Cherry Audio offers the Synthesizer Expander Module plugin for free download!
Who doesn’t love a free synth? Well, luckily, the folks at Cherry Audio have no doubt heard the resounding affirmative answers, and they have a suitably meaty holiday freebie for everyone around.
At first glance, the Synthesizer Expander Module is just another limited analog hardware emulation of some bygone era. However, as a free synth, there is plenty to enjoy for this little monophonic instrument.
The Synthesizer Expander Module is based on the Oberheim SEM, which seems like a retro analog synth everyone and their uncle have taken a stab at emulating at this point.
You’ll find a pair of oscillators with saw and pulse waveforms, along with some fun controls like modulation on the pulse width and tuning.
The real star of the show is the filter, which is coded by DSP wizard Mark Barton. The SVF or state variable filter can go between high-pass, low-pass, and bandpass configurations and sounds fantastic.
There is the option of modulating it either through the filter envelope or through the single LFO. Now, looking at the slew of paid emulations out there, I do miss the inclusion of oscillator FM and another LFO.
That said, this is a beefy little instrument that is sure to conjure up hours of fun.
It isn’t polyphonic, so you’ll have to pony up and purchase Cherry Audio’s own Eight Voice to play chords. In addition to the control sets, you’ve got a bespoke phaser based on early Oberheim stomp boxes and a delay.
The only thing missing from the package is a solid arpeggiator or step sequencer. Still, nothing is stopping you from rigging up Stochas or one of the many sequencers in Cardinal to get your Berlin School dream going.
Sound-wise, I have no experience with the hardware, but it sounds like a nice subtractive synth with plenty of bite to it. I’ve always been fond of the Oberheim sound and it certainly has a similar character to it.
Synthesizer Expander Module joins Realistic MG-1 as the free offering from Cherry Audio and makes for an excellent taste of the current synth ecosystem they have on offer.
If you like vintage analog synthesizers, check out our recommended free retro synthesizer plugins list.
Download: Synthesizer Expander Module (FREE)
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15 Comments
Sirius
onWow, I love how it sounds. Thanks BPB!
Adam
onThis synth is just fun, fun, fun. Easy to program without any nonsense. Smack a overdrive or any saturation plug just for a bit touch and it’s getting dirty really fast. Very cool one for all those basses you ever dreamed of. Thanks Cherry Audio for that gem and BPB for finding it in tons of freebies this post Blackfriday season :)
Bruno de Souza Lino
onI wonder how this measures against Brainworx’s BX Oberhausen.
Numanoid
onArturia also got a contender: the SEM V
Not free though
Gery Zenz
onBrainworx’s BX Oberhausen and Arturias SEM V are polyphony up to 32 voices
Numanoid
onLooks just like WOK’s Uncle SAM which has gone freeware I believe
Al
onI was thinking the same thing- I think this one sounds much better though. Pretty sure it’s just based on the real life SEM module- looks almost identical
Numanoid
onMarket is quite saturated for this kind of emulation Gforce also sell an OBERHEIM SEM VST
Mike
onCherry makes such excellent stuff. As a former Juno owner, I love their emulation.
Numanoid
onI like them a lot too, got many.
The main drawback I find is that their plugs are CPU hungry, and they don’t update them much once released
Kokoala
onCool Demo:
youtu.be/30Dkej4P6QA
Gennady
onHoRNet Thirty One MK2
FREE for 24 hours
Coopmusic247
onOB-Xd 3.0 DiscoDSP just got released from the 2.X version. new filter effects and some other stuff.
Shaun
onHeyHey! There is a very limited time deal back on Humble Bundle! For a limited time of about 1 more day!
I just purchased it on December 11, 2023!
Lots of sample packs and a few Cherry Audio synth plugins.
47 items in total, for a minimum of $20.00 supporting Charity.
JJ
onsounds great cherry audio is one of my most trusted plugin devs ive had a lot of use out of their arp 2600 emu thanks for the articles guys you do great work.