Retroband

Retroband lite

Click the thumbnails for screenshots

MP3

On this song every track features RetroBand as a subtle fattening up device.

Next up is the mandatory 303 & Acid demo. RetroBand is first introduced on the drums and the 303 separately. (Thanks to Legend for creating this)

In the five solo demos below RetroBand is first bypassed, then switched on and played with.

The next example is RetroBand being virtually circuit bended into generating rain and thunder. No source audio is necessary for this.

The Concept

RetroBand models several aspects of the interaction between gain stages and transformers of analogue gear, referred to as intra-modulation (IM), ie. Class A/B gain stage switching distortion. It also features several forms of transient shaping in-between the stages.

Throw a spanner in the perfect digital engine

As opposed to sterile but perfect digital sound, IM is a distortion that can sound good. It happens especially in less than ideal analogue class A/B gain staging, which means it's present in a plenty of vintage gear.

There are three different models in RetroBand using the IM process, allowing good range of sound shaping. No particular piece of equipment is simulated in any of them, but the combined flexibility can generate some of the desirable aspects of great sounding analogue gear. It could be said IM is one of the minor missing links to analogue sound in a digital audio workstation.

The sound

RetroBand is a distortion unit at heart, but this type and concept hasn't been previously available as a digital model. Excuse the use of worn-out terminology, but it goes from warming, sharpening, roughing up, softening and smoothing - or all these combined. It may desirably enrich sterile sound sources. Failing equipment can be easily simulated and this allows plenty of creativity. With some luck, it makes things sound "larger than life". The transient enhanced IM with mid-side stereo control can change or revive a stereo image, too.

Features

• Digital model of interaction between gain stages and transformers of analogue gear (IM)
• Three flexible IM models with noise modulation
• Several forms of transient shaping within the IM models
• Mid-side stereo image control on all signal paths
• Advanced noise mode to imprint effects of noise on signal without the hiss and rumble
• 64-bit highly optimised processing
• Support for OSX Universal Binary or Windows XP/2000

Requirements

• A host with VST plug-in support
• Windows 2000, Windows XP or OSX Tiger (preferably 10.4.8 or newer)

Although there is no AU or RTAS support for RetroBand yet, it has been tested to work well with VST-to-AU and VST-to-RTAS adapters on OSX.

RetroBandLite is a free cutdown version of the commercial RetroBand. There are no time or preset usage limitations, but quite many of the advanced features of the full version are missing and RetroBandLite processes everything as mono.

The trial of the full version of RetroBand silences audio output every 40 seconds or so. Preset saving is not limited in any way.

Purchase RetroBand

RetroBand is available for purchase now for permanently reduced price of EUR39. Click the PayPal link to order your copy.

You will receive download instructions to the email address you specify on the PayPal form. This happens within a day or two, usually on the same day you order. You don't need a PayPal account for the purchase by the way, just a credit card.

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