You've got a synthwave arrangement half built, and the bass sounds like every other sawtooth with a chorus on it. That's the problem Synthwave IV exists to fix, and at $75 it's worth it for VPS Avenger 2 owners who live in this genre.
It's a harder sell if you only dabble in 80s sounds.
This review is based on the product page, the developer's published specs and general production knowledge, not on our own hands-on session. No free trial is mentioned in the material reviewed. Anything we can't verify yet is marked as such below.
Why Does Fake 80s Sound So Easy to Spot?
Here's the frustration. You load a generic saw lead, add chorus, add a gated reverb, and it still sounds like 2026 pretending to be 1986.
The gap is rarely the effects. It's the source. Original 80s hardware has component drift, filter quirks and a particular way of smearing its harmonics that a clean digital oscillator doesn't replicate on its own.
A pack can fix that in two ways. It can ship sampled hardware, or it can ship oscillator shapes and wavetables modelled on it. Synthwave IV says it does both.
The developer states that many original 80s synthesizer legends from creator Manuel Schleis' collection were used in the creation process. That's the claim the whole pack hangs on. We can't verify which instruments were sampled, and the product page doesn't list them.
What Is Synthwave IV, and Who Is It For?
Synthwave IV is an expansion pack for VPS Avenger 2 by Vengeance Sound. It's the fourth entry in a synthwave series.
It isn't a standalone plugin. The page is explicit that the latest version of VPS Avenger 2 is required to run it.
That makes the audience narrow and clear. You already own Avenger 2, you make synthwave, outrun, retrowave or 80s-flavoured pop, and you're tired of building every sound from scratch.
If you don't own Avenger 2, this isn't your purchase. Look at the alternatives section instead.
What Does Synthwave IV Actually Contain?
The developer's published numbers are specific, which we like. Here's the full inventory:
- 147 Avenger presets
- 30 new drumkits and sequences
- 30 new wavetables
- 35 new oscillator shapes
- 8 new granular samples (vocals)
- 160 new multisamples
- 15 new multiloops (guitars)
- 110 new ARP patterns
That's a lot of building blocks, not just a preset list. The preset count is the headline, but the multisamples, wavetables and oscillator shapes are what you'll reach for when a preset is close but not right.
One note on a discrepancy: some marketing copy elsewhere mentions 7 granular samples, while the product page lists 8. We're going with the product page's figure of 8.
What Do the 147 Presets Cover?
The developer lists thunderous drums, pulsating basslines, soaring leads, ethereal plucks, entrancing pianos and futuristic digital textures. That's a complete synthwave palette.
The stated style range runs from infectious pop melodies to gritty cyberpunk anthems. That's a wide span, and it matters. Synthwave splits into a bright, melodic, nostalgic side and a darker, aggressive, dystopian side.
A pack that only serves one side wears out fast. Claiming both is a smart pitch.
We can't verify the ratio between the two moods yet. If the pack leans 120 presets pop and 27 cyberpunk, a dark-leaning producer will feel shortchanged. The page doesn't say.
Preset organisation and Avenger's browser
Avenger 2 has a built-in sound browser, and expansions plug into it. That's a workflow win. You aren't hunting through folders, you're filtering inside the synth.
The honest caveat: we haven't verified how Synthwave IV tags its presets. Good tagging turns 147 presets into something searchable. Bad tagging turns them into a scroll.
What Are the 160 Multisamples For?
Multisamples are the foundation of the authenticity claim. Instead of an oscillator pretending to be an 80s polysynth, you get recordings of the real thing, mapped across the keyboard.
That's where hardware character lives. Detune drift, filter resonance, a slightly uneven attack. Those imperfections are what the ear reads as "real".
160 is a healthy number. It suggests multiple instruments sampled with multiple articulations, not one synth sampled at a single velocity.
The developer attributes these to Manuel Schleis' collection of original synthesizers. Treat that as the developer's claim. We can't confirm the specific hardware used.
Why sampled hardware inside a synth matters
Here's what makes this more than a sample library. Avenger 2 lets you load those multisamples as oscillators, then run them through its filters, modulation matrix and effects.
So a sampled brass-pad can become a sound you actually sculpt. That beats playing back a fixed recording.
It's the same logic behind why people prefer a good expansion over a loop pack. You get raw material, not a finished photograph.
How Do the 35 Oscillator Shapes and 30 Wavetables Help?
This is the quieter half of the pack, and it's the part we like most as a design choice.
Oscillator shapes and wavetables are what you use when the multisample isn't the right starting point. You want that bright, slightly hollow 80s lead, but built from a clean source you can bend.
35 shapes and 30 wavetables give you 65 new waveform starting points. That's real flexibility for a sound designer.
