Arturia Moog Modular V Software Synth (Macintosh and Windows)

Feature:
The only reason why I have given it an 8 other than a 10 is because their patch browsing seems designed for ease of use, but in practice makes patch searching more difficult (at least for the purpose of auditioning the synth, maybe if I was actually making music with it instead of fooling around I would come to appreciate it better)

Quality:
As far as software quality, I have yet to crash the Moog Modular V. However, I wish that the patch names would show up as a DXi. Patch browsing is only possible from the synth's own GUI, and because I don't like it very much, I wish they would have fully implemented the DXi interface for patch names.

Value:
Let's face it, this software enables emulating a multi thousand dollar piece of equipment that requires frequent costly maintenance. Any price under $1000 would already be a great value by this benchmark alone. However, thanks to our modern technology, software synthesis really costs less to produce, and after all, any user would have already bought a computer to run this in :) I think its a great value at under 300. I could have paid 500 for it.

Desirability:
Ohh.... this machine (emulation) is simply awesome. To fully appreciate why, I would recomment newbies and kids under 30 to read a little bit about synthesizer history, If you can, grab a copy of the book "Analog Days", and listen to 60's synthesizer music by Perrey-Kingsley, Wendy Carlos (Walter back then) ELP, and others. This is the synthesizer where all our expectations for what a synthesizer should do were created. This is the machine that made most of the funny mysterious sounds we heard in our childhood TV shows, back then. To the younger kids: Don't be intimidated by the patch cords and the confusing GUI. This is how it really was back then, take the chance to learn a thing or two, you will be glad you did. And if you want, you can own this fantastic software replica, a piece of synthesizer history.

Sound:
As far as approximating the true sound of analog oscillators and filters, they really live up to their claim of alias free, true analog sounding quality. It is a wonderful tribute to the most influential and groundbreaking synthesizers of all time

Support:
Too bad there is no choice for "unknown" among the rating system here, because I have had no opportunity to deal with the company, and I have no idea how their support staff is. But I feel bad rating them negatively without any reason, so I am forced to give them a 10 in all fairness. At least, I have had no need to call support, and that's got to be good.

Overall:
I have been writing music for over 10 years, using synthesizers for the most part. I have considered simplifying my current setup, because it is really distracting to work with 5 or more hardware synthesizers, and a lot of work. Less music gets written, more time spent fooling around. I am reorganizing my workflow around a small core set of synthesizers, mostly software.... The Moog Modular V is one of them. This is a "Must have" synth.

Feature:
You recieve a manual which explains the functions of the modules fairly well.It would be best for you to read up on analog synths first!

Quality:
The program looks beutiful on your computor screen.You can upgrade to the newer version at Arturia's website for FREE!

Value:
You would have to shell-out Tens of thousands of dollars to get a real Modular Moog.At that,you would be getting a used instrument with all the problems and delicateness of that period analog synth.The MoogV is well worth the money!

Desirability:
This synth looks beutiful on your C.R.T..It looks very much like the real-deal.I think Arturia did a great job in making this product accurate in sound as well as looks!

Sound:
I find this product to sound very close to the real thing with lots of extra abilities that were not on the original modular moogs!

Support:
I had a little trouble getting through to the company,but I changed my E-mail address at the time.

Overall:
It will take me a long time before I will ever need another Virtual synth.I can make this one sound a lot like other makes and modals!