Best Software Synths of 2024: Five Synth Plugins That Floated Our Boat This Year
This year's outstanding software synths
4,9 / 5,0 | 
With 2024 delivering a bumper crop of software synths, it’s been tough to pick the cream of the crop, but here are my choices for Best Software Synths of 2024, along with others worthy of a mention.
The Best Software Synths of 2024
An Introduction
There was a bumper crop of superb synthesizer plugins in 2024 and when I created my long list, I knew I had my work cut out to pick out the cream of the crop. With a number of companies releasing numerous excellent instruments, I decided that I should limit each manufacturer to a single choice, should I be stumped in my choices.
It feels mean of me to ignore the other great releases of the year, so I’ve mentioned them throughout, plus I have added a Highly Commended section at the end to bring those excellent pieces of work to your attention. So, in no particular order, let’s get stuck in to the best software synths of 2024!
TAL Software – TAL-Pha
Has there ever been a family of synths that has captured the hearts and minds of so many than the JUNO family from Roland? As a collection, they are almost universally loved, and at an individual level, each iteration has its own fervent set of fans.
Software emulations of JUNO synths have predominantly focused on the first three, namely the 6, 60 and 106. But back in February, TAL Software, known for producing high-quality plugins at very affordable prices, finally delivered a software version of the subsequent, and last, analogue JUNO, the Alpha JUNO 2.
Despite the hardware’s efforts to fit into an increasingly digital world with scaled-back and menu-driven interfaces, the Alpha JUNOs were still popular because, despite their physical slimming down, they still contained a sound engine that consistently hit a sweet spot. And TAL has captured that perfectly.
With a user interface that resembles a ‘greatest hits’ of Roland PG programmers, TAL-pha is so much easier to navigate than its hardware inspiration. With added FX, EQ and more, this is both an inspired advancement as well as a faithful homage to the original.
As a big JUNO fan, I never truly explored the Alphas, and this plugin made me deeply regret that. Whilst the original hardware is still relatively easy to find, having this plugin in my collection is both satisfying and rewarding.
GForce Software – impOSCar 3
It’s been another busy year for GForce Software. There was OB-EZ, their OB-E player, VSM got an update, OB-1, their first drum machine, the Oberheim DMX, followed closely by their second, the IconDrum LinnDrum emulation. But for me, it was their long-awaited update to one of their signature instruments that stood out and deserves to be recognised as one of the best software synths of 2024.
impOSCar was one of GForce’s early instruments, borne out of a deep affection for both the original hardware and the brains behind it, Chris Huggett. As Dave explains in a recent video, the original OSCar holds a very special place in his heart with so many serendipitous connections.
Applying the latest GUI improvements, including a scalable UI and hugely improved browser, they took the bold step of adding new elements to the OSCar paradigm. By introducing wavetables, we caught a glimpse of what may have been had the Oxford Synthesizer Company continued trading.
Things like reverb, macros and a user-designable LFO were also added making impOSCar a very 21st century synth plugin. I get the impression, as I mentioned back in May, that Chris Huggett would have wholeheartedly approved.
Arturia – MiniBrute V
Like GForce Software, Arturia has had a very busy year, what with it being its 25th anniversary. Aside from their two amazing hardware synths this year, the magnificent Astrolab, and the truly astounding PolyBrute 12, they’ve been busy on the software front too.
We had a couple of additions to the Augmented range, namely Yangtze and the free Mallets Play, plus a wonderful recreation of the Elka Synthex in the Synthx V and an incredible update to their brilliant MiniFreak. However, it was their genius move to clone themselves that caught my eye and ear and warrants inclusion in this list of the best software synths of 2024.
The original Arturia MiniBrute is often cited as the instrument that properly kicked off the resurgence in analogue synth hardware. Featuring a distinctive oscillator and reintroducing the classic Steiner parker filter, the MiniBrute rekindled our love of all things analogue.
So when Arturia released MiniBrute V, it not only took many by surprise but also delighted a large number of individuals who could now replicate the object of their affections within their DAW. And as all good software synthesizer recreations, MiniBrute V brought present-day improvements and benefits.
