9.1Essential
Arturia Pigments is a software synthesizer combining six synthesis engines, drag-and-drop modulation, filters, effects, and sequencing.
Plugin comparison
Arturia Pigments vs Surge XT
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
8.7Great
Surge XT is a free open-source hybrid synthesizer with deep modulation, 12 oscillator algorithms, MPE, microtuning, and 2800+ factory patches.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Arturia Pigments comes out ahead (9.1). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Arturia Pigments | Surge XT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | Free |
| Dubspot Score | 9.1 | 8.7 |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AAX, Audio Unit (AU), NKS | VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone |
| Synthesis engines | Six engines: Modal, Granular, Wavetable, Sample, Harmonic, and Virtual Analog (plus a Utility engine) | — |
| Filters | 19 filter types and 68 filter modes | — |
| Effects | 20 effects, with 3 FX slots per bus across two insert buses and one send/return bus | — |
| Presets | Over 1,700 presets | — |
| Current version | Pigments 7 | — |
| Platforms | Windows 10+ (64-bit) and macOS 11+ (incl. Apple M1); 4 GB RAM, 3 GB disk space | Windows, macOS (Intel/Apple Silicon), Linux |
| Type | — | Open-source hybrid synthesizer |
| Version | — | 1.3.4 (stable) |
| Oscillators | — | 3 per scene; 12 algorithms (Classic, Modern, Wavetable, FM2/FM3, String, Twist, and more) |
| Factory content | — | 2800+ patches; 700+ wavetables |
| Scenes | — | Two full synthesis scenes for layer/split patches |
| Formats | — | VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.