Another realtime option is to use a noiseprint based spectral denoiser (like iZotope) with stronger denoising settings.
That will generate these infamous warbly mp3 artifacts quite well.

 

No, you can't per se. It's an FFT processor/effect.

But if you want a 192kbps mp3 you can just export a 192kbps mp3 (which adds some Fraunhofer FFT artifacts as well as cuts off above 16kHz).

 

Oh... That digital mojo from aliasing...

 

Many of these "lo-fi" targeted plugins turn everything you put them on into bizarre sounding junk. It's like glitching in idm music. First the plugin, then a panacea for any lack of an idea for a turnaround or a fill, to "just glitch it more". And to now and the plugins from Glitch Machines. People just love to ride stuff into the ground.

I am ok with the whole retro, old, vintage sounding stuff to give a song or a part a vibe. But many of them are about as nice as some fresh new circuit bending samples. XLN RC-20 is a pretty decent happy medium if dialed back a little. imo

 

RC-20, Izotope Vinyl, TUPE and Kilohearts Bitcrusher are the only lofi things i have. I tryed this unfiltered audio plugin and every preset sounded like a huge mistake, audio diarrhea, no matter the recording or sample i used. Christ...

 

Lossy by Goodhertz is your best option

 

I was about to recommend this, I use a few of their VST's. Great team and well worth supporting them.
I don't use this because its an effect I hate and have no wish to hear in music. For me there is no need to go back and explore early 2000's audio file issues. But if you have fond memories of music sounding dead and soulless go for it. I still support them exploring it as an effect.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Dec 4, 2023

you guys realize there are entire genres based around this sound? genres that are big in their own right and have large fanbase etc. not everything has to sound pristine! lofi as an aesthetic. Ive even been hearing it in big records lately. Radio friendly pop etc.

You dont have to like it, of course, but there are plenty of uses for these kind of effects. Overall filtering / mix bus fucking up, drum loop crunching, putting sounds into their own unique sonic space, etc etc. Try sending a vocal to a verb bus, and having a lossy effect after the verb, some very unique and interesting results.

 

I use bitrate lowering plug ins, distortion, and degrading FX all the time. Barely anyone discusses shitty audio file emulation because its not a pleasurable audio effect.

 

In general i use impulse responses, distortion and eventually bitcrushing for all mentioned purposes. There are more ways to create a lofi vibe without glitching the things up, IMO. I'm not anti Lo-fi, but i don't like extreme degradating plugins, because... it's a taste thing. Those who know how to make it, i know they exist, and im ok with that fact. I'm just not that person.

 

Yes. There is nothing "Radio friendly" or even "Ear friendly" about some of the plugins that are out there now. It's not character, degraded, or anything like that. It is 0-100mph abrasive distortion for the sake of making unlistenable noise. It bothers me to hear yet another song with over the top vinyl crackle on the intro get printed on to the entire song. That is not even close to some of it. It's literally pushing the envelope into noise, on purpose. Try out that Unfiltered Lofji AF plugin and flip thru all the presets. That one is even pretty tame by other current ones that are out there now. There is one releaser who seems to be into these kinds of plugins, and they are getting more and more extreme, like the developers are trying to outdo one another.

 

there is a reason the brain sorts sounds into "music" and "noise".

 

Coincidentally, this popped up on another page yesterday (free).

https://wildergardenaudio.com/maim/

 

Great nasty sound, already love it

The developer got another one called EMPY https://github.com/ArdenButterfield/Empy

• Sculpt the sound of MP3s, spotty phone calls, bitcrushers, and more.
• Inspired by the MP3 encoding process, Empy lets you control every step of its distortion algorithm

 

I second this. Got it on introductory sale after trying it out, even now it is still very affordable at $36 US, given the amount of effects you can achieve.

+ it comes with a cute cat (Jon, the devs office cat) on the UI, what more could you want?

 

Thank you for the kind help but no worries found it.

 

@xorome Winner, exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, many thanks friend. Very helpful Indeed.

 

Digitalis is the best one.