8.4Great
FM8 is Native Instruments' digital FM synthesizer with eight operators and a modern interface, the successor to FM7.
Plugin comparison
FM8 vs Sandbender
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
Sandbender is Audio Damage's four-operator FM synthesizer, built to make FM programming playable, with drag-and-drop modulation and a genetic preset generator.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Sandbender comes out ahead (8.7). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | FM8 | Sandbender |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.00 | €90.95 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.4 | 8.7 |
| Formats | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU (macOS only), AAX | CLAP, VST3, AU (macOS only), AAX, AUV3 (iOS) |
| Synthesis | FM (frequency modulation) synthesis | Four-operator FM, ten algorithms plus a custom algorithm designer |
| Operators | 8 operators, freely combinable in algorithms | — |
| Presets | Over 1,200 presets | Over 260, in nine categories |
| Effects | 12 built-in high-quality effects | — |
| Platforms | Windows (64-bit) and macOS (64-bit) | macOS 10.15+, Windows 10+, Ubuntu 22+, iOS 16+ |
| Plugin formats | VST, VST3, AAX (Win); VST, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac) | CLAP, VST3, AU, AAX (desktop); AUV3 (iOS) |
| Per operator | — | Wave shaper, harmonic/free/fixed tuning, simultaneous sound and modulation |
| Extras | — | Wavefolder, divider sub oscillator, six noise types |
| Filters | — | Eleven types (state-variable, ladder, diode, Sallen-Key), stereo per voice |
| Modulation | — | 2 envelopes, 2 LFOs, 2 function generators, 16-step sequencer, 4 macros, drag-and-drop |
| Voices | — | 8, poly/mono/retriggered mono, 1x to 8x oversampling |
| Tuning | — | Full MPE and MTS-ESP microtuning |
| Copy protection | — | None (no DRM, dongle or subscription) |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.