CERNION by quietformat: wavetable synth with full MPE, GILLA and CLASSIC arpeggiators, 11 effects, CERNION FX and 498 presets. $99.99 intro until 9 Dec 2026.
Plugin comparison
CERNION vs Serum 2
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which synth to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
9.2Essential
Serum 2 is Xfer Records' wavetable synthesizer plugin with five oscillator engines, flexible effect routing, an arpeggiator, and a clip sequencer.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Serum 2 comes out ahead (9.2). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | CERNION | Serum 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $249 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 9.2 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, macOS, Windows | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Wavetable synthesizer, plus CERNION FX effects plug-in | — |
| Sources | 2 main oscillators, SUB, NOISE; waveform drawing, harmonic editing, custom wavetables up to 256 frames | — |
| Modulation | 4 custom LFOs, 4 envelopes, 8 macros, XY pad, modulation matrix | — |
| Arpeggiators | GILLA ARP; CLASSIC ARP with 32 steps and Latch | — |
| MPE | Pitch (±48 semitones), Slide, Press | — |
| Effects | 11 types; serial, or 2 parallel lanes of up to 8 | — |
| Presets | 498 (417 factory, 81 in four artist packs) | — |
| Systems | macOS 11+ Universal (AU, VST3); Windows 10+ (VST3) | — |
| Licensing | Perpetual or Subscribe to Own ($6.99/month, owned after 26 payments); 3 computers; 14-day trial | — |
| Oscillator engines | — | 5 (Wavetable, Multisample, Sample, Granular, Spectral) |
| Factory presets | — | Over 626 presets |
| Wavetables | — | 288 wavetables |
| Plugin formats | — | VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit) |
| Platforms | — | Windows 10+ and macOS High Sierra+ (Intel) / Big Sur+ (Apple Silicon) |
| Additional tools | — | Arpeggiator, clip sequencer, flexible effect routing |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.