> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://soundforgepro.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # iZotope VocalSynth 2 Review: Buy It for Robot Voices, Not Natural Vocals - URL: https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-vocalsynth-2-review/ - Published: 2026-11-06T07:41:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-06T07:40:59.000Z - Description: iZotope VocalSynth 2 turns a plain vocal into vocoder, talkbox, robot and synthetic harmony parts, and Auto mode does it without a keyboard or a carrier synth. The five engines, the three modes, review scores and buyer ratings, $199 against iZotope Plus, and how it runs in Sound Forge. - Author: Erick Finn - Tags: iZotope, Audio Tools **iZotope VocalSynth 2 is worth buying if you want vocoder, talkbox, robot or synthetic harmony voices without building a carrier synth, because Auto mode tracks the pitch of your vocal and plays its internal synths at that pitch. It costs $199 ([iZotope US store](https://www.izotope.com/products/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com), October 29, 2026), the current version is 2.7.0, and the iZotope Plus and Pro subscriptions both include it. Skip it for vocals that should still sound natural, and for plain vocoding if your DAW already has a vocoder. The three scored reviews, all from 2018 and all of version 2.0, gave it 4.5/5, 4.5/5 and 8.3/10, and the 20 most recent Plugin Boutique buyer reviews have a median of 5 stars.** My rule is simple. I'd buy VocalSynth 2 when the vocal is meant to sound like an instrument: a vocoder hook, a talkbox lead, a robot line or a stack of synthetic harmonies. Five engines, a seven-effect chain and three carrier modes are what $199 buys over a stock vocoder, and Auto mode is the reason it works on a plain vocal track with no keyboard and no routing. It's the wrong buy for polishing a natural lead. Sound On Sound's 2018 review judged it probably not the first tool for natural-sounding vocals, and the guide to the [best iZotope plugins for vocals](https://soundforgepro.com/best-izotope-plugins-for-vocals/) matches each natural-vocal job to the right tool. - **Buy it** for vocoder, talkbox, robot or harmony parts, especially if you don't play keys: Auto mode needs no MIDI and no sidechain. - **You already own it** with iZotope Plus or Pro, Music Production Suite 9 or the Everything Bundle. - **Start with your DAW's vocoder** if you own Logic Pro or Ableton Live Standard or Suite and want only classic vocoding. - **Skip it** for a natural double, where the free [iZotope Vocal Doubler](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-vocal-doubler/) fits better. - **In Sound Forge Pro**, plan on Auto mode, because the editor's help shows no way to feed a plug-in MIDI notes or a sidechain. This page covers VocalSynth 2 alone. For where it sits next to Nectar, RX, Ozone and the rest of the line, start at the [iZotope plug-in hub](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope/). ## What VocalSynth 2 is, and what it isn't VocalSynth 2 is a creative vocal synthesizer, not a pitch corrector or a doubler. [iZotope's VocalSynth 2 page](https://www.izotope.com/products/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com) describes five modules that combine into electronic vocal textures, robot voices and computerized harmonies, and aims it at electronic music producers, sound designers and artists after vocoder or talkbox effects. Each engine either runs your voice through a synth or builds new voices from it, so the output is meant to sound processed. Version 2.0 came out on May 23, 2018, and the current 2.7.0 followed on May 6, 2025\. The [VocalSynth release notes](https://www.izotope.com/pages/release-notes/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com) show that every update after 2.0 is a compatibility, performance, preset-system or bug-fix release, and none adds a module or an effect. That history leads to a simple inference: the engines the 2018 reviewers heard are the engines you install today, so their verdicts still describe the plug-in. It also connects to iZotope's mixing tools. Through inter-plugin communication, VocalSynth 2 instances show up in plug-ins such as Relay, Insight 2, Tonal Balance Control and Nectar 4, so a robot vocal can sit in the same overview as the rest of the mix. ## The five engines: Biovox, Vocoder, Compuvox, Talkbox and Polyvox All five engines can run at once, each with