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Can soft synths ever sound as good as hardware? Post your opinion.

Can soft synths ever sound as good as hardware? Post your opinion.

My opinion is that this debate is boring as hell.

i feel like giving you negative reviews on ebay

quote:

Originally posted by dimadelux i feel like giving you negative reviews on ebay

what is your problem with me why are you following me around in every thread?

quote:

Originally posted by Existo22 what is your problem with me why are you following me around in every thread?

hai

In many cases, they already do. There are certain things that software can do, that hardware will never be able to do, such as lookahead functions.

If you are speaking of Virtual Analogs, then there is no difference. VA synths are still just computers themselves. Their oscillators and filters are all DSP software, which isn't any different than a soft synth.

If you have true analog synth (Moog, DSI, etc.), then there are some sonic advantages that software may not be able to provide, but there are relatively few modern analog synths that meet this criteria. Some will say that a Modern Analog doesn't sound anything like a vintage analog, especially in the case of modern recreations of vintage hardware. There are a ton of comparisons between people who own the original Minimoog Model D and a modern Moog Voyager. Vintange analogs also meet this criteria, but, again, you need excellent AD to take advantage of this. You'll have to deal with the notorious unreliability of any vintage synth as well as the exorbitant price tag.

In addition, you can get a $3,000 Moog, but it you are running it through crappy AD, then you will never realize the benefits that such hardware may provide.

Some softsynths sound better.

Not another hardware vs. software thread..

Just asking this question goes to show you have little or no experience with either software or hardware. Or both.

This debate died years a go when most realized software became just as good, and in many aspects better than hardware. The only thing software hasn't emulated completely is true analog synths.
And, as was mentioned about a million times in countless audio forums on the net, most hardware synths are nothing more than software in a box.


EDIT:
Damn.. wasn't fast enough

quote:

Originally posted by Eric J In many cases, they already do. There are certain things that software can do, that hardware will never be able to do, such as lookahead functions. If you are speaking of Virtual Analogs, then there is no difference. VA synths are still just computers themselves. Their oscillators and filters are all DSP software, which isn't any different than a soft synth. If you have true analog synth (Moog, DSI, etc.), then there are some sonic advantages that software may not be able to provide, but there are relatively few modern analog synths that meet this criteria. Some will say that a Modern Analog doesn't sound anything like a vintage analog, especially in the case of modern recreations of vintage hardware. There are a ton of comparisons between people who own the original Minimoog Model D and a modern Moog Voyager. Vintange analogs also meet this criteria, but, again, you need excellent AD to take advantage of this. You'll have to deal with the notorious unreliability of any vintage synth as well as the exorbitant price tag. In addition, you can get a $3,000 Moog, but it you are running it through crappy AD, then you will never realize the benefits that such hardware may provide.

I am using an RME soundcard.
I definitely do not want service bills every once in a while but there seems to be an analog synth renaissance. Everybody saying how analog synths sound better ect
How about something like an external filter? For example a mutator...

http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/mutator.shtml

That would way somebody could for use a software synth oscillator to generate the sound but a analog filter to shape it?
Does any body here have any experience with external analog filters?

quote:

Originally posted by Existo22 I am using an RME soundcard.

RME has got good AD conversion, although here is a case where something in the Apogee/Lynx/Prism line is best.

quote:

Originally posted by Existo22 I definitely do not want service bills every once in a while but there seems to be an analog synth renaissance. Everybody saying how analog synths sound better ect How about something like an external filter? For example a mutator... http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/mutator.shtml

Sure, analog filters sound great. Just be prepared to deal with the latency of the round trip from your DAW to the hardware back to your DAW.

Honestly, just make sure you are NOT looking at buying analog outboard because you think that your music will suddenly become better for it. I used to think this way and wasted a LOT of money on outboard hardware, when it really didn't make a huge difference.

Just make sure you are not going into a purchase with the mindset of "If I just get this piece of outboard gear, my music will get instantly better!" At the end of the day, it's all about the writing and composing and no piece of outboard gear will help with that.

Yes they do... it just requires more tweaking.

Hardware will sound better straight out of the box IMO, simply cause they are better made synths than software ones.

What is better? Different I�d say. In my opinion, there is very subtle differences between a GOOD software synth and modern analog. But when you make complex patches, the difference may be more clear. Analog synths have more "bite". I�ll end there. :P

quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Yes they do... it just requires more tweaking. Hardware will sound better straight out of the box IMO, simply cause they are better made synths than software ones.

I lol'd

Ive yet to find a synth that gives me the feel a z3ta can. Sorry. If you don't look at z3ta as "triyng to be a virus" and more like "its own sound"..then its awesome. Oh, did i mention its software? Id rather have a synth that can make moog, virus, jp, whatever sounds 80%, than having only one that can do one sound 100%

quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Yes they do... it just requires more tweaking. Hardware will sound better straight out of the box IMO, simply cause they are better made synths than software ones.

Yeah thats pretty much it.

