Tencent Music users are ‘willing to pay’ for music produced with the company’s AI tools… and 3 other things we learned on TME’s latest earnings callKey takeaways from Tencent Music Entertainment's latest earnings call
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Submissions open for the MIDI Innovation Awards 2024 Submissions for this year’s MIDI Innovation Awards are now open, with applicants invited to submit their entries into each of the event’s five categories.

The Cryotron Remembered[Sean Haas] is a “dangerous freelance historian,” and his recent talk at the Vintage Computer Festival in Southern California covers the cryotron — a strange detour on the road to computers circa 1956. The NSA wanted a computer to break codes, but in 1956, there wasn’t much to pick from, especially since they wanted a very fast computer.
As you might expect from the name, a cryotron depends on superconductivity. The original device was a tantalum wire wrapped with a niobium wire coil. When the device is soaked in liquid helium, both wires become superconducting. The tantalum wire can carry way more current in that state unless the niobium coil generates a magnetic field, which kills the wire’s superconductivity. On the plus side, you have a relay-like switch that works with no moving parts. On the negative side, you need liquid helium.

General Electric produced one of the first integrated circuits containing a thin film cryotron, which was flat. While the switching was fast, it wasn’t as fast as it could be, so marrying the cryotron with a Josephson junction improved the device to where it could switch at less than 800 picoseconds. That isn’t all that remarkable today, but that was a technical feat in the 1950s and 1960s.
If you enjoy [Sean’s] talk, you might want to read the original paper from 1955 from [Dudley Buck]. We’ve looked back at the device before (and you can still find the broken link). Turns out you can do a lot with a Josephson junction.

Meet the Vongon Replay, the polyphonic synth “designed to embody vintage character while utilising modernity and versatility of form”Boutique pedal brand Vongon has launched its first synthesiser, the Vongon Replay – a polyphonic synth, sequencer and arpeggiator wrapped up in one sleek unit.
It offers a six-voice virtual analogue sound engine, and is inspired by keyboard synths of the early 1980s such as the Roland Juno and Korg Polysix.

READ MORE: Forever 89’s debut product is here: Visco, a sample-modelling drum machine

Replay is Vongon’s fourth product launch, following on from its Paragraphs resonant lowpass filter and waveform generator, the Ultrasheer stereo pitch vibrato/reverb, plus the Polyphrase stereo echo effect unit which has an infinite feedback loop.
Credit: Vongon
Replay has a super minimalist and modern look, with a Monochrome aluminium enclosure. It has four oscillator waveforms and seven low-frequency oscillator waveforms, and hosts 22 sound controls.
It features a  2½-octave keyboard of consisting of genuine Cherry MX keys. and you can integrate it straight into your setup with full MIDI I/O via 3.5mm jacks and USB connectivity. It’s also compatible with a standard effect pedal power supply, so you can connect it with your pedal board for live performances or studio sessions.
Users can also access the Replay web interface for managing presets, accessing extended parameters and for downloading the latest firmware updates.
Get a closer look in the video below:

In other synth news, Moog Music is moving out of its current home in Asheville, but it’s not straying too far. Last week, it was revealed that it will be moving from Broadway Street in Asheville, where the brand has lived since 2011, over to the Asheville Citizen-Times building along O’Henry Avenue.
Here, it will continue to carry out work on product design, development, and engineering. It’s also expanding its manufacturing facility in Weaverville, a city just north of Asheville.
The Vongon Replay is available now for $899.00.
Find out more over at Vongon.
The post Meet the Vongon Replay, the polyphonic synth “designed to embody vintage character while utilising modernity and versatility of form” appeared first on MusicTech.

Watch: Jon Bon Jovi makes unexpected appearance on stage with Armin Van Buuren at Miami’s Ultra Music FestivalJon Bon Jovi made a surprise appearance during Armin Van Buuren’s set at Ultra Music Festival in Miami last weekend for a remix of Bon Jovi’s 1992 track, Keep The Faith.
Van Buuren’s set took place on the mainstage, and saw the rock artist take to the stage just after 30 minutes into the performance to provide further vocals for the remix.

