I set out a year ago to find a software synthesizer. Not just another addition to my collection, but the One Synth that was versatile enough to fill all my needs, and warrant the time to truly learn it inside and out. I wanted the kind of long-term semi-monogamous relationship I once had with hardware synths.
It's been a long process, during which time I've demoed just about every synth ever mentioned on KVR. That, my friends, is a long list.
Some were eliminated because they were too "VA" - I may be an old fart, but I'm not stuck in the 1970's. Some were just too obtuse or too cute in the way they're meant to be programmed, or had dreadful UIs. Some were very proud of their ability to create a "supersaw" but apparently little else. Some had sophisticated arpeggiators that were like mini-sequencers, but I hate arps - no matter how clever at the end of the day they're just computer-generated notes. Some of the synths were too hungry for my aged computer and had to be passed over. Some pretty good ones were not being actively developed anymore, so they got scratched lest I be stuck with an orphan.
One by one, they all got crossed off the list. In the end only two remained: Synthmaster and Zebra. Both satisfied every criterion. In the end, Zebra won out. Deciding factors were its CPU-efficiency and ease of programming. Another factor is version 3 currently under development, which, although an entirely new product, will only be a $39 upgrade for Zebra owners.
With the addition of Zebra, along with Omnisphere and Kontakt, I feel I've completed the golden triangle. I can't imagine much ground that I can't cover now.
OK, that OTS Rick is still on the wish list, but that's icing. Kontakt will always be a money-hole.