Buzz Zone is Toybox's two-engine wavetable and sample synth. Version 3 adds six piano-roll sequencers, the Utility Strip, new modulation, Snapshots and tuning systems.
Plugin comparison
Buzz Zone 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 | Buzz Zone | Serum 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $48 (Version 3 a free update) | $249 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 9.2 |
| Formats | Standalone, VST3, AU, AUv3 | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Developer | Toybox | — |
| Type | Two-engine synthesizer (wavetable Synth engine plus Sample engine) | — |
| Oscillators | Wavetable main and harmony oscillators with unison; sample-based Sample engine | — |
| Modulation | 16 oscillator modulation types (FM, AM, hard sync, 8 phase-distortion modes and more) | — |
| Envelopes | Two banks (A and B) with crossfade; Smart, Lines and Steps, Draw and Record editing | — |
| Sequencers | 6, each with a piano-roll MIDI editor and per-note expression | — |
| Utility Strip | Modular MIDI workspace: arps, note repeaters, chord tools, LFOs, CC mappers and more | — |
| Snapshots | Store and morph complete sound variations, up to 64 slots per preset | — |
| Tuning | Global Tuning library: historical temperaments, just intonation, world tunings | — |
| Effects | 25 reverbs and effects | — |
| Formats | VST3, AU, standalone (macOS and Windows); AUv3 on iPad | — |
| Price | $48 desktop; Version 3 a free update for existing owners | — |
| 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.