The Best Synth Plugins of All Time (In My Opinion)
When it comes to virtual synths, the market is packed with endless options, each with its own strengths, features, and fan base. As a producer who makes beats every day, I’ve had my fair share of time experimenting with a ton of VST synths, searching for that perfect blend of inspiration, versatility, and sound quality. Whether you’re crafting tracks for electronic music, hip hop, or cinematic soundscapes, finding the right synth is essential. With so many choices out there, it's easy to get lost in the sea of options, but after years of trial and error, I’ve found the ones that I keep coming back to for those warm, punchy, and unique synthy sounds. Now, I get it—everyone has their go-to tools, and I know some of my picks here might be a bit controversial for certain producers. That’s totally fine! We all have our own workflow, preferences, and sound goals. But when I need to pull up a synth quickly and get straight into creating, these are the instruments I lean on the most. They fit my process, inspire creativity, and keep me in the zone. So while you may have your own opinions (and I encourage you to!), these are my personal top VST synths that I use regularly in my production sessions.
The Best VST Synths of All Time (In My Opinion)
Analog Lab Pro | Arturia
What It Does
Analog Lab Pro is essentially a synth enthusiast’s dream, packing the sounds of Arturia’s most iconic analog synth emulations into one cohesive and easy-to-use plugin. Imagine having access to a treasure trove of analog synths—from the legendary Mini V (a virtual Minimoog) to the lush tones of the Jup-8 V (a Jupiter-8 emulation)—all in one place. Whether you're after deep, throbbing basses, silky pads, or glassy leads, Analog Lab has you covered. And the best part? You don’t need to be a sound design wizard to dive in. The focus here is on simplicity and speed, allowing you to get professional-grade sounds in seconds, perfect for fast-paced productions.
Beyond the sheer variety, what makes Analog Lab truly special is how it integrates multiple synth engines. It doesn’t limit you to just one kind of synthesis—it's a rich combination of analog modeling, FM synthesis, and more. The plugin's real power lies in its ability to pull sounds from Arturia's V Collection, a comprehensive set of synths that have been meticulously modeled after their real-world counterparts. This gives you authentic, warm analog tones with the convenience of digital tweaking, all in a super-slick interface.
Presets
With over 6,000 presets ready to go, Analog Lab serves up a massive palette of sounds organized by instrument type—basses, leads, pads, arpeggios, and more. You’ll find presets inspired by classic analog synths as well as modern sounds for genres like trap, techno, and EDM. The presets are designed to be flexible and immediately usable, giving you everything from lush pads to gritty, aggressive leads. For producers who like to get experimental, there's also a strong third-party preset ecosystem, allowing you to expand your library with sounds from some of the best sound designers in the game.
Why It Stands Out
Analog Lab stands out because of its sheer accessibility and versatility. You don’t need to spend hours tweaking parameters to get that perfect sound—the user-friendly interface makes it a breeze to audition and select sounds in seconds. But if you want to dig deeper, you can. The real star of the show is how it lets you combine sounds from multiple vintage synths, giving you an incredible hybrid of analog warmth and modern flexibility. Whether you're layering a Minimoog bass with a Jup-8 pad or tweaking classic sounds with modern effects, Analog Lab makes the process smooth and fun.
Another standout feature is its integration with Arturia’s hardware. If you have one of their KeyLab controllers, you’ll enjoy a seamless hands-on experience where you can tweak parameters in real time, making it perfect for both studio production and live performances. It’s like having a studio full of classic synths but in a portable, digital format that takes up zero space.
Final Thoughts
Analog Lab is a perfect choice for anyone looking for vintage synth sounds without getting lost in the weeds of sound design. Whether you're producing music for EDM, film scores, or even ambient projects, Analog Lab’s wide range of sounds and easy-to-navigate interface make it an essential tool. And for those who want to dive even deeper into the world of analog synths, upgrading to the full V Collection gives you access to the full synth engines, unlocking endless creative possibilities.
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Omnisphere 2 | Spectrasonics
What It Does
Omnisphere is not just a synth—it’s a sound design powerhouse that blends synthesis and sampling in a way that no other plugin does. It's been used by some of the world’s top producers and composers, making it a staple in cinematic scores, electronic music, and pretty much any genre you can imagine. The core of Omnisphere lies in its hybrid sound engine, which allows you to layer up to four sounds from its synthesis engine and sample-based layers to create textures that are as simple or as complex as you need. This means you can create anything from lush, evolving pads to gritty basslines or even highly intricate soundscapes, all within a single patch.
