Softube has introduced Mutronics Mutator – a software version of the classic hardware filter effect.
Here’s the official intro video:
Here’s what they have to say about Mutator:
Mutronics Mutator creates mind boggling filter sweep effects on any sound source—guitars, vocals, keyboards, drums, etc. Mutator is essentially a super sweet stereo analog filter and an envelope follower, based on technology developed for analog synthesis in the 1960s. It’s fair to say that The Mutator is more of a creative tool than purely a mix tool.
Features:
- Mind boggling filter effects
- Control filter sweeps by the sound source’s amplitude, from the LFOs or from an external sound source
- Used on many seminal records from the 1990s
- Based on technology developed for analog synthesis from the 1960s
- Each and every component carefully modeled
- Extremely analog behavior of frequencies, phase, distortion, etc
Mutronics Mutator is available now for US $219. Includes licenses for VST, VST3, Audio Units, RTAS and AAX Native.
If you’ve used Mutronics Mutator, leave a comment and share your thoughts on it!
Now if only someone would make a plug in of the Uber-Rare Orgon Engeriser I could die happy.
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
“Based on technology developed for analog synthesis from the 1960s”
Marketingspeak Translation: “This filter is a filter.”
Mutator was a very nice rack filter used by many pros, certainly somewhat rare, definitely name dropped in production circles, but it wasn’t insanely magical. It sounded like a nice analog lowpass filter.
This plugin seems to sound good. But $219 is a lot of cash for a single effect no matter how lovingly it was crafted.
For the money of this accurate simulation, you could get an actual rack filter with knobs like the Electrix FilterFactory and have enough spare change to buy a few plugins. I know, the FilterFactory isn’t sprinkled with mythical pixie dust – but it gets the job done tastefully with envelope following, LFOs, fuzz circuit, and multi modes (low, hi, band) with 12 and 24 db slopes.
Not chiming in to be a contrarian, but the price seems off. I think people must really want something to invest with their imagination, something to give their sound a perceived sexy something extra the stock autofilter in Ableton does not bring.
While I completely agree with you, having used both the Electrix and the Mutator, there is a bit of a world of difference, but I’m with you, not sure if an emulation of it is worth all that!
Scamp from “Admiral quality” is excellent ….very similar to SSM filters….
I love funk and all filter effects. This to me is not far off a joke. If people really are into sound and using effects , then they become valuable items to have and to look after and use over years. To me the software emulations , are very weak. The computers need to be regularly upgraded, then the operating systems change. The trend is for hardware , and for most musicians it always was and is and will be.
This kind of cash is comical . Can you imagine boots Collins on stage with just a lap top?
Daft price… Actual hardware = zero latency! zero CPU hit! Real not modelled! Resale value! You know hardware (even much lesser hardware) will produce better results, be more creative and less nerdy tweaking, and you can bring it to a session for shits and giggles.
I’m not so sure. Hardware can be a pain in the ass, especially when it goes wrong. For example, mate of mine had a Fairchild. Cost him $30k. When a tube blew, it took months to fix and came back sounding different (only one tube on one channel blew but both had to be replaced because they went radically out of balance). He switched to modelled Fairchild can have multiple instances, recall and automation, lower noise floor, consistency of sound etc.
Don’t get me wrong, I love hardware as much as the next man but the emulations are getting pretty damned good, and the advantages are many.
I used to love this box, along with Sherman filter bank, and used it a lot.
Does this sound better than the drop ?
It’s more than twice it’s price.
i definitely prefer the Mutator to something like the Sherman. (soundwise. i love SSM filters)
the price for this thing is too much.
way to much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
my mind …. is boggled!!!