Re: OT: Best VA synth
I think the designation virtual analog is bad. It has nothing to do with analog. It is a digital synthesizer. Sounds horrible for classic rock, blues, country etc.
This is not true. There are good VAs that can fit with most any genre. And they are called "virtual analog" for a reason. It is not a bad designation, it's what it is.
Maybe some ROMplers (Nord C2, Stage, Hammond SK-1 etc) have the same good sound as real analog vintage keyboards.
From my experience, no, they don't. Nords are overhyped, but in the end too limited boards with a hefty price tag.
I think difference between old vintage analog synthesizers and new analog synthesizers is the same as difference between vintage pure valve ampflifiers and new reissues. The new reissues (made in China in most cases) sound as totally other ampflifier, a dummy. New Moog Little Phatty has noticeably less soul and expression then Minimoog or Moog Prodigy e.g.
This is also not true. Little Phatty sounds awesome and screams "Moog" with just about every soundwave it produces. Voyager is even better. Of course, Model D is Model D, no doubt about it. But to say that it has less soul and expression is purely ridiculous, because LP and Voyager have MORE possibilities for expression (more modulators and modulation destinations) than the original Minimoog. So yeah, you're wrong.
Also, Little Phatty and Voyager are 100% Made in USA.