The synth highlights in August 2022

Moog Mavis

The Moog Mavis could not really impress us in the test. It offers the classic, rich and fat Moog sound without question, but it doesn‘t sound quite as classy and expensive as the only slightly more expensive and much better equipped alternatives from our own house like Mother-32 and Minitaur. And the feel and design don‘t pull it out here either, having a plastic case with small pin pots. The Wavefolder is a nice addition, but somehow seems a bit unmotivated.

The large patchbay offers many options, but can only be fully utilized in combination with other �modules, while some interesting connections are missing for purely internal use. For �under 300 Euro, we would have possibly given our blessing as the cheapest Moog for beginners or modular systems; at 400 Euro street price, we’re more inclined to recommend the numerous available alternatives.

www.moogmusic.com | Total: 4/6 | Price: 399 Euro | Hier bei Thomann kaufen

GForce Software SEM

There are countless virtual analog synthesizers that have a similar or even more flexible design than the GForce SEM, and yet it is still something very special. But why? Like its hardware role model, this plug-in is a true „sweet spot“ synth that simply sounds musical and inspiring in almost every setting. At the same time, the instrument superbly captures the lively and powerful sound of the original Oberheim SEM, which is an excellent choice not least of all in genres such as Synth Pop, Synthwave & the like. Wonderfully crisp and warm basses, brilliant pluck and cutting lead sounds, shimmering pads, hypnotic arpeggios: in an astonishingly short time, all these analog standards can be created. And it does so in fantastic audio quality with all the sonic peculiarities that characterize the cult synthesizer. The great-sounding effects, the clever combination of arpeggiator and step sequencer, and the fair price also give plenty of reasons for praise.

www.gforcesoftware.com | Total: 5,5/6 | Price: 59 Euro | Buy now at Thomann

Softube Model 82

In terms of sound, Model 82 is, to our ears, the best virtual replica of the monophonic classic SH-101 so far. We would have liked to see a few additions such as a second envelope or polyphony, but Model 82 nevertheless became our favorite monosynth for basses and leads during the test due to its very organic sound. For users of Softube Modular, Model 82 is a must-buy anyway.

www.softube.com | Total: 5,5/6 | Price: 99 Euro | Buy now at Plugin-Boutique

cre8audio East Beast

Based on the name and the appearance, we actually expected a brute weird noisemaker with a rather special field of application, but we were wrong: East Beast convinces with a classic and versatile analog sound, whereby especially the combination of the powerful oscillator and the creamy multimode filter provide the special character. However, East Beast also has a solid digital foundation and therefore proved to be more flexible in the test than we could have assumed at first glance. Multi-mod tool, patchbay and random functions allow simple analog sounds as well as more complex sound progressions and therefore make the very compact synthesizer a recommendation for the studio as well as Eurorack modular system..

https://cre8audio.com | Total: 5/6 | Price: 249 Euro | Hier bei Thomann kaufen

You can read all tests in full length in BEAT #201 and purchase them here in the falkemedia Shop.