New Music Gear Monday: Unfiltered Audio SpecOps Spectral Effects Plugin

While many software developers concentrate on reproducing the sound of old analog favorite outboard pieces, there are others that prefer to explore the digital boundaries of what hasn’t been heard or done yet. Such is the case with Unfiltered Audio and their new SpecOps plugin.

It’s hard to place SpecOps into a category, but something like “spectral effects” comes the closest. The plugin is comprised of 36 effects that include filters, amplitude manipulators, pitch and frequency shifters, audio freezers, data compressors, glitchy processors and a clipper, and you can use any 3 at a time. The real trick is that each of these can act on a different, independently adjustable frequency band, which opens up plenty of room for imaginative sound design. In addition, there are also a number of broadband processors available as well, including two pitch shifters, a frequency shifter and a unique Freeze effect.  These allow you to process the input signal before the spectral effects are applied.

That’s not all. You also get a spectral compander and an analog-style, two-pole low pass filter, and a continuously variable Mix control that blends wet and dry signals. Plus, a high-resolution Visualizer offers six display modes ranging from a basic waveform display to a technicolor array of the various spectral bins.

SpecOps also has an assignable modulation system that includes seven built-in modulators, a 16-step sequencer, input follower, sample and hold noise, macro control and four different LFOs. An external patch allows connection to a ROLI BLOCKS Lightpad for tactile control over SpecOps’ control parameters for studio production and live performance.

Obviously, this isn’t a plugin that promotes clean and natural sounds, but if you’re looking for something brand new or want to seriously mangle a previously recorded one, SpecOps could conceivably keep you busy for ages.

As with most plugins these days, it works on just about every late model computer type, operating system and DAW. There’s a 14 day free trial available, and an introductory discount that brings down the price from $129 to $89. You can find out more here, or watch the video below for more details.