its own Lvl fader, so one sound can layer several of them. Four of them, Biovox, Vocoder, Compuvox and Talkbox, have Synth controls for the carrier they play. Polyvox, a voice generator for harmonies and doubles, has none. The control names below follow the [VocalSynth 2 manual](https://downloads.izotope.com/docs/vocalsynth2/en/index.html?ref=soundforgepro.com), and the reviewer notes come from the 2018 reviews of version 2.0. | Engine | What it does | Main controls | Reviewer note | | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Biovox | Estimates a vocal-tract shape from the input; a vowel pad sits in its Advanced View | Clarity, Shift, Nasal, Breath, Lvl | MusicRadar's review also describes the vowel pad | | Vocoder | Band vocoder with Smooth, Vintage and Hard modes; band volume and pan in its Advanced View | Mode, Shift, Scale, Lvl | MusicRadar counted 8, 10 or 11 bands depending on the mode | | Compuvox | Computer voice based on linear predictive coding (LPC), with Spell, Read and Math modes | Bits, Bytes, Bats, Lvl | AudioNewsRoom called it the weakest module for everyday music | | Talkbox | Talkbox emulation without the tube, with Dark, Classic and Bright modes | Drive, Speaker, Formant, Lvl | AudioNewsRoom found it, with the Vocoder, "more usable" | | Polyvox | Voice generator for harmonies and doubles; no Synth controls | Formant, Character, Humanize, Lvl | Best low in the mix or EQ'd, per AudioNewsRoom; missed notes for Everything Recording | ![Zone map of VocalSynth 2's layout: a top bar with the Mode button and Presets, five module zones for Biovox, Vocoder, Compuvox, Talkbox and Polyvox with their main controls, a Pitch and Voicing zone, a center Meter or X Y zone, an Output zone with Mix, Gate, Pan and Width, and the effects chain along the bottom](https://soundforgepro.com/content/images/2026/10/vs2-engine-map.webp) The five engines run across the top; pitch settings sit at the lower left, Output at the lower right and the effects chain underneath. The Pitch panel decides how hard the engines snap to notes. Register picks the tracking range, Low, Mid or High, and the manual suggests starting at Mid. Speed runs from 0 to 100 ms: values near 0 ms give robotic, immediate snapping, while values above 50 ms sound more natural and transparent. Strength and the Key or Custom scale complete the correction. I'd start at Mid with Speed near zero for a robot part, then raise Speed until the jumps between notes stop sounding like glitches. ## Auto, MIDI and Sidechain: who plays the notes Every VocalSynth sound uses two signals, which the manual calls the modulator and the carrier. The modulator is always the audio on the track the plug-in sits on, usually your voice, and it imprints its spectral shape on the carrier. The carrier is what you hear processed. The mode button in the top bar decides where the carrier comes from. - **Auto.** The incoming audio feeds both. VocalSynth detects the pitch of the vocal and the internal synths play those notes, with no special configuration. Three auto voices can add diatonic harmonies at intervals counted from the key set in the Pitch panel. - **MIDI.** Notes from a keyboard or a MIDI clip tell the internal synths what to play, while the vocal stays the modulator. The Voicing panel offers Mono, with Glide, or Poly. - **Sidechain.** The internal synths are bypassed and audio sent to the plug-in's sidechain input becomes the carrier. Polyvox, the Voicing section and every module's Synth controls switch off. ![Diagram of VocalSynth 2's three modes: in Auto the vocal track is the modulator and the internal synth follows your pitch, in MIDI the internal synth plays MIDI notes, and in Sidechain an external audio track is the carrier with Polyvox, Voicing and Synth controls off, all feeding the modules and effects](https://soundforgepro.com/content/images/2026/10/vs2-modes-routing.webp) The vocal is the modulator in every mode; the mode only changes where the carrier comes from. I'd start in Auto mode, because it's the only mode that works the moment you insert the plug-in, and its auto voices already give you harmonies. Move to MIDI when the harmony has to follow chords the melody doesn't imply. Move to Sidechain when you own a synth you'd rather hear than the onboard ones: [MusicRadar's review](https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/izotope-vocalsynth-2?ref=soundforgepro.com) found an external synth used as the carrier usually gets better