by Adam Douglas | 3,0 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 5 Minutes
best daw stock synths

What are the best DAW stock synths?  ·  Source: Steinberg

ADVERTISEMENT

What are the best DAW stock synths? We compare the top DAWs to find out. 

ADVERTISEMENT

All DAWs are pretty much the same. Or so common wisdom says. They all let you do similar things, like MIDI sequencing, audio recording and mixing, and the best one is the one that you’re most used to. Granted, there are some differences, like Avid’s Pro Tools is probably more suited to tracking and mixing than, say, Bitwig Studio, but really, they’ll all get you where you need to go.

DJing with Ableton Live
DJing with Ableton Live · Source: Ableton

Except for when it comes to built-in synthesizers. Some have a lot while others have few – or even just one! Some continue to innovate, adding new synths with every update, while others are decades old. Clearly, all DAWs are not the same when it comes to stock synths.

So what are the best DAW stock synths? Assuming you want to get a new DAW or even one for the first time and you want one with the best synths to play and enjoy, you’d probably like to know which DAW is most deserving of your money.

With that in mind, here are the best DAW stock synths.

Best DAW Stock Synths: Ableton Live 12

Ableton Live strikes a good balance between DAW-type functionality and excellent instruments. Now up to version 12, its collection of stock synths is superb, particularly if you pony up for the Suite version of Live (there are also Intro and Standard versions).

Ableton Live 12
Source: Ableton / Gearnews
ADVERTISEMENT

Not only do you get the full arsenal of instruments, you also get Max For Live, which is in itself a treasure trove of synthesizer goodness. Even Intro owners though will get Drift, a solid and inspiring MPE-capable synth.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Stock synth highlights:

  • Drift (Intro, Standard and Suite)
  • Analog (Standard and Suite)
  • Operator (Suite)
  • Wavetable (Suite)
  • Meld (Suite)
Affiliate Links
Ableton Live 12 Intro Download
Ableton Live 12 Intro Download
Customer rating:
(4)
Ableton Live 12 Standard Download
Ableton Live 12 Standard Download
Customer rating:
(3)
Ableton Live 12 Suite Download
Ableton Live 12 Suite Download
Customer rating:
(5)

Best DAW Stock Synths: Reason Studios Reason

It took Reason a long time to reach true DAW status. Originally a suite of instruments, effects and sequencing, the software from Reason Studios (formerly Propellerhead Software) slowly added additional DAW functionality like digital audio and VSTs over the year. Because of this, the focus has always been on great-sounding instruments, with synthesizers front and center

Polytone and Ripley in Reason 13
Polytone in Reason 13 · Source: Gearnews

Now sitting at version 13, Reason remains jam-packed with an incredible assortment of synths of all synthesis types, including the physical modeling Objekt, one of the best DAW stock synths around. Reason comes in two flavors: Reason+, a subscription that includes everything, or Reason 13, a one-time payment with a core selection of instruments, effects and utilities. Instruments not included in 13 are available for purchase.

Reason Objekt
Reason’s Objekt is an incredible stock synth – if you get the subscription for Reason+ · Source: Reason Studios

Stock synth highlights:

  • Polytone (Reason+ and Reason 13)
  • Objekt (Reason+)
  • Complex-1 (Reason+)
  • Europa (Reason+ and Reason 13)
Affiliate Links
Reason Studios Reason 13 Download
Reason Studios Reason 13 Download No customer rating available yet
Reason Studios Reason+ Download
Reason Studios Reason+ Download
Customer rating:
(3)

Best DAW Stock Synths: Apple Logic Pro 11

When Apple bought Emagic in 2002, Logic had a nice selection of stock synthesizers. Now more than two decades later, it still has that same selection of nice synthesizers, with only a few more for our troubles. Alchemy, one to come along since the Emagic acquisition, remains a highlight with its multiple synthesis engines and stunning sound quality. However, it’s also getting on in years, having originally debuted in 2009 when it was a Camel Audio product. 

Apple Logic Pro 11 arrives on May 13 with Logic Pro for iPad 2
Apple Logic Pro 11 · Source: Apple

Lately, Apple has been leaning into AI, with Logic Pro 11 seeing a variety of AI-powered instruments and effects arriving, but I’d love to see some new synths too. 

Logic Pro Alchemy
Alchemy is a great-sounding stock synth in Apple’s Logic Pro · Source: Apple

Stock synth highlights:

  • Alchemy
  • Sculpture
  • ES1

Best DAW Stock Synths: Bitwig Studio

Is Bitwig Studio really 10 years old? Amazing how time flies. Bitwig was started by a team of ex-Ableton employees, and that’s reflected in the DAW’s layout and clip-launching section, but really it’s its own beast. 

The Bitwig Studio 5.1 update is now available!
Bitwig Studio 5 · Source: Bitwig

The software – now up to number five – is available in three separate configurations, Bitwig Studio Essentials, Bitwig Studio Producer and just plain Bitwig Studio. While there are a number of differences, in terms of instruments, Bitwig Studio gets you 13, including Poly Grid, a Native Instruments’ Reaktor-like modular synthesizer environment, and Phase-4, a four-operator FM synth.

