Founded in 2001 by industrial designer and synthesizer enthusiast Urs Heckmann, u-he is a Berlin-based audio software company specializing in virtual synthesizers and effects plugins. The company grew from a one-person operation into a respected team of developers, sound designers, and artists, building a reputation for combining deep sonic authenticity with thoughtful interface design. Their flagship synthesizer Diva is renowned for its painstaking emulation of classic analog circuits, while Zebra2 (now continued as Zebra Legacy) has become a go-to workhorse synth for film composers and sound designers — notably used by Hans Zimmer.

u-he's product line spans a wide range of synthesis approaches. Bazille and ACE bring modular-style patching into the plugin world with audio-rate modulation capabilities, Hive 2 offers a streamlined workflow with low CPU usage, and Repro faithfully recreates two iconic analog synths. On the effects side, Satin provides detailed tape machine emulation, Presswerk delivers studio-grade compression, and Colour Copy models bucket-brigade delay circuits. The company also offers several free plugins — including Podolski, Zebralette, Triple Cheese, TyrellN6, and Protoverb — making their synthesis engines accessible to producers at any budget.

Beyond software, u-he has expanded into hardware with a line of Eurorack modules including CVilization, Wiretap, and CEN2RION. The company maintains an active community through forums and a patch-sharing library, and releases curated soundsets designed by both in-house and third-party sound designers.

u-he has 33 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Synth Plugins, Delay Plugins, and Reverb Plugins. Their gear is featured by 162 artists, with the strongest followings in Electronic, Pop, and Rock. Notable users include The Midnight, The Thrillseekers, and TehCarterPSpartan. Most u-he products fall in the mid-tier range — professional-grade without flagship pricing.