DYSEKT: Per-Slice Stem Separation in a €45 Sampler

Defuse Audio has released DYSEKT, a sampling plugin that folds a slicer, a drum sampler and a multisampled instrument into one window, then puts stem separation and effects on every slice. It runs on-device, costs €45, and the current 1.1 update adds chords, an arpeggiator and import for MPC and Maschine kits. This is a first look based on Defuse Audio's official materials, not a hands-on review.

At a glance: DYSEKT is a €45 VST3 and AU plugin for macOS and Windows. It slices or multisamples any audio, splits each slice into drums, bass, music and vocals with built-in stem separation, and gives every one of up to 128 slices its own effects, envelope, pitch, loop and output. A free demo is available directly from Defuse Audio.

What is DYSEKT?

DYSEKT is a sampler built around one idea. A sample is not one sound, it is many, and each piece should be editable on its own. Drop in a loop and it cuts into slices. Drop in a one-shot and it becomes a playable instrument. The plugin works in three modes, Slice, Drum and Keys, so the same window handles beat chopping, drum-kit building and melodic multisampling.

That puts it in a crowded space next to Serato Sample, XLN Audio's drum tools and the sampling engines inside Maschine and MPC software. Two things set DYSEKT apart. The per-slice editing goes unusually deep, and the stem separation lives inside the sampler rather than in a separate app or a cloud service.

What DYSEKT does, feature by feature

Stem separation on any slice. DYSEKT separates audio into four stems, drums, bass, music and vocals, with a choice of Best or Fast quality. It runs on your machine rather than uploading to a server. You can apply it to the whole sample or to a single slice, so you can pull the vocal out of one chop and the drums out of another, then treat each stem as its own sound. For flipping loops, this removes the usual round trip to a separate stem tool.

Up to 128 slices, each fully independent. Where many slicers stop at 32 or 64 pads, DYSEKT holds 128 slices across eight banks of 16. Every slice carries its own effects, envelope, pitch, loop points and output bus. You can saturate the kick on slice one, drop the snare on slice two into a reverb, and pitch a vocal chop up seven semitones, all inside one instance.

Five ways to slice, five ways to stretch. Slicing methods cover Transient, Beat, Region, Random and Manual, so you can let transients decide the cuts or place them by hand. Pitch and time handling runs from Stretch and Tight to Beats, Repitch and Cyclic, which means a chopped loop can follow your project tempo or keep its original character.

Sixteen effects, per slice or global. DYSEKT ships with 16 effect types that you can place on a single slice or across the whole instrument. Modulation comes from an ADSR envelope and a tempo-synced LFO per slice, routable to pitch, filter, level and pan, plus eight bipolar macros with MIDI learn for hands-on control.

An "edit all slices" view. One standout from the 1.1 update is the All view, which shows every control across all slices at once. Where slices differ, the control shows it, and you decide whether to set them all to one value or keep the differences. For a 128-slice chop, this turns what would be slice-by-slice drudgery into a single pass.

DYSEKT 1.1: chords, arpeggiator and your old library

The current build, 1.1.1, turns Keys mode into a songwriting tool and opens the door to libraries you already own.

704 chord progressions in 30 genres. Pick a progression and each chord lands on its own key, lit and numbered, across neo soul, house, hip hop, jazz and more. Chord memory records a shape and spreads it across the keyboard, and strum, humanize and velocity controls add feel. You can drag the result out as MIDI.

A grid-locked arpeggiator. Hold a key and DYSEKT breaks the chord into an arpeggio from one of 12 scales, with six patterns, rates from 1/1 to 1/64 with triplets, and one to four octaves. It stays locked to your DAW's grid, so a late keypress still lands on the beat.

Import MPC, Maschine, ReCycle, SoundFont and SFZ. DYSEKT opens MPC programs, Maschine groups and sounds, ReCycle REX loops, SoundFonts and SFZ files, mapping pads and key ranges as they were. For anyone with years of kits built in other software, that is a real reason to look.