One of Omnisphere’s standout features is its vast library of sound sources. With over 14,000 sounds and thousands of unique sample sources, it offers an incredible variety of sonic material, ranging from traditional instruments to weird, experimental textures. Whether you're working on a Hollywood blockbuster or a dark techno track, Omnisphere delivers every time. The unique sound engine is designed to cater to both synthesis geeks and sample enthusiasts, allowing you to blend waveforms, manipulate granular synthesis, and even import your own audio to shape into entirely new sounds.
Presets
Omnisphere comes loaded with over 14,000 presets, making it one of the most extensive synths on the market. You’ll find everything from classic analog-style sounds to modern digital tones, as well as plenty of sound design tools for creating atmospheric soundscapes. Many of these presets have become iconic, having been used in some of the most famous songs and film scores over the past decade. Additionally, third-party sound designers have embraced Omnisphere, meaning you can find preset packs for pretty much every genre, from hip hop to ambient to cinematic.
Why It Stands Out
Omnisphere stands out because of its incredible versatility and depth. The ability to layer multiple sounds, combine synthesis with sample-based sounds, and its powerful granular synthesis engine means it can do just about anything. The modulation system is equally impressive, giving you the power to control practically any parameter with envelopes, LFOs, and even custom modulation shapes. The sheer variety of sounds and sound-shaping tools makes it ideal for any producer who loves experimenting and pushing sonic boundaries.
Another key feature is its sound design flexibility. Omnisphere is one of the few synths that allows you to import your own audio and manipulate it in ways that feel organic and intuitive. You can drag a simple field recording into Omnisphere and turn it into a rich, evolving soundscape using the granular synthesis engine or manipulate it with the deep FX section, which includes everything from delays, reverbs, and distortions to complex modulation effects.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to create rich, complex soundscapes or build completely unique sounds, Omnisphere is unmatched. It’s perfect for composers, sound designers, and producers who want a single tool that can handle everything from subtle textures to bombastic, larger-than-life sounds. Its versatility and depth make it a sound designer’s dream, offering near-infinite possibilities in a single plugin.
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Serum | Xfer Records
What It Does
Serum is a wavetable synthesizer that has become an industry standard for modern music production. It’s widely known for its high-quality, clean sound engine and an incredibly intuitive, visual interface. Serum makes wavetable synthesis approachable, letting you see and manipulate waveforms in real-time, which makes it a hit for both beginners and advanced producers. While it’s most famous in the EDM world, Serum has found its way into every genre, from pop to lo-fi hip hop, because of its incredible versatility.
Serum’s real strength is in how it lets you design sounds from scratch or tweak the countless wavetables available. The ability to import custom wavetables means you're never limited by the presets provided. You can shape and morph sounds with incredible precision, making Serum the go-to synth for producers who want to push the boundaries of modern sound design. From punchy, aggressive leads to soft, ambient pads, Serum delivers a wide range of sonic possibilities.
Presets
Serum comes with a rich library of presets, but where it really shines is in its community-driven expansion. Thousands of community-made presets are available online, giving you an ever-expanding library of sounds to experiment with. Whether you’re producing EDM, trap, or lo-fi beats, there’s a preset pack out there that will match your style. The built-in presets are designed to showcase the synth’s power, but with third-party sound packs, you can easily customize Serum to fit any genre.
Why It Stands Out
What makes Serum stand out is its visual approach to sound design. You can see your wavetables and effects in real-time, making it much easier to understand how each tweak shapes your sound. It’s perfect for producers who want a more hands-on, intuitive workflow. The real-time waveform manipulation is a game-changer, and the drag-and-drop modulation system makes creating complex sounds surprisingly easy. Serum’s clean sound engine also ensures that the sounds you create are punchy, bright, and professional-grade, even without much tweaking.
Serum’s unique ability to import and create custom wavetables adds a level of flexibility that few other synths offer. Whether you want to create something completely new or manipulate existing sounds, Serum gives you the tools to do it quickly and efficiently. And despite its depth, Serum remains one of the most approachable wavetable synths out there, making it perfect for both seasoned sound designers and beginners alike.
Final Thoughts
Serum is an absolute must-have for any producer looking to create cutting-edge, modern sounds. Its intuitive interface and powerful sound design tools make it ideal for both high-energy genres like EDM and trap, as well as more mellow, experimental productions. If you want to take your sound design to the next level, Serum should be in your toolkit.
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Arcade | Output
What It Does
Arcade is a loop-based sampler and synth designed to deliver instant inspiration for producers of all levels. While it’s technically more of a sample-manipulation tool, Arcade blurs the lines between sampler and synth, thanks to its ability to play loops chromatically like a keyboard. What makes Arcade stand out is its ability to manipulate loops and samples on the fly, giving you access to an ever-growing library of sound packs from various genres. Whether you're creating beats, soundscapes, or cinematic scores, Arcade makes it easy to create fresh ideas quickly.
