Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which synth to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
Arturia Pigments Play is a free player edition of Pigments with all six synthesis engines, 68 filters, 20 effects, and 100 curated presets.
Arturia Pigments is a software synthesizer combining six synthesis engines, drag-and-drop modulation, filters, effects, and sequencing.
Score verdict
On the Dubspot Score, Arturia Pigments comes out ahead (9.1). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Arturia Pigments Play | Arturia Pigments |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $199 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.6 | 9.1 |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU (Audio Units), AAX, NKS | Standalone, VST, VST3, AAX, Audio Unit (AU), NKS |
| Type | Free multi-engine software synthesizer (player edition) | — |
| Engines | Virtual analog, sample, wavetable, granular, modal, harmonic (all six) | — |
| Filters | 68 filter modes | 19 filter types and 68 filter modes |
| Effects | 20 effect algorithms | 20 effects, with 3 FX slots per bus across two insert buses and one send/return bus |
| Editing | 4 macros (brightness, timbre, time, movement) plus 4 effects | — |
| Presets | 100 curated presets | Over 1,700 presets |
| Operating systems | macOS 11+ (Intel or Apple Silicon), Windows 10+ (64-bit), OpenGL 2.0 GPU | — |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU, AAX, NKS | — |
| Synthesis engines | — | Six engines: Modal, Granular, Wavetable, Sample, Harmonic, and Virtual Analog (plus a Utility engine) |
| Current version | — | Pigments 7 |
| Platforms | — | Windows 10+ (64-bit) and macOS 11+ (incl. Apple M1); 4 GB RAM, 3 GB disk space |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.