Plugin reviews
One plugin per page: what it is built to do, where it wins, where it does not, and who should skip it. Ratings reflect how well a plugin does its own job at its own price.
Portal Review
Output Portal reviewed: what the granular FX plugin actually does well, where it frustrates, and who should spend the money on it.
Updated July 2026
Serum 2 Review
Serum 2 reviewed: what the industry-standard wavetable synth added, where its CPU appetite bites, and whether it's still the default buy in 2026.
Updated July 2026
Vital Review
Vital reviewed: how much synth the free tier really ships, how it compares to Serum, and the honest catches of the best free synth available.
Updated July 2026
Pigments 7 Review
Arturia Pigments 7 reviewed: how the six-engine hybrid synth stacks up as the most complete modern alternative to Serum, and who it actually suits.
Updated July 2026
Spire Review
Reveal Sound Spire reviewed: the progressive house and trance lead synth that made its name cutting through a mix, and whether it still earns a place in 2026.
Updated July 2026
Thermal Review
Output Thermal reviewed: the eight-stage distortion plugin that turns saturation into a one-knob decision, and when you actually need that speed.
Updated July 2026
XO Review
XLN Audio XO reviewed: the drum-sample organiser that maps your whole library by similarity, and whether it's worth it if you're drowning in one-shots.
Updated July 2026
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