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Sampler
Output Substance
Output · $199
Output Substance is a multi-mode sample instrument for modern basses, designed hits, and hybrid low-end sound design.
8.3
Great8.3
GreatThe Dubspot verdict
A powerful low-end and designed-sample instrument for modern electronic production — more sample engine than classic subtractive synth.
Best for: Electronic producers who want designed basses, hits, and hybrid low-end textures quickly.
Pros
- Strong designed low-end and hybrid sample content
- Fast macros for sound design without deep sampling knowledge
- Fits modern electronic and trailer-adjacent aesthetics
- Complements Output’s other engines (Exhale, Portal ecosystem)
Cons
- Premium price for a specialized sample instrument
- Less flexible than a full open sampler like Kontakt for custom libraries
- Can sound “Output-ish” if overused across every track
Overview
Output Substance is a multi-mode sample instrument aimed at modern low-end and designed hits — the kind of hybrid bass and impact material electronic producers drop under drops and trailers. It is closer to a curated sample engine than to a classic oscillator-filter synth, which is why it belongs with samplers, not wavetable flagships.
It excels when you need finished-feeling designed bass and hybrid textures fast. Macros expose enough motion and tone shaping to customize patches without building a Kontakt library from scratch. That speed is the product: inspiration and modern aesthetic more than open-ended sampling.
The trade-offs are price and identity. At about $199, Substance competes with serious instruments; if you already live in Serum + Trilian, overlap is real. It also has a recognizable Output sound — a feature when you want that aesthetic, a problem if every track starts to feel the same.
Against Exhale, Trilian, Arcade, and Serum 2, choose Substance for designed hybrid low-end and hits. Choose Trilian for deep multi-sampled bass instruments, Serum for pure synthesis, Arcade for loop-driven sample engines, and Exhale for vocal textures. Dubspot Score: 8.3/10 — a modern sample instrument for low-end design, not a general-purpose VA synth.
Specifications
- Type
- Multi-mode sample instrument
- Developer
- Output
- Typical price
- $199
- Formats
- VST3, AU, AAX
- Primary job
- Designed basses, hits, and hybrid low-end
- Catalog status
- Current as of 2026
Last verified 2026-07-09
FAQ
How much does Output Substance cost?
Substance is typically about $199 from Output. Confirm current pricing and bundles on Output’s store.
What does Substance do?
Substance is a sample-based instrument focused on modern basses, designed hits, and hybrid low-end textures — not a traditional analog modeling synth.
What formats does Substance support?
Commonly VST3, AU, and AAX as a virtual instrument. Check Output’s site for current host support.
Substance vs Trilian or Serum for bass?
Trilian is a deep multi-sampled bass library; Serum is a wavetable synth. Substance sits in Output’s designed-sample lane for modern electronic low-end and hits.
Direct competitors
Output Substance vs — head-to-head specs, price, and Dubspot Score.
Output Exhale8.3
Compare →Output Substance vs Output Exhale
Trilian8.9
Compare →Output Substance vs Trilian
Serum 29.2
Compare →Output Substance vs Serum 2