Favourite distortion plugin ?

Discussion in 'Software' started by ceo54, Mar 15, 2024.

  1. ceo54

    ceo54 Kapellmeister

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    Hello,

    I'm looking for a distortion plugin, tested some stuff found on the lists through Google and settled on Audiority's Pyros, really good stuff.

    Still would like to explore more options, won't hurt having more than one tool in the arsenal. Will also help me explore more possibilities. So if you have any recommendations, I'm all ears.

    Any help will be greatly appreciated.
     
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  3. ryu_shiro_878

    ryu_shiro_878 Producer

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    The Usual Culprits:

    1.Fabfilter - Saturn2
    2.Arturia - TUBE-CULTURE [Culture Vulture] | OPAMP-21
    3.Izotope - Trash 3
    4.Kiive Audio - Distinct Pro
    5.D16 Audio Group - Devastator 2 | Redoptor 2
     
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  4. OffshoreBanking

    OffshoreBanking Producer

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    Distomeme.jpg
     
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  5. Matt Huang

    Matt Huang Noisemaker

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    Decapitator by SoundToys
     
  6. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    My go-to for crushing and over-the-top distortion is still Trash2. I'm so used to it and I have tons of user presets I've made for various purposes.

    If I only need some light saturation I use Saturn 2 or some other tape/tube saturation plugins.

    Even though I mostly use Trash2, I would definitely say that apulSoft apShaper is the best sounding waveshaper out there. I've been thinking about buying it, but I honestly don't use waveshapers enough to warrant spending more money just to get another one. I already have Trash2 and all of the various waveshapers that come stock with Reaper as well as the awesome free JSFX ones (Filther and Squashman by Sai'ke, and Wild Wave Fu by Bang!).
     
  7. eli91

    eli91 Ultrasonic

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    In addition to the usual culprits mentioned above:

    For a more "analogue" sound + few controls + easy to use:
    • AA - JAM/JAM MIX
    • Audiothing - Valves
    • Kush Audio - LG Drive

    In the all-digital realm + lots of controls + lots of weird stuff:
    • Heavyocity - Fury
    • Tritik - Krush Pro
    • Arturia - Coldfire
     
  8. BlossomwoodsCollection

    BlossomwoodsCollection Kapellmeister

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    +1 for Decapitator and Saturn 2

    Black Box Analog Design HG2-MS

    Native Instruments Dirt (HUGE secret-weapon. One of THE best harmonics plugins, I can't recommend it enough)

    Acustica Pumpkin Pro

    Kazrog True Iron (more subtle saturation)

    Airwindows has some great options (such as BussColors4 and Desk4)

    Overloud Gem Sculptube

    Vertigo Sound VSM-4

    ...and arguably most important of all:

    DDMF Metaplugin (specifically for its oversampling algorithm, will help you get much more OUT of your distortion) and DDMF Plugindoctor
     
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  9. justwannadownload

    justwannadownload Audiosexual

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    The usual:
    iZotope Trash 2 (and the new one too)
    FabFilter Saturn 2
    Output Thermal
    Mostly multistage multiband modulated monsters :D
    Doubt any of these need any explanation.

    The unusual:
    Camel Audio Camel Phat - used to be THE distortion plugin, but then Camel Audio got bought by Apple for their Alchemy hybrid synth, and the rest of the plugins got left by the wayside
    AudioThing Wires - y'all heard of tape distortion, now prepare for METAL WIRE DISTORTION, for dem lost astronaut vibes
    Audio Damage FuzzPlus 3 - a heavyweight freebie, requires a little processing afterwards and adds constant DC offset, but the character is :chefs_kiss:
    Audio Damage Kombinat Tri - three-band with I think nine unique flavours per band (the fuzz one included), a resonant filter and a kompressor
    Creative Intent Tantrum - this thing distorts the *phase* of the sound, which as you know can be represented as a sine function itself, with a very unique and rich-sounding result
    apulSoft apShaper - the everything waveshaper, from surgical clipping to separate harmonics to wavefolding to user-defined transfer curves, and also has three filter bands with separate routing and a modulation section
    Tritik KrushPro - a bitcrusher, a wavefolder, a ring modulator, a pair of filters, a bunch of LFOs, a step sequencer...
    GlitchMachines Subvert - legit don't know how to describe, it has *everything* **twice** and you patch things freely
    Inear Display Cruelle - a basic one feature-wise, compensates *very* aggressively with character
    Inear Display Regressif - cruelle's angrier brother that hates your guts and has free patching capabilities

    Oh, fukken Rift I couldn't make to work on my PC, waiting for a proper crack.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2024
  10. sherpa

    sherpa Ultrasonic

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    Probably NAM or Nebula
     
  11. blasterx

    blasterx Kapellmeister

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    Trash 3 and Decapitator
     
  12. Lois Lane

    Lois Lane Audiosexual

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    I have the whole Kilohearts smorgasbord and get by with Faturator or Distortion or a combination of the both.
     
  13. mino45

    mino45 Kapellmeister

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    Did anyone mention:

    Quadrafuzz
     
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  14. Legotron

    Legotron Audiosexual

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    Looptrotter sa2rate 2
     
  15. lollie

    lollie Noisemaker

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    Nani The Distortion plugin i love the asthetics :3
     
  16. lollie

    lollie Noisemaker

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    Nani The Distortion plugin i love the asthetics :3
     
  17. lollie

    lollie Noisemaker

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    Nani The Distortion plugin i love the asthetics :3
     
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  18. Bandit

    Bandit Producer

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    If you really destroy the sound Trash 2, Trash 3, The Beatkrusher, 2B Distobud, Disto::FX come to mind.
    If you want your average distortion... see comments above, enough suggestions.
     
  19. ArticStorm

    ArticStorm Moderator Staff Member

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  20. Will Kweks

    Will Kweks Rock Star

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    Trash and Trash 2 (not experienced enough with 3 yet so can't comment), then apart from that I either go for hardware (being a guitarist, I'm well sorted in that department) or Guitar Rig, now, GR3 isn't perhaps the greatest distortion gadget around as such, but it allows me to customize the signal chain easily. Pre/post EQ and compression with easily split signal between bands.

    Audio Damage gets an honorable mention, a lot of their non-distortion plugins go nicely to OD as well, like Dubstation and Rough Rider.
     
  21. Kate Middleton

    Kate Middleton Producer

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    OHMICIDE. SATURN 2...and the stock plugin in studio one for distortion
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 16, 2024
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