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Sweetwater
5.0 (19)
$199.00
Thomann
4.8 (46)
$194.00 $189.00 $5.00
Vintage King
5.0 (1)
$199.00

Average Price: $197

High-end/Boutique

$39

$100+

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Description

Transform your digital mixes into warm, analog masterpieces with the Soundtoys Decapitator. This powerful distortion plugin replicates the soulful essence of analog hardware, bringing the richness of tubes, transistors, and circuits straight to your digital workstation. Whether you're looking to add subtle warmth or push your track to the brink with extreme saturation, Decapitator offers a versatile range of options to suit your creative needs.

Dive into the depths of analog saturation with five meticulously modeled hardware styles, each offering a unique character that echoes the subtleties of vintage and modern equipment. The Punish button is your best friend when subtlety just won't cut it, delivering an extra dose of gain that transforms polite tracks into bold, dynamic statements. From vocals and guitars to drums and synths, Decapitator provides that signature analog touch that makes your music stand out.

With its thoughtfully designed interface, Decapitator offers intuitive control over your sound. The analog-modeled tone control allows for precise shaping of the saturation, while the mix knob facilitates seamless parallel processing. These features, combined with the reliability and flexibility of a Soundtoys plugin, ensure a seamless integration of analog warmth into your digital mix.

Key Features:

  • Five distinct analog saturation models based on renowned studio hardware
  • Unique Punish button for high-gain saturation
  • Analog-modeled tone control for nuanced sound shaping
  • Mix knob for easy parallel processing without complex routing
  • Compatible with macOS and Windows, supporting VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX formats
  • Supports sample rates from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz
  • Requires a free account at ilok.com (no physical USB iLok needed)

Product specs

Software Type Saturation effects
Platform Mac, PC
Upgrade/Full Full
Download/Boxed Download
Bit Depth 32-bit, 64-bit
Format AAX Native, VST, AU, AudioSuite
Authorization Type iLok Account required
Hardware Requirements - Mac Intel processor
Hardware Requirements - PC Intel compatible processor
OS Requirements - Mac OS X 10.10 or later
OS Requirements - PC Windows 7 SP1 or later

FAQs

What kind of saturation effect does the Soundtoys Decapitator provide?

The Soundtoys Decapitator offers an analog saturation effect, simulating the warmth and character of classic analog hardware. It allows users to add subtle warmth or intense distortion to their audio tracks.

Is the Soundtoys Decapitator compatible with my DAW?

Soundtoys Decapitator is compatible with most major DAWs, supporting formats such as AAX Native, VST, AU, and AudioSuite. Ensure your DAW supports these formats for seamless integration.

Does Soundtoys Decapitator require an iLok account for authorization?

Yes, an iLok account is required to authorize the Soundtoys Decapitator. However, a physical iLok dongle is not necessary; you can authorize the software directly to your computer.

Can I use Soundtoys Decapitator on both Mac and PC?

Yes, Soundtoys Decapitator is compatible with both Mac (OS X 10.10 or later) and PC (Windows 7 SP1 or later) systems, requiring an Intel or Intel-compatible processor.

What are the standout features of the Soundtoys Decapitator?

The Soundtoys Decapitator features five different analog saturation models, a tone control for shaping the high and low frequencies, and a mix control for blending the dry and wet signals, offering versatile sound shaping options.

Geoff Manchester

Geoff Manchester

Soundtoys Decapitator: Why is everyone in love with this thing?

Video thumbnail for Soundtoys Decapitator: Why is everyone in love with this thing? by Geoff Manchester

Soundtoys Decapitator: Why is everyone in love with this thing?

Geoff Manchester

Geoff Manchester

Video thumbnail for (Vocals) Mixing | Using Soundtoys Decapitator On A Lead Vocal by Puremix

(Vocals) Mixing | Using Soundtoys Decapitator On A Lead Vocal

Puremix

Puremix

Video thumbnail for Decapitator - 808 Kick by soundtoys

Decapitator - 808 Kick

soundtoys

soundtoys

Video thumbnail for Why Pro Mixers Are OBSESSED With Decapitator by Plugin Alley

Why Pro Mixers Are OBSESSED With Decapitator

Plugin Alley

Plugin Alley

Video thumbnail for A deep look to the DECAPITATOR by Soundtoys- Guide tutorial by XNB

A deep look to the DECAPITATOR by Soundtoys- Guide tutorial

XNB

XNB

Reviews

PROS

  • Offers five distinct emulation modes for varied sound coloration

  • Features a "Punish" button for aggressive 20dB signal boost

  • Excellent for both subtle saturation and intense distortion effects

  • Includes integrated low- and high-pass filters for sound shaping

  • Highly versatile, suitable for vocals, drums, bass, and synths

  • Easy-to-use interface with auto-makeup gain and mix knob

  • Enhances sound with analog warmth or digital grit

  • Popular among top-level engineers and producers

  • Can replace physical gear for live performances

CONS

  • High CPU usage when used on multiple channels

  • Some users prefer other plugins for saturation effects

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Soundtoys Decapitator.

