Mercury-4 by Cherry Audio synth plugin interface

Mercury-4: Analog-Style Synth Plugin by Cherry Audio Free Download

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (785 ratings)

Mercury-4 is a polyphonic virtual synthesizer plugin from Cherry Audio, modeled on the Roland Jupiter-4. It offers up to 16-voice polyphony, an arpeggiator, a stereo ensemble effect and a tape echo with reverb modes.

VST3VST2AUAAXStandaloneWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Cherry Audio developed Mercury-4 as a software recreation of the Roland Jupiter-4, a synth released in 1978 that combined voice-assign polyphony with digital patch storage. The plugin models the instrument's oscillator and filter tonality and its stereo ensemble effect. It also expands on the original by adding up to 16 voices, unlimited patch storage and easy patch editing. Mercury-4 is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX and Standalone formats.

Best for

Analog-style pads
Synth basslines
Arpeggiated sequences
Vintage chorus textures
Spacey delay effects
MPE expressive performance

Developer: Cherry Audio
Category: Synths
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Modeled oscillator with sub-oscillator
Filter characteristics modeled, including low-frequency resonance
Up to 16-voice polyphony
Over 300 presets
Tempo-synced arpeggiator with replicated behavior
Wide-range LFO with inverted modulation option
Drift control for analog-style realism
Stereo ensemble effect and tape echo with reverb modes
Comprehensive MPE support and full DAW automation

03In depth

Sound Character and Synthesis Engine

Mercury-4 is built around a modeled oscillator with a sub-oscillator, and its filter characteristics, including low-frequency resonance, are modeled as well. Drift control adds analog-style variation to the pitch.

The LFO modulation is wide-ranging and includes "inverted" modulation characteristics, which the developer says can produce unusual, modular-style tones. Unison can be detuned for thicker sounds, and a single-key chord memory mode lets one key trigger a stored chord.

Arpeggiator, Effects and Workflow

The arpeggiator section is tempo-syncable, and the LFO can also be synced to the host tempo. The stereo ensemble effect is modeled on the Roland chorus circuit and adds width and dimension.

The built-in tape echo offers a warm, organic delay with multiple reverb modes. Full MIDI control and DAW automation are supported for all controls, and comprehensive MPE support is included. An advanced one-click UI magnification option is available.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Cherry Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	Synth
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, Standalone
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Mercury-4?

Mercury-4 is a polyphonic synth plugin from Cherry Audio that recreates the Roland Jupiter-4. It adds up to 16 voices and a tape echo with reverb modes.

Which formats and operating systems does Mercury-4 support?

Mercury-4 is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX and Standalone formats. It runs on Windows (Windows 7 or later, including Windows 11) and macOS (10.13 or later, including macOS 13 Ventura and Apple M1 processors). A 64-bit system is required.