Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which drums to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
MODO DRUM is IK Multimedia's physical-modeling drum virtual instrument that combines modal synthesis with sampling to build customizable acoustic kits.
A virtual drum instrument plugin with 148+ drum kits, 2,400+ MIDI grooves, and a Groove AI assistant that recommends grooves for your song.
Score verdict
On the Dubspot Score, Steven Slate Drums 5 comes out ahead (7.6). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
| Signal | MODO DRUM | Steven Slate Drums 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 | $59 |
| Dubspot Score | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Formats | VST 2, VST 3, Audio Units (AU, Mac), AAX, Standalone | VST, VST3, AU (Audio Unit), AAX |
| Drum kits | Up to 13 kits (full version); SE has 5; CS has 1 | 148+ professional drum kits |
| Technology | Modal synthesis combined with advanced sampling, with infinite round-robin | — |
| MIDI grooves | 1,400+ included MIDI patterns | 2,400+ grooves played by real drummers |
| Cymbal sets | 6 different cymbal sets | — |
| Effects & reverbs | 19 studio processors/effects and 8 convolution room reverbs | — |
| System requirements | 64-bit only; macOS 10.9+ (incl. Apple M1) or Windows 7+; AVX CPU; 8GB RAM (16GB rec.); 20GB disk | 2.2GHz Intel/AMD dual-core or higher, 4GB RAM minimum |
| Groove AI | — | Analyzes the song, finds key transients, and recommends a matching MIDI groove |
| Platform support | — | macOS (AAX/VST/AU) and Windows (AAX/VST); Apple Silicon supported |
| Licensing | — | 3 iLok licenses per purchase; Machine ID activation, no physical iLok dongle required |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.