8.4Great
FM8 is Native Instruments' digital FM synthesizer with eight operators and a modern interface, the successor to FM7.
Plugin comparison
FM8 vs Tupos MPE FM
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
Tupos MPE FM is an expressive FM synthesizer with 2, 4, and 6-operator engines, on-knob modulation assignment, full MPE control, an arpeggiator, a step sequencer, and an eight-slot effects chain.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | FM8 | Tupos MPE FM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.00 | €39.99 (€29.99 launch) |
| Dubspot Score | 8.4 | — |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU (macOS only), AAX | VST3, AU, AUv3, Standalone |
| Synthesis | FM (frequency modulation) synthesis | — |
| Operators | 8 operators, freely combinable in algorithms | — |
| Presets | Over 1,200 presets | — |
| Effects | 12 built-in high-quality effects | Eight-slot chain with per-effect controls and modulation badges |
| Platforms | Windows (64-bit) and macOS (64-bit) | — |
| Plugin formats | VST, VST3, AAX (Win); VST, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac) | — |
| Type | — | FM synthesizer with direct on-knob modulation |
| Engines | — | 2, 4, and 6 operators sharing one panel |
| Algorithms | — | 8 at four operators, 32 plus feedback at six, custom routing matrix |
| Expression | — | Full MPE (per-note pitch, pressure, slide) plus Standard MIDI |
| Sequencing | — | Arpeggiator and step sequencer with per-step velocity and length |
| Formats | — | VST3, AUv2, standalone (macOS and Windows); standalone and AUv3 (iPhone, iPad, Apple Silicon Mac) |
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