Kilohearts Phase Plant synthesizer: features and spec-based rating

Kilohearts’ Phase Plant is a synthesizer that can use analog-style waveforms, wavetable (a method that makes sound by switching between waveforms of different shapes), sample, granular and noise as sound sources, and lets you build any combination of FM and modulation (changing a sound over time). It comes with a wavetable editing screen and the effects of Kilohearts Essentials.

A synthesizer is an instrument that makes sound electronically. You use it for the melodies, accompaniment and sound effects of a song.

In this article we compare Phase Plant with 13 synthesizers and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.

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Summary

Among the 13 synthesizers, Phase Plant is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 3.0.

Strengths

• Range of sound design (5 points): you can make sound in several ways, which covers a wide range of tones.

Things to keep in mind

• Ready-to-use sounds (2 points): it comes with few sounds, and you are expected to make your own.

Who it suits: people who want to build the structure of their own sound design.

Main features of Phase Plant

A modular design where you stack sound sources

In Phase Plant you build a sound by adding as many of five kinds of sources as you need: analog-style waveforms, wavetable, sample, granular and noise. The source section can hold up to 32 modules. Its strength is that everything from a small synth sound to a complex one can be built on the same screen.

Eight macro knobs

The eight big knobs at the top of the screen are macros to which the sound’s author assigns the parameters they use most. One knob can move several parameters. When you use a preset, moving these knobs first is a quick way to change the important parts of the sound.

Snapins let you build effects inside

The effects of the included Kilohearts Essentials can be arranged as Snapins in three lanes and used inside Phase Plant. Because the effects are saved with the preset, you do not need other plug-ins for each sound. FM, in which sources change each other’s volume, frequency and phase, is also available.

Video: “Introducing Phase Plant’s new Granular Generator” (official Kilohearts YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube

Where it is useful

• Layering sample and synth sounds into one sound
• Making a sound that includes effects and saving it as a preset
• Using the macro knobs to adjust a preset to fit a song

Rating by criterion

Ready-to-use sounds: 2 / 5

We look at the number of presets (ready-made sounds) included from the start.

It comes with few sounds, and you are expected to make your own.

If “ready-to-use sounds” matters most to you, Omnisphere 3 and Nexus 5 (5 points) are a better fit.

Range of sound design: 5 / 5

We look at how many sound-generation methods (ways of making sound) you can use.

You can combine five kinds of sources: analog-style waveforms, wavetable, sample, granular and noise, and FM is possible too.

Help with sound design: 3 / 5

We look at whether there are features (big knobs, randomization and so on) that let you change a sound without detailed knowledge.

It has eight macro knobs that move the main parts of a patch together.

How we score (Synthesizers)

Criterion	Basis	5 pt	4 pt	3 pt	2 pt	1 pt
Ready-to-use sounds	Number of presets (ready-made sounds) stated on the official page	Thousands or more	700 or more	400 or more	Fewer than 400, or no number stated	—
Range of sound design	Number of sound-generation methods (ways of making sound) you can use	5 or more methods	3 to 4 methods	1 to 2 methods, with highly flexible routing and modulation	One method, such as analog-style	—
Help with sound design	Features that let you change a sound without detailed knowledge	Both a feature that changes sounds automatically and knobs that adjust many things at once	One of them, plus another aid	Either one, or a simplified screen	Not mentioned on the official page	—

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: quickly preparing sounds that suit your own songs or cover-song backing tracks in a home studio. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Ready-to-use sounds" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information, and the number of presets is the number written on the official page (products that do not state it get a lower score). Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent.

Phase Plant system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows / Mac (Apple Silicon supported)
Plug-in formats	VST2, VST3, AU, AAX
Trial	10-day trial available

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.

Compared with other synthesizers

Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.

Read next

• Diva: features and rating (rank B)
• Sylenth1: features and rating (rank B)
• Omnisphere 3: features and rating (rank S)
• Pigments: features and rating (rank S)