# How is Sylenth1 so good?



## Jkist (Jul 25, 2020)

I love my synths, each one has its own unique style and way of interacting with it, just like a real instrument. And just like real instruments, each one seems to have its own "sound". I was messing with various synths today, trying to recreate some of the Sylenth Mitis patches in other synths. Maybe I just suck, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the same magic out of other synths.

Some came very close! But I couldn't get any of them to surpass that magic that Sylenth1 has, let alone match it. I don't know what it is, Sylenth1 has this inimitable quality to it, this musicality to it. It really does feel like many synths are these "do-it-all" faceless machines that have incredible capabilities and limitless sound design prospects, but they maybe lack an outstanding character or face.

Sylenth is incredibly limited by today's standards, yet it has such a shamelessly unique character that it will never leave my arsenal. It only has one reverb setting, but that reverb setting sounds awesome, and it just works! It only has a few filters, but those filters have a musicality to them that all 12 filters in another synth lack. There is something beautiful about a synth so limited on features, yet so simple to get awesome sounds out of. Like if it sounds so good, often times you don't need all those bells and whistles.

I know many people might find it strange, but in the same way oldschool analog synths become classics, I think some software synths have the ability to do that too. Sylenth1 is that for me. Its so old by now, but in my book its a classic that will always impart a specific sound, and therefore it will always be relevant in some way.

Anybody else feel this way? Any other synths out there that you believe are similar, with the potential to become "modern software classics" of some sort?


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## Pier (Jul 26, 2020)

It's a very subjective phenomenon. Personally I've never clicked with the sound of Sylenth but I think I feel the same way about Dune 3. Like anything I do with it just sounds great and it just hits all my subjective expectations of what a synth should sound like.


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## j_kranz (Jul 26, 2020)

Sylenth is absolutely a classic... the filter drive and just the way things saturate are magic to my ears. Its definitely an oldie but goodie for sure. It also helps that I’m in love with the Ex Machina score and Sylenth is nicely featured!


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## EvilDragon (Jul 27, 2020)

To this pair of ears, Hive > Sylenth, by a longshot. u-he made a Sylenth killer and succeeded at it.


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## Saxer (Jul 27, 2020)

To my ears Sylenth sounds a bit pre compressed, less deep and kind of midrange. But often that's exactly what fit's into a mix.


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## FinGael (Jul 27, 2020)

Yes, Sylenth is limited, but I still love it after all these years. I have made about two thousand patches for it, which I cannot say about many other synths. 

Although it is simple and restricted, it feels like a hardware synth in the sense that it has it's own aura, sound and character. There are other synths that produce better sound and have far more advanced and versatile architecture, but in my eyes it has earned the status of a classic.


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## Pier (Jul 27, 2020)

FinGael said:


> Yes, Sylenth is limited, but I still love it after all these years. I have made about two thousand patches for it, which I cannot say about many other synths.



Have you tried other similar synths such as Hive or Spire?


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## FinGael (Jul 27, 2020)

Pier said:


> Have you tried other similar synths such as Hive or Spire?



Hi. I have tried both briefly but don't have them. I liked Hive more and may end up buying it at some point.


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## BeneJ (Aug 10, 2020)

EvilDragon said:


> Hive > Sylenth


Amen! - I haven't upgraded to Hive 2 yet (no point)


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## vitocorleone123 (Aug 10, 2020)

BeneJ said:


> Amen! - I haven't upgraded to Hive 2 yet (no point)



Hive 2 is markedly better than Hive 1.


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## EvilDragon (Aug 10, 2020)

Yes, many points to upgrade to Hive 2. Do it!


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