There has been a little mention of samplers doing analog type sounds. Firstly this is not the domain only of analog hardware synths at all. Both Kurzweil and EMU samplers feature amazing analog patches. And there is a serious amount of editing, movement and expression that can be put into them too. Kurzweil can add VAST and a host of other things to an analog patch. The pitch waveforms transpose very well. If they were used in a piece of electronic music alongside other synths there is no way in the world you would be able to identify them.

I am working with a nice hardware synth right now and that is the Roland JD800. It is laid out controls wise like a full blown analog synth but all the oscillators and waveforms are digital representations of all the classic analog waveforms (and much more of course). This includes pulse width waves too. I have owned many real Roland analog synths and this must one of the best sounding instruments I have ever heard form the Roland line. It is so fat and amazing I cannot believe it yet it is a fully digital device. It can emulate massive analog polyphonic sounding devices with up to 4 oscillators per key. But of course it can go into very complex icy sounding digital soundscapes too at the drop of a hat. It has got a lovely effects processor too. 

Dave have you had any thoughts about expanding your Kurzweil. You do still have it don't you? Hey if you do, turn it on and play it for while and revel in how good it actually sounds. I have fallen for mine again recently! I will copy all my Kurzweil CD ROMS and send them to you if that is any enticement. It will get you started! All you have to do is get yourself a CDROM drive on that machine of yours. Some sample memory and an internal drive so you can store sounds and recall them very fast while working on projects. 

Jeff, you're right...the Kurzweil has been sitting idle for too long, displaced by more recent computer-based acquisitions. It's about time I dusted it off and got re-acquainted. It was my workhorse for many years and still holds a lot of tonal goodies for which I have no software equivalents.

And speaking of sampler/synth hybrids, I've also made a conscious decision to dig deeper into Omnisphere. Last night I spent a few hours creating fresh patches with it and exploring some of its more arcane features. But dagnabit, I still struggle to find ways to squeeze Omnisphere into my productions - it sounds so beautiful on its own but really doesn't like to play well with others!

Meanwhile, I'm downloading synth demos like a desperate speed-dater. Diva ate my CPU and then smugly issued an unlady-like belch. Tassman held my interest for awhile, showing itself to be a very deep and versatile instrument. (Still making up my mind about that one. It hasn't seen a major update since 2004.) Synthmaster didn't work right, so I scratched that one. Helix sounded great but may have been abandoned by its developer.

Next up: Chromophone. Not a general-purpose synth, I know, but the audio demos feature a lot of sounds that I can picture using. Anyway, you can't have too many ways to make a bongo!

Zo

Bit in diva put the accuracy mode to drift not high !!

lol about the bongo !!

If you want a wrokhorse get the new expander from roland based on the Jupiter and all srx expansions !!


integra 7

http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=integra-7

if your mobility isn't an issue ...

Bitflipper:  Zo has a good point here.  There is an "accuracy" setting near the bottom center of DIVA.  Within it there are four settings: draft, fast, great and divine.  These range from total CPU hog (Divine) to light load (draft).  I played with them last night and found that on fast and great the sound was still very good, but it was not CPU demanding.  You should at least try it on the  "fast" and the "great" and even on the "draft" to see if you machine can handle it.

One other suggestion that might have already been suggested earlier in this thread I don't remember but have you looked at the Arturia's V collection recently (http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/minimoogv/intro.html)?  I just got a email from audiodeluxe for the Arturia V-Collection with it on sale for $279.  http://audiodeluxe.com/products/arturia-v-collection-3  I remembered that earlier this year Arturia gave away a minimoog for free for one day.  Their minimoog was very respectible, and for some patches I liked it more than Minimonsta.  "The V-Collection 3 contains the highly awarded Mini V, Moog Modular V, CS-80V, ARP2600 V, Prophet V, the Prophet VS, the Jupiter 8-V, Analog Laboratory, SEM V, Wurlitzer, and Vintage Drum Machines."  I was impressed enough with their freebie to make a note of this collection.  Again, it might have already been discussed, and you might already have these, but they look respectable and the freebie they gave away that one day sounds great.   Here is Arturia's page on the V Collection: http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/v-collection/intro.html .


