Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which instrument to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
Bloom Ensemble Mallets is Excite Audio's sampled tuned-percussion instrument: piano, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel and bells, with a step sequencer, 250 presets and sample import. $59, intro $39.
Spitfire LABS is a free instrument platform of high-quality sampled sounds (pianos, strings, pads, and more), now also available via Splice INSTRUMENT as LABS' new home.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Excite Audio Bloom Ensemble Mallets | Spitfire LABS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59 | Free |
| Dubspot Score | — | 8.9 |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone, macOS, Windows | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Developer | Excite Audio | — |
| Type | Sample-based virtual instrument (tuned percussion) | Free sampled instrument platform |
| Sound sources | Piano, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, bells | — |
| Presets | 250, in seven categories | — |
| Samples | 112 across 8 banks, 14 per bank over two octaves, synced to host BPM | — |
| Sequencer | Per-track velocity, probability, timing; step rate, sync, swing, steps, latch, retrigger; modulates FX, pitch, volume | — |
| Macros | Age, Lo-Fi, Bounce, Smudge | — |
| Effects | Reverb, Delay, Modulation, Lo-Cut, Hi-Cut, plus three rearrangeable edit-page slots | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX, standalone | VST3, AU, AAX (plugin host dependent on current player) |
| Systems | macOS 10.15 or higher (Intel or Apple Silicon), Windows 7 or higher, 64-bit | — |
| Price | $59 full, $39 intro until 30 November 2026, $19 Lite | Free instruments available (optional paid LABS+/subscription content exists) |
| Catalog | — | Pianos, strings, pads, choir, drums, experimental textures, and more |
| Legacy installer | — | https://legacylabs.spitfireaudio.com/download |
| New home | — | Splice INSTRUMENT hosts LABS content for many users |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.