READ MORE: Armin van Buuren says Avicii’s death made him prioritise mental health: “When I started DJing, this was never a topic”

Ultra took place across the weekend (22-24 March), and hosted sets from huge names in electronic music such as Calvin Harris, Afrojack, Chase And Status, David Guetta, Peggy Gou and many more.
Introducing Bon Jovi to the crowd, Van Buuren called, “Ultra are you ready for something special? I remember being a little kid and buying this guy’s album. Please welcome to the stage, the legend, Mr Jon Bon Jovi.”
Watch the moment below from the 38 minute mark:

In a statement on the surprise guest appearance, Van Buuren said (via Billboard), “It’s an incredible honour to remix this track and to share the stage with Jon Bon Jovi, as I’ve been a massive fan for years.
“This track is different from anything I’ve ever released before, and no better place to first share it with you all than on the Ultra mainstage.” Bon Jovi himself has no further live dates planned as he is recovering from a previous vocal cord surgery.
Last year, Van Buuren broke two world records during one DJ set. In August, he played a set at the top of the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai – known as the world’s tallest building – and set the record for the highest performance atop the tallest building on the planet, and for the largest LED screen employed for a show. The 40-minute DJ set took place on a balcony near the top of the 328-metre-tall building.
View all of Armin Van Buuren’s upcoming live dates.
The post Watch: Jon Bon Jovi makes unexpected appearance on stage with Armin Van Buuren at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival appeared first on MusicTech.

Sonus faber and IsoAcoustics collaborate on new $750,000 Suprema sound systemItalian speaker manufacturer Sonus faber has partnered with IsoAcoustics on a new ultra-high-end speaker system, Suprema – and it comes with a truly eye-watering price tag: $750,000.
Suprema promises to deliver a supreme, ‘unsurpassed’ sonic experience. The full-range system consists of two ten-driver columns in the signature Sonus faber lute shape, originally introduced with Guarneri in 1993. Two subwoofers complete the design.

READ MORE: PreSonus Eris Pro 8 packs a big, articulate sound for main monitoring and immersive masterpieces

Sonus faber have also elevated their system by working with IsoAcoustics. To avoid any interferences impacting the quality of its 16-40 kHz range, IsoAcoustics worked on an innovative, integrated suspension system for Suprema.
The multi-level suspension system between the cabinet and baseplate in the towers and subwoofers means no resonance from supporting structures. IsoAcoustics patented GAIA-Capsule isolators are designed to decouple devices, meaning they do not make contact and keep the pure sonic vibrations contained and untainted.
The system also features IsoAcoustics’ GAIA-Capsule technology. The acoustic isolation means the sound is not negatively impacted by foreign frequencies, ultimately removing the threat of smeared or blurred sound.

“We used to have a decoupling system outside of the main body, but that solution with exposed springs or elastomers was always a compromise for us,” IsoAcoustic’s Chief Design Officer Livio Cucuzza explains. “With Suprema we wanted to keep the design cleaner and more integrated. We had the opportunity to develop a system with IsoAcoustics that is part of the main structure.”
“IsoAcoustics achieve this great performance in the mid-high frequencies where everything becomes clearer without losing dynamics on bass,” Livio explains. “IsoAcoustics is more precise, more refined, and everything in the soundstage is more clearly localized. We are really happy with the results.”
The release of the Suprema system also marks Sonus faber’s 40th anniversary. It comes in a customisable range of wood and leather finishes.
For more info, head to Sonus faber.
The post Sonus faber and IsoAcoustics collaborate on new $750,000 Suprema sound system appeared first on MusicTech.