Ah I mis-read that post. Didn't meant to sound contrary. Same point though.

quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Yes they do... it just requires more tweaking. Hardware will sound better straight out of the box IMO, simply cause they are better made synths than software ones.

In other words hardware synths generally have better presets...is that what you're saying?
I'm sorry but I just don't understand what you are trying to get at!

quote:

Originally posted by spolitta In other words hardware synths generally have better presets...is that what you're saying? I'm sorry but I just don't understand what you are trying to get at!

Let me put it this way, i can pick a waveform from a Moog, decrease the filter a little. And it will fit right into the project.
Whereas to achieve the same sound from a softsynth might require some EQuing some compression etc.
Or simply take a square wave from a virus put a delay on it and it will sound awesome.
Or to achieve a Supersaw i just choose supersaw on the JP, add some chorus and there you go!

Less tweaking for good sounds is what im saying.
Its not written in stone though, sometimes it may be the other way around too.

Depends on the sound your looking for. Soft synths do some sounds better than hardware, and hardware do some sounds better than software. There areas that soft synths have to catch up on hardware and there are areas that hardware has to catch up on soft synths. Both are equally useful, but I prefer sounds from hardware.

There's no difference between soft synths and VA hardware - they're both just lines of code, except one runs on your CPU and the other runs on a box. There are crap soft synths and there are crap VAs... The best soft synths sound just as good as the best VAs. In the old days though, VAs were programmed much better than soft synths. This isn't the case anymore.

I've never had serious use with any analog synths, so I can't really comment on that. I've never heard an analog preset demo that sounded any better than a typical VA though...

It would be interesting if someone made a blind test with two near-identical patches - one in a vst, the other on an analog synth. Something like just a saw and filter sweep.

Its a matter of Mojo baby. Seriously, if you have a massive connection to a piece of gear (hardware or software) then you'll use it more and use it better, because you have a relationship with it. Its harder to have a relationship with a piece of software IMO.

If you treat the synth as an instrument, chances are I think you'd probably like the hardware aspect, as you can cuddle it, stroke it etc. But if (like me) you treat it as a music making tool/toy, then software is equally good.

Oh, and no theres no difference in sonic quality between a VA and a soft synth, and I don't personally believe that analogue neccesarily sounds better than digital emulations.

quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips Oh, and no theres no difference in sonic quality between a VA and a soft synth.

Not because they are hardware synths. But hardware synths are just generally better made synths.
They dont have to worry about operating systems, computer CPU, DAW, VST and all those protocols necessary to make them work.
That is why i think that they soundwise tend to sound better.

Blah Blah Blah... you can get a sound from a VST that you can't from hardware and you can get a sound from hardware that you can't from a VST. The key to hardware is dedicated knobs, faders, menus and buttons that on software it's usually always changing...

... but, if you're asking if you can make the phattest tune ever just with software, then I would say YES. hell, maybe you can even make with this http://www.audiorealism.se/technobox/index.htm

VSTs and Analogue Synths might be doing the same maths but their not running through the same veins.

Look at the Korg MS-20 <3 circuit boards.

http://www.korganalogue.net/korgms/...ms20/joris.html



Look at it sitting all phat, like a proper big booty breezie.

quote:

Originally posted by echosystm There's no difference between soft synths and VA hardware - they're both just lines of code, except one runs on your CPU and the other runs on a box. There are crap soft synths and there are crap VAs... The best soft synths sound just as good as the best VAs. In the old days though, VAs were programmed much better than soft synths. This isn't the case anymore. I've never had serious use with any analog synths, so I can't really comment on that. I've never heard an analog preset demo that sounded any better than a typical VA though... It would be interesting if someone made a blind test with two near-identical patches - one in a vst, the other on an analog synth. Something like just a saw and filter sweep.

No offense, will people stop promoting this poormans mentality. I think people who say that have convinced themself of that falsey to save money.
So you're basically telling people to believe "the best soft synth" is really as good "as the best VA?"

Ok, what are some of the best hardware VA's? Nord or TI? (to keep things simple)
Best soft synth VA? Hmm lets see.. Sylenth, Z3TA, Albino 3, Ominsphere? Zebra2? .. the list is fairly long.
If you do the math.
Theres actually wayyy more SS's that HS's (software than hardware synths) BECAUSE they are cheaper and they are infact also built for way cheaper labor/productivity and all around result to the box.

The best hardware VAs piss on the best softsynth VAs, if you can't hear the difference maybe you played your music too loud for a few years and damaged a part of your hearing. No jokes, I'm serious.

Also the OP raises a valid question despite those who think its a "buried discussion" a ***discussion**** by nature is active and alive, ("alive" people have them) you simply contradict your point using those 2 words in that order. When a discussion is burried it is not longer HAD, think about it.

And finally, hardware simply sounds better.
Give me a test and name the synths used in it with the sounds (link). One hard and one soft. I bet I can do it. =]

(I did not mean the SS's I named were all VA just saying the best in general)

quote:

Originally posted by ONDRAY ... but, if you're asking if you can make the phattest tune ever just with software, then I would say YES.

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