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Top 10 Software Synthesizers: 4,008 Producers’ Survey (2022)

Gear & SoftwarePublished 2022.01.30Updated 2026.07.17
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This January 2022 survey article presents the favorite software synthesizers of 4,008 music producers who used third-party synths. Xfer Records Serum ranked first with 879 users, praised for its versatile wavetable features. Native Instruments Massive, Spectrasonics Omnisphere and the other products offer different strengths in presets, oscillators, filters and modulation. The article compares these features to help beginners and professionals find a synth suited to their production style. Rankings, prices, preset counts, versions and feature assessments below reflect the original 2022 comparison, rather than current products or prices.

Software synths: what did the survey reveal?

Our survey series: responses from 7,526 music producers
Here are the results for software synthesizers, used across genres from electronic music to pop and beyond.

Number of third-party synth users

Of the 7,526 respondents, 4,008 (53.26%) used third-party synthesizers.
Although many DAWs include software synths, more than half of the respondents had purchased an additional synthesizer.
Let’s look at the results.

Most popular software synthesizers

Software synth popularity ranking

5th: Native Instruments Massive X — 194 users; ¥26,800

  • Professionals: 23 (11.9%)
  • Amateurs: 171 (88.1%)

The successor to the groundbreaking Massive synthesizer, described in the original source as having been released roughly 20 years earlier.
It represents a major evolution, with a wide choice of oscillators, flexible sound routing and high-quality effects for modern sound design.

Product URL: https://bit.ly/3sQkxfB
Tutorial: https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/softsynth/massive-x-report/

4th: reFX Nexus — 200 users; ¥29,000

  • Professionals: 53 (26.5%)
  • Amateurs: 147 (73.5%)

Packed with familiar, widely used sounds that almost everyone has heard.
It is a dependable option even without synthesis knowledge: simply choose a preset.
Additional preset libraries are available, covering a wide range of genres.

Product URL: https://refx.com/nexus/
Tutorial: https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/softsynth/refx-nexus3-new-features/

3rd: Spectrasonics Omnisphere — 364 users; $499

  • Professionals: 96 (26.4%)
  • Amateurs: 268 (73.6%)

With so many high-quality presets, it is almost a department store of synthesizer sounds.
It also offers sound effects and acoustic-style sounds; this one instrument could cover almost any musical genre.
Because selecting a preset alone can produce an impressive sound, the article also recommends it for newcomers to synthesis.

Product URL: https://bit.ly/3mYkWX2
Tutorial: https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/softsynth/omnisphere-2-1/

2nd: Native Instruments Massive — 478 users; ¥20,100

  • Professionals: 73 (15.3%)
  • Amateurs: 405 (84.7%)

The wavetable synth that took the music world by storm.
The original source describes it as still widely used around 20 years after release, placing it second in this survey. That approximate age is the source’s wording, not a verified release-date calculation.
With a wealth of presets, it is also an excellent instrument for learning how synthesizers work.

Product URL: https://shrsl.com/3bsp3
Tutorial: https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/softsynth/massive-osc/

1st: Xfer Records Serum — 879 users; $189

  • Professionals: 129 (14.7%)
  • Amateurs: 750 (85.3%)

A hugely popular synth that firmly held the top spot.
Its full-bodied sound and consistently strong performance across features helped it finish comfortably in first place.
Its many users and extensive preset libraries let you explore a wide range of sounds and performances, from modern synth tones to analog-style sounds.

Product URL: https://sonicwire.com/product/99927
Tutorial: https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/softsynth/xfer-records-serum-1/

Ranks 6–10

Because two Massive products appeared in the top five, we extended the ranking to ten instruments.

We will compare six products, adding sixth-place Avenger to the top five.

Presets

If you mainly build tracks around presets, the size of the preset library is an important consideration.

Serum: approximately 450
The source describes it as the most widely used synth worldwide, with plenty of third-party presets available.

Massive: approximately 1,300
As a pioneer of the wavetable synth boom, it has a large selection of presets.

Omnisphere: approximately 14,000
Its preset count is exceptionally high, including many sounds inspired by acoustic instruments.
Its sounds cover a wide range of genres, including retro synth music, film scoring and electronic music.

Nexus: approximately 2,800
You can add presets by purchasing expansions.
It has a reputation for production-ready sounds you can use immediately after purchase.