Challenges for musicians are abundant, but so are the opportunities [MIDiA’s Hanna Kahlert]Anyone can release music thanks to technology, but getting anyone to hear it seems increasingly difficult. Hanna Kahlert of MIDiA Research explores the challenges and the opportunities for change.....
The post Challenges for musicians are abundant, but so are the opportunities [MIDiA’s Hanna Kahlert] appeared first on Hypebot.

Tracy Chan exits SoundCloud, joins AI music platform Splash as CEOVeteran music tech executive Tracy Chan has exited his role as COO of SoundCloud after less than two years to become the CEO of red-hot AI music creation platform Splash.....
The post Tracy Chan exits SoundCloud, joins AI music platform Splash as CEO appeared first on Hypebot.

12 Impressive Women Who Give Back to the Music Industry [Ariel Hyatt]International Women's Month was the perfect time for Cyber PR's Ariel Hyatt to ask twelve impressive women three questions about how they support others in the music industry.....
The post 12 Impressive Women Who Give Back to the Music Industry [Ariel Hyatt] appeared first on Hypebot.

Acoustica Mixcraft 10.5 Mixcraft 10.5 offers a range of new features including AI-powered stem separation, user interface enhancements, new plug-in management options and more.

AI text-to-music generator Suno now let’s you make songs up to two minutes long for free, and they sound freakishly realisticSuno, an AI text-to-music generator that works using ChatGPT, has officially launched its V3 model allowing users to create songs up to two minutes long with a free account.
There are plenty of music generating AI tools out there now, all continuing to grow and expand. But Suno is a whole other beast, as it can pretty much do all elements of music creation for you from just one text prompt – from lyrics, to vocals, and the instruments that accompany them.

READ MORE: ELVIS Act protecting musicians’ voices “from the misuse of AI” signed into law in Tennessee

Suno was integrated into Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot back in December. At its launch, the brand proudly stated that with Suno, “you don’t have to know how to sing, play an instrument, or read music to bring your musical ideas to life.”
Suno’s website states you can “make a song about anything”, and as an example provides the prompt, “an atmospheric salsa song about a bad break up”. With a free account, users get a maximum of 50 credits per day, which allows you to make up to 10 songs without charge. However, these cannot be used commercially.
As reported by TechRadar, those who want to experiment further with the tool can upgrade to a Pro Plan or Premier Plan. The Pro tier allows you to make 500 songs a day, and you can use these commercially, for $8 per month.
If you feel like going utterly ham with music-making, you can create up to a whopping 2,000 songs per day with the Premier plan for $24 per month. On all plans, you get access to all of Suno’s tools – including a ‘custom’ mode where you write your own lyrics and an ‘instrumental’ mode for songs without lyrics.
Suno has been the talk of the town in recent weeks – Rolling Stone used the tool to generate a song with the prompt “solo acoustic Mississippi Delta blues about a sad AI” which went viral and faced some controversy.

At this point, it seems that details on how Suno’s AI model has been trained, or what exactly it has been trained on, are limited. It does, however, host an FAQs page on its website which explains topics such as ownership and copyright, plus restrictions on commercial use.
Find out more and try it out over at Suno.
The post AI text-to-music generator Suno now let’s you make songs up to two minutes long for free, and they sound freakishly realistic appeared first on MusicTech.

James Blake says labels “should be required to provide a therapist to their artists”The music industry can be a fraught environment for artists to navigate, and it is already well-known that their mental health is liable to suffer due to the instability and pressures of a career in music. In light of this, questions have been asked about the role labels can – and should – play in alleviating this on the basis that they owe an artist a duty of care.

READ MORE: James Blake’s Alexandra Palace show was a live electronic masterclass

Now, James Blake has lent his voice to the conversation. He reposted a tweet from a user called Elijah, who said: “I’d recommend finding a therapist before trying to find an agent or manager,” and then reaffirmed it with his own thoughts.
“Labels should be required to provide a therapist to their artists,” he argues in the post. “You shouldn’t get to profit from our trauma without helping with the pitfalls of it.
“Live agents and managing companies too,” he adds in a subsequent post. “All of them have a vested interest in the artist becoming more successful, which means disconnected from support systems/family/friends by being thrown into a strange disconnected world of touring and parasocial media.”

