VST / Software Suggestions?

[| broken harbour |]

So now that my day job is finally calming down, It'll be time to start writing again, I'm looking to add a few pieces of software to my current rig in order to broaden my pallette of sounds a bit. So I guess I'm looking for suggestions on a few things:

Reverb VST:

I've been using the 'Perfect Space' convolution verb and a few others that come in the box with Sonar 8.  They can be tweaked for ambient quite easily, but I've been using them now for 5 years and I'm looking for something with a different sonic character.  I've also downloaded Audio Damage EOS, which is pretty cool, but it feels a bit like a one trick pony.  I'm looking for something really expansive, with long reverb tails, etc... any suggestions?  Maybe I'm missing a technique?

Soft Synths:
I use Sonar 8, and Windows 7 64 bit.  So obviously, I'd like to use something compatible.  I find Sonar 8 is good with most probgrams, tho on occasion it just doesn't like certain synths.

I have Omnisphere, I love it, but kind of tired of it at the moment, again, looking for something with a different character.  I find alot of the patches in Omnisphere are too huge sounding, it seems like they went a little crazy trying to give every patch this massive sound that takes up all frequencies from 20hz-20000hz, I often fix this with EQ, but I often find alot of the built in sounds unusable.

I'm trying to be fiscally responsible with this one, which will likely mean only buying one, large, versatile soft synth.  So I'm trying to decide between:
NI Komplete
Camel Audio Alchemy

Other suggestions?  <- I'm sure there are a tone of other options out there, I haven't been able to do a bunch of research on it, please offer suggestions!

I've realized that, using Omnisphere for the last year or so, that I'm more of a preset tweaker than a sound designer.  So something with usable presets would be nice.  This brings me on to my next question...

Can anyone suggest a good book or something on sound design? 

I have an immense respect for guys you can take a simple sine wave and use oscillators and such and turn it into a gorgeous soundscape.  Anyways... I'd like in on some of that.

[petekelly]

As it happens, I wrote a 'sound design' blog recently. It's a bit out-there, but it may be of interest:

http://igneousflame.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/sound-design-and-other-sonic-esoterica/

I find most soft-synths to be underwhelming. For me, the ones that do stretch things sonically are Native Instruments's: Razor and Prism as well as the mighty Reaktor (a mini komplete in it's own right ?)

[Altus]

I'm in the same boat: preset tweaker. While I've certainly built some patches from scratch to match something I've heard in my head, I don't have the patience to do it "full-time". Those who do, I tip my hat to you.

I've been using ArtsAcoustic Reverb exclusively for many years now. If you're looking for a long tail, I recently discovered it allows for up to 226 seconds. And no, I've never required a tail that long before. 
http://www.artsacoustic.com/artsacoustic_reverb.php

If I were in your shoes, I would choose Komplete over Alchemy.

Have fun!

[petekelly]

Regarding Komplete, I had the opportunity to get it at a good price with a NI crossgrade offer, but I decided not to. The thinking was that I felt I would just spend so much time looking at all the stuff there, where I could use the time more constructively. As things turned out, I bought a Reaktor license instead and now have downloaded over 200 ensembles from the NI Reaktor user library - spending lots of time on that instead !

Incidentally, Second hand NI licences are regularly sold (quite legit) on KVR and there's some great deals there compared to the retail prices.

Reverb - that's a big one, lots of differing opinions there.

[| broken harbour |]

Incidentally, Second hand NI licences are regularly sold (quite legit) on KVR and there's some great deals there compared to the retail prices.

I did not know that.

[phobos]

Try this for a reverb, its a little bit different,  and its free, so nothing to lose

http://www.roughdiamondproductions.com/whiteLABEL/?r=TEV

[APK]

The monster reverb for me is the 2cAudio Aether. It has loooooooong tails if you want.
Their Breeze is cheaper and probably very good.

Also very good is the Redline Reverb.

Plus the free (or very cheap) Ambience reverb by Magus (smartelecronix). It's a very handy thing.

------

Komplete is certainly not "one, large, versatile soft synth", it is a whole load of remarkable things.
If it's on sale it is way more instruments and versatility than Alchemy.

APK

[phobos]

I would recommend Komplete, but it will take a lot of time to explore it properly, Komplete 8 is 27 instruments and effects, but if you have got the money well worth it.

And again on the reverb front, a nice free one as well here:- http://dasample.com/products/glaceverb/

[| broken harbour |]

Komplete is certainly not "one, large, versatile soft synth", it is a whole load of remarkable things.
If it's on sale it is way more instruments and versatility than Alchemy.

True, it's more a collection of instruments.  I sort of just look at it as a single large keyboardy thing to play with.... 

[Ööth]

 I would go for Native Instrument´s Reaktor.

Lots of user libs and patches available. And very tweakable and easy to modify with new modules.
Or just build the synth as you want it to be.  And perhaps the best part... along the way of tweaking you´ll
learn a lot about synthesis

[Seren]

The Glaceverb has some very interesting reverbs and is very tweakable.

[darkenedsoul]

Komplete 9 has been announced and may be order-able or pre-order-able at this time. 33 instruments, it includes The Giant piano and a new monophonic synth and Battery 4 + the rest of the stuff. If you got the coin get ultimate on an external drive ;-)

I've updated to K7->K8 for $114.50 or so the past 2 yrs and I can go to 9 for $149....but don't know if I want to blow any more coin on stuff I am rarely using these days. I am attempting to get Mired off the ground yet again with an old friend at this time....

[Ekstasis]

there is a new synth called Lush 101 by D16. I find this to sound absolutely mesmerizing .. it use a lot of cpu though in high quality mode...as all good sounding soft synths, and of most D16 plugins they really only shines in high quality mode.