While some might hesitate to call it a traditional synth, the flexibility it offers makes it a powerful instrument in its own right. The chromatic playback allows you to transform simple loops into playable melodies, pads, or textures, making it much more than a simple drag-and-drop loop machine. Arcade’s unique approach allows you to explore sounds in a creative, playful way without the usual constraints of traditional synthesis.
Presets
Arcade features thousands of loops and samples across different genres, from trap to cinematic scores. The content is regularly updated, so you always have new sounds to explore. You can even import your own sounds, turning Arcade into a personalized sample library. The built-in manipulation tools allow you to stretch, shift, and modulate sounds in ways that are both simple and inspiring, giving you plenty of creative control.
Why It Stands Out
Arcade’s drag-and-drop workflow is designed for producers who want quick, easy access to sounds without sacrificing creativity. Its regularly updated sound packs keep it fresh, while the ability to manipulate samples in real-time gives you the freedom to craft your sound on the fly. The chromatic playback feature transforms simple loops into playable instruments, making it perfect for those who want to turn loops into something more expressive and melodic. It's a game-changer for those who need fast, reliable results without getting bogged down in technical details.
Arcade’s appeal also lies in its continually evolving content, with new sound packs being released regularly, keeping your inspiration flowing. Whether you need a quick idea starter or want to build complex compositions, Arcade is a tool that grows with you.
Final Thoughts
Arcade goes beyond the bounds of a typical synth or sampler, offering producers a fresh approach to sound creation. Whether you’re looking to quickly throw together loops or manipulate sounds into something totally unique, Arcade is a truly modern instrument. With its regular content updates and user-friendly design, it’s perfect for producers on a tight deadline or anyone seeking instant creativity.
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Diva | u-he
What It Does
Diva is the ultimate analog-style soft synth. Known for its painstakingly accurate emulation of classic analog hardware, it models a wide range of legendary synths, from the fat tones of the Minimoog to the lush pads of the Roland Juno. What makes Diva truly special is its modular design—you can mix and match components from different synth architectures to create custom sounds that blend the best of several classic synths. Its rich, analog-like sound is revered by producers across genres, from ambient to techno, making it a go-to for those seeking that classic warmth in the digital world.
Diva’s ability to replicate analog circuits means that the sounds you produce have the depth, warmth, and character you’d expect from real hardware, without the price tag or space required. From buzzy leads to booming basses, Diva captures the essence of the vintage gear that defined decades of music.
Presets
Diva comes packed with a vast library of presets that cover a wide range of vintage synth sounds. Whether you're looking for thick basslines, soaring leads, or smooth pads, Diva has a preset for it. And with plenty of third-party preset packs available, you can further expand Diva's sound palette to suit any genre. The presets also serve as a great starting point for those who want to dig in and tweak parameters to craft their own unique patches.
Why It Stands Out
Diva is one of the most realistic analog synth emulations available. Its ability to mix and match different modules gives you unparalleled flexibility when crafting sounds, and the authentic warmth and character it delivers are second to none. Producers love Diva for its ability to recreate the fat, juicy tones of classic synths while still allowing for the creativity and flexibility that modern software provides.
Diva’s standout feature is its ability to offer multiple synth architectures in one package. Want the filter from a Minimoog but the oscillators from a Roland Jupiter? No problem. The modular design allows for this level of customization, making it a truly powerful tool for sound designers and producers looking to blend classic and modern tones.
Final Thoughts
For producers who crave the rich, warm sounds of analog synths but need the flexibility of software, Diva is the answer. Its exceptional sound quality and modular flexibility make it one of the best soft synths on the market. Whether you're creating retro-inspired tracks or modern electronic music, Diva’s analog-style synthesis will bring depth and warmth to your productions. It’s a must-have for anyone serious about sound design and synth-heavy music production.
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The Synth to Rule Them All
In the world of music production, it’s easy to think that you need to spend big on synths to make great music, but that’s not necessarily true. There are plenty of free VST synths out there that sound incredible, and many DAWs come with built-in synths that are more than capable of getting the job done. While the VSTs I’ve mentioned are my personal go-tos, you don’t have to break the bank to create high-quality music. What really matters is learning how to use the tools you have to their fullest potential.
That’s why I recommend taking the time to really go deep with an instrument before jumping to the next one. Whether it’s a high-end synth like Serum or something that came with your DAW, mastering it will help you unlock its true potential. These are the synths that inspire me and fit my workflow, but at the end of the day, it’s all about how you use the sounds at your fingertips. The more you know your instruments, the more they’ll help you shape your unique sound.
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