Massive X: approximately 580
Users of the company’s KOMPLETE bundle can download preset packs, according to the source.
As a relatively new synth at the time of this article, its third-party preset selection was still limited.

Avenger: approximately 930
Like Nexus, it offers additional preset packages for purchase.
It is also known for immediately usable, production-ready sounds.

Preset search features

Let’s also consider the tools for searching large preset collections.

All of these instruments offer useful search features, but Omnisphere’s ability to find presets similar to a sound you like is especially convenient and recommended by the author.

Oscillator feature comparison

The following table summarizes the oscillators and modulation features at the heart of each instrument’s sound.

Avenger has no fewer than eight oscillators, giving you plenty of scope for sound design.

Filters

The following comparison covers filters, which remove or shape parts of the sound’s frequency spectrum.

Serum in particular offers an extensive selection of unusual filters.

Modulation

Modulation changes parameters over time.
It can dramatically transform a sound or add subtle nuances. It is no exaggeration to say that much of a synth’s expressive control lies here.

An intuitive drag-and-drop approach is recommended for assigning modulation.
Serum and Avenger display modulation movement visually, making them useful for understanding and learning what parameters do.

Other features

Here is a comparison of other features, including arpeggiators and effects.

Overall impressions

These are the author’s impressions from the original comparison. The source labels the Nexus entry below “Nexus2” while linking to a Nexus3 tutorial earlier; the original version labels are retained.

  • SERUM
    • Extensive wavetable synthesis features
    • Excels at sharp sounds with complex overtones, including FM between oscillators
    • Also strong at sounds that make extensive use of effects
    • Well balanced overall, though more PCM features would broaden its sonic palette
  • Massive
    • Few unique features, but its widespread use has resulted in many presets
    • Limited oscillator modulation and effects, with less modulation flexibility
  • Omnisphere
    • Covers a wide range of synthesis methods: wavetable, PCM and granular
    • Many distinctive sounds, including soundscapes, drones and sounds inspired by acoustic instruments
    • The author considers it less suited to EDM because the compared version lacks drag-based modulation amount control and modulation of effects
    • Limited oscillator modulation and effects, with less flexibility
  • Nexus2
    • Carefully crafted presets deliver production-ready sounds, particularly for dance and electronic music, with many additional presets available
    • Its sample-based design makes it difficult to reproduce the behavior of a synthesizer itself; detailed editing is not available in the version compared.
  • Massive X
    • Freely configurable routing between modules offers considerable flexibility
    • A wide range of oscillator modulation options
    • Its distinctive Performer allows long modulation curves to be programmed
    • Its structure feels similar to SERUM, and the author did not find a particular standout feature unique to this product
  • Avenger
    • Feature-rich, with excellent-sounding presets
    • The broadest sonic scope in this comparison, including wavetable, PCM and granular synthesis
    • Also excels at complex sounds that use extensive modulation and effects
    • Its many features make the interface complex

That concludes the comparison.
These synthesizers offer far more features than we could cover, so we focused on the aspects we considered most important.
We hope this helps you choose a synthesizer.

The next installment—and the final article in the series—will cover string libraries.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. I am new to music production. Which synthesizer should I choose?

In the 2022 comparison, Spectrasonics Omnisphere offered approximately 14,000 high-quality presets. Even without synthesis knowledge, choosing a preset could deliver a polished sound, making it the article’s recommendation for beginners.

Q2. Why did Serum rank first?

Serum offered extensive wavetable features, excelled at sharp sounds with complex overtones, and included a strong effects section, giving it an excellent balance of features. The historical price quoted in the article was a relatively affordable $189.

Q3. Which synthesizer had the most presets?

In this comparison, Omnisphere led by a large margin with approximately 14,000 presets, followed by Nexus with around 2,800 and Massive with around 1,300. The author considered Omnisphere the best fit for preset-based production.

Q4. Which synthesizer is recommended for learning sound design in depth?

Serum visually displays modulation movement, helping you learn what its parameters do. Massive is also an excellent educational tool for understanding synthesis.

Q5. How does Native Instruments Massive differ from the newer Massive X?

As its successor, Massive X offered a wide choice of oscillators, flexible sound routing and high-quality effects for modern sound design. Massive, meanwhile, had approximately 1,300 presets and a large base of dedicated users in the comparison.