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What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
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Most powerful iOS Synth
Since it's always fun to talk about synths, like in the other thread that already cost me money, let's hear about the most powerful iOS synths in your respective opinions. Sonic spectrums, modulation options, feature sets, etc. etc. Doesn't need to be your favourite, just what is the synth in your collection that stands out in terms of possibilities?
I'll start with:
Thor
Comments
I remember once Bebot hit a high C and all my crystal throughout my home shattered. It was costly replacing everything but oh what fun!
I can only imagine
Model 15 IMO. It's not as feature-packed as Audulus et al but everything that's there is useful and it never ceases to make me smile. And the sound is POTENT, even without a dedicated audio interface.
Was number 2 on my list of power. It's crazy, but it's just substractive synthesis and it's not the model 55...
VirSyn Tera for me. It's missing some digital spice but I love the architecture even if The user interface with a lot of scrolling doesn't drive me crazy
Probably FabFilter Twin 2, closely followed by Model 15. Model 15 has an extra oscilator and an independent noise generator, but Twin has far more poweful routing and modulation, infinite EGs, LFOs etc.
Isn't Twin also just an analogue emulation? Thor has every kind of oscillator you can think of...
Animoog. Go nuts with the modulation for more power. You just can't replicate that tone/textures anywhere else. But it does reward experimentation. And that low end....mmm mmm good.
I have not enough sound synthesis ´s knowledges (lfo,filter,kind of synthesis) and theory but Thor look at first sight very powerful and Tera Too (but they sound digital and metallics,I don't have the words). But does Power means Good sounding ? Nothing sounds like the model 15 to my ears .Maybe it's subjective.Layr looks like a beast too in term of sound .Nave and sunrizer too.
I should read again this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer
It would like to rank all ios synths by their type of synthesis to better understand what you mean by powerful (help is needed lol).
In theory1 Audulus, in practice... well make a really nice sounding patch in Model 15 and then try recreating it in Audulus... exactly2
http://wiki.c2.com/?DifferenceBetweenTheoryAndPractice ;↩︎
http://forum.audulus.com/discussion/1275/patch-bounty-creating-a-fat-analog-modelling-filter ;↩︎
Animoog has only 4 voice poly, and is basically a rompler, that means you rely on the timbre content. It can achieve very unique morphing sounds, but it is very limited in traditional synthesis.
Of course it is subjective, and Thor isn't my favorite synth. It is just the synth i think has the most possibilities, the biggest sonic spectrum :-)
Model 15 is an obvious choice because of the modular nature. But on second look, i don't think it's that powerful. Most of the connections you need on the model 15 are hardwired in other synths, or available via the modulation matrix like in Thor or Nave.
The original Model 15 isn't a "big" modular either. It sounds awesome of course, but is the sonic range really that big? I don't think so...
Yeah but it sounds really really good.
Not the point lol
I guess when I think of powerful, synth wise, I think "degree of sounding good", rather than how many options it has. Layr comes to mind though. Even though its not my thing, and despite its limitations, having that much control over that many voices strikes me as a powerful thing.
Sounding "good" is subjective. This thread is about capabilties...
Yes indeed, but Thor has only three oscilators for you to use at same time, with a hardwired limited mixer (1+2) plus 3. Twin has more filter options, and a "anything to anywhere" routing that is far far far more flexible and advanced - akin to its closer equivalent in the Desktop, NI Massive. Couple this with unlimited EGs, unlimited LFOs with almost unlimited modulation patterns, unlimited XY pads that can be routing to anywhere multiple times. Objectively, Thor doesn't even come close.
Obviously, if take non-synthesis extras into acount (step sequencers, FX, arps etc), Thor is more of a competition, but then again, the crown would go to the likes of Magellan (dual synth, great sequencer, a lot of FX) or Korg apps such as iMS or iPolisix which, while limited in synthesis capabilities, have a vast array of FXs, step sequencers, drum machines and the ability of loading, sequencing,and mixing together six independent patches.
Aside from some already mentioned, for possibilities look at CrystalSynth XT, Z3ta+, (both have modmatrix for days, Crystal has envelopes to die for) zMors Modular, Mitosynth.
Moebius is an interesting display of "power" (lfo for everything, 200 of them, also a modular style routing that allows feed back loops for interchangeable and reroutable inapp- and outboard- fx...that also can lfo'ed)
Animoog is hardly a rompler...Nexus vst is a rompler.
iVCS3 with the additional capabilities IAP
+1
Unstoppable Juggernaut
Been having so much fun with Mood... and this is a sacred/precious AUV3... sigh, any day now I suppose...
Again i say Mitosynth because it´s the ONLY synth i have no counterpart on my notebook.
I totally disagree here!
I see it, truly crazy synth. The concept translates much better to the touchscreen than the Model 15 imo.
But if i judge the routing options, midi, sound quality, audio rate modulations etc. etc. Model 15 is the king!
Thors oscillators are so different from one another, that you wish it had more oscillator slots. Never had that feeling on analogue emulations, three seemed always enough for me.
The "noise" oscillator is also crazy.
I don't think the iVCS3 trails the Model 15 in sound quality at all...
At the end this thread will count just "our" favorite tools.
And since every synth has pro and contra the question can´t be answered really.
Maybe the question should ask what synth is the best for a specific sound.
What i like about Thor is that is has a rare feature in the iOS synth world. You can modulate FX.
The Moog apps has that wonderful 4 multitimbral voices (MPE).
Mitosynth has the best vector synthesis engine i heard of and the tube resonance is brilliant!
I also find Eden very powerful since you can use samples too and that makes it of course very versatile to create unique sounds.
Some of the Virsyn apps are unique in iOS too with the MSEG´s and tones and textures they can produce.
Is there anything groundbreaking? Not yet......
However, there are a lot great tools for sure for iOS these days.