If you only ever scroll presets, you'll never touch these. If you build your own patches, they're the most valuable part of the download.
The editability question
A preset is a destination. A wavetable is a starting line. We'd rather have both.
The risk with any big preset pack is that you tweak a cutoff, hit save, and call it a day. The shapes and wavetables push you to go further.
What Are the 110 ARP Patterns Worth?
A lot, if you write synthwave. The genre lives on driving, arpeggiated eighth and sixteenth note patterns.
110 new ARP patterns means you can audition rhythmic movement in seconds. You drop a pattern on a held chord, and suddenly you've got the pulse of an outrun track.
Patterns are underrated. A great bass sound with a dull pattern is a dull bass line. A modest sound with a great pattern can carry a track.
The honest limit: arp patterns are style-specific. If you want something outside the 80s lane, these won't stretch that far.
What About the 30 Drumkits and Sequences?
Thunderous drums are on the feature list, and drumkits plus sequences means you get both the sounds and the programmed patterns.
Avenger 2 has a drum-focused side, and synthwave drums are a defining trait. Gated snares, tom fills, a punchy kick that cuts through a wall of synths.
30 kits and sequences is a solid starter library. You could build the rhythm section of a full track from this pack alone.
We can't verify the specific drum character yet. Whether the snare is a big gated 80s hit or a lighter modern take changes how useful it is for your sound.
Do the Guitar Multiloops and Vocal Samples Matter?
They do, and they're the unexpected strength here.
15 guitar multiloops add something most synthwave expansions ignore. 80s music leaned on clean chorused guitar and overdriven leads. Having those inside the same instrument saves you a sample pack and a session.
The developer calls them mesmerizing guitar multiloops, and the page pairs them with enchanting vocals. We read that as marketing, but the content itself is useful.
The 8 granular vocal samples
Granular vocal samples turn a human voice into pad and texture material. You get ghostly choir-like washes without a vocalist.
It's a small number. 8 samples won't replace a vocal library. As atmosphere, though, they're a nice flavour.
How Do You Get Started With Synthwave IV?
The workflow is simple, assuming you already run Avenger 2:
- Install the latest version of VPS Avenger 2, since the page says it's required.
- Install the Synthwave IV expansion through Vengeance Sound's installer.
- Open Avenger 2 and find the new content in the sound browser.
- Load a preset, then audition ARP patterns on a held chord.
- Swap in a new oscillator shape or wavetable to make the sound yours.
The version requirement is the one gotcha. If you're running an older Avenger build, update first.
What Don't We Know About CPU and Performance?
This is the gap, and we'd rather name it than guess.
Avenger 2 has a reputation in some circles for being CPU-hungry on complex patches. The material we reviewed contains no expansion-specific performance data for Synthwave IV.
Large multisample-based presets can add memory load, and layered patches with heavy effects chains cost more than a simple lead. We can't say how Synthwave IV behaves on your machine.
Practical advice: audition a few of the heavier-sounding presets on your own system before you stack six of them in a project. Freeze or bounce tracks as you go.
Specs and Requirements
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Vengeance Sound |
| Price | $75 |
| Plugin Format | VST3 / AU / AAX (via VPS Avenger 2) |
| OS Support | Mac / Windows (via VPS Avenger 2) |
| Activation | Requires VPS Avenger 2 |
| CPU Usage | Not published for this expansion |
| Trial Available | Not mentioned in reviewed material |
| Version Reviewed | Product page specs, not hands-on |
Where Does Synthwave IV Win?
It wins on specificity of purpose. This isn't a vague "retro" pack. It's built around a single genre with a clear sonic target.
The depth of source material is the second win. Multisamples, oscillator shapes, wavetables, ARP patterns, drums and guitars all sit in one expansion. You can build a track's whole palette from it.
Third, it's editable. Because it lives inside Avenger 2, you can sculpt every sound with the host synth's modulation and filtering. That's a real advantage over fixed sample playback.
Last, the ARP patterns are a time-saver. Genre-correct movement in one click is worth more than people admit.
Where Does It Fall Short?
The dependency is the obvious limit. No Avenger 2, no use. That raises the real cost of entry if you don't already own it.
It's also the fourth synthwave pack in a series. If you own the earlier ones, expect some overlap in character. We can't judge how much without hearing them side by side.
Third, the authenticity claim is unverified. The developer says original 80s hardware was used, but the page doesn't name the instruments. That's marketing until proven by ear.
Fourth, no CPU numbers. For a synth with a reputation for load, that's a gap a cautious buyer will notice.
Finally, it's genre-locked. If your music isn't 80s-adjacent, skip it. It won't stretch.
How Does Synthwave IV Compare to Other Options?
Vengeance Sound has a deep catalogue of Avenger expansions. Synthwave IV isn't the first of its kind, and it isn't pretending to be.
