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
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, Dubspot may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects our scores or what we recommend — read our policy.
Contenders
Evolve Dark Matter is Excite Audio's sample-based quad-engine synth for dark drum & bass, techno, and atmospheric low-end textures with morphing macros.
Portal is a granular synthesis FX plugin from Output that transforms any audio input into playable, musical granular effects.
Score verdict
On the Dubspot Score, Portal comes out ahead (8.4). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Excite Audio Evolve Dark Matter | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39+ | $149 |
| Dubspot Score | 7.8 | 8.4 |
| Formats | VST3, VST, AU, AAX, standalone | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Sample-based / hybrid morphing synthesizer | — |
| Layers | Up to four sample or synth layers | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX, standalone | — |
| Platforms | macOS 10.15+ (Intel & Apple Silicon); Windows 7+ 64-bit | — |
| Use case | Dark drum & bass, techno, atmospheric low end | — |
| Presets | — | 250+ presets for instant playability |
| Control | — | Circular XY control linked to granular parameters |
| Built-in FX | — | 7 built-in FX plus a master compressor and filter |
| Time manipulation | — | Powerful time manipulation engine with tempo-synced grain delay |
| Modulation | — | Scale-based pitch modulation, Time Stretch, Pitch Shift, and Humanize controls |
| Apple Silicon | — | Native Apple Silicon compatibility (M1, M2 and beyond) as of v1.2.0 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.