Arturia has been constructing out its assortment of results plugins over the previous couple of years. One notable blind spot was distortion. It wasn’t till FX Assortment 3 launched in June that the corporate would introduce its first devoted distortion plugins. Dist OpAmp-21 and Dist Tube-Tradition are stable, if unspectacular entries on the earth of grime results. However the brand new Dist Coldfire is one thing completely different. It would simply be probably the most fascinating and most versatile distortion plugin I’ve ever used.
The place OpAmp-21 and Tube-Tradition had been emulations of basic results models, Coldfire is one thing fully new. It takes an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink method much like the corporate’s Pigments (nonetheless my favourite comfortable synth in the marketplace). It is a twin distortion engine — which means you’ll be able to mix two completely different drives concurrently. There are 11 completely different distortion algorithms, starting from the delicate heat of tape to the cruel howl of a wavefolder. A lot of them even have a number of modes, providing you with a grand complete of 33 variations to play with. And you may run any of them independently or paired in collection, parallel, cut up stereo, mid/facet or band cut up.
That alone is fairly stable. However there’s additionally a multimode pre filter and a easy two-band submit filter on every channel, a three-mode dynamics module (limiter, compressor, multi-band) that may be pre or submit distortion, and a suggestions unit (mainly a really quick delay) for creating wails of cascading noise. Plus most of the parameters (although, not all), will be automated utilizing the strong modulation part that has six slots that be any mixture of LFOs, operate turbines, envelope followers or 16-step sequencers.
If that seems like lots to wrap your head round, I do not blame you. Arturia included over 150 presets with useful classes and tags as a leaping off level, although. Plus there’s loads of tutorial content material that can assist you get conversant in the assorted items.
When you begin exploring although, Dist Coldfire is definitely surprisingly simple. Not less than should you’re conversant in Arturia’s normal interface practices. There’s clearly labeled and coloration coded buttons and knobs. Modules are specified by a reasonably intuitive method, and modulation is well assigned and attenuated (click on the assign button, then dial within the quantity by clicking and dragging across the parameter you wish to goal).
Whereas it might be simple to chop the corporate some slack if a number of the sounds had been underwhelming, contemplating the breadth of choices obtainable, I am completely happy to report that nearly all the things sounds fairly good. A number of the distortion algorithms have smaller candy spots than others. And never all are going to be to everybody’s tastes, however they’re fairly profitable in attaining the vibe they’re in search of.
For instance, the Mild Lo-fi preset is without doubt one of the most instantly usable proper out of the field. It provides a wholesome quantity of tape saturation, a splash of bit crushing and only a contact of modulation to provide you a type of wistful and retro sound. It is easy sufficient to up the modulation too, to provide it an much more worn character. However hey, possibly not everyone seems to be like me and trying to make all the things they file sound barely damaged and previous. Possibly you need the cruel digital sound of mid ’90s industrial steel — nicely combining the tube drive and waveshaper can get you there.
Or heck, possibly you need full on digital oblivion. Combining a number of bit crushers with some random LFOs and also you get one thing resembling a malfunctioning laptop. Take it even farther by including modulated notch or bandpass filters. The purpose being that, there’s in all probability one thing right here for everybody.
Now, are the analog distortions right here 100-percent correct and indistinguishable from their actual world counterparts? Completely not, regardless of Arturia’s TAE advertising claims. The corporate’s know-how stays significantly better at capturing the vibe of classic analog synths than it’s at recreating the heat and growl of a nicely beloved tube amp. That being mentioned, it is not unhealthy and hardly discernible in a completely combined observe. Simply do not go cranking most of them.
Of the analog emulations — tape, tube, transformer, transistor, germanium and drive — I discovered solely tape and drive actually usable with the drive set to max. The transistor and germanium particularly have a considerably disagreeable digital harshness on the highest ranges. Some modes are additionally higher suits for particular devices and sounds. When you can clearly slap a waveshaper on an intricate piano melody should you like, the outcome won’t at all times be ultimate.
Dist Coldfire is flexible sufficient to be your solely distortion plugin. However it in all probability will not be my go to when wanting so as to add a contact of heat or saturation — although I can simply see myself slapping Mild Lo-fi on all the things and calling it a day. It is a difficult plugin whose true energy lies in its extra on the market capabilities. It is also a bit useful resource intensive — for a distortion plugin at the least.
Nonetheless, for $99 it is a fairly nice deal. And, should you do not already personal FX Collection 3, you’ll be able to mainly get it without spending a dime bundled with that suite of plugins for $299.
All merchandise advisable by Engadget are chosen by our editorial staff, impartial of our dad or mum firm. A few of our tales embrace affiliate hyperlinks. When you purchase one thing by means of one among these hyperlinks, we might earn an affiliate fee. All costs are right on the time of publishing.