results, particularly with the Vocoder. MIDI and Sidechain setup differs by host, and the manual gives each DAW its own setup steps. Its Logic recipe for MIDI mode dates from the Logic Pro X era: enable Advanced Tools, create an audio track for the vocal and mute it, insert VocalSynth 2 in a Software Instrument track's Instrument slot, then pick the vocal track in VocalSynth's Sidechain menu. Menu names may have moved in Logic Pro 11, so treat it as the outline rather than a click path. If your host asks which channel to send the notes on, [MIDI channels explained](https://soundforgepro.com/midi-channels-explained/) covers the basics. ## The effects chain: Shred, Ring Mod, Chorus and the rest After the engines, the signal passes seven effects: Distort, Filter, Transform, Shred, Delay, Ring Mod and Chorus. Drag the dots above an effect's Mix slider to move it to another position in the chain. Ring Mod and Chorus were new in version 2, and Shred was rebuilt with a three-step sequencer. - **Shred** captures chunks of audio and repeats them. Capture Length is tempo-synced from 2 bars down to 1/64T, each of the three steps, A, B and C, has its own repeat rate, and SEQ picks one of eight Euclidean rhythms; SEQ 1 repeats only step A. - **Ring Mod** is a hybrid ring modulator and tremolo. At low Freq settings it works as a tremolo. - **Transform** is a convolution effect with eight impulse responses: Hollow, Bright, Creep, Bass, Radio, Sterling, Oxford and Cambridge. - **Distort** offers four waveshapes, Warm, Analog, Edgy and Fuzz, and **Filter** offers NY LP, NY HP, Scream and Combo. Delay and Chorus are the familiar time-based pair. ![Zone map of VocalSynth 2's effects chain of Distort, Filter, Transform, Shred, Delay, Ring Mod and Chorus, each with a drag handle and one control, an arrow showing Shred dragged to a new position, an X Y pad with X and Y controls, and an Output zone with Mix, Gate, Pan, Width and Lvl](https://soundforgepro.com/content/images/2026/10/vs2-effects-xy.webp) Drag an effect's handle to change the chain order; the X Y pad moves two controls at once, and Output sets the final blend. The center display switches between the meter and an X/Y pad that controls two parameters at once, so one gesture moves two settings together. The global Output section holds Mix, a Gate threshold, Pan, Width and output gain. The Gate reads the input level: when the input falls below the threshold, the processed signal is gated before it reaches the effects, so the synths stay quiet in the gaps between phrases. The store version also includes four artist preset packs, from Deezle, Jonny Hawkins of Nothing More, Computer Magic and KillaGraham, plus one pack from iZotope. For heavier grit on a vocal than Distort gives, the free [Trash Lite](https://soundforgepro.com/trash-lite/) is the next thing to try before paying for a dedicated distortion plug-in. ## VocalSynth 2 vs a vocoder plugin A vocoder splits the modulator and the carrier into frequency bands and uses the level of the voice in each band to set the level of the same band in the carrier, which is what makes a synth seem to talk. VocalSynth 2 contains one of those, the Vocoder engine, plus four engines that work differently, its own carrier synths and pitch tracking. That last part matters most against a plain vocoder: in Auto mode it needs no external synth and no MIDI part. Two DAWs already ship a capable vocoder. [Live's Vocoder](https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/live-audio-effect-reference/?ref=soundforgepro.com) comes with Ableton Live Standard and Suite, not Intro, and its carrier can be internal Noise, an External source, the Modulator itself or a monophonic Pitch Tracking oscillator that tunes itself to the voice. [Logic's EVOC 20 PS](https://support.apple.com/guide/logicpro/evoc-20-ps-overview-lgsifc36886a/mac?ref=soundforgepro.com) pairs a vocoder with a polyphonic synth that you play from MIDI, inserted in an Instrument slot with the voice arriving through a side chain. | What you own | Vocoder you already have | What VocalSynth 2 adds | | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Logic Pro | EVOC 20 PS, played from MIDI with the voice on a side chain | Talkbox, Biovox, Compuvox and Polyvox, auto harmonies and the effects chain | | Ableton Live Standard or Suite | Vocoder with Noise, External, Modulator or monophonic Pitch Tracking carriers | Four more engines, internal synths you can play in Poly from