MINIREVIEW: FABFILTER VOLCANO 1.1

Sep 8, 2005 6:29 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander

Amsterdam-based Fabfilter got its feet wet at programming filters in its 2004 release of One, a soft synth that forged its own identity thanks to a unique-sounding cutoff-filter design and implementation. Volcano picks up as a versatile plug-in featuring two independent filters with selectable response, slope and sound characteristics; two LFOs; a triggered envelope generator; and a busy yet manageable interactive filter display. You can choose from five different filter characteristics, including selections with moderate overdrive, raw self-oscillating types and even the award-winning One filter. Frequency, peak and panning settings can be modulated by LFO or trigger envelope, and stereo balance effects are free of phase problems. The LFOs have triangle and square waveforms and can be synchronized to the host tempo.

Filter plug-ins are more than abundant today, so what sets Volcano on fire enough to shell out 140 bucks? Besides being one of the smoothest and richest-sounding pairs of filters on its own, when in combination mode, the filters interplay with such musical-sounding results that it’s easy to forget you’re dealing with a mere filter plug-in, not some monster modular synth. The richness and tonal contour sound distinctively hybrid—not modeled after any specific filter type—and the Smart Parameter Interpolation technology made good on its guarantee of no click or pop annoyances during extreme tweaks. I love Volcano’s GUI and found it uncannily easy to morph on the fly using the drag-and-pull overlapping filters display window. Grab one filter envelope and maneuver it over or around another, or lock the two together and manipulate in tandem. All parameters can be fully automated within your host or with MIDI controller messages as prescribed by Volcano’s MIDI learn feature. Volcano comes with dozens of utility and sound effects presets, though I quickly assembled a bank of favorite originals out of sheer inspiration.

For more information about Fabfilter, visit www.fabfilter.com.

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