THERMAL – Interactive Distortion Plugin by Output

Output launched their hottest Interactive Distortion effect plugin in 2020. THERMAL makes it easy to experiment and dial in new distortion sounds. A user-friendly experience is key to controlling the deeply powerful, multi-stage engine.

THERMAL is a dynamic, multi-stage distortion plug-in. Offering different STAGE PROCESSING options such as DISTORTION, EFFECTS, WIDTH, TONE and more. The XY control is highly interactive, providing an easy interface to enhance harmonics by tapping into its layered engines, each with 19 different analog and digital distortion algorithms, 9 built-in FX, modulation capabilities, and stereo imaging. 

Presets

Output included many presets to get you started. I can wait for some third party releases.

THERMAL Features

• 250+ presets for instant playability
• A circular XY control linked to distortion parameters
• Multi-stage distortion and effects processing
• Mid-Side and time-based width
• 15+ custom distortion types
• 9 built-in FX with an additional master compressor and filter
• Value readout panel for better understanding of controls
• Favoriting feature in Presets menu
• Built-in ToolTips on Advanced page

Output’s Tips and Tricks

Resizable GUI

Click and drag from the right side of the plugin window. 

DRY / WET LOCK

With the DRY / WET LOCK active, the DRY / WET amount will stay the same while switching between presets. 

Load “INIT” Preset

The factory INIT preset is located in the USER folder of the PRESET BROWSER.

Tool Tips

Click the Question Mark on the right-hand side to learn more about the controls and knobs inside THERMAL.

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THERMAL goes far beyond traditional multi-band distortions. The XY control is highly interactive, providing an easy interface to enhance harmonics by tapping into its layered engines, each with analog and digital distortion algorithms, effects, modulation and imaging.

Pricing and Availability

THERMAL (Affiliate Link) is available now.

Omega TWK – 70’S TRANSISTOR CLIPPING

Kush has just released a brand-new plugin — OMEGA MODEL TWK – 70’s TRANSISTOR CLIPPING! 

OMEGA MODEL TWK – Thick 70’s Transistors is an lovely saturation and distortion generator pulled straight from the heart of Kush’s own Tweaker hardware compressor and represents Kush’s first foray into modeling solid-state distortion!

Model TWK’s dirt is the cumulative result of modeling the way Tweaker overdrives a long chain of 70’s op-amps, all of which have specs such as slew rate and IMD that, by modern standards, are considered abysmal. But that abysmally dirty, slow sound is exactly what makes the Tweaker such a warm, charming friend to all kinds of sounds. And at the heart of Tweaker’s op-amp chain is another friend of distortion lovers everywhere, the inimitable ‘super matched transistor’, itself a primitive and imperfect attempt to perfectly balance the push and pull of a primitive VCA.

The net effect of lightly grinding each of those clipping stages before passing it along to the next is an incredibly smooth, thick, and slightly dark saturation. And because it’s the result of a proverbial ‘house of cards’ in terms of gain staging, Model TWK (like the Tweaker itself) goes from ‘mellow and sweet’ to ‘angry and abrasive’ quite a bit faster than the other Omega Transformers, with their more forgiving, discrete tubes -and- iron circuitry.

You can download a demo version here. You need to activate the plugin when launching your DAW.

OMEGA TRANSFORMER MODEL TWK PRICING

The Full Non-Expiring Software License costs $29, OMEGA TRANSFORMER MODEL TWK is included in the Kush Plugin Subscriptions ($9.99/month or $99.99/year)

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Seca Ruina is a multiband distortion with comprehensive CV control and a bypassable VCA. Seca Ruina is available now directly at Noise Engineering and soon at retailers for example Signal Sounds! Distortion is entertaining and exciting when you split it up across the frequency spectrum. Seca Ruina takes an input, splits it up into three frequency bands, and lets you drive them into annihilation. Seca Ruina includes a bypassable VCA on the output and CV over the individual band and universal drive amount. With individual outputs for each band, you can process each band further externally.

Seca Ruina was one of the early distortion module ideas Noise Engineering had in the distortion of-the-month plan. It was initially a 4hp module and had no CV. Noise Engineering pretty rarely want to make a module larger unless they really think it increases the value and utility of the module a lot. But they got the first prototype in hand and realized that in this case, CV was key to the module. Noise Engineering revised and added the CV jacks, adding 2hp to the footprint. Seca Ruina is 6hp.