Microvolt 3901 is Pittsburgh Modular's software version of the 3900 semi-modular synth, with seven oscillators, 19 effects, a full patch bay and six-voice polyphony.
Plugin comparison
Microvolt 3901 vs Surge XT
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
8.7Great
Surge XT is a free open-source hybrid synthesizer with deep modulation, 12 oscillator algorithms, MPE, microtuning, and 2800+ factory patches.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Microvolt 3901 | Surge XT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69 | Free |
| Dubspot Score | — | 8.7 |
| Formats | Standalone, VST3, AU, AUv3 | VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone |
| Developer | Pittsburgh Modular | — |
| Type | Patchable virtual-analog / semi-modular synth | Open-source hybrid synthesizer |
| Models | Microvolt 3900 plus classic Pittsburgh Modular Eurorack modules | — |
| Oscillators | Seven sources, including Microvolt, Lifeforms SV-1, Double Helix wavetable, DNA Symbiotic Waves | 3 per scene; 12 algorithms (Classic, Modern, Wavetable, FM2/FM3, String, Twist, and more) |
| Modulation | Ten sources: VILFO, dual LFO, function generator, Game System, envelopes, modulation oscillator, sample and hold, ring modulator | — |
| Patching | Full patch bay routing audio and CV | — |
| Effects | 19, usable at the end of the chain or patched inside the synth | — |
| Polyphony | Six voices, or mono with up to six unison voices | — |
| Sequencer | 16-step; built-in touch-plate keyboard | — |
| Sync | MIDI, Ableton Link, host sync | — |
| Presets | 200 factory, import and export, 100-step undo | — |
| Formats | macOS: Standalone, AU, VST3. Windows: Standalone, VST3. iPad (Standalone, AUv3) coming | VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone |
| Systems | macOS 12+, Windows 10/11 (64-bit, incl. ARM64), iPadOS 15+ | — |
| Price | $69 (Mac and Windows); 7-day free trial | — |
| Version | — | 1.3.4 (stable) |
| Factory content | — | 2800+ patches; 700+ wavetables |
| Scenes | — | Two full synthesis scenes for layer/split patches |
| Platforms | — | Windows, macOS (Intel/Apple Silicon), Linux |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.