Side by side

BBC Symphony Orchestra vs Dexed

Both stand on virtual instruments. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Free plan MacWindows

BBC Symphony Orchestra offers three interchangeable editions, from a free 240MB Discover package to a larger Professional library. Check the edition’s instrument and technique counts against your needs, as well as its download and storage requirements.

Visit BBC Symphony Orchestra

Dexed

Free plan Open source iPhoneLinuxMac+1

Dexed pairs a DX7-modeled synth with librarian functions and a broad set of automatable parameters. It is free under GPL v3, though documentation is limited and the project cautions against expecting a perfect clone.

Visit Dexed

The facts

	BBC Symphony Orchestra	Dexed
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Yes
Runs on	Mac, Windows	iPhone, Linux, Mac, Windows
Lowest paid plan	BBC Symphony Orchestra Core: £399, paid once	Free or on request
Plans published	3	2
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	spitfireaudio.com	asb2m10.github.io
On virtual instruments	#4 of 33	#1 of 33

BBC Symphony Orchestra: what it does well

Discover is free and contains 34 instruments.
Professional includes 45 legatos and 20 signals.
Plugin supports VST3, AU and AAX formats.
Editions can switch modes for sharing and collaboration.
DAW templates and how-to videos are available.

What to know first

Downloading requires the Spitfire Audio app.
Spitfire recommends installing to an external drive.
Core costs £399, paid once.
Professional costs £899, paid once.

Dexed: what it does well

Free software under GPL v3.
Available as plugin and standalone app.
Supports VST, AU, and LV2 formats.
Exposes 144 DAW-automatable parameters.
Loads and saves DX7/TX7 SysEx programs.

What to know first

Documentation is minimal.
It is not expected to be a perfect DX7 clone.

Alternatives to BBC Symphony Orchestra Alternatives to Dexed The whole list