Hello everyone
I’m interrested in your thoughts regarding modern analog synths vs va and vst synths.
Are analog synths realy requiered today with all the modern options of va and vsts?
Are there realy benefits in sound quality?
I’m asking because every now and then when i’m buying something new. I always intendend to buy something annalog, but i end up buing something digital. Mostly i guess because of the versitility and ease of integration with the rest of my setup. It’s kind of ironic because i got a small eurorack system that was intended to remedy an analog ”need”, but i ended up with digital voices such as an waldorf NW-1 and a MI Plaits going thru my Roland System 1m.
For some perspective my setup consists of the following:
Roland MX-1 mixer
Roland TB-3
Roland System 1m
Roland TR-8
Roland VT-4
Kurzweil PC3LE
Casio VZ1
Zoom AR-96
NI Maschine plus
Toraiz Squid
Jomox MBase 01
My small eurorack with Waldorf NW1 and MI Plaits as the voices going thru the Roland System 1m with some additional modules.
Regarding vst i’m only using the computer for orcestral and vocal libraries and some retro vsts such as Novation V-Station and Dexed.
So basicaly it’s all digital, except for the Jomox witch is also processed thru analog distorsion.
I love my setup and it can basically do anything i want. But the lust and GAS for something analog is always precent…
Is there realy any benefits of adding real analog to all this, or is it just GAS and chasing ghosts?
Do analog watches deliver better time? Nope. Is it status signalling? Most often. Unless it’s a gift from your elders whom lived in analog times.
Anyway, there are numerous DACs along the way in any modern setup.
The purchase decision should only be a matter of you liking the sound. Unless you’d like to boast your setup in Youtube vids, then it should definitely be analog. Unless you’re going eurorack then it’s expensive either way and suddenly it doesn’t matter so much.
It depends, modelling can do just about anything soundwise, but there is more to it than that, stuff like ACB where the circuit behaviour is modelled can sound quite authentic, but the user experience and interface can be different. Then some modelling can do very convincing emulation of certain aspects but not others, chaos seems to be an area yet to be perfected, like when an analog filter is being pushed into distortion with multiple modulation sources etc.
In a mix, analog vs VST will probably not matter much, if at all.
If you get some of your musical inspiration from the soundscape, analog can make a huge difference to your songwriting.
In sound design, analog synths are sometimes more limited than VSTs. This can nevertheless be an advantage in terms of finding sweet spots, not to forget the intuitiveness of hardware when it comes to hands-on sound design.
I would only add something analog if its filling a particular gap in your setup. It doesn’t seem like that’s the case though, so maybe you are just feeling GAS striking. These days the biggest difference between analog and digital is that you know it’s analog. Literally no one else in the world cares what your music was made on.
I’d say if there’s an analog synth you’re interested in, you should at least try it out.
My first analog synth was a prophet Rev2, which is nothing special as far as analog synths go. But, without MSEGs and 18LFOs at my disposal, I did have to change my approach to sound design and I think that made me a better musician. Today, I’m comfortable dropping a pretty simple sound into my songs as long as it’s the right sound, and I wasn’t OK with that before.
But if you’re not interested, and you don’t think it will serve your music, then leave it alone.
From a sonic perspective, I don’t think “true” analog has any real advantages beyond the mojo that specific devices have due to aged components: vintage 303s and MS20s will sound different from new clones made from modern parts, but subtly so.
For me the real value of analog isn’t the sound as much as the controls. If I’m doing east coast stuff on the Virus, I rarely notice the steppiness of the 7-but digital controls, the smoothing works well. But if I’m programming the OPSIX or another FM machine it is impossible to avoid the impact of even the fine tune controls because the response of a FM patch can be very nonlinear.
That said, I gave up building a DX7 voice long ago. $300 for an OPSIX vs possibly $30k for a monophonic euro DX7 makes the choice easy. I’m satisfied with an OPSIX.
The Lyra-8 turns that upside down. It isn’t FM exactly, but can be highly nonlinear. For about $800, I get most of what I’d want from an analog DX voice.
My overall recommendation is not to chase features but to chase sound and workflow. If a synth’s sound appeals to you, consider getting one. If it offers unique workflow it also could be worth trying since the workflow may reveal new sonic opportunities to you.
