Best Software Synth Plugins VST 2018 | Top Five Friday

COMMENT BELOW What is your favourite Synth?

In this video, producer Tim Cant runs through 5 of the most popular, some might say best, software synth plugins (VST) money can buy.

Top Five Synths are...

5. SynthMaster 2.9 (KV331 Audio)
SynthMaster may have been around for a long time, but every update has kept it fresh for the competition with the world’s best soft synths.

Now at version 2.9, SynthMaster has practically every sound generation feature you could want in a synthesizer: wavetable oscillators, loads of voicing parameters, dual filters, multistage envelope generators and a modular signal flow – all times two with two synthesis layers. On top of that, there’s also four LFOs, an effects section including a Vocoder, and loads more.

SynthMaster’s Killer Feature? It’s oscillator waveforms include samples of classic hardware to use as sources.

4. Spire (Reveal Sound)
With an impressive range of oscillators and synthesis types, and an even more impressive range of third-party preset developers, one thing’s for sure: Spire is a versatile synth.

Choose one of 49 waves in a Spire oscillator, and you can morph it using the CtrlA and CtrlB knobs. What these two do to the waveform is determined by the synthesis type, which is selected at the top of the oscillator. And that’s without mentioning the dual filters, the four LFOs, the four envelopes and effects.

Spire’s Killer Feature? It’s five-page modulation matrix, giving access to over 200 mod destinations.

3. Avenger (Vengeance Sound)
This monstrous, top-of-the-line synth is the first instrument released by plugin and soundware legends Vengeance Sound.

The word Ambitious doesn’t even begin to describe Avenger. It’s got eight oscillators, which host classic analogue shapes, samples, a choice of digital wave cycles and wavetables. There’s FM and AM options, and each oscillator can be run through a unique combination of filters, amps, arpeggiators and effects, meaning that you could make an entire track in one instance of Avenger. Elsewhere, there’s a spectral filter, macro controls, and far too many features to even namecheck.

Avenger’s Killer Feature? It’s got an entire drum machine – and drum sequencer – built in! Put simply, Avenger is excessive, and excessively brilliant!

2. Diva (u-he)
If you can’t decide which classic analogue synth you want in your next track, Diva takes the best bits of hardware history and puts them into one incredible-sounding plugin.

With Diva, you could pair a Minimoog oscillator with an MS-20 filter, and then pipe the signal through a Jupiter-6 style envelope, or swap out any of the elements for any other. Diva’s also got two LFOs, two effects slots, a Modifications tab to make advanced tweaks, and a kickass oscilloscope visualiser.

Diva’s Killer Feature? Divine Mode – this menu control cranks Diva up to maximum quality, making it its most analogue, but with a hefty CPU hit.

1. Serum (Xfer Records)
Originally released in 2014, Serum has risen to the top of the tree to become the undeniable king of the soft synths. But why has this simple-looking synth garnered so much attention?

Serum’s two wavetable oscillators are actually superweapons, with 3D wave morphing, additive synthesis, wavetable interpolation, wave cycle morphing, and loads more complicated-sounding powers. But the trick is, in reality, every one of Serum’s feature’s is completely straightforward to use, and there are countless third-party preset packs available that showcase its incredible potential.

Serum’s three Killer Features? It’s got up to eight multipoint LFOs, PNG Wavetable import, and everyone with Serum gets a copy of Serum FX, an effects-only version with only Serum’s FX tab.

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[NathanChisholm]

Rapid! I just love this synth and the quality off the sounds are second to none! And i own Serum, Synthmaster 2.9 and one, Spire, Dune, Nexus, Zebra 2, Avenger, Omnisphere 2 and many more but Rapid just sounds amazing!

[cellrok]

I am a Avenger guy. It just convinced me on all levels. It looks massive at first, but you only need half of the UI most of the time. I tested Serum and Sylenth1 for two months until i discovered Avenger and bought it in a heartbeat. It really is the "one synth you'll ever need" for me. It is unfair in this comparison almost. Best be compared to UVI Falcon. Serum ranks 2nd to me. Diva is 3rd. I will definitely think about getting them anyway but it's hard to justify at this point. More people should get into Avenger.

