With the advent of technology music production has also changed rapidly. Gone are the days of very expensive hardware synthesizers. Now you can compose the next Billboard Top 40 hit in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) by using synth audio plugins that come in various formats with VST, AU & AAX being the most popular and widely used. However, finding the best Synth VST plugins is not quite easy.
These modern-day plugins are a digital recreation of hardware synths of the bygone era. There are thousands of free synths as well as premium synth plugins that are available on the internet. If you want to recreate almost any sound in the world then our list of the best synth VST plugins will definitely help. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.
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5+ Best Synth VST Plugins 2024
1) Spire
If you want the perfect blend of both worlds, that is the power of digital software and hardware analogue synthesizers combined, then Spire should definitely be on your radar.
For starters, Spire offers 900 factory presets, inbuilt FX processor, arpeggiator, 4 versatile oscillators with 9 unison voices on each oscillator, 3 filters, and a streamlined modulation architecture.
With Spire at the helm you can fine tune intricate details of your sounds and create phantasmic synth sounds.
2) Kilohearts Phase Plant
Developed for both music producers and sound engineers, Phase Plant is a semi-modular synth that can create amazing patches in no time.
Phase Plant is known for its smooth workflow and comes with 4 signal generators namely: Analog, Sample, Wavetable and Noise. You can route these generators freely with each other and add an output module to send the sounds to a sideband, master or effects lane.
What’s more, PhasePlant is snapin compatible, offers macro control and allows frequency modulation between all kinds of signal generation.
All in all, Phase Plant is one of the best synth VST plugins that offers unmatched flexibility in crafting unique sounds.
3) Arturia Prophet 5 V
Touted by many as the first totally programmable synthesizer on the market, Arturia’s Prophet 5 V is a polysynth that offers sublime digital recreation of the legendary Prophet V and Prophet VI machines into one synth plugin.
The Prophet 5 V comes with over 4000 presets, 5 Envelopes, 3 LFO’s, and polyphony up to 32 voices with the unison.
However, the Prophet 5 V is known for its impressive line of chorus and stereo delay effects that are industry grade offerings at a super affordable price point.
4) u-He Diva
The numero uno choice for Techno music producers, u-He’s Diva captures the true spirit of various analog synthesizers of yore.
For starters, Diva emulates some of the greatest monophonic and polyphonic synths of the last 5 decades and features 2 LFO’s, 5 Filters, arpeggiator and 5 oscillators that are modelled on classic synth hardware.
What’s more, Diva comprises over 1200 presets, 3 ADSR envelope models and a swanky resizable Graphical User Interface. All together, Diva is worth the money if you want a touch of analogue character in your audio production.
5) Native Instruments Massive X
Rounding up our list of the best synth VST plugins is Massive X, a flagship synth by Native Instruments with cutting edge design ethos.
Known for its warm eclectic sounds, switchable skins and ease of use, several top tier producers such as Dubstep icon Skrillex have used this plugin in their chart toppers.
Massive X comes with 2 oscillators comprising over 170 wavetables. Not to mention, tons of filters and effects that can sculpt and shape your sounds as per taste.
What’s more, Massive X also includes 2 wavetable Oscillators, Voice Page, Envelopes & LFOs, Tracker, Performer/Remote Octave and more.