Labels should be required to provide a therapist to their artists. You shouldn’t get to profit from our trauma without helping with the pitfalls of it. https://t.co/5RZQjV6VfL
— James Blake (@jamesblake) March 24, 2024

Live agents and managing companies too. All of them have a vested interest in the artist becoming more successful, which means disconnected from support systems/family/friends by being thrown into a strange disconnected world of touring and parasocial media.
— James Blake (@jamesblake) March 24, 2024

In a reply to another X/Twitter User, Blake slightly clarifies what he has said in terms of how he thinks therapy should be provided to artists. “I’m not suggesting a label provide their sanctioned therapist to be clear just that they should fund therapy. Guess I should have worded it that way,” he admits.

I’m not suggesting a label provide their sanctioned therapist to be clear just that they should fund therapy. Guess I shoulda worded it that way
— James Blake (@jamesblake) March 25, 2024

Given the current picture of artists’ mental health, it appears that Blake very much has a point. In a 2023 census of nearly 6,000 musicians conducted jointly by the Musicians’ Union and charity Help Musicians, almost a third of respondents reported experiencing poor mental health. Dance music was revealed to be the genre worst affected by mental health issues, with 35 per cent of respondents in that sector reporting mental health difficulties.
Musicians from marginalised communities, including LGBTQ+ and disabled musicians, were also found to be disproportionately affected by mental health issues.
Meanwhile, last week Blake launched Vault, a direct artist-to-fan unreleased music streaming platform where fans can hear an artist’s unreleased music for a monthly subscription fee.
The post James Blake says labels “should be required to provide a therapist to their artists” appeared first on MusicTech.

Best free plugins 2024: 15 of the best free synthesizer pluginsHardware synths can be expensive. Even some soft synths can cost over £200. So, before you empty your wallet for that synth you think you need so badly, why not see what instruments the freeware community has cooked up?

READ MORE: All the best free loops, music sample packs, breaks, one-shots and synth sounds

We’ve handpicked some of our favourites, which include original soft synths, modular-based synths, software emulations of classic hardware and even emulations of other soft synths. Take a look and save money while you’re making music.
Free plugin synths at a glance:

Vital
Digital Suburban Dexed
discoDSP OB-Xd 3.0
Surge XT
TAL NoiseMaker
Martin Lüders PG-8X 2.0
WaveWarden Odin 2
u-he Tyrell N6
NUSofting Sinnah
Matt Tytel Helm
VCV Rack
Cherry Audio Synthesizer Expander Module
u-he Zebralette
Newfangled Audio Pendulate
Roland ZENOLOGY Lite

