8.3Great
Output Exhale is a modern vocal engine and sample instrument for playable vocal textures, phrases, and designed vocal sound design.
Plugin comparison
Output Exhale vs Portal
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which sampler to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
8.4Great
Portal is a granular synthesis FX plugin from Output that transforms any audio input into playable, musical granular effects.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Portal comes out ahead (8.4). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Output Exhale | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $149 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.3 | 8.4 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Vocal sample instrument / engine | — |
| Developer | Output | — |
| Typical price | $199 | — |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX | — |
| Primary job | Playable vocal textures and designed vocal parts | — |
| Catalog status | Current as of 2026 | — |
| Presets | — | 250+ presets for instant playability |
| Control | — | Circular XY control linked to granular parameters |
| Built-in FX | — | 7 built-in FX plus a master compressor and filter |
| Time manipulation | — | Powerful time manipulation engine with tempo-synced grain delay |
| Modulation | — | Scale-based pitch modulation, Time Stretch, Pitch Shift, and Humanize controls |
| Apple Silicon | — | Native Apple Silicon compatibility (M1, M2 and beyond) as of v1.2.0 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.