Unfiltered Audio has introduced Sandman, a new delay and loop-mangler that they describe as ‘the delay of your dreams’.
Sandman blends many time-manipulation paradigms into one interface, giving you the ability to use it as a traditional delay, a flanger, a granulator, a wavetable oscillator, or something completely different. A modulation system lets you keep everything animated, while a special de-clicking algorithm is designed to ensure that your loops are mix-ready.
Here’s a brief video tutorial that demonstrates using Sandman for creating ambient textures and exploring loops:
Features:
- “Sleep” mode freezes your delay buffer, creating locked loops. Loops can be further manipulated by changing the start and end points or manipulating the buffer size.
- Variable Sample Rate expands your delay times (up to eight minutes!) while enabling amazing creative possibilities. Use it to repitch a frozen buffer, add a bit of grittiness and warmth to a delay line, or simply decimate everything.
- Wide-ranging tempo-syncable delay times (down to 5 milliseconds). At its smallest settings, you can use Sandman as a flanger, a wavetable oscillator, a micro-delay, or to turn percussion into string tones.
- Dual LFOs with bipolar modulation destinations. Keep your loops from going stagnant and explore some wild modulation opportunities.
- Optional de-clicking algorithm makes your loops invisible. You can automate this algorithm’s state, giving you glitchy clicks and cuts when you want them.
- Feedback filtering helps you control more intense patches or add a bit of murk to your loops.
- Intelligent “Lock” modes keep your delay length and loop lengths intact, even with a modulated sampling rate.
- “Dirt” switch adds some nastiness to the heart of the delay line for that extra-vintage feel.
- Preset locks allow you to keep specific parameters frozen on preset change.
- DRM Free. When you buy it, you own it. No serial numbers, dongles, or forced internet connections.
- Steam Cloud Support means that if you use Sandman through Steam, all of your presets will be automatically backed up to the cloud and synced between your computers. Every purchase of Sandman includes a Steam Key. If you are unfamiliar with Steam, please see Steam’s homepage.
Sandman is available now for US $14.99.
Is it for ableton only ?
No it’s an AU/VST plugin. And so far, it has been great.
Sounds pretty cool. A tad expensive – seems a little one-trick-pony-ish.
15 bucks? Expensive? Are you insane?
That can’t be considered expensive in any sense of the word.
It is hardly an echo unit of my dreams. ..its software. How can you overdrive that through a
the metallica reference was poopy
wot? how about neil gaiman:)
The Metallica reference is Synthtopia’s and the Gaiman reference is Unfiltered Audio’s.
Sounds perfect! Haze!
I purchased and installed this last night. It is a very good substitute for The Harvestman’s “Tyme Safari” (without ASOT) for the laptop.
One thing that isn’t publicised is that there is a pair of synchronize-able LFO located in a panel-drop down. These make the plug-in much cooler than how cool it already is without using them. They have bi-polar attenuators on them and must be used quite judiciously unless full-on chaos is desired. They are quite sensitive.
I came up with a preset last night that has subtle modulation of the delay time by both LFOs. One LFO is set to 1 bar and the other to a quarter note. It keeps things interesting when running as a more traditional delay. I’ve then used the 1 bar LFO to modulate the Sample Rate just a bit so that it gets more ‘crusty’ from time-to-time.
This plug-in is ace for live performance as the AU version (I have yet to try the VST version) doesn’t glitch under MIDI CC control and I have some faders assigned to it. Try setting and offset between the “Start” and “End” points when under “Sleep” mode and then sweeping both whilst maintaining that offset. Fun times!