Don't dis synths I say, it's a definite route to ur own sound. Get a good hard or soft synth with 3+ oscillators an as Mark says - really f#*% about with 'em. I've got a Supernova 2 which I use in every track an it does me fine - originality I don't think is as easy to emulate with samples, but then I don't use samples much, so I might be talking out of my rear end. But see - thing is - I love my synth. End of.