Vital

Vital’s self-titled free synth, released in 2020, is a powerful spectral warping wavetable synth with tons of features. While there are paid-for versions with more presets, custom skins and a cool text-to-wavetable feature, even the free version of Vital is an absolute steal.
It has wavetable and spectral morphing, loads of modulation capabilities, advanced effects including distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, EQ and a compressor, and a vast library of presets. Vital also has a bright, user-friendly interface and high-quality sound, so you won’t struggle to get to grips with how the synth works.
macOS/PC. Find out more on Vital.
Digital Suburban Dexed
Digital Suburban Dexed
Frequency modulation (FM) synthesis has a bit of a rep of being difficult to master, mostly due to Yamaha’s DX7 – the hardware FM synth that defines the genre. The DX7 was incredibly popular in the 80s and 90s, though, and you can hear it presets on countless pop hits.
Dexed, created by Digital Suburban, is an open-source DX7 clone, and while it sports a bit of a seemingly complex interface, it’s much easier to navigate than the original hardware. You can also load in original DX7 patches so that you can grab more presets from those who have spent time mastering the hardware FM synth.
macOS/PC 32/64-bit. Download Dexed on GitHub.
discoDSP OB-Xd 2.0
discoDSP OB-Xd 3.4
The OB-X is a fat and warm-sounding, highly sought-after hardware polysynth, released by Oberheim in 1979. It barged its way to prominence in the 80s with the help of Jean-Michel Jarre, Herbie Hancock, Van Halen and Queen – among plenty of other artists.
OB-Xd by discoDSP faithfully emulates the renowned OB-X polysynth. It integrates modern features like randomised micro-tuning and a versatile multimode filter. OB-Xd 3.0 introduced exciting enhancements for richer sound design. Its new Unison Voices feature adds layers to notes, ideal for pads and leads and advanced oscillator features include pulse width modulation controls for intricate shaping. The 3.4 update was introduced in 2024, bringing with it an overhauled preset browning experience and resolved MIDI mapping capabilities.
macOS/PC/Linux, 32/64-Bit. Download ​​OB-Xd 3.4 on discoDSP.
Surge XT
Surge XT
Used by the likes of Roger Linn, Surge is a free, open-source software synth that was, until 2019, a paid product. Rebranded as Surge XT in 2020 and having gone through various updates since then, this subtractive hybrid synth features three oscillators per voice with eight oscillator algorithms plus oscillator FM/ring modulation to quickly mutate your sounds. Each patch is split into two Scenes for layering up different textures.
Surge has built-in effects, including a reverb based on all-pass filters and delays, a flanger with extreme tuning and feedback options, and Rotary Speaker, which models the iconic Leslie Rotary cabinet. Arguably its biggest update was 1.2.0 in 2023, which saw th introduction of a built-in oscilloscope and spectrograph, based on the S(m)exoscope plugin from Smartelectronix.
macOS/PC/Linux, 32/64-bit. Download Surge XT on Surge Synthesizer.
TAL Noisemaker
TAL NoiseMaker
NoiseMaker builds on the success of TAL’s Elek7ro synth and is a relatively straightforward virtual analogue soft synth. Despite its simplicity, with three oscillators, several different filters and a pleasing amount of modulation capabilities, it can make some seriously powerful sounds. Built-in effects such as a reverb, bitcrusher and Roland Juno-style chorus mode make for some fat and heavy patches. We’ve created two workshops with TAL NoiseMaker – one on designing transition effects and the other on using it as a drum synth, to get you up and running.
macOS/PC, 32/64-bit. Download TAL NoiseMaker v5.0.3. On TAL Software.
Martin Lüders PG-8X
Martin Lüders PG-8X
Roland’s synth legacy from the 1980s is impressive, and the freeware community has paid homage to the brand’s legendary line of instruments in abundance. The PG-8X is based on the popular JX-8P, an analogue subtractive six-voice synth with digitally controlled oscillators and a separate programmer, the PG-800. And it’s from this programmer that software gets its interface. Download the presets via the developer’s Facebook page, and you’ll have a very capable – and surprisingly varied – synth on your hands.
In its 2.0 update, PG-8X received enhancements like improved preset management and expanded modulation options.
macOS/PC, 64-bit. Download PG-8X on Martin Lüders’ VST site.
WaveWarden Odin 2
TheWaveWarden Odin 2