MIDI, and auto harmonies | | Live Intro or a DAW without a vocoder | None built in | A vocoder that runs without a carrier synth, plus the other four engines | | Any DAW plus a synth you like | A carrier you already prefer | Sidechain mode, which uses that synth as the carrier but switches off Polyvox, Voicing and Synth controls | I'd start with the vocoder you already have if you own Logic Pro or Live Standard or Suite and want only classic vocoding. VocalSynth 2 earns its price when the part needs a talkbox, a robot voice, synthetic harmonies or pitch tracking on a vocal that nobody wants to replay on a keyboard. ## Test results: review scores and buyer ratings Five editorial reviews of VocalSynth 2 are on record, all published in 2018 and all of version 2.0\. Three carry scores on two different scales, so they're reported as published rather than averaged, and buyer ratings are counted separately. Across seven independent sources, the five reviews and two stores, the clearest agreement is that it's easy to set up, in 5 of 7, and that it's a specialist effect rather than an everyday vocal tool, in 3 of 7. [MusicRadar (Computer Music)](https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/izotope-vocalsynth-2?ref=soundforgepro.com) scored it 4.5/5 on August 4, 2018\. Its one con: "Onboard synth engine is still comparatively limited." [Everything Recording](https://everythingrecording.com/review-izotope-vocalsynth-2/?ref=soundforgepro.com) also gave 4.5/5, on August 22, 2018, praising the routing instructions built into the interface, but found the harmony engine "doesn't snap properly to notes all of the time," with Polyvox missing notes even with the key set. [AudioNewsRoom](https://audionewsroom.net/2018/06/izotope-vocalsynth-2-review-does-it-live-up-to-the-hype.html?ref=soundforgepro.com) scored it 8.3/10 on June 14, 2018, from 8 for sound, 9 for features and 8 for ease of use. It found the Vocoder and Talkbox "more usable," called Compuvox "probably the weakest sounding module for everyday music," said the new MIDI mode "sounds fantastic," and listed "some artifacts here and there" as a con. Two reviews carry no score. [Sound On Sound's review](https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/izotope-vocalsynth-2?ref=soundforgepro.com) by Paul White, in the October 2018 issue, found intelligibility better than in version 1, pitch tracking happiest on a source free of effects and spill, and Shred capable of clicks on sustained sounds; it concluded the plug-in "probably isn't the first tool you'd reach for when tweaking natural-sounding vocals." [SonicScoop's review](https://sonicscoop.com/new-software-review-izotope-vocalsynth-2/?ref=soundforgepro.com) by Tony Grund, dated July 25, 2018, called it "superbly easy to use" and "a great special effects tool," but "definitely not for everyone," and judged it priced right at $199. | Source | Date and version | Result | What it reports | | --------------------------- | -------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | MusicRadar (Computer Music) | August 4, 2018; 2.0 | 4.5/5 | Onboard synths limited; an external carrier sounds better, especially for the Vocoder | | Everything Recording | August 22, 2018; 2.0 | 4.5/5 | Easy routing with built-in instructions; harmonies don't always snap to notes | | AudioNewsRoom | June 14, 2018; 2.0 | 8.3/10 | Vocoder and Talkbox stronger, Compuvox weakest, MIDI mode a highlight, some artifacts | | Sound On Sound | October 2018; 2.0 | No score | Better intelligibility; electronic character by design; needs a clean source; Shred clicks | | SonicScoop | July 25, 2018; 2.0 | No score | Very easy to use, a special effects tool, not for everyone | Buyer ratings are store-hosted and self-selected, and they don't state a version, so they sit apart from the editorial scores. [Plugin Boutique's VocalSynth 2 page](https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/2-Effects/54-Vocal-Processing/4413-VocalSynth-2?ref=soundforgepro.com) shows 4.6 from 5,076 ratings while the store runs a free-gift-with-purchase promotion, and the store's own summary says some buyers mention a learning curve, heavy CPU use, latency or overly mechanical tones, with several suggesting a wait for a sale. [Thomann's buyers](https://www.thomannmusic.com/izotope%5Fvocalsynth%5F2.htm?ref=soundforgepro.com) give it 4.5 from 19 ratings: 14 five-star, one four-star, three three-star and one two-star. A 2018 Thomann reviewer notes