# VCV Rack

9 Hacker News commenters recommended VCV Rack and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Free modular synthesizer that people recommend for learning modular synthesis and as a main music tool alongside Renoise. One critic finds the emulated virtual knobs frustrating.

## Why people recommend it

- Good for learning modular synthesis (2 comments): "VCV Rack is great. Use it to work out what to build in a Eurorack system eventually" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49843947)) "It good fun to noodle about with. Does provide a good experience of modular." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49770031))
- Among the best software, often recommended (2 comments): "I think it's one of the best pieces of software in existence and I don't say that lightly." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46743868)) "the impulse to recommend VCVRack is pretty high" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46488746))
- Used daily alongside Renoise (2 comments): "Not everyone can just re-base their setup on linux (for me Renoise & VCV Rack)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46112526)) "Now I just use Renoise & VCV Rack" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48722521))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Surge XT](https://hackerapproved.com/p/surge.md): 9 recommend
- [VOOG](https://hackerapproved.com/p/voog.md): 8 recommend
- [Bespoke Synth](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bespoke-synth.md): 6 recommend
- [Dexed](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dexed.md): 5 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "VCV Rack", https://hackerapproved.com/p/vcv-rack/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).