You get 2,000 classic synth sounds in one AU instrument.

It may be a high-tech world, but if you're a musician, sometimes the occasion calls for low-tech sounds. But acquiring older synths is a pain in the wallet, not to mention that they take up a lot of space, they're difficult to program, and they require a lot of maintenance. Thank the music gods for Analog Factory.

Analog Factory is a collection of 2,000 sounds modeled on the sounds from six classic synths, each patch devised by a leading sound designer. The collection includes a virtual Minimoog (think musicians Keith Emerson and Jan Hammer), Moog Modular (Emerson again), Yamaha CS-80 (Vangelis and Peter Gabriel), ARP 2600 (Jean Michel Jarre, Vince Clarke), and Prophet 5 and Prophet VS (numerous pop songs from the 1980s).

There's little programmability within the software, but extensive control really isn't the point. Analog Factory gives you instant access to authentic analog sounds with a minimum of fuss. The library is organized by Synth, Type, and Characteristics, so if you want a complex pad from a virtual Minimoog, you just click three icons and select an entry from the list. Filter cutoff and resonance can be tweaked, as can envelope characteristics and low-frequency oscillator settings, and a splash of chorus and delay can be applied.

When you find a sound you want to use, you can store it in one of eight memory slots for instant recall. Analog Factory works as a stand-alone application, or it can be used as a VST, RTAS, or Audio Units plug-in when you're using a sequencer host, and the app boasts 32-voice polyphony per instance.

The bottom line. Analog Factory delivers impressive, archaic analog tones with aplomb.

COMPANY: Arturia
CONTACT: www.arturia.com
PRICE: $249
REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS 10.3.9 or later, 512MB RAM, USB
Easy to use. Great value. Quality analog sounds. Library easy to navigate. Universal binary.
Not many sound-shaping tools. Could use a built-in reverb.