Best EMS VCS3 / Synthi plugin

[coolazice]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to chase particular synth tones, especially the ones used extensively by Brian Eno on his EMS Synthi AKS. So I'm in the market for a VCS3 or Synthi recreation. Looks like these are the options, from cheapest to most expensive:

XILS 3 LE 34€
Arturia Synthi V $149
XILS 3 149€
XILS 4 179€
EMS Synthi AVS 350€

In addition there are these alternative options:

Apesoft iVCS3 (iOS app) $15
Soniccouture The Attic 2 $199 (Synthi AKS samples, rather than synth modelling)

I'm looking for great sound and playability - by all accounts the Synthi felt like a real live instrument with a very unique tone, so that's what I want too. I'm not a huge synth-head and so don't typically spend hours and hours twiddling knobs, but I could see myself becoming like that if I loved the sound I was making.

Has anyone tried all or most of the above products and is willing to say which is superior? I'm particularly interested in the opinions of anyone who has played the real thing. Thanks!

[steveyt]

Hi there. I’ve never been in the vicinity of a real one, although I’d certainly like to. To me, it should feel like an insane wild beast straining at the leash (or let off the leash).

The Arturia leaves me cold. I also have the XILS which I find to be ‘ok’.

My favourite is the iVCS3. It feels alive and well, fun actually. Also there are plenty of preset packs, free and cheap in app purchases.

Every nun needs a synthi.

[Tj Shredder]

The Rehberg vst is from 2004, if you are after the original hardware Mr. Rehberg would be THE authority, but don’t even think about that vst, it would most likely time travel your Windows 10 back to Windows 98, zdf filters had not been invented back then...
Xils or Arturia, I can only compare the little SE and the Arturia, and there the Arturia would win. But if you are after those old sounds, I’d think about the whole collection, more bang for the buck, but more bucks... If its on sale, you could get a huge vintage collection for a price between the single and the Rehberg 2004 version...

[vurt]

i use the one in reaktor, beats the crap outta xils and arturia.

[JerGoertz]

i use the one in reaktor, beats the crap outta xils and arturia.

This one?

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... show/4153/

[vurt]

i use the one in reaktor, beats the crap outta xils and arturia.

This one?

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... show/4153/

yup, oldie but damn goodie!

[AnX]

updated 14 years ago, prob sounds just like the real thing

[vurt]

updated 14 years ago, prob sounds just like the real thing

tbf, none of them sound like the real one

[lnikj]

The iVCS3 is my favourite too. I cannot compare any of them to something I've never heard or handled in person though

[wwjd]

probably doesn't compare, but free to try

https://plugins4free.com/plugin/789/

[functionform]

Cynthia does come really close. For out of the box sound, I remember it sounding the best to me. I'm sure there's a way to dirty up the others to make it sound closer, but I think its On the Run sequence patch was really close to the track.

[Teezdalien]

None of the plug-ins get anywhere near the real thing.

[fmr]

None of the plug-ins get anywhere near the real thing.

WHICH real thing? This thing is (was?) so temperamental that YOUR real thing would not bring you anywhere near MY real thing.

[thecontrolcentre]

Electrocomp EML-200 and LeSynthe V6 are a couple of nice MAX MSP Synthi's ... no idea if they sound like the hardware.

[thecontrolcentre]

probably doesn't compare, but free to try
https://myvst.com/vst-instruments/arpeg ... -freeware/

D/L link is dead

I like XILS3 LE ...