CPU load climbing with several instances, and a 2021 reviewer complains of a weak sound and high resource use. The 20 most recent written reviews on Plugin Boutique, from August 13 to October 26, 2026, have a median of 5 stars and a range of 2 to 5: 13 five-star, five four-star, one three-star and one two-star. Eighteen of the 20 give four or five stars, and 7 of the 20 raise a criticism, from samey sounds, dark presets and too much low-end grit to sounds that are hard to make work in a song, narrow use cases and advice to wait for a discount. The smaller clusters across the seven sources come in at 2 of 7 each: an electronic or mechanical character, the Vocoder and Talkbox singled out as the strongest engines, Compuvox or Polyvox as the weaker ones, MIDI mode as a highlight, artifacts or clicks, CPU load, the need for a clean source, and buying after a trial or on discount. Only MusicRadar calls the onboard synth limited. Reddit splits the same way in the search results, with [an r/musicproduction thread titled as a complaint](https://www.reddit.com/r/musicproduction/comments/17fer64/vocalsynth%5Fjust%5Fsounds%5Fbad/?ref=soundforgepro.com) and [an r/synthesizers thread titled as a happy discovery](https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/1oqxszw/just%5Fdiscovered%5Fvocalsynth%5F2%5Fcant%5Fbelieve%5Fi%5Fdidnt/?ref=soundforgepro.com). My reading: the praise centers on vocoder, talkbox and robot jobs, and the warning about natural vocals, together with the 3-of-7 specialist finding, explains most of the disappointment. ## Limits: artifacts, tracking, CPU and latency The biggest limit is the one the plug-in is built around: the result sounds processed. The rest are practical and mostly fixable with setup. - **It always sounds synthetic.** Sound On Sound heard an electronic quality in every result, AudioNewsRoom noted some artifacts, and Shred can click on sustained sounds. For one natural double, the free Vocal Doubler is built for the job. - **Harmonies can miss notes.** Everything Recording found the harmony engine doesn't always snap, with Polyvox wrong even when the key was set. Check the key and scale in the Pitch panel first, and keep Polyvox low in the blend. - **Tracking needs the right Register and a clean source.** With Register on High while you sing low, the Compuvox, Vocoder and Talkbox oscillators can't follow the voice in Auto mode. Feed it a dry vocal without reverb or spill. - **CPU climbs with instances.** A Thomann reviewer suggests running it on a send and bouncing the result. The True Bypass option fully disables switched-off modules to save CPU and latency, but the manual warns that switching them can then become audible and A/B comparisons get harder. - **Talkbox latency.** The studio Talkbox algorithm has about 50 ms of latency at 44.1 kHz. The Low Latency Talkbox option switches to a live-performance algorithm that trades some intelligibility for speed. - **Sidechain mode costs features.** Polyvox, the Voicing section and the modules' Synth controls stop working once an external carrier takes over. ## Versions, formats and system requirements Everything in this table comes from iZotope's own pages. Some retailer listings still print older requirement blocks, so trust iZotope's product page over them. | Item | Current state | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Current version | 2.7.0, May 6, 2025: Windows HiDPI support, updated supported DAW and NLE versions, macOS minimum raised to Ventura | | Formats | AAX, AU, VST2 and VST3, 64-bit only | | Apple silicon | Native AU and VST3 since 2.5.0 (April 28, 2022), native AAX since 2.6.0; VST2 only in a host running under Rosetta | | macOS | Sonoma 14.7.x, Sequoia 15.7.x and Tahoe 26.1.x on Intel or Apple silicon | | Windows | Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 24H2 | | Supported hosts | Logic Pro 11, Pro Tools 2024, Ableton Live 12, Cubase 14, Nuendo 14, Studio One 7, REAPER 7, FL Studio 2024, Audition 2025, Premiere Pro 2025, DaVinci Resolve 19 and Reason 13 | The two macOS floors differ: [iZotope's product page](https://www.izotope.com/products/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com) lists Sonoma 14.7 and later, and the [2.7.0 release notes](https://www.izotope.com/pages/release-notes/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com) set Ventura as the minimum. I'd treat Sonoma 14.7 as the safe floor, because that's the range iZotope's product page lists as