Phoenix by Spitfire Audio and BT is a hybrid cinematic synth with six engines, 16-voice MPE, and about 40 GB. Intro is $239 or £199 through 25 October 2026.
Plugin comparison
Phoenix vs u-he Zebra 3
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
9.0Essential
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
Specs compared
| Signal | Phoenix | u-he Zebra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239 intro / $299 | €249 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 9.0 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX, standalone | CLAP, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Hybrid cinematic synth | Modular wavetable / additive synthesizer |
| Price | $239 / £199 through 25 October 2026, then $299 / £249 | — |
| Engines | Spectral wavetable, FM, sampler, 2-op FM transients, subharmonic, noise | — |
| Presets | 552 | — |
| Voices | 16-voice stereo MPE | — |
| Effects | 37 processors, 12 slots, 3 chains | — |
| Library | About 40 GB, 80 GB free to install | — |
| macOS | 15 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | — |
| Windows | 10 22H2 or 11, 64-bit | — |
| Connection | Online required while in use | — |
| Partials | — | Up to 1,024 (additive) |
| Formats | — | CLAP, VST3, AU, AAX (macOS / Windows / Linux) |
| Released | — | April 2026 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.