Alternatives to Dexed
A free FM synthesizer plugin closely modelled on the Yamaha DX7, also usable as a DX7 cartridge manager. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Dexed
A free FM synthesizer plugin closely modelled on the Yamaha DX7, also usable as a DX7 cartridge manager.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Dexed.
Surge XT
An open-source hybrid synthesizer available as a plugin and a standalone app.
Surge XT is a free, open-source hybrid synthesizer with many synthesis methods, MPE and microtuning, but it does not load or edit DX7 sysex patches.
Vital
A wavetable synthesizer plugin that uses spectral warping to reshape waveforms by acting on their harmonics.
Vital is a freemium, closed-source wavetable synthesizer with spectral warping, replacing DX7-style FM sounds and patch management with visual wavetable sound design.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Cardinal
Free, self-contained virtual modular synthesizer based on VCV Rack, as a plugin and standalone app.
VCV Rack
A virtual Eurorack modular synthesizer for Windows, macOS and Linux with a large module library.
SunVox
A small modular synthesizer with a pattern-based tracker sequencer for desktop and mobile.
Carla
A modular audio plugin host that loads LV2, VST2, VST3, AU, LADSPA and DSSI plugins.
LMMS
A free digital audio workstation with a piano roll, beat sequencer and a pile of built-in synths.
