Basically, to say which synth is simply the best won't work cause its all a matter of preference. Plus, so many synths work best for different sounds. If you're looking for that lush techno sound, or edgy techy bass of drum n bass I guess the new Virus isn't a bad way to go. If you're lookin' to be the next Danilo Vigorito or whatever, it's time to invest in a moog or something old school.

As for software, I use a combination of things...reaktor, absynth, pro53, fm7, they all have their pros and cons. Personally, I am a big fan of the "lush" clean synth sounds, but it seems everyone and their mother have been using them lately. So, I've started using the Pro53 quite a bit to get a bit of a more old school sound.

In a nutshell, everything is going to sound "trancey" or "electro" when you mess with an un-modified preset. You have to tamper with things to get it to sound crazy!