supported. On the newest system, the [macOS Tahoe statement](https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/articles/47669618126349-macOS-26-Tahoe-Compatibility-Statement?ref=soundforgepro.com) lists VocalSynth 2.7.0 as compatible. VocalSynth 2 still ships a VST2 build in its latest version. [iZotope's VST version list](https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/articles/47669694870413-Available-VST-Versions-of-iZotope-Products?ref=soundforgepro.com) confirms it, while newer products such as Nectar 4, RX 10 and later, Ozone 10 and later and Neutron 4 are VST3-only. On a Mac with Apple silicon, [iZotope's Apple silicon table](https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/articles/47669673300621-iZotope-Compatibility-with-Apple-silicon?ref=soundforgepro.com) says that VST2 copy runs only in a host opened under Rosetta, and native VST2 won't be added. The explainer on [what a VST plugin is](https://soundforgepro.com/what-is-a-vst-plugin/) covers why hosts list VST2 and VST3 as separate plug-ins. ## Price, trial, subscriptions and bundles In iZotope's US store, VocalSynth 2 costs $199, or $99.50 for the education version, with no sale and no upgrade price in the same store check. Plugin Boutique, Thomann's US storefront and Vintage King list the same $199. | Route | US store price | What you get | | ------------------------ | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | VocalSynth 2 | $199 (education $99.50) | A perpetual license, authorized with a serial | | iZotope Plus | $15 a month or $150 a year | VocalSynth 2 with Nectar 4 Standard; read-only if you cancel | | iZotope Pro | $25 a month or $250 a year | VocalSynth 2 with Nectar 4 Advanced and the rest of the Pro plan; read-only if you cancel | | Music Production Suite 9 | $799 | VocalSynth 2 inside the suite | | Everything Bundle | $2,999 | VocalSynth 2 inside the bundle | Both [iZotope subscription plans](https://www.izotope.com/pages/subscriptions?ref=soundforgepro.com) start with a 7-day free trial, revert your plug-ins to read-only if you cancel, and need a Native Access check once a month. [iZotope's tier FAQ](https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/articles/47669769286669-iZotope-Subscription-Tiers-FAQ?ref=soundforgepro.com) pairs VocalSynth 2 with Nectar 4 Standard in Plus and with Nectar 4 Advanced in Pro, and the [Nectar 4 edition comparison](https://soundforgepro.com/nectar-4-elements-vs-standard-vs-advanced/) shows what that step up adds. The arithmetic is short. A year of Plus at $150 costs $49 less than VocalSynth 2 alone and adds Nectar 4 Standard. The second yearly payment brings Plus to $300, so buying outright is cheaper from year two, and only the perpetual license keeps working when you stop paying. I'd take Plus if you want Nectar 4 Standard anyway; for VocalSynth 2 on its own, the license is the better buy. [Music Production Suite 9](https://www.izotope.com/products/music-production-suite?ref=soundforgepro.com) and [the Everything Bundle](https://www.izotope.com/products/everything-bundle?ref=soundforgepro.com) both include VocalSynth 2, and [iZotope bundles compared](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-bundles-compared/) does the full math on them. VocalSynth 1 owners won't find an upgrade price in iZotope's store, though Plugin Boutique lists an upgrade from version 1, so check the [iZotope upgrade price guide](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-price-upgrade-guide/) before paying full price. iZotope's seasonal sales and buy-below targets are tracked in the [iZotope Black Friday guide](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-black-friday/), and current discounts sit on [the deals page](https://soundforgepro.com/deals/). The perpetual trial from the [VocalSynth download page](https://www.izotope.com/pages/product-downloads/vocalsynth?ref=soundforgepro.com) runs without restriction for 10 days. After that, Demo mode inserts silence at regular intervals until you enter a serial. Subscriptions install through Native Access, while perpetual buyers log in to download and authorize with the serial; if either route stalls, the [iZotope install and authorization fixes](https://soundforgepro.com/izotope-product-portal-authorization-install-fixes/) run the checks in order. Old sessions may ask for VocalSynth Pro, a variant from the Music Production Suite Pro subscription. [iZotope support says VocalSynth Pro is being