Dexed vs Vital
Dexed
asb2m10.github.io
Vital
vital.audioSide by side
| Figure | Dexed | Vital |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Virtual Instruments | 8.9 (#1) | 8.6 (#3) |
| Spec score · Software Synthesizers | 8.8 (#3) | 8.6 (#6) |
| License | Dexed is GPL version 3 software; its msfa component remains under Apache 2.0. | The public source repository is GPLv3; proprietary use requires a separate license, and source builds cannot use Vital trademarks or its web services. |
| Limit: effects | Another review notes that Dexed has no large built-in effects section, so users may need separate reverb, delay or distortion plugins. | ProducerHive says the effects section is comparatively lacking despite the otherwise extensive feature set. |
| Plugin formats | The official feature list names VST, Audio Unit and LV2 builds for OS X, Windows and Linux. | The official factsheet lists VST, VST3, AU and LV2 formats. |
| What it does | Dexed is a multi-platform FM synthesizer plugin modeled closely on Yamaha's DX7 and also works as a MIDI cartridge librarian. | Vital is a spectral-warping wavetable synthesizer that changes waveform harmonics to create new timbres. |
Plans
Vital
- BasicFree
- Subscription$5 a month
- Subscription$5 a month
- Plus$25, paid once
- Pro$80, paid once
In their own words
Dexed
Dexed is a free synth plugin and standalone app modeled on the Yamaha DX7. It runs on Linux, macOS and Windows, with VST, AU and LV2 plugin formats. Its sound engine follows the original DX7’s characteristics and includes Modern, Mark I and OPL Series engine types. Dexed also serves as a MIDI cartridge librarian for the DX7: it can load and save DX7/TX7 SysEx programs, save an individual program to a separate SysEx file, and exchange DX7 SysEx messages, including controller change. A single panel exposes 144 DAW-automatable DX7 parameters, and each operator has a real-time VU meter. Microtuning and MPE support were contributed by the Surge Synthesizer Team. Dexed is free software under GPL v3, at free. The project says documentation is minimal and cautions against expecting a perfect DX7 clone. Release 1.0.1 fixes scaling issues and rebuilds the Linux binary for older glibc versions.
Vital
Vital is a spectral warping wavetable synthesizer for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its oscillators reshape wavetable harmonics through stretching, shifting, smearing, and skewing to create timbres. Users can make wavetables by converting samples with pitch-splice or vocode, editing tables, or generating them from text. Modulation includes drag-and-drop assignment, audio-rate modulation, stereo-splittable and keytracked LFOs, and custom envelope curves. Sound tools include two routable voice filters, eight routable effects, an oscilloscope, and a spectrum viewer. Vital supports MPE and microtonal tuning files, with VST, VST3, AU, and LV2 plugin formats listed. Requirements include 64-bit operation and OpenGL 3 or higher; the listed systems are Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+, and Ubuntu Linux 18.04+. The free Basic plan costs nothing and includes 75 presets, 25 wavetables, and full synth features. Plus costs $25, paid once and includes 250 presets and 70 wavetables. Text-to-wavetable requests are limited to five per day unless a plan unlocks unlimited requests.