8.4Great
Chromaphone 3 is a two-voice acoustic object synthesizer using physically modeled acoustic resonators by Applied Acoustics Systems.
Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which synth to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
Chromaphone 3 is a two-voice acoustic object synthesizer using physically modeled acoustic resonators by Applied Acoustics Systems.
Spectrasonics' flagship hybrid software synthesizer — 26,000+ patches, a standalone 93-processor FX Rack, and one of the deepest engines in software.
Score verdict
On the Dubspot Score, Omnisphere 3 comes out ahead (9.4). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Chromaphone 3 | Omnisphere 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $479 full / $199 upgrade |
| Dubspot Score | 8.4 | 9.4 |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX Native, NKS, Standalone | VST3, AU, AAX |
| Synthesis | Two-voice multitimbral, based on physically modeled acoustic resonators | — |
| Resonator types | Eight: beam, marimba, open tubes, closed tubes, string, drumhead, plate, membrane | — |
| Factory library | 1,090+ presets (421 new plus 676 remastered Chromaphone 2 sounds) | — |
| Effects | Reverb, delay, distortion, phaser, chorus, flanger, filters, equalizer, compressor, guitar amplifier, tremolo across three independent racks | 93 processors (standalone FX Rack) |
| Tuning | Supports Scala scale file format and reference note frequency tuning for microtonal music | — |
| RAM | Less than 256 MB per instance | — |
| Type | — | Hybrid software synthesizer |
| Patches | — | 26,000+ |
| Released | — | 2025 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.