Soundtoys Decapitator
Default Title5-mode Distortion Plugin
Saturation - it's the essence of what makes analogue hardware sound so musical and pleasing to the ears. The sound of tubes, transistors, and circuitry being pushed to the limit has long been the key ingredient in great-sounding analogue recordings. Engineers use saturation to beef things up, thin them out, give them an edge, add warmth, pull elements out of the mix, and create signature sounds.
From the very subtle to the extreme, analogue saturation is an integral part of great mixes. That's why Soundtoys took our time, studied all the great analogue classics, and painstakingly created a plug-in that brings the best of analogue saturation to your digital studio.
With five different analogue saturation models to choose from, Decapitator is perfect for adding character to every kind of track and instrument in your mixes. Soundtoys have also included a modelled tone control that lets you shape the saturated sound and a mix control that lets you blend in some dry signal for parallel processing without the need for routing and sub-mixes. Combine all of this with the flexibility and reliability of a Soundtoys plug-in, and you’ve got the best of analogue and digital together in one essential effect.
Analogue Feel
Decapitator is not just a simple approximation of the analogue sound. Soundtoys have worked hard to capture the feel of analogue gear. Not a static snapshot, but a changing responsive model of all those tubes, wires and transistors. That means you can hear subtle changes as Decapitator reacts to a track and follows the dynamics of an instrument. That's what analogue is all about.
In creating Decapitator, Soundtoys collected and analyzed both vintage and modern hardware - consoles, preamps, input channels, EQs, compressors and studio distortion units. They picked the pieces of gear they felt had the most distinctive sound and had unique character when used both subtly and at extremes. Then they created painstakingly accurate models and made them instantly accessible. By adding an analogue-modelled tone control and mix knob, they've opened up the sonic potential of these models even more.
Bad Boy
Decapitator is capable of some wonderfully subtle sounds, but Soundtoys know that sometimes subtle just won't do it. That's why they've added the Punish button, which kicks in an extra chunk of gain to push Decapitator over the edge. When you drive it hard it reacts just like great analogue gear - it screams in pain.
And they’re not talking about fizzy stomp-box distortion. Decapitator gives you those unique qualities that only come from driving high-end studio gear. Each model has its own sound of beautiful agony when you hit the Punish button and crank it up. Try it on vocals, drums, guitars, synths - anything that sounds a little too polite!
Features
- Infuse your tracks with the natural vibe of analogue gear
- Get real, dynamic analog saturation with 5 detailed models of studio hardware
- Push your tracks over the top with the Punish button
- Shape the contour of the saturation with analog-modeled tone control
- Create parallel effects simply with the mix knob
System Requirements
- Current Version: 5.2.0
- Plug-in Formats (both 32 and 64-bit): AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite, VST, and Audio Units (AU)
- Supported Sample Rates: Minimum 44.1 kHz, Maximum: 192 kHz
- System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.8 or later; Windows 7 or later. An internet connection is required at the time of activation.
- Supported Hosts: Pro Tools (10.3.5 or later), Live, Cubase, Nuendo, Sonar, Logic, Digital Performer

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