Anyway, take another look at DIVA in "fast" or "great" or even "draft" accuracy modes.  Your computer might well work with her shen she isn't in here "divine" mode or "mood".

bitflipper



This whole synth-shopping exercise has already paid off in unexpected inspiration, and I haven't spent a cent!

Yeah, it's great when that happens - I think there are many who don't even really use what they already have. I'm as guilty as anyone - usually taking a preset, tweaking it slighty and that's it, when there are so many more creative possibilities. As you say, it's amazing how you can make something very ordinary sound so much better by just layering something else behind it.

Bitflipper, two of my favorite non-EDM oriented synths are U-he's A.C.E.  and Fabfilter's Twin 2.


A.C.E. is astoundingly inexpensive and you get an incredible sound.  The CPU hit is higher than average, but it's not as hungry as DIVA.  There are a number of great possibilities for sound design, and it has a great old-style analog sound.

Fabfilter's Twin 2 is perhaps my favorite synth to use.  You can modulate pretty much anything you want with virtually any modulator or control or envelope you want.  In particular, with every patch, you only see the controls for that particular patch.  No extra ones are visible so it's really easy to use.  The factory bank certainly has a decent set of EDM patches, but there are also a lot of more classic synth sounds.  Look for Daniel Mauer's presets (DM) in the factory set.  They have a great classic sound, and he uses Twin 2 like no one else!  He uses lots of crazy modulation options. 

Twin 2 has only a delay so you'll have to put some effects in your signal chain if you want them.

bitflipper

Meanwhile, I'm downloading synth demos like a desperate speed-dater. Diva ate my CPU and then smugly issued an unlady-like belch.

What was said regarding the quality settings is absolutely true.  You'd have to have a pretty ancient POS for DIVA to swamp your CPU at the lowest setting.  Yes, you can hear a difference between Draft and the second from the top setting (don't recall it's name), but I could hear no difference between the top two.
 
As long as you're in synth-audition mode, don't overlook u-he's other masterpiece, Zebra 2.  That one is on a lot of folk's top five list, including my own.

I feel your pain Bitflipper, if I hear another synth demo or programming tutorial of an incredibly complex synth engine, and then demonstrating how to do "wobble" sounds I'm going to scream.

Well, if I was after "man points" then the synth for me would have to be FabFilter's Twin 2. The depth of that synth is scary. The only thing I see that's missing is the ability to import samples as an alternative to standard oscillator waveshapes.

It may indeed by a "rediculous" premise. Of course, any synth is capable of broader applications than its online demos and factory presets might suggest. However, features and ergonomics will be skewed toward a particular market segment. Recreate Tomita's "Snowflakes are Dancing" with any of the synths featured in KVR's one-synth-challenge series and I'll consider that proof I'm wrong.

For me Chromaphone was one of those instruments whose demo sounded way better than actually trying to work with the thing.  I'm sure you can get very good sound from it.  But it sure sounds tinky up close and personal. 

Agree about "Snowflakes..."  what an accomplishment.  And to think of when it was done and what Tomita had to work with.  Just flabbergasting.  I still have my t-shirt that came with my album.  It, of course, doesn't come close to fitting me now tho;-)

I got Komplete 8 when I got Sonar X1 and I kinda agree that the synths on the surface seem more geared toward techno stuff.  I've had to dig really deep into FM8, Reaktor, etc to get some normalish sounds out of them.

I recently got Omnisphere since so many here keep mentioning it.  So far it has been the best synth to play with and the sounds are so great.  purtting the sounds into the mix seems key, burying the sounds or layering things on top really helps.

I recently bought Alchemy.  1st day I wasn't impressed with the sound patches, but using Alchemy and playing with all the settings really changed things up.  it's a tweaker toy less a patch player, though it does that well too.  really have to turn the knobs and play to it going.  which is fun but so far not my go to synth.

I got Rapture and Zeta 2 and Dimension Pro which have some use but so far they are okay.

So far Omnisphere has just been fun to play with and the sounds are so well done, layering and playing really makes some interesting sounds.  I haven't gotten bored playing with Omni, just jam for hours playing and tweaking. 

after reading all the posts I don't really se what your hunting exactly for.  you have some of the best toys on the block.  what are you trying to hunt down that your not finding?