Reason’s legendary wavetable synth, Thor, gets the freeware treatment from TheWaveWarden with Odin 2. The 24-voice VST3 plugin is still in beta but features 11 oscillators, over 30 different waveforms and 12 different filters. The filters include emulations of Moog’s classic Ladder filter, Oberheim’s smooth low-pass filter and the aggressive Korg 35 filter found on the MS-20. Thor’s flexibility came not just from the oscillators and filters but from its modulation matrix, which TheWaveWarden has kept true to the original in Odin 2.
macOS/PC 64-bit. Find out more about Odin 2 on Plugin Boutique.
u-he Tyrell N6
u-he Tyrell N6
u-he regards the Tyrell N6 as a “compact, sporty synth”. Inspired, the brand says, by design concepts for hardware, it’s a virtual analogue synth with two oscillators, noise, ring modulator, and twin filters reminiscent of the u-he’s aforementioned Diva model.
With two LFOs featuring eight waveforms and host-syncing capabilities, you can churn out an array of wild sounds easily. Its audio source mixer boasts an authentic overdrive and a filter feedback, while analogue-type ADSR envelopes make for dynamic waveform shaping.
macOS/Windows/Linux, 64-bit. Find out more about the Tyrell N6 on u-he.
NUSofting Sinnah
NUSofting Sinnah
One of our classic choices gets an inclusion again, thanks to an update to v1.1 a couple of years back. At first glance, Sinnah has a simple architecture, but also boasts a large delay matrix, plus five waveshapes and the ability to increase the level of harmonics for each. It’s able to sound both acoustic and very electronic, so can be used for a wide variety of tasks and genres. It comes with a good range of presets with 50 free extras from julianraymusic.com.
macOS/PC, 32/64-bit. Download Sinnah via NUSofting.
Matt Tytel Helm
Matt Tytel Helm
Open source polyphonic synth Helm by Matt Tytel makes the list because its GUI stands head and shoulders above everyone else’s. Helm also sounds as good as it looks, especially when you tweak those inviting controls that include oscillators, envelopes and a step sequencer. It’s the effects that make it synth, with stutter and formant drama alongside traditional delay and reverb. It sounds rich and is fun to use, with loads of inspiring presets, too.
macOS/PC, 32/64-bit. Download at Tytel.
VCV Rack 2 Free
VCV Rack 2
Modular presents a whole universe of synthesis, and it can seem pretty daunting. However, VCV Rack lets you dip your toes in that sweet sweet synthy water. VCV Rack is a free virtual Eurorack environment that will allow you to hook up virtual modules and create weird, otherworldly sounds and sequences.
This free synth plugin also boasts MIDI Output, a feature that lets you control MIDI hardware with new Rack modules like CV-Gate, CV-MIDI, and CV-CC.
In its 2.0 version, VCV Rack introduced improved performance, a redesigned user interface, and expanded MIDI capabilities, making it even more flexible and user-friendly. Some modules will cost you and the VCV Rack Pro version costs $149, but there’s still lots and lots of fun to be had with the free modules.
macOS/PC/Linux, 64-bit. Download the Rack 2 on VCV Rack.
Cherry Audio Synthesizer Expander Module
Cherry Audio Synthesizer Expander Module
Similar to discoDSP’s OB-Xd, this plugin by Cherry Audio emulates the juicy sonics of a much-loved Oberheim synth, this time being the Synthesizer Expander Module.
This is a beautiful free software emulation of the 1974-launched synth of the same name. It offers ultra-accurate dual oscillators, a versatile filter designed by Mark Barton (MRB), a unison mode, and a unique ‘Phasor’ effect. It includes 100 presets, studio-quality echo, MIDI control, and DAW automation.
macOS/PC/Linux, 64-bit. Download the Synthesizer Expander Module on Cherry Audio.
u-he Zebralette
u-he Zebralette
u-he heralds the Zebralette as an “easy spectral synth”. That’s quite a statement, given the usually complex nature of spectral synthesis. Spectral synths analyse sound frequencies, unlike basic waveform synths, and by breaking down sound into individual frequencies, they offer precise control over harmonics, timbre, and texture.
The Zebralette includes a single Zebra2 oscillator (Zebra2 is u-he’s more advanced paid-for synth) with waveform editing, 24 spectral effects, polyphonic and monophonic modes, stereo VCA, an ADSR envelope, extensive modulation options, two LFOs, MSEG, built-in effects, MIDI capabilities, polyphonic aftertouch support, and lovely 300 factory presets.
Download Zebralette for free on u-he.
Newfangled Audio Pendulate

