reFX Rippler 1.0.39

Rippler is a physical modeling and subtractive synthesizer plugin from reFX, the developer best known for Nexus, the iconic workstation plugin that shaped a generation of dance music production. With Rippler, reFX shifts focus from macro-friendly preset playback toward a deeper, sound-designer-oriented instrument, built to bridge the physical dynamics of real acoustic objects with the flexibility of modern digital synthesis. At its core, Rippler uses banks of resonators — rather than samples — to recreate how physical objects behave when struck, plucked, or blown into, using techniques like bi-directional energy coupling for genuinely dynamic acoustic behavior. This modal synthesis engine is paired with a full subtractive layer featuring two oscillators with phase, wavefolding, and asymmetry controls, alongside dual multimode filters offering 27 filter types, including vintage ladder emulations and a vowel/formant filter. The result is an instrument capable of producing everything from percussive, plucked textures to evolving pads and strings. Rippler 1.0.39 is available as an Audio Unit, VST3, or AAX plugin for macOS and Windows, requiring macOS 10.13 or later, including compatibility with macOS Tahoe, and running natively on Apple Silicon as well as Intel Macs. The plugin ships with 441 factory presets, 32 exciter samples, 10 arpeggiator presets, and 64 LFO shapes, with a free 30-day trial available directly from reFX.

Load Rippler as an Audio Unit, VST3, or AAX plugin within your DAW on an instrument track. Browse the 441 factory presets to find a starting sound, organized across a range of tonal and percussive categories. Select an Exciter to define how the sound is initially triggered, choosing from built-in samples or importing your own. Choose and shape a resonator model to define the acoustic character of your sound, adjusting its physical modeling parameters. Blend in the subtractive synthesis layer, shaping oscillators and filters to add further tonal depth and movement. Set up modulation by dragging sources like envelopes and LFOs onto destination parameters, using Mod Mapping to customize each curve's response. Experiment with sidechaining external audio into the resonators to turn other sound sources into resonant instruments. Fine-tune your patch using advanced tuning options or MPE expression, then shape the final tone using the built-in modular effects chain.