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
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Contenders
Rob Papen Quad-2 is a phase-distortion and waveshaping synthesizer with 36 filter types, additive and spectral waveforms, a deep modulation matrix and over 1000 presets.
u-he's cult-favorite synth, rebuilt from the ground up with spline-based wavetables, additive synthesis up to 1,024 partials, and an adaptive modular interface.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Rob Papen Quad-2 | u-he Zebra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €49 / $49 | €249 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 9.0 |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, RTAS, AAX | CLAP, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Phase-distortion and waveshaping synthesizer | Modular wavetable / additive synthesizer |
| Oscillators | 2, plus a sub-oscillator with spread; additive and spectral waves | — |
| Sound shaping | Phase distortion and waveshaper per oscillator | — |
| Oscillator modulation | Ring modulation, phase modulation, multiple FM routings | — |
| Filters | 36 types, 6 dB to 36 dB slopes (LP, HP, BP, notch, comb, vocal, formant, ring) | — |
| Modulation | 16 sources, 165 destinations, 16-slot matrix; 2 LFOs; 2 envelopes | — |
| Effects | FX-1 (chorus, ensemble, flanger, phaser, widener); FX-2 (reverb, delay) | — |
| Arpeggiator | 16 steps, 11 modes, per-step octave, swing and velocity | — |
| Polyphony | 16 voices, 8 play modes including unison 2, 3, 4, 6 | — |
| Presets | Over 1000 | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, RTAS, AAX (macOS and Windows) | CLAP, VST3, AU, AAX (macOS / Windows / Linux) |
| Partials | — | Up to 1,024 (additive) |
| Released | — | April 2026 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.