Serum 2

The Greatest Synth of All Time (for now)

TL;DR: Serum 2 isn’t just an update — it’s the benchmark digital synth. With a flexible engine, a legendary wavetable editor, and workflow tweaks that make sound design ridiculously fast, it’s hard to argue against it being the GOAT of soft synths.

Highlights

Type

Synth (Wavetable)

Platform

macOS / Windows

Format

VST3 / AU / AAX

Copy-prot

Serial (no iLok)

Price

$249 — free upgrade from Serum 1

Use cases

Techno basses, lush pads, aggressive leads, cinematic FX

Why it matters

People throw around “GOATed bruh” for everything, but Serum 2 actually lives up to it. It’s not just hype this synth changed the way modern electronic music sounds, and the second version doubles down on flexibility and sound design speed.

What makes Serum 2 stand out is that it’s as deep as you want it to be. If you want presets, it’s stacked. If you want to build wild custom sounds from scratch, the workflow is clean enough that it doesn’t get in your way. And unlike some synths that are locked into a “character,” Serum’s character is whatever you make of it.

Sound & Features

• Core sound: Transparent, precise, and flexible — Serum 2 will sound however you design it.

• Key features:

  • Wavetable Editor 2.0 — draw, import, or morph wavetables with surgical control

  • Harmonic Bin Tool — remove harmonics with two clicks inside the editor

  • FX Rack Routing — essentially a mini-mixer with flexible reordering
    

  • Clip Sequencer — write musical ideas directly inside Serum before exporting MIDI
    

• Workflow notes: Modulation is drag-and-drop simple. The matrix keeps complex patches readable. The built-in browser is fast, and preset management is painless compared to other mega-synths.

Where it shines

• Dialing in unique wavetable textures fast
• Using the FX section as a self-contained sound design lab
• Composing sketches inside Serum with clips, then exporting when you’re ready
• Bread-and-butter EDM / techno / trap sounds from generic to unique

Trade-offs

• You need to do minor tweaks to get it "analog" / "dirty" sounding
• CPU use is still heavier than lightweight VA synths
• GUI density can overwhelm beginners

Alternatives to consider

• Current — broader hybrid synth, but less surgical in the WT editor

• Massive X — deep modulation and sound, but clunkier workflow

• Pigments - I never used it

• Vital — closest free rival, solid for learning wavetable synthesis and you have negative dollars

Techne notes

• Used on: Early Techne.fm sample pack layers and basslines
• Presets: Compatible with Serum 1 presets, plus new factory content
• CPU @ 128 buffer / 48kHz: Instances work until they don't lol

Changelog & version tested

• Version tested: 2.0.16 on Windows and MacOS
• Release notes worth noting: Improved wavetable tools, new harmonic editor, clip sequencing, updated FX section with flexible routing