Features and functionality

  • The Decapitator lacks an oversampling option, leading to noticeable aliasing issues according to some users.

    Source
  • The Decapitator's various settings (A, E, N, T/P) mimic specific hardware preamps, providing versatility in tonal applications, like using the N setting for vocal preamps.

    Source
  • Devil-Loc acts as a highly aggressive limiter with distortion, ideal for thickening drum room sounds, particularly effective in metal and rock genres.

    Source

Value and pricing

  • Soundtoys Decapitator often goes on sale significantly below its $200 price, with bundle deals offering greater savings during holiday promotions.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Audio Assault Head Crusher is frequently recommended as a budget-friendly alternative to the Decapitator for similar distortion and saturation effects.

    Source
  • Arturia's Culture Vulture model and Soundtoys Decapitator offer different tonal qualities, with some users preferring Arturia for its dynamic and EQ circuits.

    Source
  • Decapitator's A mode emulates the tube preamp from a vintage tape recorder, distinct from true tape effects like Kramer Tape, which emphasize tape saturation and wow&flutter.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Many users consistently apply the Decapitator lightly on bass and vocals, enhancing tracks by subtly altering brightness or darkness.

    Source
  • Decapitator excels on drum busses, providing a crunchy texture that enhances the drum mix's cohesion and impact.

    Source
  • It's effective for creating aggressive tones in EDM bass genres, helping sounds cut through the mix with added saturation.

    Source
  • Ableton's Drum Buss and Roar in Multiband are recommended for drum processing and general sound enhancement, respectively, offering viable alternatives to Decapitator.

    Source
  • Radiator excels when cranked on kicks and toms, leveraging its EQ section to enhance brightness, providing a unique tonal option compared to Decapitator.

    Source

User experience

  • Despite being widely used in studios, some owners find little differentiation from other distortion plugins, questioning its necessity in their workflow.

    Source
  • E mode in Decapitator introduces amplitude modulation via DC clipping on bass-heavy signals, adding a unique texture to the sound.

    Source

Software and compatibility

  • For Ableton users, the new Roar plugin is touted as a strong alternative for distortion effects, providing impressive results without needing additional hardware.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Soundtoys: A Swiss-Army Knife for Harmonic Distortion: Pete Weiss Reviews Soundtoys Decapitator | Tape Op Magazine | Longform candid interviews with music producers and audio engineers covering mixing, mastering, recording and music production.

tapeop.com

Soundtoys Decapitator is a versatile saturation plug-in that excels in delivering a wide range of harmonic distortion. It’s praised for its ease of use, with minimal learning curve and intuitive controls. The plug-in offers five distinct harmonic styles, modeled after classic hardware, providing users with flexibility in sound shaping, from subtle warmth to aggressive distortion. The inclusion of user-friendly features like the Mix control for blending wet and dry signals and the Auto switch for consistent gain levels is particularly appreciated. While the sound quality is commendable, the real standout is its convenience and adaptability in various mix scenarios. Overall, Decapitator is a valuable tool for enhancing tracks with rich harmonic textures, making it a staple in many mixing projects.

positive

Sound Toys Decapitator & PanMan

soundonsound.com

Soundtoys Decapitator is a powerhouse for analog-style saturation and distortion, delivering exceptional warmth and character. Its intuitive interface and automatic output level adjustment make it user-friendly, while its diverse algorithms offer versatility from subtle warmth to aggressive distortion. Though not a guitar amp simulator, it's impressive on bass and drums, offering rich tonal possibilities. The lack of cons in the review underscores its quality. Soundtoys' Decapitator stands as a must-have for those seeking a blend of ease and sonic depth, securing its reputation as a top-tier plugin.

positive

Soundtoys Decapitator | Grade-A Saturation - Produce Like A Pro

producelikeapro.com

Soundtoys Decapitator stands out as a top-tier saturation plugin known for its versatility and ease of use. It captures the essence of analog warmth, offering five distinct styles modeled after classic hardware units. The plugin excels in adding character and richness to digital recordings, from subtle enhancements to intense distortion. However, some users have noted minor aliasing issues at lower sample rates, though these are typically inaudible. Despite this, Decapitator remains a highly regarded tool for both mixing and mastering, praised for its ability to emulate analog saturation's charm and complexity.

positive
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5.0 out of 5

Based on 6 Reviews and 54 Ratings

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the_last_factory

Something to warm up or incinerate your signal with

I have two dirt pedals that I utilize to either beef up my signal or absolutely destroy it, but when I don't want to go through the trouble of hooking up my outboard gear to setup I just open up Decapitator. It's one of those saturation/dirt plug-ins that can be used with subtlety to add warmth to your tracks or you can be abrasive by initiating the "punish" button and turn your signal into a glitchy fuzzed out mess. It goes great with everything and I'll probably be using it in place of my Life Pedal when I tour or play shows in town.

freezeetch

Endless distorted joy

I can't begin to express how much I love this plugin and I've barely had time to use it. It feels like it has unlimited possibilities and can give you any kind of distortion tone you could possibly want, from subtle and warm to severely mangled, and yet everything sounds musical somehow. Magic!

