Soundtoys - The definitive guide.
Worth the legendary status? Spoiler alert: Yes they do.
Soundtoys is one of the few plugin creators that managed to find its way into professional studios and producers. So when people that have access to the absolute best hardware gear in the world use your software products, you know you’ve made something right.
I believe the thing that makes Soundtoys stand out is simplicity paired with sound quality. This is a tough combination to accomplish and throughout the years, Soundtoys somehow managed to create great sounding effects that are very easy to use for everyone.
On the Soundtoys website, you can find 21 different plugins that cover almost all the effects you will need. Their most famous plugins are definitely Echoboy, Decapitator, and Little Alterboy used by thousands of producers and musicians out there. Even though they state that their plugins are based on vintage gear, the great thing about them is that they are fixated to simply re-create a vintage effects processor. They take the initial inspiration from the effects of the past and then go on and create something new to match today’s needs.
Let’s go through all the plugins one-by-one and for a Soundtoys definitive guide!
Decapitator
With a terrifying name, Decapitator is the go-to saturator for a lot of producers. It is inspired by the famous Culture Vulture hardware saturator and its purpose is to boost and make your signal crunchy and distorted in the best way possible. It can be subtle and extreme depending on how much drive you dial in and there are a few controls to shape the sound. For many people, this is the best analog saturator - digital recreation and for a good reason. It has 5 different saturation models (A, E, N, T, P) with a few subtle differences in the sound that comes out of them.
Its unique ability to capture and enhance dynamics is unbeatable and it’s the reason it’s so popular. It is not just a drive/ boost to volume. Decapitator’s software is carefully designed to react differently to changes in dynamics of an instrument or sound just like analog gear and that’s its key advantage over other saturation plugins.
It is a must-have for any producer since everyone needs some kind of saturation to make their mixes come alive.
Little AlterBoy
Another classic effect that vocalists love is Little AlterBoy. One of the simplest but most effective plugins to control vocals’ pitch and formant with 3 modes - Transpose - Quantize - Robot.
Once again, it is the attention to detail that make AlterBoy stand out besides being a very simple plugin. The Formant knob is very responsive and gives you actually usable formant shifts when used subtly. The Pitch control is great to transpose your vocals and when you automate it gets even better since you can create beautiful melodies with just one note. With the Quantize mode, you can achieve a hard-tune effect and with Robot, everything stays in the same pitch until you move the Pitch knob. It also has a Drive control (from the Decapitator) to boost your vocals if you need to.
There’s not a single vocal track that I don’t have Little AlterBoy on even if I don’t end up using it. If you use vocals, it is also an industry standard that will help you tame your vocal takes.
Bonus tip: The Mix knob is not meant to be on fully wet all the time. When you alter the Pitch in Transpose mode and have the Mix around 12 o’clock you can create beautiful harmonies with a single vocal!
EchoBoy
EchoBoy is probably the most famous Soundtoys plugin. It is an Analog Echo Processor that draws its inspiration from all the classic vintage echoes like EchoPlex, Space Echo, Memory Man, DM-2, and the TelRay oil can delay. But instead of re-creating one of those vintage units, Soundtoys made a new and unique Echo that will cover any need for a delay/ echo unit all-in-one.
EchoBoy can be a standard delay, with all the necessary controls like Time, Feedback, and Mix, that sounds great. But the magic happens when you go deeper and start exploring the different modes and the Rhythm section which is mind-blowing! The Rhythm Echo Mode is a whole new experience since you can generate brand new delay rhythms by drawing them while choosing the Shape (Decay, Nonlin, Reverse, Fade, or Swell) and the amount of the Repeats (up to 16).
If you want to go even deeper, you can also control the EQ of the echoes and parameters like Diffusion to make it sound more like a reverb, Wobble to add that beautiful Tape wobble, and Saturation.
EchoBoy is hands-down the most versatile and feature-packed echo plugin in the world. It will become the only delay plugin you’ll use and it’s worth the investment.
