Softsynth recommendations

[MBTC]

I like Gladiator but there are a couple of things I wish were better. First, the HCM synthesis is very different than anything else out there. Samples drive the harmonics, but you've got a gazillion ways you can morph the harmonics into something else. Only thing is, are you good with subtractive synthesis? FM? Maybe additive? None of that will really help you toward achieving a particular sound design goal here, everything you do will be very experimental, although sometimes with really nice results. It doesn't mean its hard to program, it's dead easy.. its just it's more a synth I reach for when it has a sound that's mostly what I want and I want to tweak.. only thing is, taking the existing patch in the direction I want doesn't seem easy? More like a dice roll.. hehe.

On the plus side, I think the filters are very good with plenty of varieties, and the fact that it gives you a visual of what the filter looks like is extremely helpful (if not making you a better synth programmer at the same time).

Odd thing, I bought the dance expansion, which has some great sounds.. but it had a new effect called trancegate I was looking forward to.. Unfortunately it seems to have trancegate presets! (ugh).. Don't get me wrong it has a step LFO, so you have other options for volume or filter gating, I just noticed that some of the really good trance sounds are based on the trancegate fx so I was looking forward to that (the one in Vanguard is what every synth should have, IMO).