommend that would be good for trance/progressive house? I use Synth 1 currently, exclude that one please.
-
- KVRAF
- 35448 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
You just missed a sale on Reveal-Sound Spire, so there goes your good "affordable" VST synth. 
Not sure what you consider affordable though. One of the most affordable synths are Cakewalk Z3TA 2, when it's on sale, and KV331 Audio Synthmaster, which also goes on sale a lot, and you sometimes can pick it up for half the normal price, which is a big bargain. Make sure you demo all those thoroughly though, there's nothing worse to end up with something which doesn't please your ear. 
If you're cool with something free which isn't all that old, you could try out Synapse Audio Dune LE, which you can download for free when you sign up on that site. You better use some trash mail adress though, as they will send you ads when you sign up with it.
Not sure what you consider affordable though. One of the most affordable synths are Cakewalk Z3TA 2, when it's on sale, and KV331 Audio Synthmaster, which also goes on sale a lot, and you sometimes can pick it up for half the normal price, which is a big bargain. Make sure you demo all those thoroughly though, there's nothing worse to end up with something which doesn't please your ear. If you're cool with something free which isn't all that old, you could try out Synapse Audio Dune LE, which you can download for free when you sign up on that site. You better use some trash mail adress though, as they will send you ads when you sign up with it.
-
- KVRAF
- 21196 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
Value for the money, you can't beat Synthmaster. It's usually on sale for $60. It's an all around versatile synth that isn't too difficult to program if you spend a little time with it. It comes with tons of presets that are usable.
The GUI isn't the prettiest in the world but if looks aren't important to you, this synth is hard to beat. They've just added additional functionality within the last month or so with more updates to come.
There is absolutely no synth in this price range (on sale) that's as good as as easy. You can get MUX for about the same price on sale but it's modular and can be a handful to really get into. I love it but I've been programming synths since 1979. If you know your way around modulars, however, that's another one that's hard to beat. But it does have a bit of a learning curve.
Everything else that really sounds great is going to cost you well over $100 and usually in the $150 range.
The GUI isn't the prettiest in the world but if looks aren't important to you, this synth is hard to beat. They've just added additional functionality within the last month or so with more updates to come.
There is absolutely no synth in this price range (on sale) that's as good as as easy. You can get MUX for about the same price on sale but it's modular and can be a handful to really get into. I love it but I've been programming synths since 1979. If you know your way around modulars, however, that's another one that's hard to beat. But it does have a bit of a learning curve.
Everything else that really sounds great is going to cost you well over $100 and usually in the $150 range.
-
- KVRAF
- 9096 posts since 5 Feb, 2004
Synthmaster is renown for being versatile, and it is pretty darn cheap. I don't own it, but if I was getting my first vst that would be a strong contender. Another less versatile but really good value is Tal Uno.
If you have requests for Korg VST features or changes, they are listening at https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/requests/new
-
- KVRAF
- 35448 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Hm, just saw the OP isn't looking for something too complicated:
Synthmaster or Z3TA probably won't quite cut it then... probably better Sylenth1 or Spire then as V0RT3X proposed. Both not too "affordable" though. Maybe look out on the market place here.I wanted Serum at first- I soon realized that it's not necessary for all of it's greatness.
-
thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240 - KVRAF
- 35191 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from the wilds of wanny
-
- KVRian
- 943 posts since 11 Dec, 2014 from one rocky mountain to another
-
- KVRAF
- 7760 posts since 15 Sep, 2005 from East Coast of the USA
Nice
Never heard of it before-
- KVRAF
- 8802 posts since 7 Oct, 2005
Lately I watched some videos about Hive. I really like it and I feel a regret now that I didn't buy it (with the generous discount by u-he). Sylenth1 might be a little bit more suitable for Trance, but Hive has many strengths as well.
I was also impressed by the latest demo of SynthMaster. It is very stable and the cpu usage is optimised very well.
As helper synths, I think Hybrid 3 is a great synth. It can also produce many kinds of sounds (it is a wavetable synth), and can be thick or fat, but I like its soft character more that fill the gaps and support the main melody.
Spire is also a fantastic synth. I like a lot its sound and the interface as well. It uses more cpu than the others though.
If I were you, I would search the market place here and buy Hive, Spire, Sylenth1 or SynthMaster. But first demo them all, and see which one you like more.
Don't forget the absolute bargains Alpha 3 and Octopus from LinPlug ($19 each!!!). They can come very handy later!
I was also impressed by the latest demo of SynthMaster. It is very stable and the cpu usage is optimised very well.
As helper synths, I think Hybrid 3 is a great synth. It can also produce many kinds of sounds (it is a wavetable synth), and can be thick or fat, but I like its soft character more that fill the gaps and support the main melody.
Spire is also a fantastic synth. I like a lot its sound and the interface as well. It uses more cpu than the others though.
If I were you, I would search the market place here and buy Hive, Spire, Sylenth1 or SynthMaster. But first demo them all, and see which one you like more.
Don't forget the absolute bargains Alpha 3 and Octopus from LinPlug ($19 each!!!). They can come very handy later!
-
- KVRAF
- 3959 posts since 10 Sep, 2010 from A shit hole (Ireland).
The obvious choices are HIVE, Sylenth, Dune II, Gladiator or Spire.
If they are out of your price range then Synthmaster is the best choice imo, and it sounds very good. It's a little more complicated then a conventional subtractive synth, but there's plenty of tutorials.
If they are out of your price range then Synthmaster is the best choice imo, and it sounds very good. It's a little more complicated then a conventional subtractive synth, but there's plenty of tutorials.
I will take the Lord's name in vain, whenever I want. Hail Satan! And his little goblins too. 
-
- KVRAF
- 4827 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
IMHO price and features and ease should not be your first criteria: instead, which one has the sound/UI you like so much that you WANT to spend MONTHS exploring it?
Time is way more valuable than money.
. . .
I would add the *very different* PPG Wavemapper to your list; play iOS version if you have an ipad.
Time is way more valuable than money.
. . .
I would add the *very different* PPG Wavemapper to your list; play iOS version if you have an ipad.
F E E D
Y O U R
F L O W
Y O U R
F L O W