Little Plate
Based on the EMT 140, which is a huge analog plate reverb from the 60s, Little Plate takes the vibe of an almost extinct reverb unit and puts it in a simple plugin with only 3 knobs and a switch. This is a great example of the company’s dedication to quality work and effort. The EMT 140 is a big, mechanical unit with actual metal sheets (plates) that was used back in the 60s and 70s to create the reverb effect when there weren’t any types of computers or software plugins for that. In Soundtoys, they managed to find 5 actual EMT 140s to study and model them precisely to imitate the effect of the original.
Little Plate sounds lush and rich and it of course has a longer decay time than the original EMT 140. From only 5 seconds on the original, Little Plate goes to the infinity if you set the knob to the infinity symbol. You have your standard controls for Mix and Low Cut and a switch for Mod where the reverb is getting modulated adding lots of variations to the effect.
Little Plate is an example of something very simple made with a ton of hard work and time. And although you can’t understand that by looking at it, you can definitely hear it once you turn it on.
Radiator
The Radiator is a Dual Drive Tube input channel and EQ based on the Altec 1567A tube mixer. It’s meant to add color and grittiness to your signal, and that’s why the VU meter is labeled Heat! The original Altec Mixer was used in the early 60s for its tube sound and became a part of the Motown sound. It is undoubtedly a specialized plugin for producers going that extra mile for their sound.
The hunt for warmth in this digital age is always on and with plugins like that, you certainly have an edge!
PrimalTap
PrimalTap is another delay plugin, inspired by the famous rack delay Prime Time. It looks just like the original with the distinctive colorful knobs and faders but it also sounds a lot like it! Its main characteristic is that it is a digital delay with an analog character. It doesn’t sound flat and clean as your typical digital delay and you can get it to sound gritty and lo-fi with just a few parameter changes.
The Multiply knob is awesome since you can double the delay time while halving the sample rate and reducing the audio quality. That provides a very warm and crunchy delay tone. And if you tweak the knob while it’s on you’ll get some very nice pitch jumps that add that little extra liveliness.
The Modulation section is great to add movement to the delay. You can make it drift in pitch or even create some flanging sounds if you wish to. Another cool little feature is the Freeze button that captures a slice of audio and repeats it forever while you can change your settings ad go wild.
PrimalTap is a dealy with a lot of character. It’s not the same as EchoBoy since it has a different approach to the delay effect. Another great tool to your arsenal.
FilterFreak
Now, this is a very special and exciting plugin. FilterFreak is a dual filter that’s not just for filtering those noisy high-ends. Its highly resonant filters are meant to be modulated to create rhythms and movement, create sweeps, and accentuate specific parts.
It’s inspired by the beloved analog filters of the past, like the infamous Minimoog filter, but with the rhythmic aspect upfront. You can select from Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass, and Band Reject modes and from 2,4,6,8 poles for each filter having a ton of different combinations for filtering.
The Rhythm editor is amazing and you can create whatever groove you want by experimenting. You can even design your own LFOs in the Shape Editor just by drawing them!
Filters are amazing and highly underutilized, so this one is very special. With FilterFreak, you can take a very flat synth line and make it exciting in a heartbeat. And since there is only a handful of hardware filter effects units (that are also very expensive), FilterFreak is a must-have!
Devil-Loc Deluxe
With knobs labeled as Crush, Crunch, and Darkness, you know something powerful it’s coming your way. Devil-Loc Deluxe is an aggressive compressor made for drums. It is labeled as an Audio Level Destroyer and the name implies it can make things massive. You can set the speed of the compressor with the Slow-Fast switch and tame it with the Mix knob. Darkness controls the overall tone while Crush and Crunch do what you easily imagine.
Although it may seem overwhelming and destructive, Devil-Loc sounds good even with everything maxed out. It distorts and adds energy but without mudding up your drums to a point they are unusable. So don’t be afraid to push it to the extreme. Even then, it will sound great.
PhaseMistress
PhaseMistress is a very creative and powerful phaser. Nowadays, phasers (and flangers) are snubbed by many producers since they tend to sound too dated as an effect. There was a time when musicians were going wild about them and used them extensively, especially in funk music.