Rare exceptions: you will probably prefer an analog 303 clone or an analog Minimoog clone to anything digital, but the digital version is usually good enough in a mix full of other gear.
… also has way more modulation options than almost any other analog synth currently available, and all of that for a comparatively cheap price.
Short answer from me skin to @darenager: I don’t play hardware for the sound but for having knobs and sliders in a streamlined box with a clear concept behind it. Analogs are also attractive because of subtractive synthesis, which is easier to grasp than other forms of more complex digital synthesis. Of course you could buy yourself a synthesizer like MIDI controller for your DAW VA plugins, but it will most likely still lead you down a slightly different path than having the instrument in front of you.
“Analog” definitely became a buzz word around a decade ago.
The differences can be subtle, like comparing an analog preset to a vst preset, with no parameter manipulation.
The differences can be massive, like having to by a new computer and the vst is no longer supported while a 1970’s analog synth still plays fine.
To me the major differences are in tactile feel, and the way the sound “feels” at larger volumes.
Some time I will see/hear a modular patch demonstrating some niche filter and think to myself, a computer could never sound like that.
If you can’t tell a difference it definitely wont matter much.
If you can, I’d say that’s enough to make it worth it.
How I feel about these tiny things is reflected in the music, my mood gets transferred.
To me there is no va/vst replacement for my SlimPhatty.
I’ve tried to replace it with a variety of synths, and there’s just something special about it’s classic sweet spot vibe.
It doesn’t matter to me one bit if an audience couldn’t tell a difference, I certainly can based on the things I mentioned above.
That’s not analog, that’s just the controls. Modal produces seemingly nice synths which are all VA.
I don’t think analog’s bad, I’ve got a few analog synths (Sub-37, Rev2, Analog4…) but I’ve got them because they sound a bit different than the emulations (Monark, Repro-5…) that sound well too. And the controls too, yeah.
Thanks for all your replies!
As far as true analog goes my GAS is leading me to a Matrixbrute, a Moog Grandmother/Matriarck or something simple as a Behringer Model D/Poly D/Monopoly or a Korg MS20 mini…
Other options are a used Analog 4 (mk1 or 2) or a Roland Jd-Xa.
You hit the mark as the hands on controls is a big benefit, and that would lead to a sonic exploration different from some vsts and va synths.
As far as ”just trying them out” it’s a hard option, as they are not in stock at my lockal dealer. And the option is buy first and try later…
Watch used prices. Buy when the synth you are interested in is cheap so that you stand a good chance of selling for what you paid or a little more if you aren’t in love with it.
Computers will eventually win this in terms of both flexibility and sound but…
After using vsts for decades, I finally got an OB6 this year in my move to lose anything computer. At first I was a bit disappointed as I realised that all the demos I loved sounded the same and thought that it just did one sound rather than Massive which I could make do lots of things. Then I started live turning knobs and making it do all sorts and it’s the most beautiful organic feeling thing and surprisingly flexible. The best things are (which isn’t really to do with the analog part):
It’s switch on and play without any fuss
It’s got so many wonderful knobs and buttons but you don’t get lost in controls and options
It feels like an organic instrument rather than a computer
It’s slightly unpredictable and limited which is great fun
I’m sure virtual analog is just as good and that vsts will keep getting so good that they beat the sound of anything. But having this big limited box without a screen that sounds beautiful has been lovely. I wish I had another one so I could do multitimbral but that’d be silly and I have no room.
On the analog sound, I’ve never had another expensive synth so don’t know and analog vs digital sounds like audiophile nonsense but it sounds incredible without much work and better than any vst sound I managed.
I remember when these topics would get very heated and ugly.
Looks like there’s only one post here adding slights to those using analog synths. I hope that’s all.
I mostly would hope it wouldn’t matter so much in 2023.
East Coast synthesis in analog has been modeled to death and some of the plug-ins sound impressive even if someone else can argue about authenticity forever.
So, nothing is essential. Use what sounds good or compliments your workflow.
Yeah, I should clarify that - the architecture is nothing special. 2 oscs into a filter, with some envelopes and LFOs to move stuff. Very standard stuff as far as a synth is concerned, I have 3-4 free VSTs that do that. The Rev2 is very nice instrument for sure. My point was take the standard synth out of a DAW where you can layer on as much FX as you want immediately and sequence it to your heart’s content, and you suddenly do have to treat the synth differently to still get good results.
