reFX Rippler is a physical modeling synthesizer that generates sound from banks of tuned resonators rather than samples or wavetables. It models how physical objects vibrate, using 12 acoustic models (String, Drumhead, Beam, Djembe, Squared, Vibraphone, Bell, Marimba, Membrane, Open Tube, Plate, and Closed Tube) to recreate strings, mallets, bells, tubes, and more, without a single sample in the signal path.
Its distinguishing feature is a two-layer design with bi-directional energy coupling: energy passes between the two synthesis layers in both directions, so each can excite and be excited by the other. That feedback produces the living, evolving tones that set it apart from simpler modal instruments. Two oscillators, two filters, and 32 exciter samples add subtractive shaping, and a modular effects section (13 on the master bus, 12 per layer) finishes patches inside the plugin.
Rippler is the commercial evolution of a free, open physical modeling synth. It goes head to head with Chromaphone 3 on sample-free organic sound, offering coupling and a subtractive layer at roughly half the price, though Chromaphone still leads on library size and format coverage.