Orchestral sample specialist Spitfire Audio has stepped firmly into synthesis. Phoenix, developed with electronic music pioneer BT, launched on September 29, 2026 as a hybrid cinematic synthesizer, and it includes full MPE support, a welcome sign for composers who play with expressive controllers.

Six Engines, Two Chains Per Voice

Phoenix is built around a flexible architecture. According to the launch details, it offers six synthesis engines: spectral wavetables, FM, a sampler, 2-operator FM transients, a sub oscillator, and a complex noise generator. It provides 16 voices, each with dual independent synthesis chains, so a single note can blend, for example, a spectral pad with a sampled orchestral layer.

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Why MPE Matters Here

Hybrid cinematic instruments live and die by movement: slow swells, evolving textures, and expressive dynamics. MPE is a natural fit. With per-note pressure, slide, and pitch bend, a held chord can have each voice shift independently, and a layered patch mixing sampled strings with spectral textures can respond differently across its layers.

Phoenix's dual-chain design makes this especially interesting. Mapping pressure to the spectral engine's warp amount while another chain handles the sampled body could let you morph timbre as you lean into a note. Players on Expressive E Osmose, ROLI Seaboard, or LinnStrument hardware should find plenty to explore. As always, test how the specific patches map expression, since "MPE support" can mean different depths of implementation; we explain the distinction in what MPE support in a plugin update really means.

Pricing, Formats, and Availability

Phoenix is available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows. Spitfire lists introductory pricing of £199 / €239, with a regular price of $249 / €299. Demo versions are planned for the ADE event, running October 21 to 25, 2026. Visit the Phoenix product page for current details.

A Bigger Trend

Phoenix adds to a broader pattern in 2026: established sample-library companies are building their own synthesis tools, and they increasingly treat MPE as a baseline feature rather than a niche add-on. Meanwhile, hosts continue to improve their handling of per-note data; our comparison of DAW MPE support tracks where each major DAW stands.

For composers, this is meaningful. Film and game writers often move between sampled orchestral parts and synthetic textures. A single instrument that handles both, and responds to expressive gestures, shortens the path from idea to finished cue. It also reflects growing demand: as more musicians own MPE controllers, developers have a reason to build for them.

What to Try First

If you pick up Phoenix, begin with a few of the 552 presets and audition them with an MPE controller. Pay attention to which parameters respond to pressure and slide, and whether pitch bend per note behaves as you expect with your controller's bend range. If something feels off, our guide on fixing pitch bend range mismatches can save time.

Then try building your own patch: assign pressure to a spectral warp, slide to filter brightness, and let the dual chains do the rest. That's where an instrument like this starts to feel less like a preset browser and more like something you play.