Hardware VA's vs latest and greatest software VA's

[fluffy_little_something]

I think software synths also have to feel immediate and tight when operating them. For instance I like the free JX-8P emulation by Martin Lüders a lot (donate if you can afford to!), it doesn't only sound very convincing, but also feels that way.

[exmatproton]

I think software synths also have to feel immediate and tight when operating them. For instance I like the free JX-8P emulation by Martin Lüders a lot (donate if you can afford to!), it doesn't only sound very convincing, but also feels that way.

+1 on the PG8X. Amazing emulation, if you ask me

[Teksonik]

Is it time for the daily Hardware versus Software thread already ? God it's getting tiresome......

Isn't this KVR all over? HW vs SW, Mac vs PC, "what's the best....(followed by a list of everything everyone uses), Moaning about/Demanding scalable GUI, Fan Girling over U-He, Hating Developers who offer sales, GAS freak outs over sales....and so on and so forth.

Yes and after 15 years they are all growing tiresome. But I guess there wouldn't be a KVR without those topics.........

[Uncle E]

Things like Akai Advance and NI Komplete Kontrol S change the topic a bit. Nektar, too, since Justin does such an exceptional job of programming its templates.

[.jon]

Things like Akai Advance and NI Komplete Kontrol S change the topic a bit. Nektar, too, since Justin does such an exceptional job of programming its templates.

What do you mean, change in what way?

[Terrafractyl]

Well they definitely bring the software synth experience a lot closer to the hardware one. Not having to even think about assigning knobs definitely helps. It's Still nothing like the immediacy of using a Hardware synth though, especially one with nearly a knob per function and minimal menu diving.

The first synth I ever bought was a beaten up ob-12 Which I kind of disliked. (Tis a Wonky digital approximation of the analog Ob's, kinda cool just for its wierdness) But after a year or two I grew OOh so familiar with its panel... more so than pretty much any synth I owned since...
but yeah I could make a patch in half the time of any synth I ever owned. Mainly just cause it had almost no menu diving required, plus I got to know the layout REALLY well.

but I guess now after over 10+years of use give me my trusted homemade midi controller with no labels on anything and Zebra2 and I guess I'm pretty quick there too.

[exmatproton]

Is it time for the daily Hardware versus Software thread already ? God it's getting tiresome......

Isn't this KVR all over? HW vs SW, Mac vs PC, "what's the best....(followed by a list of everything everyone uses), Moaning about/Demanding scalable GUI, Fan Girling over U-He, Hating Developers who offer sales, GAS freak outs over sales....and so on and so forth.

Yes and after 15 years they are all growing tiresome. But I guess there wouldn't be a KVR without those topics.........

On the other hand, it is fun to see how 'software-land' "evolved" over that time, but the people still think HW is superior

[rod_zero]

Things like Akai Advance and NI Komplete Kontrol S change the topic a bit. Nektar, too, since Justin does such an exceptional job of programming its templates.

They don't. I tried both and I have Push 2, they just don't mimic the hardware experience because 8 controls just doesn't cut it. If manufacturers placed 32 or up controls maybe that would change, but 8 are just limited and quite dull compared to some hardware synths. After using them I believe they are very mediocre products for controlling soft synths (Push for Live is awesome nevertheless).

I personally don't care about which sounds better, IMHO DIva, Serum, Massive and others sound gorgeous, better than a lot of hardware that costs hundreds of times more.

But for some people tweaking a HW synth with many knobs is more fun.

Finally Roland with the System 8 has brought something that is ideal for me a HW synth with great interface (76 controls) and it has those Plug outs that bring more synth engines onboard. Yesterday when they launched the Juno 106 plug out they also confirmed that VST/AU versions of the poly (Jup8 and Juno 106) plug outs are coming. It is a shame other developers can't get onboard of this technology.

That is the best of both worlds, plug ins you cna carry on hardware, plugins you can control with a great MIDI controller with 76 knobs that maps perfectly to all the synth parameters. This makes NI and Akai controllers look like half done stuff.

NI has to go back and make a real controller with tons of knobs and buttons, start with making it perfect for massive (or something new) and go from there. They have the know how and have made MAschine before so I believe they can pull it.

[.jon]

Well they definitely bring the software synth experience a lot closer to the hardware one. Not having to even think about assigning knobs definitely helps. It's Still nothing like the immediacy of using a Hardware synth though, especially one with nearly a knob per function and minimal menu diving.

Midi learn is click & point, assign your controller once and never think about it again.

[jacqueslacouth]

This year I have spent more money on putting together a Modular system ($6K or thereabouts) with a fair number of digital oscillators. And while it can make some very "interesting" sounds, in all honesty, it doesn't come close to a good number of VA softsynths (on average $130 a pop) either in sound quality (let's not get into that) nor ease of programming/patching. Sure I can get lost in the fun of the modular environment for hours, but I often feel that I am indulging my scientific nerdy side rather than engaging in anything musically useful.

Oh yes, and the Virus TI2 barely gets turned on these days.

[Aiynzahev]

If you can afford it, buy what HW interests you used so you can sell it on for minimal loss if you decide against it, and give it some time while it's in your possession. Your own experience is the best answer you can and in the end it's the only one that matters.

As to the technical side of the question though, I don't see any reason why a VST can't sound every bit as "good" as any digital HW synth but that does not mean that there are actual equivalents out there.

Whether or not any of this matters comes down entirely do your own wants.

[Jax Pok]

Only the OB-6 interests me I want a real analogue poly might as well use softsynths for any other type.

[VariKusBrainZ]

This year I have spent more money on putting together a Modular system ($6K or thereabouts) with a fair number of digital oscillators. And while it can make some very "interesting" sounds, in all honesty, it doesn't come close to a good number of VA softsynths (on average $130 a pop) either in sound quality (let's not get into that) nor ease of programming/patching. Sure I can get lost in the fun of the modular environment for hours, but I often feel that I am indulging my scientific nerdy side rather than engaging in anything musically useful.

Oh yes, and the Virus TI2 barely gets turned on these days.

You must have bought the wrong modules, I spent about the same and I don't have anything that can do or sound like it in software......And I'm ashamed at how much software I have.

Just wavefolding alone sounds completely different on the modular, never mind the filters and cross modulation possibilities including audio rates with no aliasing!!!

Why would you spend 6 grand on something that's worse than software that costs less than a single module and does polyphony

[fischkopf]

Only the OB-6 interests me I want a real analogue poly might as well use softsynths for any other type.

The OB-6 lacks a lot soundwise compared to older models:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPtYpjUWujM

[JoeCat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdRP3dQ9QOM


Depends on how you go about it...

Just reading through this thread and...

Talk about a blast from the past - as soon as I saw this I knew it was Dorian Concept - his "Fooling around on a Micron" video has over a quarter million hits - this from 9 years ago. One of the videos that inspired me to get back into synths. Check him out on a Casio.

Ultimate proof that talent can make do with any tool. I'm not suggesting you could do justice to Rachmaninoff's 3rd on a Williams "piano" from GC, but you can create interesting music and art with any tools.