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< All Soundtoys Decapitator reviews
sonicsnap sonicsnap

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Published on 12/20/13 at 09:25
Simple installation and authorization, but it takes an I-Lok key.
Decapitator is a plug-in saturation. We immediately notice the big knob "Drive" which determines the level of saturation, and right next to the "Punish" button, which accentuates the effect until the distortion, as if the drive was up to 20 instead of 10. We subsequently two filters (Low Cut and High Cut) and a tone knob (bass / treble). With Low Cut, we have a "Thump" button which gives a slight resonance at the cutoff frequency, and with the High Cut a "Steep" button that makes the filter slope of 6 to 30db / octave pass. Remains a knob "dry / wet" (always good practice to keep spikes) and an output setting, which, thanks to the "Auto" button can automatically compensate for level changes according to the intensity of the drive and the "Style" selected. Style? Quésaco? Indeed, it has five buttons "Styles" (A, E, N, T, P) which correspond to different emulations. A saturation emulates a tape recorder preamp, E and N those slices consoles and those of T and P module vintage distortion. These "Styles" are described in detail in the little manual a dozen pages. Note for "Thump" buttons, "Steep" and "Auto", they are active when they are raised and off when they are lowered, which is unusual.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This plug-in works without any problem on my Mac Pro with Mac OS 10.6.8 and Digital Performer. CPU consumption is insignificant.

OVERALL OPINION

I use Decapitator for three and a half years. I'm pretty well endowed with plug-ins distortion and saturation. But it is essentially competing with huge Ohmicide Ohm Force and very friendly Bad Buss Mojo Stillwell Audio (see my review of these great plug-ins.) All three are very good and I don ' have no general rule to use one rather than the other. Must be tested. Decapitator can be used both in small doses for a warm sound (in this case, I like the "Styles" A or N), so that more muscular with Inrush (where "Punish" button, I generally prefer the "Style" P.) In both cases, it produces an effect of quality and its pretty hot: The analog emulation is rather successful. I've used on voice (in a "industrial" part) and synths, but it works well on virtually any source. Very simple to set up, we get what we want quickly. Altogether, I'm very happy to have in my tool Decapitator and I do it again this choice despite its relatively high I found justified by its value.