[SoundAuthor]

Ya know. Zebra was recently updated with a sexy new GUI. More usable than ever now! :D

[garaughty]

U-He's Zebra 2 would be at the top of my list...

[lennardvillasenor]

I like these five. In light of the fact Avenger is noted here, I would think Halion 6 should be considered as an alternate because you can author VSTs with it. I would also consider Cypher 2 for its MPE implementation and interesting sonic possibilities. But especially with the 2019 Beta of Serum with MPE compatibility and some wavetables from third party Echo Sound Works is certainly well deserving of its enduring position at the top.

[ReubenCornell]

Who is this Tim Cant guy? Whoever he is I want to see more. He's damn funny.

[GR-M]

there is no "best" synth - there are so many great products on the market - and maybe one fits in my track

[deepzone]

Oh, Timmy. I am calling shenanigans on your workspace being this clean. Did you rent this space from someone? Good video though!

[DonClassico]

How come no one is talking about ANA 2 from Sonic Academy!! A powerful synth with nice clean sound in my opinion, lots of possibility and not so much hungry cpu usage. I love it's workflow. Love me some serum too, but it always takes my cpu out on a lunch break

Great video

[claytonlevibrown]

Tim can't admit UVI falcon should be on this list.

[zanngoc]

Synthmaster is from KRV Audio, not KV Audio as written is 39th second :)

[hanselvela]

Would anyone know how to go about getting that blue face baby synth? I'm on the hunt for that ...

[MuckyPixels]

Are there any good Serum tutorials? I'm relatively new to synths in general and the first one I learned was the Arturia Modular V (or 6, whatever the new one is) and I can't see anything beating it. I tried Serum and it's good but I still prefer the Modular. It's probably a familiarity thing though so if anyone can recommend a good set of general Serum lessons I'd appreciate it.

[veletone]

Nothing dethrone Sylenth1 as popularity...YET :)

[aviinuo]

Have serum but after demoing spire I regret not getting it instead

[spaceorbison]

For some reason I really gravitated to Zebra 2

[Astronomater]

everyone enjoys the synth wet farts. my favorite synths: Synthmaster, Diva, TyrellN6, TAL Bassline, TAL U-no-62, and Arturia V collection.

[mr.irrelevant]

Serum is great but you will sound like everyone else if you over use it.

[terjesandberg]

Strange list. Synthmaster (worst browser among the big synths) among the 5? Serum (not a very good browser there either) on top? Diva above Repro? Where is Omnisphere? Where is Dune? Razor? Massive? Zebra? Do not know why some people feel the urge to make this kind of list. There are no criteria given as to why the 5 picked are "the best". I own all of them and I use Serum a lot but there are others I use more. Why do I do that? Because they suits the music I make better. Thus; a top 5 list is just impossible. It depends on what you want to make. The free Synth1 and the free Fathom (mono) get more use in my studio than 4 of the mentioned 5, but I guess PluginBoutique does not earn much on those. PluginBoutique is a great place for shopping but I whish they stopped these lame priority lists. If you want to buy synths think of what kind of music you would like to make, it it is a variety of genres, think of pairings. Repro+Omnisphere+Serum is one example of pairings that covers most genres, However these combinations are endless and there are combinations for all kinds of wallets. The mentioned Fathom + Synth1 + OB-X is a totally free alternative (just an example, not a "best" list).

PluginBoutique is just promoting sale with this one. Promoting is ok, but under this label it is not.

In general people think what they have is the best and vote for it. The relatively expencive Omnisphere does seldom reach first place when it comes to voting for the "best" synth, simply because there are fewer people that own it than say Sylenth. There are also a bunch of good synths that are badly marketed. Due to low market penetration they will never reach a top placing. These kind of lists are just putting focus in the wrong direction. Download a demo and try out synths for your needs. If there is not a demo, just pass it and go to the next. You do not need every one. That last thing is my learning point.

[CoolDudeClem]

Another Apple fan I see, why use mac? Mac sucks, Windows and Linux are better.