MusicRadar

VST plug-in synths (and AU/RTAS ones too, for that matter) are now part of the furniture when it comes to hi-tech music making, but it wasn’t always this way. In fact, in 1999 they didn’t even exist, which makes it all the more remarkable that the past decade has seen them become the dominant force in sound-making technology.

We all use plug-in synths, then, but which are the best? MusicRadar wanted to know, so we once again asked you to pick from the hundreds that are available and tell us about the ones that have impressed you most. Based on your votes, we’ve been able to compile this countdown, which is an updated version of the one that was originally published in 2010.

A couple of things to bear in mind before we dive in: we’re dealing with synths only here (so you won’t find any drum machines or samplers) and only paid-for instruments are included. If you're looking for freebies, check out the 13 best free VST plug-ins in the world today.

Got that? Good. Let’s get started.

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