DYSEKT specifications

Spec	Detail
Developer	Defuse Audio
Price	€45 (free demo)
Formats	VST3 (macOS and Windows), AU (macOS)
macOS	13.4 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel (universal)
Windows	10 and 11, 64-bit
Modes	Slice, Drum, Keys
Slicing	Transient, Beat, Region, Random, Manual
Pitch and time	Stretch, Tight, Beats, Repitch, Cyclic
Capacity	128 slices/pads, 8 banks of 16
Stem separation	Drums, bass, music, vocals, on-device (Best/Fast)
Effects	16 types, per slice or global
Modulation	ADSR envelope and tempo-synced LFO per slice, 8 bipolar macros
Polyphony	Up to 64 voices, or mono
Outputs	Up to 16 stereo buses
File import	WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, M4A, ReCycle (REX2, REX, RCY)
Kit import	MPC (.xpm), Maschine groups and sounds, SoundFont, SFZ
Version	1.1.1

DYSEKT vs Serato Sample

The nearest named rival is Serato Sample, another sampler plugin that separates stems and chops loops inside the DAW. They solve the same problem from different angles.

	DYSEKT	Serato Sample
Price	€45 one-time	$129 one-time, or $9.99/mo subscription
Formats	VST3, AU	VST, AU, AAX
Platforms	macOS, Windows	macOS, Windows
Stem separation	On-device, four stems, per slice	Yes, with pitch shift and time-stretch
Max slices	128, each with own FX and output	Cue-point based, fewer per instance
Per-slice effects	Yes, 16 types	Limited
Kit import	MPC, Maschine, ReCycle, SoundFont, SFZ	No
Chords and arp	Yes (704 progressions, arpeggiator)	No

Serato Sample has the name recognition, the AAX format for Pro Tools and a tight link to the wider Serato ecosystem. DYSEKT answers with deeper per-slice editing, far more slices, kit import and a lower one-time price. If your work is cutting loops into dozens of independently processed pieces, or building kits from libraries you already own, DYSEKT covers ground Serato Sample does not. For a drum-focused organiser, it is also worth weighing against XO, and for a full groovebox workflow against Maschine 3.

Who DYSEKT is for

DYSEKT suits beatmakers and flip-focused producers who chop loops all day and want to treat every piece separately. It also suits anyone who wants stem separation without leaving the sampler. The MPC and Maschine import makes it attractive to producers migrating a hardware library into a plugin. It works as a melodic instrument too, thanks to multisampling and the new chord and arp tools.

Skip it if you need AAX for Pro Tools, since DYSEKT ships VST3 and AU only, or if you are on macOS older than 13.4. Producers who already live inside a hardware MPC or Maschine may find less reason to switch, though the import path lowers that barrier.

How much does DYSEKT cost?

DYSEKT is €45 as a one-time purchase directly from Defuse Audio, with a free demo to try before buying. It is not sold through Plugin Boutique, so the official site is the place to buy. There is no subscription, and the 1.1 update is free. You can find it at defuseaudio.com/dysekt.

FAQ

Does DYSEKT separate stems on-device or in the cloud?

On-device. DYSEKT splits audio into drums, bass, music and vocals on your own machine, with Best or Fast quality, so nothing is uploaded.

What formats and systems does DYSEKT support?

VST3 on macOS and Windows, and AU on macOS. It needs macOS 13.4 or later on Apple Silicon or Intel, or 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. There is no AAX or standalone version.

Can DYSEKT open my MPC or Maschine kits?

Yes. It imports MPC programs, Maschine groups and sounds, ReCycle REX loops, SoundFonts and SFZ files, keeping pad layouts and key ranges intact.

DYSEKT vs Serato Sample, which should I pick?

Choose DYSEKT for deep per-slice editing, 128 slices, kit import and a lower one-time price. Choose Serato Sample for AAX support, the Serato ecosystem and its established name.

Verdict

DYSEKT is an ambitious first release that reframes the sampler around the slice rather than the sample. On-device stem separation, 128 independently processed pads, and import for MPC and Maschine kits add up to a workflow that feels genuinely different, and the 1.1 chords and arpeggiator push it past a pure chopping tool. At €45 with a free demo, it is an easy one to audition. This remains a first look from Defuse Audio's official materials, and a hands-on test would be the next step before calling it essential.