Newfangled’s Pendulate synth looks cool but delivers sonically, which is of course the most important thing. Described as a “chaotic monosynth”, this free synth plugin has a unique double-pendulum-oscillator for creating peculiar sounds, ranging from biting basses to textures that have real grit to them.
With modulation options galore, every parameter is easily controlled by looping envelopes, LFOs, or MIDI sources. Pendulate has MPE support and an intuitive UI, so you can play with its 136 presets in a fun, easy way.
Download Newfangled Audio’s Pendulate synth on Plugin Boutique.
Roland ZENOLOGY Lite

Roland’s ZENOLOGY is a huge, adaptable synth that offers meticulous recreations of classic Roland synthesizers, such as the Jupiter-8, Juno-106, SH-101, JX-8P, and JD-800, alongside modern tones. Zenology’s key features include advanced sound design capabilities, seamless integration within digital audio workstations, and high-fidelity output.
Zenology Lite, a pared-down version, provides essential sounds and editing tools, catering to beginners who aren’t looking to delve into every Roland synth under the sun.
Download Roland ZENOLOGY Lite on Roland.
For more buyer’s guides, visit MusicTech.
The post Best free plugins 2024: 15 of the best free synthesizer plugins appeared first on MusicTech.

iZotope Trash is back — but where’s the pro version?£95 (£76 introductory price), upgrades available for existing users, izotope.com
Trash 2 is now over 12 years old and, in that time, has gained cult status as a go-to sound design tool. This is thanks to producers such as Noisia showcasing how they use it to mangle sounds and craft complex basses.

READ MORE: Newfangled Audio’s Recirculate may be the last delay plugin you ever need

Many producers grouched when iZotope canned Trash 2 in 2022 but, this month, the brand finally salvaged Trash as a redesign rather than ‘Trash 3’. The new version features a streamlined interface and some useful new features, but leaves us wanting a lot more.

