Cardinal
7.5#5 in software synthesizersFree planFree planWebAPILinuxmacOS
VisitCardinal vs Dexed
What both publish
| Fact | Cardinal | Dexed |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation depth | The official site documents OSC activation, ports, message formats and headless configuration, while general usage relies heavily on VCV Rack documentation. | The official site describes its documentation as minimal and points users to a GitHub wiki. |
| License | The Cardinal project is licensed under GPLv3 or later. | Dexed is GPL version 3 software; its msfa component remains under Apache 2.0. |
| Plugin formats | Official builds provide AudioUnit, CLAP, LV2, VST2 and VST3 formats. | The official feature list names VST, Audio Unit and LV2 builds for OS X, Windows and Linux. |
Cardinal plans
- CardinalFree
- FreeFree
Dexed plans
- DexedFree
- Free softwareFree
Pick Cardinal if…
Cardinal suits musicians who want a free modular synthesizer in standalone or plugin form, with MIDI support and a substantial included module set. Users who need to add external Rack modules or use OSC from a plugin should note those limits.
Pick Dexed if…
Dexed suits musicians looking for a DX7-modeled synth or a MIDI cartridge librarian for the DX7. Its DAW automation, SysEx handling and MPE support may also suit users who want those specific capabilities.