Sonicbits Exakt, a Yamaha TX81Z-inspired FM synth plugin and Exakt Lite 2.0

October 20, 2024 Synth Anatomy News, Plugins, Software 2

Sonicbits Exakt is a new Yamaha TX81Z-inspired 4-operator FM Synthesizer plugin and v2 for its free Lite version with new features.

In 2020, I reported on Sonicbits’ free FM synthesizer Exakt Lite, which features waveforms from the famous Yamaha TX81Z rack Synthesizer.

The name Lite suggests that a regular version already exists or is coming. This development took four years, and the full version of Exakt is out now. This is also good news for all free version users. Exakt Lite benefits from the release and got a version 2.

Sonicbits Exakt

Exakt is an intuitive and easy-to-use FM Synthesizer plugin for macOS and Windows, designed to make FM synthesis more accessible. This is what the developer Sonicbits promises.

The synth plugin features four operators with 16 FM algorithms. Each operator offers multiple waveforms, including basic sine, saw, square, and triangle. As a highlight, it also includes eight classic waveforms from the Yamaha TX81Z and four enhanced TX waves.

Each Sonicbits Exakt’s operator also has its own 5-point amp envelope generator modeled after the TX characteristics. Then, it hosts a multimode filter with low, high, and bandpass modes and more of an unusual formant filter mode. You can tweak them with classic cutoff, resonance, and velocity controls.

The heart of the modulation engine is a mod matrix with eight source and destination slots. Two multi-wave syncable LFOs with rate and delay controls are part of it. It also has two loopable envelopes with up to 16 points.

Sonicbits Exakt also offers a two-mode chorus, a distortion, and a delay effect with sync to refine your sounds. Nice, there is also an experimental Sysex bank import function for Yamaha 4-operator synths. T

Sonicbits Exakt Lite 2.0

There is also a new version for Exakt Lite. First, the GUI is a bit bigger, and the arrangement of the features has changed in Sonicbits Exakt Lite 2.0. Then, it also received some new features under the hood.

Exakt Lite is a stripped-down version of the new Exakt Synthesizer. Instead of 16, the Lite version has 12 voice polyphony, fewer waveforms, and only eight FM algorithms with feedback on operator D. Each operator also has drag-and-drop envelopes.

There is also a multi-mode filter. However, the formant filter of the big version is missing here. You get lowpass, highpass, and bandpass models. The same feature-reduced setting for the modulation. Sonicbits Exakt Lite 2.0 comes with a single non-loopable modulation envelope, an LFO, and four mod matrix slots.

The chorus of the big version is also onboard but without any adjustment options. Lastly, the Exakt Lite 2.0 ships with 60 presets, while the full version ships with over 100 presets.

First Impression

After a long time, the Exakt Lite version has a big brother. It’s nice to see that the plugin is now complete with all its features. It’s not an FM revolution, but a nice, easy-to-use 4-operator FM synth. And a big like that, the Exakt Lite version is still free and has been expanded.

Sonicbits Exakt is available now for $29 and runs as a VST2, VST3, and AU plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows. Exakt Lite 2.0 is a free download and runs also in the same formats on macOS and Windows.

More information here: Sonicbits

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Sonicbits says:

October 20, 2024 at 9:07 pm

Thanks for this nice review!
In case you were getting a trojan warning for the windows download, please try downloading again. I have created another setup with less compression, this should work now. Sorry for any inconvenience.
-Kay (Sonicbits)

Reply
- Jack C says:
  
  October 20, 2024 at 11:33 pm
  
  Is there already a DAC/bitcrusher, and will there be DAC/aliasing emulation in the future?
  
  Reply