retired](https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/articles/47669575750029-How-to-activate-select-iZotope-Pro-products-in-Native-Access?ref=soundforgepro.com) as those subscriptions move to Native Access, names VocalSynth 2 as its feature-equivalent and keeps the installers available so old sessions still open. ## Using VocalSynth 2 in Sound Forge Pro Sound Forge isn't on iZotope's supported-host list, but [Sound Forge supports third-party VST2 and VST3 plug-ins](https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/sound-forge/pricing/?ref=soundforgepro.com). [Sound Forge's help on applying effects](https://cdn.borisfx.com/borisfx/Documentation/soundforge/2026/en/content/applying%5Fprocesses%5Fand%5Feffects.htm?ref=soundforgepro.com) lists the routes: the Process, Effects or FX Plug-Ins menus, drag-and-drop from the Plug-In Manager, or a data window's Plug-In Chain for real-time processing. Auto mode is the practical mode here. Sound Forge's help shows no way to send a plug-in MIDI notes or an external sidechain key, and [a MAGIX forum reply](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/sidechain--1297930/?ref=soundforgepro.com) describes sidechaining as a multitrack process and Sound Forge as a multichannel editor. I'd plan on Auto mode in Sound Forge and treat MIDI and Sidechain as unconfirmed there, then use the 10-day trial to check it on your own system before you buy. 1. Start from a dry vocal file without reverb or spill, so the pitch tracker has a clean source. 2. Add VocalSynth 2 to the data window's Plug-In Chain. If both the VST2 and VST3 copies appear, hide the VST2 one in the [Plug-In Manager](https://cdn.borisfx.com/borisfx/Documentation/soundforge/2026/en/content/proonly/plug-in%5Fmanager.htm?ref=soundforgepro.com); a forced rescan brings hidden plug-ins back. 3. Leave the mode on Auto, set Register to match the voice, starting at Mid, and pull Speed toward 0 ms for a robotic snap. 4. Pick the engines, balance their Lvl faders, set the Gate and Mix, and preview in the chain before you apply the effect to the file. The [Plug-In Chainer guide](https://soundforgepro.com/how-to-use-plug-in-chainer-sound-forge-pro/) shows how to build and save the chain. If VocalSynth 2 doesn't appear after installing, the [fixes for VST plugins not showing in Sound Forge](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-pro-vst-plugins-not-showing/) run the checks in order, and the overview of [plug-ins bundled with Sound Forge](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-plugins/) covers what the editor already includes. ## Should you buy iZotope VocalSynth 2? My verdict: buy VocalSynth 2 at $199 if you make vocoder, talkbox, robot or synthetic harmony parts and don't already have it through Plus, Pro, Music Production Suite 9 or the Everything Bundle. Auto mode makes it usable without a keyboard or a carrier synth, and the five engines plus the effects chain cover sounds a stock vocoder doesn't. The editorial scores date from 2018, but the engines haven't changed since, and recent buyers still rate it highly. Skip it for natural vocals: Nectar 4 is the tool for shaping a lead, and the free Vocal Doubler makes a natural double. Start with the built-in vocoder if you own Logic Pro or Live Standard or Suite and only want classic vocoding. Take Plus instead if you also want Nectar 4 Standard. In Sound Forge, use it as an Auto-mode effect on a clean vocal and let the 10-day trial confirm it on your system first. ## iZotope VocalSynth 2 FAQ ### Is VocalSynth 2 free, or is there a trial? It isn't free. The perpetual version has a 10-day trial without restrictions, after which Demo mode inserts silence at regular intervals, and the Plus and Pro subscriptions start with a 7-day free trial. iZotope's genuinely free tools are listed in the guide to [free iZotope plugins](https://soundforgepro.com/free-izotope-plugins/). ### Is there a VocalSynth 3? No. iZotope sells VocalSynth 2, its release notes list 2.7.0 from May 6, 2025 as the current version, and there's no sunset notice for VocalSynth 2: it's on sale, in both subscription tiers and in the current bundles. ### Can you use VocalSynth 2 live? Yes, with one setting to change. The studio Talkbox algorithm has about 50 ms of latency at 44.1 kHz, so turn on the Low Latency Talkbox option for live use, which trades some intelligibility for lower latency. True Bypass also saves CPU and latency by fully disabling switched-off modules.