Dawesome Kontrast out now: a wavetable Synthesizer plugin like no other, with a grayscale take on WT synthesis.
At the beginning of September, Dawesome announced the new Kontrast, a wavetable synth plugin that breaks new ground. Kontrast is now available, and yes, it’s not a Serum replacement or copy of a copy.
The plugin takes a different approach to wavetable synthesis. This begins with the wavetables being displayed as black-and-white images. Peter V has also taken further scanning. Instead of scanning on a single line, Kontrast scans the entire wavetable as terrain without a fixed point and with user-definable shapes.
Other highlights include a flexible signal path, including a powerful multi-FX processor with multi-type resonators and granular synthesis. Tons of modulation are also onboard. A full review will follow hopefully soon.
In the meantime, here is a 20-minute sound demo exploring the Kontrast engine is out now. An ad-free version + 11 extra minutes is available for Patreon supporters.
Dawesome Kontrast is available now for an introductory price of 89€ instead of 149€ (40% OFF). It runs as a VST3 and AU plugin on macOS and Windows.
Available at my partner
Plugin B.
Article from September 1, 2025
Wavetable synthesis has been a hot topic in the Synthesizer world for over a decade. Countless wavetable synths have emerged on the market, both hardware- and software-based, often employing similar approaches to wavetable synthesis.
Recent releases included 4Pockets Oscidia for iOS, Serum 2 for macOS/Windows, and the Suonobuono Polyvera hardware. However, things will soon move forward on the technical side.
Peter Vorländer (Peter V) of Dawesome, a developer who has made a name for himself with novel, unique synth plugins in the past, wants to turn wavetable synthesis on its head with his upcoming synth plugin, Kontrast.
Dawesome Kontrast
Kontrast will be the developer’s sixth Synthesizer plugin and is scheduled for release in October 2025. Dawesome promises a radical departure with Kontrast, moving beyond classic wavetable concepts that have been repeated over the past decade.
In classic wavetable synths, you load your wavetables, which typically consist of 64, 128, 256, or more samples, and these are then sliced into scanable straight lines. According to Peter V, they are pretty limiting.
Different in the upcoming Dawesome wavetable synth. In Kontrast, wavetables are displayed as grayscale images with high precision and more intuition. You can also upload your own wavetables or photos, which will then be converted.
Peter V recommends taking photos of various everyday objects (bathtubs, radiators…). The more complex and adventurous it looks, the more exciting the results will be.
Scanning the wavetable is also possible here, but not along a fixed line from top to bottom or vice versa; instead, it is very flexible and organic. This gives you an entire zoo of possible shapes, each with its own character.
On six different levels, you can modify the scanning shape and behavior that is applied to the grayscale images. First, you can adjust the position and size of the shape. Then, you can change the shape form (circle, flat, angle…), and tweak the phase for spirals.
The rose section allows you to create flower shapes, while the noise and form give you all kinds of irregular shapes.
An exciting approach to wavetable synthesis that Kontrast pursues here, modeled on a complex, analog nonlinear circuit. According to Dawesome, users don’t need to understand it, as they have spent a lot of time ensuring that you don’t have to think about how it works.
More Sound Design
In addition to this newly developed wavetable engine, various tools can be connected to it.
For example, Kontrast ships with a unique analog-modeled filter section, offering different sonic ingredients: modal (comb-filter on steroids), inharmonic shaper, or chainsaw distortion.
Another powerful creative tool in the upcoming Dawesome Kontrast is the built-in sequencer, which features probability and gate manipulation on the fly, allowing you to create expressive rhythmic patterns.
Like the previous Dawesome synths, it also comes with an impressive 5-slot modular multi-FX section. It ships with various delays, reverbs, chorus, granulator, microlooper, phaser, compressor, OTT, and more.
Furthermore, it features three modes (vibe, fat, and bite) that instantly modify the sound character of the synth with a single click. Full MPE support is also onboard, making it a highly expressive wavetable synth.
The final version will ship with numerous presets from professional sound designers.
First Impression
As I’ve been a big fan of Dawesome’s developments since the very beginning, I’m a bit biased about this upcoming release.
The very fascinating, different approach of wavetable synthesis sounds very intriguing and could open up new sounds. The differences in results from a classic wavetable synth will have to be seen in a test and further sound demos.
Dawesome Kontrast will be available in early October 2025 (2nd estimated) for an introductory price of $89, down from $149. It will run as a VST3 and AU plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows. There will be a 90-day free trial version.
More information here: Dawesome
This thing sounds legit.