Bitwig Poly Grid
Bitwig’s Poly Grid · Source: Bitwig

Stock synth highlights:

  • Poly Grid (Bitwig Studio)
  • Polymer (Bitwig Studio Essentials, Producer and Bitwig Studio) 
  • Phase-4 (Bitwig Studio)
Affiliate Links
Bitwig Studio Essentials Download
Bitwig Studio Essentials Download
Customer rating:
(1)
Bitwig Studio Producer Download
Bitwig Studio Producer Download
Customer rating:
(1)
Bitwig Studio Download
Bitwig Studio Download
Customer rating:
(6)

Best DAW Stock Synths: Image-Line FL Studio

The beatmaker’s DAW of choice, FL Studio has a variety of drum-focused features (hello, Gross Beat) that makes it especially popular with producers of genres like trap. It’s less known for its synths, although it does have a rather large collection of them. To access the top-tier ones like Harmor and Sakura you’ll either need the All Plugins Edition or to buy the synths on their own. That’s not to say the lower price points (Fruity, Producer, Signature) don’t have their own solid synths – they certainly do. 

FL Studio 2024.1 features CLAP, a Chord Generator, and a Lofi Synth
FL Studio · Source: Image-Line

Overall, FL Studio is a solid DAW for beat-focused genres with a nice collection of synths as a bonus.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Stock synth highlights:

  • Harmor (All Plugins Edition)
  • Sakura (All Plugins Edition)
  • Sytrus (Producer, Signature, All Plugins Edition)
Affiliate Links
Image-Line FL Studio Fruity Edition Download
Image-Line FL Studio Fruity Edition Download
Customer rating:
(29)
Image-Line FL Studio Producer Edition Download
Image-Line FL Studio Producer Edition Download
Customer rating:
(360)
Image-Line FL Studio Signature Bundle Download
Image-Line FL Studio Signature Bundle Download
Customer rating:
(111)
Image-Line FL Studio All Plugins Edition Download
Image-Line FL Studio All Plugins Edition Download
Customer rating:
(26)

Best DAW Stock Synths: Steinberg Cubase 13

First launched as a sequencing program in 1989 for the Atari ST, Steinberg’s Cubase is now up to version 13. The DAW offers five versions, from Cubase AI 13 at the bottom to Cubase Pro 13 at the top. While Cubase is a fully-featured DAW in many numbers of ways, it is curiously light when it comes to virtual instruments – especially surprising when you consider that Steinberg invented the VSTi.

Steinberg Cubase 13
Steinberg Cubase 13 · Source: Steinberg

The two dedicated stock synths included with the top two tiers of the DAW – Cubase Pro 13 and Cubase Artist 13 – are Retrologue 2, a virtual analog synth, and Padshop 2, a granular and spectral pad machine. Interestingly, both are available individually in case you want the synths without the accompanying DAW.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Stock synth highlights:

  • Retrologue 2 (Cubase Pro 13 and Artist 13)
  • Padshop 2 (Cubase Pro 13 and Artist 13)
Affiliate Links
Steinberg Cubase Elements 13 Download
Steinberg Cubase Elements 13 Download
Customer rating:
(14)
Steinberg Cubase Pro 13 Download
Steinberg Cubase Pro 13 Download
Customer rating:
(4)
Steinberg Cubase Artist 13
Steinberg Cubase Artist 13
Customer rating:
(3)

What’s your favorite DAW stock synth? Let us know in the comments.

More Information

best daw stock synths

How do you like this post?

Rating: Yours: | ø:
ADVERTISEMENT

7 responses to “Best DAW Stock Synths: Which DAW should you buy for the best-sounding synthesizers?”

    Oobesan says:
    15

    This was a really terrible article. It provided nothing more than a list of a few synths from each DAW. It didn’t provide really any specific information or interesting comparisons. It would have been interesting to pick what the author (although this post smells like it was written by AI) thinks is the best synth for each DAW and actually provide, you know, some detail or interesting information about it. If I was new to music production and was confused by which DAW to purchase, this article would provide zero context or help.

    ScottS says:
    3

    I guess the Halion Sonic 7, Flux and Trip plugins included in Cubase Pro 13 aren’t considered synths then, even though they’re a sample-based synth, a wavetable synth and a virtual 3-osc analog synth, respectively? There goes your credibility…

    RK says:
    6

    A list.
    When you title an article “best” and also ask “which… should you buy,” you should offer some actual input. You make two implied promises and deliver on neither. Ridiculous.

    Dongleboob says:
    5

    Appalling ‘article’.

    Typical of the quality we have come to expect from the site that claimed The Theramin was the first electronic instrument.

    Lazy stuff. If it’s not AI generated, it probably should be, may be an improvement.

    Rebirth still works! says:
    -1

    A soft spot for Reason. So old I can remember when it could play 16 tracks, but only render 5 or 6 without crashing (mid 90s). Think they’ve got it into a long term format now as a plugin/stanadalone, which is how we once used Rebirth 2 on Cubase. Propellerheads were the first to convince us that computers could be both sequencer and sound source, and be useable on a Pentium or 486DX. Still a big fan of Reason which has a dedicated Tech following.

    Dongleboob says:
    1

    Reason!? What garbage..

    Last acceptable version was v3. Just overpriced bloatware with an absurd price plan now.

    ReBirth however was a cracking piece of software, at least for its time

    Steve Blaque says:
    0

    The article is total rubbish; most likely written by someone who doesn’t use a DAW and has read second hand articles about them. The better article to have written might realistically have been to not write one.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *