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
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Contenders
Serum 2 is Xfer Records' wavetable synthesizer plugin with five oscillator engines, flexible effect routing, an arpeggiator, and a clip sequencer.
Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin is a software recreation of the classic Microwave hybrid wavetable synth, with V2 expanding polyphony to 32 voices.
Score verdict
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
| Signal | Serum 2 | Waldorf Microwave 1 Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | €99 |
| Dubspot Score | 9.2 | 8.3 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX | VST3, AU, AAX |
| 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 | — |
| Instrument type | — | Hybrid wavetable synthesizer recreation |
| Version | — | Microwave 1 Plugin V2 |
| Polyphony | — | Up to 32 voices (V2; original plugin was 8) |
| Price | — | €99 promotional / €149 regular (confirm on Waldorf store) |
| Formats | — | VST3, AU, AAX (per Waldorf distribution) |
| Heritage | — | Based on the 1989 Waldorf Microwave hardware |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.