Spotlight
u-he and the spirit of analogue
How a small Berlin team built some of the most loved software synthesizers in the world.
SoftKrtl Editorial · 10 Jun 2026 · 5 min read
Few developers are spoken about with the same reverence as u-he. Led by founder Urs Heckmann, the Berlin studio has spent years chasing the feel of vintage hardware in software, and its instruments have become staples for sound designers and film composers alike.
From circuit models to workhorses
The range runs from the deeply detailed, circuit-modelled Diva to the vast modular Zebra, with fast, playable synths like Hive in between and faithful hardware recreations such as Repro alongside them. Every plugin is built in-house by a small team, and it shows in the character.
Diva does not just emulate an analogue synth. It behaves like one, right down to the way the filter breathes.
If you are new to the range, Diva is the obvious first stop for pure analogue tone, while Hive is the quicker route to ideas. Either way, you are buying into a philosophy as much as a plugin.
