Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Full Bucket Music FB-3300
Software & Apps Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: Full Bucket FB-3300
arturia
Tech Arturia’s V Collection gets a Roland JP-8000 emulation and lo-fi synth/sampler, along with five more instruments and a host of updates
synths
Tech 5 innovative synth plugins daring to do things differently
plugins
Tech "It's a stupendously powerful tool": 10 of the best sampler plugins in 2025
EastWest Sounds Iconic
Plugins “We were able to fire up a bass sound that was indistinguishable from the flavour of New Order’s Blue Monday in seconds”: EastWest Sounds Iconic review
Pluginweek logo
Plugins Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
Odin 2
Synths Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
  1. Tech
  2. Synths

8 great vintage synth VST plug-ins

Tuition
By Computer Music ( Computer Music ) published 9 June 2011

The sound of classic hardware in your DAW

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Classic sounds reborn

Classic sounds reborn

What is it about vintage analogue synthesizers of the ‘70s and ‘80s that engenders such passion in musicians? Why the love affair with those quirky contraptions? After all, they were unstable, undependable and, for a very long time, strictly monophonic.

Time has only made these drawbacks seem more severe, and now we can add that they’re hard to find, hard to afford and even harder to maintain.

And yet the simplicity and raw power of the analogue synth is hard to deny. Bells and whistles be damned, these instruments were easy to use and satisfied the sonic soul in a particular way that the workstations of the following decades never could.

Electronic musicians have always dreamed of harnessing the sonic firepower of the analogue synth and combining it with conveniences like patch memory, dependable tuning and greater polyphony. Enter software synthesizers. They’re stable and reliable, offering total recall, multiple instances and niceties like velocity, aftertouch and tons of polyphony. Better still, they do it for less than what it costs to have the keys on a Minimoog rebushed.

To help you pick the right analogue synth emulation plug-in, we’ve rounded up eight of the best for further scrutiny (they’re listed in no particular order). To keep it focused, we’re leaving semi-modulars (like the EMS VCS3 and ARP 2600) and modulars (like the Moog Modular) out of it. And while it’s true that there are many other emulations we could have included, the eight on test have proven highly popular - if sometimes controversial - and have even won over some diehard retro-fetishists.

All are available for PC and Mac in VST, AU and RTAS formats.

NEXT: XILS-Lab polyKB II

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
XILS-Lab polyKB II

XILS-Lab polyKB II

Following the stunning XILS 3 (a VCS3-alike), this gorgeous instrument takes after the legendary - and exceedingly rare - RSF PolyKobol.

Read XILS-Lab polyKB II review

BUY: XILS-Lab polyKB II currently available from:
US: Sweetwater

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
GForce Oddity

GForce Oddity

One of the first (and still only) emulations to win over diehard users of the real deal, this accurately captures the quirky, characteristic sound of the ARP Odyssey.

Read about GForce Oddity2 review

BUY: GForce Oddity currently available from:
US: Sweetwater

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
Korg Polysix

Korg Polysix

A recreation of Korg’s own early ‘80s synth of the same name, Polysix is ideal for those looking for something quick and easy with a killer analogue punch.

Find out more about Korg Polysix

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
GForce Minimonsta

GForce Minimonsta

Moog’s venerable Minimoog was one of the first synths to be copied, but GForce took a unique approach in modelling a specific, very early unit with real balls.

Read GForce Minimonsta review

BUY: GForce Minimonsta currently available from:
US: Sweetwater

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
Arturia Jupiter-8V

Arturia Jupiter-8V

Big, boisterous and bombastic, this recreation of the classic, coveted Roland Jupiter-8 has a massive sound and an awesome line-up of features.

Read Arturia Jupiter-8V review

BUY: Arturia Jupiter-8V currently available from:
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
Arturia CS80V

Arturia CS80V

The Yamaha CS80 was a heavyweight hit, offering polyphony, a ribbon controller and aftertouch. Arturia’s effort has the garish look, if not the growl.

Find out more about Arturia CS80V

BUY: Arturia CS80V currently available from:
US: Full Compass

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
Korg Mono/Poly

Korg Mono/Poly

The Mono/Poly is just as much an odd duck as the original instrument, with some curious features that make it a particularly intriguing synth.

Find out more about Korg Mono/Poly

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
Arturia Minimoog V

Arturia Minimoog V

Arturia’s take on the Minimoog had a rocky start, even if it was endorsed by Dr Moog himself. Updates have since made it one of the most authentic emulations.

Read Arturia Minimoog V2 review

BUY: Arturia Minimoog V2 currently available from:
US: Full Compass

Liked this? Now read: The 17 best VST plug-in synths in the world today

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
Computer Music
Computer Music
Social Links Navigation

Computer Music magazine is the world’s best selling publication dedicated solely to making great music with your Mac or PC computer. Each issue it brings its lucky readers the best in cutting-edge tutorials, need-to-know, expert software reviews and even all the tools you actually need to make great music today, courtesy of our legendary CM Plugin Suite.

Read more
Full Bucket Music FB-3300
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: Full Bucket FB-3300
arturia
Arturia’s V Collection gets a Roland JP-8000 emulation and lo-fi synth/sampler, along with five more instruments and a host of updates
synths
5 innovative synth plugins daring to do things differently
plugins
"It's a stupendously powerful tool": 10 of the best sampler plugins in 2025
EastWest Sounds Iconic
“We were able to fire up a bass sound that was indistinguishable from the flavour of New Order’s Blue Monday in seconds”: EastWest Sounds Iconic review
Pluginweek logo
Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
Latest in Synths
Fors Pivot
Pivot is a ‘no-nonsense’ FM synth plugin from the designer of one of our favourite hardware instruments
Odin 2
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
Excite Audio Bloom KSHMR
Excite Audio collaborates with KSHMR to create a new Bloom instrument that brings the sound of Indian music to any DAW, and you can grab the Lite version for just $5
Lorde
Lorde on the Frank Ocean collaborator who helped to humanise the synths on her new album, Virgin
Cherry Audio Novachord and Solovox
How Cherry Audio recreated the sound of the world's first commercial polysynth in software
Moog Messenger
“A worthy addition to Moog’s long history of analogue synths”: Moog Messenger review
Latest in Tuition
Odin 2
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
ableton
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
mixing desk
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Best VST synths
Don't know where to start with virtual instruments? We're here to help
Guitarists
How to record virtual and live instruments more smoothly by taking stock of your sample buffer
Compressor settings
The ultimate compression cheat sheet – go-to settings to help you make better music

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...