Synapse Audio Software – Dune
Price: $139
Web: www.synapse-audio.com
Format: VST,
AU
On the face of it, dune is just a regular
subtractive synth, and with two main oscillators, a sub-oscillator, three LFOs,
three envelopes, filter, arpeggiator, modulation matrix and effects, you may be
asking why it’s in our list. But through a combination of excellent patches,
simple interface, flexible oscillators and a unison system called the
Differential Unison Engine, it can conjure up some very big sounds.
Each
oscillator then gets a Fat control, which turns it into a track of seven
oscillators
This journey starts with the two main
oscillators, which offer saw, pulse, sine or one of 69 wavetable shapes. Each
oscillator then gets a Fat control, which turns it into a track of seven
oscillators (increasing the Fat control increases the detuning). Moving on to
the unison section, you can then add up to eight-voice unison across all
playing oscillators. So, factoring in the sub-oscillator, you have the
potential for 120 oscillators per key. The final icing comes in the form of
direct access via the modulation matrix to individual unison voices, enabling
you to influence everything from pitch and panning to effects mix and filter
cutoff. Wowsers.
GForce Software – impOSCar 2
Price: $210
Web: www.gforcesoftware.com
Format: VST,
AU, RTAS (Mac only), standalone
Renowned for their excellent software
emulations of classic synths and love of all things retro, GForce Software have
carved out an impressive niche for themselves. However, when they revisited
their original OSCar synth emulation with a view to incorporating some user
feedback, little did they know that they were about to create a modern classic
all of its own.
Unison
is a new feature for impOSCar 2 and is probably the single most important
addition, offering up to eight stacked voices with manual detune, and spread
control with panning options
The synth’s main components are two digital
oscillators, two LFOs, twin filters, up to eight-voice unison, arpeggiator,
effects, chord memory and patch browser (for the 1000+ patch library), but the
devil really is in the detail here. First, in addition to the ten basic
waveforms, there are two additive waveforms, which you can modify or create
from scratch on the Additive Wave Matrix Grid. Also, rather than being totally
separate, the twin filters work together in various serial or parallel
configurations. These combine with cutoff, resonance, filter envelope
modulation and filter drive to produce some pretty edgy sounds.
Unison is a new feature for impOSCar 2 and
is probably the single most important addition, offering up to eight stacked
voices with manual detune, and spread control with panning options. If you’re
using Portamento or Glissando modes, you can also dial in some timing spread to
the unison voices. All this is good news if you like creating big, rich sounds.
Finally, impOSCar2 can be used as an
effects plugin via a dedicated insert version. This was one of the most
requested options from users of impOSCar, and when you hear the filters you’ll
understand why. Rather than just grabbing the best bits for the effects plugin,
it’s actually the same plugin but with audio input set up as each oscillator.
There are a number of great things about
impOSCar2, and in particular the combination of oscillators and filters just
sound amazing. It’s something special, it can deliver, particularly if you like
deep, evolving sounds.
u-he – Diva
Price: $207
Web: www.u-he.com
Format: VST,
AU
The
design is pretty straightforward, much like the original hardware it apes. The
top half of the interface carries the synth modules: oscillators section,
high-pass filter, main filter, Envelope 1 and Envelope 2
We can state without reservation that all
of u-he’s synths are excellent, but Diva’s aim of giving you elements of
classic hardware synths in a mix-and-match modular format, with not sonic
compromise, sets it apart from pretty much all other soft synths on the market.
The design is pretty straightforward, much
like the original hardware it apes. The top half of the interface carries the
synth modules: oscillators section, high-pass filter, main filter, Envelope 1
and Envelope 2. There are four oscillator modules, four main filter modules,
three envelope types and three high-pass filters, sourced from eight classic
synths. Although the sources aren’t listed, Minimoogs and Roland Junos are
prime candidates. All this is coupled to a modern master section with two LFOs,
two effects, tuning and glide, and additional modulation (the filters already
include direct access to modulation sources). It’s a pretty heady mix that can
be taxing on your CPU, although there are four quality settings to help cope
with this.
Native Instruments – FM8
Price: $230
Web: www.native-insruments.com
Format: VST,
AU, RTAS, AAX, standalone
The
latest version of NI’s DX7 emulation, FM8 is very much an elder statesman of
the soft synth world
The latest version of NI’s DX7 emulation,
FM8 is very much an elder statesman of the soft synth world. However, it
certainly shouldn’t be overlooked, as it takes Yamaha’s original FM concept
six-operator sine wave system with 32 potential waveform types, and in the
process massively expands its sonic palette.
For hardened programmers FM8 includes
excellent operator-level programming via its Expert page, but where it really
shines is in its ability to diffuse the complexities of FM via its Easy Editor,
and in its additional creative features such as the Arpeggiator, Effects Rack
and Morph Square. This last option moves between the four timbral extremes of
the patch and can be automated for expressive control, or you can randomize its
position to create new sounds.
Alternatively you have freely adjustable
envelopes with up to 32 stages, and matrix-based modulation for real-time
parameter manipulation. And if that all sounds a bit daunting, the 1200 or so
presets are of excellent quality.
