8.4Great
FM8 is Native Instruments' digital FM synthesizer with eight operators and a modern interface, the successor to FM7.
Plugin comparison
FM8 vs Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ
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
Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ is a multi-layer FM synth that emulates four classic Yamaha four-operator chips, the OPM, OPP, OPZ and OPZ2, behind the DX100, TX81Z, DX11 and V50.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | FM8 | Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.00 | $49.95 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.4 | — |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU (macOS only), AAX | VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP, 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 | — |
| Platforms | Windows (64-bit) and macOS (64-bit) | — |
| Plugin formats | VST, VST3, AAX (Win); VST, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac) | — |
| Type | — | Multi-chip four-operator FM synthesizer |
| Chips emulated | — | OPM (YM2151), OPP (YM2164), OPZ (YM2414), OPZ2 (YM2424) |
| Hardware modeled | — | DX21, DX27, DX100, TX81Z, DX11, V50, arcade hardware |
| Layering | — | Up to 8 sounds on the stack page, keyboard mapping |
| Patch import | — | SysEx patch file loading |
| Extras | — | VGM playback and analysis, CSM mode, chip-accurate noise and LFO, NKS |
| Formats | — | VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP, standalone (Windows, macOS, Linux) |
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