Maintaining all that we loved about the original hardware, MiniBrute V gave us eight-voice polyphony, unison mode, MPE and built-in FX, all wrapped up in a simple, familiar interface. And, of course, now, unlike the original hardware, we could store and save presets with instant recall.
Who knows if we’ll see more of the Brute synths replicated in software? But if MiniBrute V is anything to go by, they’ll be a ton of fun!
Synapse Audio – The Legend HZ
There are a handful of people who can lend their name to a product and consistently grab people’s attention. One of these people is Hans Zimmer, who, after the great John Williams, is probably the most sought-after, prolific and successful movie score composer of all time.
Despite not being the first such composer to use synthesizers, his use of both hardware and software synths is well-known, and Hans’ collection is to die for. Unlike his collection of vintage hardware, when it comes to software, he can dictate his requirements in great detail. He’d already done this with companies like Spitfire Audio.
Hans’ love of all things Moog is well documented. So when he asked Synapse Audio to make their Minimoog emulation bigger and better, they set about improving and expanding the world’s best-loved analogue synth with care and reverence to the original. Double those oscillators, throw in a sequencer, triple the polyphony, give it a complex mod matrix, multi-stage envelopes and loads of FX!
The result is The Legend HZ. A powerful, MPE compatible sonic powerhouse that also features a specific emulation of Herr Zimmer’s Moog 914 Fixed Filterbank. Featuring a collection of Hans’ own presets, it’s a formidable and rewarding instrument that definitely deserves its place in my list of the best software synths of 2024.
And if you want a great deal, why not check out Expressive E’s Expressive Suite for the Legend HZ. 300 MPE-focused presets designed to work with MPE controllers, including their own Osmose. They even do a great bundle offer with the synth thrown in.
Cherry Audio – P-10
If one company has continued to innovate, excel and never rest on their laurels, it’s Cherry Audio. 2024 has seen them repeatedly blow our socks off with great plugins of impeccable quality at amazing prices. Their collection of instruments did not stop growing, and there were some real gems.
Not content with giving everyone a free recreation of the Oberheim SEM module for Xmas the year before, they hit the ground running with the brilliant CR-78. Then in May, they gave us the Rhodes Chroma (now officially endorsed by Rhodes!) and then in July we had Wurlybird 140B.
September and October saw Blue 3, their rejuvenation of GG Audio’s superb Hammond emulation, and Atomika, their widely acclaimed recreation of the Formanta Polivoks. But for me, it was their final big instrument release of the year that took the gold medal and ended up in my list of the best software synths of 2024. The mighty P-10.
As with all of their recreations, Cherry Audio studied a number of Prophet 10s and replicated them in precise and painstaking detail. Mitchell Sigman’s designs were superbly recreated by Mal Meehan and what resulted was an instrument that not only looked as impressive as its forbear, but sounded just as good.
Cherry Audio expanded the functionality to include 32-voice polyphony, effects, an expanded and improved sequencer, arpeggiator and enhanced modulation capabilities. There’s per-layer drift control for that authentic vintage analogue feel and a brilliant Poly mod function.
2024 cemented Cherry Audio’s place as one of the best and most celebrated synthesizer plugin companies out there today, and having spoken with Dan Goldstein, their illustrious and hugely affable leader, 2025 won’t see them slowing down one bit.
Highly Commended
It’s hard to leave so many great synths out of my list of the best software synths of 2024, so here’s a list of other synths that didn’t already get a mention that I believe deserve one!
- u-He Zebralette 3
- Waldorf Microwave 1
- Aodyo Anyma V
- Aly James Lab SY-4X
- Waldorf Blofeld
- Madrona Labs Sumu
- Acustica Audio The Thing
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One response to “Best Software Synths of 2024: Five Synth Plugins That Floated Our Boat This Year”
I’ve not heard the cherry P10 yet, but I do have a happy memory of spending one of my birthdays with Mal Meehan in a themed bar/pub in New York, years ago. I was there for a workshop. IIRC.