Diva, Repro-5 or Hive 2 for chord stabs?
Audio Guru / Software
Choose by the part of a short chord you want to shape: circuit models, a focused vintage voice or moving wavetables.
Why these? These polyphonic plugins suit short chord hits, with different oscillator, filter and modulation choices for shaping the attack and decay.
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Full-license offers; confirm regional license eligibility at the retailer.
u-he Diva
Choose for Swapping classic circuit modelsA 16-voice digital synth known for interchangeable analog models, Diva offers several envelope characters and modeled ladder, cascade and multimode filters.
- Rich analog-style sound
- Mix-and-match circuit models
- Useful starting presets
- High-quality modes tax CPU
- Deep modulation feels fiddly
- Some controls cannot modulate
u-he Repro — Repro-5
Choose for Distorting each chord voiceAn eight-voice digital synth known for Prophet-style chords, Repro-5 pairs modeled four-pole low-pass filters with separate distortion for each voice.
- Convincing vintage-style tone
- Easy to shape new patches
- Well-liked effects
- Heavy patches tax CPU
- Repro-5 has no arpeggiator
- Repro-5 shares one LFO
u-he Hive 2
Choose for Wide, layered oscillator soundsA 16-voice digital synth known for wavetable shaping, Hive 2 adds oscillator unison width, two multimode filters and rearrangeable effects.
- Quick preset tweaking
- Well-liked patch browser
- Modest CPU use
- Stock layout can feel busy
- Deep patches take learning
- No oscillator ring modulation
| Synth | Filter choice | Stereo control | Drive or distortion | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diva | 5 modeled filter types | Pan modulation; stereo effects | Feedback on selected models | Swap oscillator and envelope models |
| Repro-5 | Modeled four-pole low-pass | Pan each of 8 voices | 4 distortion types per voice | Repro-1 included separately |
| Hive 2 | 2 multimode filters | Width per unison oscillator | Rearrangeable distortion effect | Tune two sub-oscillators separately |
All need a plugin host; try the demos with your own chords, especially at the voice count you plan to use.
Sources & image credits
Developer source 1 · Developer source 2 · Developer source 3 · Developer source 4 · u-he press images
Pros and cons summarize selected user reports, not our testing or a consensus; CPU use depends on the patch and computer.
Repro offers include Repro-1 and Repro-5 where shown; none of these buttons sells a subscription or upgrade. No legitimate Amazon license offer was verified.
