List of the Best Wavetable Synth VSTs for 2024

Published 12am, 11 Mar 2024

A rundown of the most popular wavetable synthesis plugins

The original analog wavetable synthesizers have been around since the early 1980s and featured in many groundbreaking albums from synth masters like Jean Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream, but more recently wavetable plugins have been more common, but what is the best wavetable synth VST? In this quick guide, we’re going to take a look at the history of wavetable synths, how they work and drop a top 7 list of the best wavetable synth VSTs on the market right now.

What are wavetable synth VSTs and why use them?

So before we get stuck into the best wavetable synth VSTs, let’s look at what they actually do. Wavetable synthesizers generate sound by using digital wavetables—collections of single-cycle waveforms. You can choose, modulate, and morph between these waveforms in real-time, enabling the creation of dynamic and complex sounds. By manipulating the position within a wavetable, altering its shape, or importing custom waveforms, you can change them over time to create weird and unique sounds. It’s this ability to create your own versatile synth patches that has producers reaching for the best wavetable synthesizers on many of their tracks.

How does wavetable synthesis work?

Wavetable synthesis works by cycling through a series of waveforms stored in a wavetable. Each waveform represents a unique sound characteristic, and by switching or morphing between these waveforms, a wide range of unique sounds can be created.

Here’s a breakdown of the main functions:

Waveform Selection: The synth selects a waveform from the wavetable. This initial choice determines the basic character of the sound.
Playback and Modulation: The selected waveform is played back, and users can modulate or morph between different waveforms in the table. This modulation can be controlled in real-time through manual controls, envelopes, LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators), or sequencers.
Sound Shaping: Additional synthesis parameters, such as filters, envelopes, and effects, shape the output even more..
Advanced Features: The best wavetable VSTs offer advanced features like waveform editing, allowing users to create and import their own waveforms, and spectral manipulation for even more sound design possibilities.

What is wavetable synthesis good for?

Many of the best wavetable VST synths are used across many different genres, but these days it’s more closely associated with the more abrasive side of EDM, with producers working in Dubstep, D’n’B, Bass and Electrohouse, reaching for the best wavetable plugins every time. That said, there are plenty of opportunities to create chunky house basslines, deep trance pads, or morphing ambient soundscapes, and many more unique functions from some of the best wavetable synthesizers out there!

What type of synth is a wavetable synth?

The best wavetable synth plugins offer something different than other synths. Unlike traditional analog synths that create sounds through oscillators and filters, wavetable synths offer a wide range of sonic possibilities by allowing users to sweep through waveforms, morphing between them to produce dynamic, evolving tones. This technique allows for a huge amount of versatility in sound design, making it a popular choice for EDM producers around the world. Check out any track by Deadmau5 or Skrillex and you’d be hard pushed not to hear one of the best wavetable synth plugins being used, front and centre of the track.

Our top-7 of the best wavetable synth VSTs. Their features and benefits

Ok here we go, it’s time for our Top 7 Wavetable Synth VSTs. This isn’t an exhaustive list though, there’s plenty of the best wavetable synths outside of this list, so make sure to do a bit of research and see what’s best for you. In fact some of the best wavetable synth VSTs come built in with your DAW, for example, check out this amazing video on our site, from P-Lask as he takes a dive into the wavetable capabilities within Ableton Live.

Here we go with our top 7 best wavetable synths.

NODE

Of course it’s going to be the newest addition to our plugin suite at the top of the list. NODE is one of the best wavetable editors around, allowing you to sculpt your own singe-cycle wavetables. You can easily draw and drag Nodes to create your own waveshapes, or use vector curves to manipulate imported samples.

It’s easy to then export your wavetables directly into Serum, Arturia Pigments, ANA2, Ableton Wavetable and KV331 Synthmaster

Xfer Serum

One of the current big guns on the wavetable scene, Xfer’s mighty Serum can be heard across many current EDM productions. Serum is known for its high-quality sound and extensive sound design capabilities. It allows users to create and manipulate waveforms in real-time, offering advanced modulation options, tons of filters, and an intuitive interface. Serum stands out for its ability to produce complex, rich sounds suitable for any type of EDM.

ANA 2

ANA originally started out as a Subtractive synthesiser, but has evolved throughout the years and now has full wavetable synthesis built into. When used in conjunction with NODE you can design and create your own wavetables and then conveniently export them directly into ANA 2 for use making the whole process a seamless experience.

Vital Audio Vital

Vital is a spectral warping wavetable synthesizer that offers groundbreaking sound design capabilities through its use of spectral oscillator warping. It allows users to warp and manipulate waveforms visually, creating dynamic and complex sounds. With an intuitive interface, Vital also drops a range of advanced modulation features, a vast range of filters, and high-quality effects. One of the best new wavetable synth VSTs out there today, and a contender for the best wavetable synth of 2024.

U-he Hive 2

In an upgrade from Hive, Hive 2 now features Wavetables, editable in the easy to use UI. You can select wavetables by hand, modulate their position through the matrix, or cycle through them automatically with envelope and loop settings, bringing wavetables to life without additional modulators. This section also includes a Reverse function for inverting wavetables, a Cyclic mode for smooth transitions, and several interpolation techniques for dynamic, real-time sound shaping.

Arturia Pigments 4

This synth easily hits the top 7 best wavetable synths list, but it’s so much more than just one of the best wavetable synth VSTs. It utilizes many styles of modern synthesis, blending wavetable, virtual analog, sampling, and granular synthesis in one comprehensive package. Its visually intuitive interface allows for easy manipulation, making it perfect for both beginners and seasoned producers. Pigments 4 has a ton of new features and effects, and vast modulation capabilities.

NI Massive X

Well we couldn’t make any list of the best wavetable synths without inducing the granddaddy of them all, NI’s hugely influential Massive, arguably the synth that launched a thousand Dubstep careers! Massive X is the next-generation of their flagship synthesizer, building on its predecessor with a new incredible sound engine. It offers a vast array of wavetable oscillators, extensive modulation options, and a suite of filters and effects for getting deep into sculpting your own sounds. Massive X is a powerhouse for contemporary EDM production, can be heard across many genres, and is definitely in the running for the best wavetable synth of 2024.

Conclusion

So what is the best wavetable synth software of all time? Well we’ll leave that up to you to decide, but you could start your research by checking out some of the first class wavetable synth tutorials we have on our website, delivered by some of the world’s greatest producers.

Don’t forget to check out NODE, our incredible wavetable designer!