8.4Great
Portal is a granular synthesis FX plugin from Output that transforms any audio input into playable, musical granular effects.
Plugin comparison
Portal vs Scrap Brain Audio WHORL
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
WHORL is a microslice sequencer that splits any file into attacks, bodies, and textures on a 16-step grid. $39 intro, $99 regular, direct from Scrap Brain.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Portal | Scrap Brain Audio WHORL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 | $39 intro / $99 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.4 | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX | VST3, AU, Standalone |
| 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.