Within the same ecosystem, you can compare it to other genre-specific packs. We've covered the 8 Bit Era VPS Avenger Expansion for chiptune territory, and the Ambition 1 trance expansion for a different dance-music lane.
If you're weighing guitar content specifically, our look at VPS Avenger Guitars Vol. 1 shows how Vengeance handles that side.
For the bigger question of whether expansions are worth it at all, read our Synth Expansion Packs Guide.
Pricing and Value
At $75, Synthwave IV sits in the mid range for an Avenger expansion. The value case rests on volume and focus.
Count what you get: 147 presets, 160 multisamples, 110 ARP patterns, 65 waveform sources, 30 drum kits and sequences, plus guitar and vocal content. Cost per usable sound is low.
The catch is the base requirement. If you need to buy Avenger 2 first, your real spend is much higher.
For existing Avenger 2 owners who make synthwave, the value is clear. For everyone else, it isn't.
Who Should Buy This?
- ✅ Buy if you own VPS Avenger 2 and write synthwave, outrun or 80s-style pop.
- ✅ Buy if you want ARP patterns and drum sequences to start tracks faster.
- ✅ Buy if you like building your own patches from oscillator shapes and wavetables.
- ❌ Skip if you don't own Avenger 2 and don't plan to.
- ❌ Skip if your music lives outside the 80s lane.
- ❌ Skip if you already own earlier synthwave packs and want something fresh.
Score Breakdown
These scores rest on the documented feature set and the developer's published figures. We'll revisit them after longer use.
| Category | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Quality | 4.4/5 | Hardware-sourced multisamples promise real character, unverified by ear |
| Value for Money | 4.2/5 | Huge content count, but needs Avenger 2 |
| Ease of Use | 4.5/5 | Lives in Avenger's browser, ARP patterns are one click |
| Features | 4.6/5 | Presets, samples, shapes, wavetables, drums, guitars, vocals |
| CPU Efficiency | 3.8/5 | No published data, Avenger can be heavy |
| Overall | 4.3/5 | A focused, content-rich synthwave pack for Avenger 2 owners |
What Are the Alternatives?
If Synthwave IV isn't the right fit, consider these.
Other Vengeance Avenger expansions. The catalogue spans many genres. If you want a different lane inside the same synth, browse our expansion packs guide first.
Native Instruments Maschine expansions. If you work in Maschine rather than Avenger, our Maschine expansion packs guide covers whether those speed up production.
Arturia V Collection. A different approach entirely. Instead of sampled hardware inside a host synth, Arturia models classic 80s instruments directly. It's pricier and heavier, but you get the instruments themselves.
The Verdict on Synthwave IV
Buy it if you own Avenger 2 and make synthwave. It's a focused, content-rich pack at $75, and the combination of multisamples, wavetables, ARP patterns and drums gives you a full genre toolkit.
It's wrong for anyone without Avenger 2, anyone outside the 80s lane, and anyone who already owns the earlier series packs and wants something new.
What we still want confirmed: which hardware was actually sampled, how heavy the presets run on the CPU, and how much it overlaps with Synthwave I through III.
Load it, find a preset that sounds like a movie you've never seen, and write the bass line before lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VPS Avenger 2 Expansion - Synthwave IV work without VPS Avenger 2?
No. The product page states that the latest version of VPS Avenger 2 is required to run this expansion. It's content for the synth, not a standalone instrument.
How many presets are in Synthwave IV?
The developer lists 147 Avenger presets. It also includes 30 drumkits and sequences, 30 wavetables, 35 oscillator shapes, 160 multisamples, 15 guitar multiloops, 8 granular vocal samples and 110 ARP patterns.
Is Synthwave IV made from real 80s synthesizers?
The developer says many original 80s synthesizers from Manuel Schleis' collection were used in its creation. The page doesn't name the specific instruments, so we can't verify which ones, but that's the stated source.
What styles does Synthwave IV cover?
The developer describes a range from infectious pop melodies to gritty cyberpunk anthems. Sounds include drums, basslines, leads, plucks, pianos and digital textures.
Does Synthwave IV use a lot of CPU?
We can't say. No CPU data is published for this specific expansion. Complex multisample patches can be demanding, so audition heavier presets on your own system and bounce tracks as you go.
Is there a free trial for Synthwave IV?
No trial is mentioned in the material we reviewed. Check the retailer's page before buying to see whether a demo or sample content is offered.
Is Synthwave IV worth it if I own the earlier Synthwave packs?
It depends on how much you use them. If you've exhausted the earlier packs and want fresh multisamples, wavetables and ARP patterns, yes. If you rarely touch what you own, wait for audio demos to judge overlap first.