P

PUNISH IT...!!!

The 'Decapitator' by Soundtoys is one of my favorite 'Saturators'... it has 4 different modes and all of them have unique sonic character... Try it on BASS.... !!! In fact, insert it into the chain of your main bass track and then PUNISH IT...!!!

T

Usable

Good saturator, but to me, there are better plugins, like Softube's One Knob or Gem Sculptube.

tommyvarekai

Inspiring, Incredibly useful

The Decapitator from SoundToys is incredible, I use it on all my synth tracks, really adds a fantastic "color" to the sound that compliments whatever project i'm working on. One of the best plugins ever!!

torturecrush

SATURATION RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME

I don't know what else to say other than that.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Monolink uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Monolink

Music Producer

...
Verified via Ask

"I really like Diva when I need ideas. If I use a software synth, it usually is this one. Diva has a lot of great sounding presets, and then you have all the options to tweak any parameter. If it sounds too clean, I'll send it through some analog gear like the MFB FilterBox or the Moog's filter to get it a little dirtier. I also love Fabfilter and Soundtoys, the Decapitator is awesome."

See how Daniel James uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Daniel James

Composer, Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

Daniel James spotted using Decapitator in video around 32:50

See how Vanic uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Vanic

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Photo

Vanic uses SoundToys Decapitator, according to this screenshot of his screen, found on his Facebook.

See how Lenno uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Lenno

Music Producer

...
Verified via Photo

This Snapshot was taken from 13/02/2021 Twitch Stream (https://www.twitch.tv/helloimlenno), proving that Lenno is using this Plugin.

See how Bora Karaca uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Bora Karaca

Singer, Guitarist

Tally Hall

...
Verified via Photo

Stephan Wunderlich, a friend of Bora Karaca, confirmed in a Reddit message that Bora Karaca used the Soundtoys Decapitator for Cojum Dip's self-titled album for additional distortion on the guitars.

See how John Summit uses Soundtoys Decapitator

John Summit

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via YouTube

In this YouTube shorts John summit is using decapitator

See how Emile Haynie uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Emile Haynie

Music Producer

...
Verified via Soundonsound

In this article it says Emile Haynie uses the Soundtoys Decaptitator plugin

See how Stonebank uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Stonebank

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via YouTube

At 6:14, Stonebank opens up a list of his plugins. Among these plugins is Decapitator.

See how Lil Tecca uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Lil Tecca

Rapper

...
Verified via Soundonsound

Used on vocals for "Ransom", as mentioned by mix engineer Joseph Colmenero in this November 2019 Sound on Sound interview.

"Many of the plug-ins on the vocal tracks came with the session. The vocal audio tracks all have Antares Auto-Tune Pro because the session came with Auto-Tune Live, and I didn't have my licence with me, so I put Auto-Tune Pro on. Without seeing the Live plug-in I had to use my ears to make sure that the settings were exactly right. They had recorded Tecca's vocals with Auto-Tune on, playing Auto-Tune like an instrument.

"All audio tracks go to the LeadVox bus, on which there is a stack of plug-ins. Again many of them came with the session. The chain starts with the Waves Q6 EQ, the FabFilter Pro-C2 compressor, then a Waves SSL Channel, two Waves De-Essers, a Waves RVox used as a noise gate, the SoundToys Decapitator for vibe, and a Waves C4 to bang down some peak frequencies. There's a track with distant ad-libs that goes to the Harmony Vox aux, which has some similar plug-ins, and adds a D-Verb for some extra reverb. There are sends on the vocal busses to the reverb aux, with the Waves RVerb, and delay quarter-note aux, with the Waves H-Delay. I also have the Avid EQ7 before the reverb, to take out the low end and high end. You don't want to have esses all over your reverb. The other two aux tracks that I did not use are part of the producer's template."

See how Grum uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Grum

Music Producer

...
Verified via Photo

In a photo shared by Grum on Facebook, the Soundtoys Decapitator plugin is visible on the far left channel, indicating its use in his setup.

See how Solar Fields uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Solar Fields

Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

at 21:53 he talks about using it in the track

See how Om Unit uses Soundtoys Decapitator

Om Unit

Music Producer

...
Verified via reddit

In this Reddit AMA, he was asked what two plugins he could not live without: "oof! hard one - currently soundtoys decapitator and dmg audio equality"

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Soundtoys Decapitator, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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