Arturia’s Dist Coldfire may be the one distortion plugin you want | Engadget

Arturia has been constructing out its assortment of results plugins over the previous few years. One notable blind spot was distortion. It wasn’t till FX Collection 3 launched in June that the corporate would introduce its first devoted distortion plugins. Dist OpAmp-21 and Dist Tube-Culture are stable, if unspectacular entries on the earth of filth results. But the brand new Dist Coldfire is one thing totally different. It would possibly simply be probably the most attention-grabbing and most versatile distortion plugin I’ve ever used. 

Where OpAmp-21 and Tube-Culture have been emulations of traditional results models, Coldfire is one thing fully new. It takes an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink method just like the corporate’s Pigments (nonetheless my favourite gentle synth available on the market). It’s a twin distortion engine — which means you may mix two totally different drives concurrently. There are 11 totally different distortion algorithms, starting from the delicate heat of tape to the cruel howl of a wavefolder. Many of them even have a number of modes, providing you with a grand whole of 33 variations to play with. And you may run any of them independently or paired in collection, parallel, break up stereo, mid/facet or band break up. 

That alone is fairly stable. But there’s additionally a multimode pre filter and a easy two-band put up filter on every channel, a three-mode dynamics module (limiter, compressor, multi-band) that may be pre or put up distortion, and a suggestions unit (principally a really quick delay) for creating wails of cascading noise. Plus lots of the parameters (although, not all), could be automated utilizing the sturdy modulation part that has six slots that be any mixture of LFOs, perform turbines, envelope followers or 16-step sequencers. 

If that seems like so much 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 will help you get aware of the varied items.

Once you begin exploring although, Dist Coldfire is definitely surprisingly simple. At least for those who’re aware of Arturia’s common interface practices. There’s clearly labeled and shade coded buttons and knobs. Modules are specified by a reasonably intuitive method, and modulation is definitely assigned and attenuated (click on the assign button, then dial within the quantity by clicking and dragging across the parameter you wish to goal).

While it will be simple to chop the corporate some slack if a few of the sounds have been underwhelming, contemplating the breadth of choices out there, I’m joyful to report that nearly all the pieces sounds fairly good. Some of the distortion algorithms have smaller candy spots than others. And not all are going to be to everybody’s tastes, however they’re fairly profitable in reaching the vibe they’re in search of.

For instance, the Gentle 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 touch of bit crushing and only a contact of modulation to provide you a form of wistful and retro sound. It’s simple sufficient to up the modulation too, to provide it an much more worn character. But hey, perhaps not everyone seems to be like me and seeking to make all the pieces they file sound barely damaged and outdated. Maybe you need the cruel digital sound of mid ’90s industrial steel — properly combining the tube drive and waveshaper can get you there. 

Or heck, perhaps 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 pc. Take it even farther by including modulated notch or bandpass filters. The level 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? Absolutely not, regardless of Arturia’s TAE advertising claims. The firm’s expertise stays a lot better at capturing the vibe of classic analog synths than it’s at recreating the heat and growl of a properly beloved tube amp. That being stated, it isn’t dangerous and hardly discernible in a completely blended observe. Just do not go cranking most of them. 

Of the analog emulations — tape, tube, transformer, transistor, germanium and power — I discovered solely tape and power actually usable with the drive set to max. The transistor and germanium specifically have a considerably disagreeable digital harshness on the highest ranges. Some modes are additionally higher matches for particular devices and sounds. While you may clearly slap a waveshaper on an intricate piano melody for those who like, the end result may not at all times be supreme. 

Dist Coldfire is flexible sufficient to be your solely distortion plugin. But it in all probability will not be my go to when wanting so as to add a contact of heat or saturation — though I can simply see myself slapping Gentle Lo-fi on all the pieces and calling it a day. It’s an advanced plugin whose true energy lies in its extra on the market capabilities. It’s additionally a bit useful resource intensive — for a distortion plugin a minimum of. 

Still, for $99 it is a fairly nice deal. And, for those who do not already personal FX Collection 3, you may principally get it at no cost bundled with that suite of plugins for $299.