8.2Great
Animation Station Pro hosts VST3 and AU instruments and effects, then animates MIDI and FX in one preset. $89 intro, specs, and how it compares.
Plugin comparison
Animation Station Pro vs Cthulhu
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which midi tool to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
8.4Great
Cthulhu (Xfer Records) — MIDI chord memorizer and arpeggiator. Score 8.4/10, price $39, formats and comparisons.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Cthulhu 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 | Animation Station Pro | Cthulhu |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89 intro, $119 regular | $39 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.2 | 8.4 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX, standalone, macOS, Windows | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Plugin host with MIDI animator and FX animator | — |
| Engines | Universal Instrument Host, MIDI Sequencer & Arpeggiator, FX Animation Engine (up to 6 animations) | — |
| Presets | 900+ combined MIDI and FX Animation presets | — |
| Hosted formats | User AU and VST3 instruments and effects | — |
| OS requirements | macOS 10.13+ (Intel/Apple Silicon), Windows 10+, 6 GB RAM | — |
| Disk | About 35 MB | — |
| Product type | — | MIDI chord memorizer and arpeggiator |
| Developer | — | Xfer Records |
| Typical price | — | $39 |
| Formats | — | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Primary job | — | fast harmonic sketching for electronic music |
| Catalog status | — | Current as of 2026 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.