If you are looking for that certain sound of the 60s and 70s, PhaseMistress is the most versatile and fully-featured phaser plugin you can get. But even if you’re into those funky sounds, you can utilize a phaser as an unexpected element for your synths or even drums. Just like other Soundtoys plugins, you also have the Rhythm section where you can shape the rhythm of the effect freely and set the resonance of the phasing.
With a bit of experimentation, PhaseMistress can definitely add something unique and ear-catching to your music.
Crystallizer
With Crystallizer, we are getting into the granular processing path. Probably the most experimental plugin Soundtoys make, the Crystallizer is a pitch-shifting granular reverse echo. It is based on Eventide’s H3000 “Reverse Shift“ algorithm named Crytal Echoes and it can get a single note into an ethereal soundscape.
Definitely, a bold effect that stands out in the mix, Crystallizer creates long and evolving shimmery echoes that make anything sound ambient and rich. It can sound dreamy and soft or it can get piercing and massive depending on your settings.
It may take a while to find your ideal settings but once you understand it, it will be a great way to make things pretty interesting. Perfect for ambient or indie rock music, Crystallizer is a very special plugin that’s really hard to replicate.
PanMan
Panning is always a great way to make space in your mix and widen your stereo field. PanMan is a rhythmic panner that moves your signal into the stereo field to create movement and space for your sound. As it is expected by now, it also has a Rhythm editor to accurately choose the panning, create sweeps, and choose the amount of the panning.
You simply cannot get away without using panning in your productions and PanMan is here to make things easy and fun.
MicroShift
Again on the Stereo aspect of things, MicroShift is a stereo widener mostly used for vocals but it can also be used on other instruments. And once again, extremely easy to use but very effective.
What it essentially does, is enrich the stereo image of the signal by widening the sound and making it sound huge without the need of doubling your vocals with backing vocal tracks. You have 3 different styles, a Focus knob to set the frequency you want to focus, a Detune knob to add a subtle chorus, and a Delay knob to make the timing a bit looser and more separate from the source.
If you use vocals in your tracks, you will definitely appreciate the immediate effect of the MicroShift.
Sie-Q
Sie-Q is a very old-school EQ plugin. It is based on the Siemens W295b which is a vintage and rare EQ unit made in the 60s. The labeled EQ knobs with the frequencies are there to help you visualize the frequencies you want to set for your sound and the addition of a Drive knob adds that extra saturation we all love.
Its best use is for adding some extra high frequencies that will provide air and openness to any signal in the smoothest way possible. Another carefully remodeled plugin, for audio engineers that spend time meticulously carving their sounds.
Tremolator
Tremolator is another example of taking a standard effect like Tremolo and giving access to any parameter possible to shape the exact effect you want. Tremolo is a great effect that messes with the amplitude of your signal to create dynamic changes and accents making your music come alive.
Tremolator can go way beyond a standard synced tremolo since you can create the exact shape you want and have weird and interesting grooves. Besides the Rhythm editor, where you can shape the effect and rhythm, the most interesting thing is the Dynamics controls that you can find in the Tweak menu. Here, you can set all the parameters of the effect like the Threshold, Attack, and Release so that the Tremolator will respond to the Dynamics of your playing exactly as you want it to.
Once again, Tremolator is a plugin where a standard effect comes into life by adding all the versatility you can imagine.
Note: EchoBoy Jr., Devil-Loc, Little MicroShift, Little PrimalTap, and Little Radiator are only included in the Soundtoys 5 Bundle and are not sold individually.
Conclusion:
Soundtoys is a company that has pushed the capabilities of software plugins by focusing on the quality of sound and ease of use. That’s why so many top producers keep using their products all the time. And although their plugins are not in the cheap territory they have discounts all the time and anyone can buy a plugin they need. They have found the perfect balance of re-creating a vintage piece of gear with making something completely new which is pretty hard to achieve.
They make useful tools for any type of producer and I’m sure they’ll keep making amazing effects in the future.