What is iZotope Trash?
Trash is a multiband processor with a unique combination of a distortion unit and a convolver in one.
The distortion, or Trash, module features 69 varied distortion types, from subtle tube saturations to screaming distortions, crunchy bit-crushed sizzles and wild, glitching waveshapes. Four of these distortions can be loaded into an X/Y pad to blend and create new shapes. You get a Drive control and a wet/dry dial, which is separate from the global Mix dial.
A Tilt EQ has useful controls for the tilt amount and crossover frequency. This can make a huge difference to the distribution of harmonics, as it changes the audio going into the distortion.
There’s also an Advanced Controls section, which shows a dial called Style for certain distortion types, giving you additional control over the intensity of the distortion effect. Although it’s not that useful in a practical sense, we like the way the Transfer curve is displayed and updates as you increase the drive and morph between different distortions.
iZotope Trash main GUI
Trash’s Convolve module
The Convolve module allows you to apply the acoustic characteristics of a space or sound to your audio and has four presets with an X/Y pad.
Here, we have a massive collection of 620 different impulse responses (IRs) split into categories such as Amps, Edge, Devices, Reverse, Animals, FX and more. A large number of these are the same sound but with subtle variations as they are recorded with condenser, dynamic and ribbon mics. A mix dial lets you control how much of the impulse response sound is applied to the signal, plus dials for width, and Stereoize.
If you want a subtle effect, you could pick a small room or clean amp setting with some added Stereoize and just apply it to the top end to help make dry sounds feel more three-dimensional. Or you could go all out and make a percussion loop sound like it’s been blended with a screeching monkey morphing into a dog.
There’s a lot you can do, and this is made even more flexible by the ability to load in custom IRs. As with the Trash module, you get a visual graphic that updates as you morph around, although here it shows a more useful source waveform for the IR alongside the length in milliseconds.
Having this many impulse responses at your fingertips and in multiband makes Trash quite a unique tool. But we wish for a copy or link tool on Convolve to easily replicate settings across frequency bands, as working with multiband distortions and placing them in a single space is a hassle.
Trash’s Distortion module
iZotope Trash’s new filter
To help refine the sound, Trash has a new low-pass filter that’s placed on the entire signal chain post-distortion and convolution. It sounds pretty good, has a lively resonance control called Scream, and the input can be pushed into saturation by a slider called Heat.
However, these controls are limited so we find ourselves reaching for another EQ plugin to help shape the final output. Even just adding the option to have a high-pass or band-pass would make Trash more appealing. But if you want to reduce any low-frequency build-up then you can at least use the multiband options to affect the subs differently.
Trash’s Convolve module
Trash’s new envelope
The final element of sound shaping comes from a new Envelope section which dynamically affects the Drive amount, the blend of distortion modes on the X/Y pad, and the filter cutoff frequency. It can give sounds some extra life, but why didn’t iZotope include an LFO and the ability to modulate the Convolve module? When you compare the modulation options of competing products such as FabFilter’s Saturn 2, Arturia’s Dist COLDFIRE, and Minimal Audio’s Rift 2, it feels incredibly basic.
Trash 2 boasted an envelope follower for the EQ/Filters — not the distortion — and also had a sidechain input. Although this iteration of Trash should be seen as a new version and not Trash 3, it’s disappointing that such flexible features have been omitted here.
Trash’s saving grace is its sonic flexibility. For everything it lacks compared to its competitors, it does have the largest number of distortion and convolution types. These are best explored in the broad number of presets and categorised into folders. These range from grungy guitar tones, and subtle mixing tools that excite the top end, through to weird and cavernous experimental patches.
Its randomised tools are useful for crawling out of creative blocks and helps cement Trash as a more playful tool can spawn happy accidents.
Trash’s Auto Gain
Limiting and Auto Gain
With all these crazy harmonics flying around, things can quickly get very loud, but thankfully Trash has a built-in limiter and a new Auto Gain feature. The Auto Gain is a smart idea on paper, but upon testing, we find it’s doing something strange to the transients. Ideally, it should be a totally transparent operation, but looking at some before and after waveforms suggests it acts like a compressor that emphasises the front end of hits.
Oddly, it also isn’t a global control, meaning that switching presets causes quick volume jumps.
These things considered, we opt to avoid the Auto Gain and volume match manually.
Is Trash too simple?
Trash’s new-look interface is clean, fluid and functional. But its simplicity and colour scheme make it feel less pro than iZotope’s other plugins. It’s the company’s first plugin to also be released as an iPad app, which explains the decision to feature everything on one screen. But it comes at the cost of oversimplification. The old Trash 2 layout wasn’t perfect, with multiple pages and settings, but it’s way more flexible compared to this new version.

Less is (not) more
In many ways, this version of Trash is a downgrade from Trash 2. iZotope has removed, among other things, the ability to draw custom waveshapes, the Dynamics and Delay modules, and the super-flexible pre- and post-effect EQs. A large portion of Trash 2’s fan base are producers who love to dig deep into sound design and like to have lots of control and editing options, and it’s hard not to feel like this redesign isn’t made for them.
The £95 price tag feels steep, too. We shouldn’t ignore the value in the large and often unique collection of impulse responses, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Trash finds more of a market when it drops in price in an inevitable future iZotope sale.
Trash is still a decent plugin that will find a new generation of users. The combination of characterful distortion and convolution options makes it unique, and the new layout encourages play and experimentation in a way the old version never could.
Still, we hope that a Trash Advanced or a Trash Pro is on the horizon, with additional filters and modulation options that can restore this tool back to its former glory.

Key features

Multiband processor with 3 flexible bands
Trash module with over 60 distortion types
64-bit VST3, AU, AAX, AUv3 (on iPad)
Redesigned interface with all controls on one screen
Convolve module with over 600 impulse responses
X/Y pads to blend between settings for each module
Pre-distortion tilt filter
Post-effects, self-resonating low-pass filter
Envelope follower modulation source
Swap module order in signal chain
Wet/dry mix controls
Randomise feature for preset choice and X/Y pads
Auto gain and output Limiter

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