Polyphonic SID-Inspired Synth

false Anode Labs releases Bitcrust v1.0.7 for macOS, iPadOS, Windows, and Linux 12/05/26

Anode Labs has released Bitcrust v1.0.7, which they describe as a polyphonic SID-inspired synthesizer plugin shipping on macOS, iPadOS, Windows, and Linux. This is what they have to say about it..

12 voices, 3 oscillators per voice (36 independent chip instances), in-house clean-room C++ DSP modeling both the MOS 6581 and 8580 SID revisions, with a continuous crossfade between their filter curves. 8-slot modulation matrix with 65 destinations, 6-slot effects rack, 16-step sequencer, arpeggiator, 115 factory presets, 14 themes, and 7 real-time monitor displays.

Bitcrust's DSP is written from scratch in C++, against public datasheets and general DSP literature. The 6581 / 8580 architecture is the starting point, not the destination. Oscillators, envelope, filter, and the glue between them are designed to capture the SID's character (the bit-crushing, the leaky integrators, the resonant bite) without trying to be a bit-accurate or cycle-accurate emulation. Where the silicon is interesting, we lean in. Where it gets in the way of a usable instrument, we don't.

Pricing and Availability:
macOS / iPadOS, AU / AUv3 / VST3 / Standalone: $1.99 universal
Windows x64, VST3 / Standalone: €1.99
Linux x64, VST3 / LV2 / Standalone: free:

More information: Bitcrust

Source: https://sonicstate.com/news/2026/05/12/polyphonic-sid-inspired-synth/

 

Can't argue with the price here!

I was expecting a raw SID but this is... not it. It sounds very smooth but admittedly I've only skimmed through some presets. I wish everybody doing a chiptune synth would allow the arpeggio to run at multiples of emulated screen refresh rate to get those wild chord arps used in so many C64 tunes. As far as I know only the inSIDious Reaktor ensemble does that.

But this one is pretty good for funky (not grungy) pad and bass sounds, and well... I'm now convinced that every plugin should have a built in stereo correlation meter.

*edit* I take some of that back, starting from zero and dicking about with the filter brings out some graininess that we know and love. It's good man.

 

Last edited: May 12, 2026 at 8:46 PM

what do you think of this? https://socalabs.com/synths/commodore-64-sid/

 

It's alright, a bit too clean and it's just the synth. You need to bring in a lot of automation to make it SID and it's lacking the arpeggiator.

 

These ones here sound more authentic and good to me.

Plouge - ChipSynth
reFX - quadraSID v1.6.2 VSTi

reFX QuadraSID - Abandoned Commodore 64 SID chip Emulation With Advanced Features In Its Time