Phosphor 3

Name: Phosphor 3
Price: 59 USD
Author: Audio Damage

by Audio Damage · Synth · Two-voice additive synth

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Phosphor 3 is an additive synth modeled on the alphaSyntauri, an early-1980s synth based on the Apple II, with two voices that each have an additive wavetable oscillator, noise, envelope and delay line.

It adds cross-modulation, vintage modes with digital artifacts, MPE and MTS-ESP microtuning, for $59.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Ambient & Cinematic, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: additive, vintage, digital-sounding, MPE support, 80s, wavetable, leads, AUv3/iOS, glassy, hardware emulation, lo-fi, metallic, modern, pads, sound design, steep learning curve, tempo-synced, textures.

What it does

Phosphor 3 is Audio Damage's model of the alphaSyntauri, an early-1980s additive synth built around the Apple II, aiming for its "glowing digital character." Each instance has two identical voices, each with its own additive oscillator, noise source, envelope and delay line.

Additive oscillators: wavetables built from 16, 32 or 64 partials, set with individual partial sliders or preset buttons for common shapes, with cross-modulation between the two voices.
Noise: white noise, or shift-register noise in vintage mode.
Envelopes: one ADSR per voice, with curve control on attack, decay and release.
LFOs: two, with sine, triangle, rectangle and random shapes, tempo sync, and per-note or global operation.
Delays: one delay per voice, each with a filter in its feedback path, and cross-feed so the two can feed each other.
Vintage modes: selectable per oscillator and noise source, adding the digital artifacts and distortion of early hardware.
Modern extras: full MPE support with parameter smoothing, MTS-ESP and TUN microtuning, an on-screen keyboard, and a new preset browser with folders and zip import and export.

Free demos are available.

Source: Audio Damage product page

When to use it

Phosphor 3 is a small, focused instrument for one sound: the bright, cold, early-digital tone of the alphaSyntauri, with delays built in. Compared with Pigments 7 or Phase Plant, which can also do additive sounds, it has far fewer engines and no filters on the voice, but its two-voice layout and vintage modes get to that specific character faster. Against Vital or Serum 2 it is not a general-purpose synth for basses and leads; it is a colour you add alongside them. It is also cheap.

Best for: glassy pads, bell-like leads, metallic tones and early-digital textures.
Genres: electronic, ambient, synthwave and lo-fi.
Look elsewhere if: you want a general-purpose synth with filters and many engines; Pigments 7 or Vital are broader.
Tip: move the partial sliders and modulation gently; forum users find small changes work best and big ones turn harsh quickly.

What producers say

Users see it as a niche synth with a strong, distinctive sound and a steep learning curve.

Loopy Pro forum (iPad users) praised its "very digital/cold" character, how well it cuts through a mix, and how it responds to MPE controllers; one summed it up as "not versatile as average synth but what it does is rule."
Criticisms: the same thread mentions few built-in effects, hidden menus, sudden big changes from a single tweak, and presets that easily turn into buzzing or ear-piercing metallic sounds.
Common advice: "less is more": learn the basics of additive synthesis, make small moves, and add external delay or distortion.

Loopy Pro forum thread

Where to buy

Audio Damage: $59
Plugin Boutique: $59

Tutorials and reviews

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