Pulsar Novation

I downloaded the trial and was blown away. Some of the best ITB saturation I've ever heard. And the support team is friendly and responsive.

P565 Siren is the filter plugin I've been waiting for...a very long time.

The actual filters themselves can compete with any of my hardware synthesizers and also offer a variety of options and sounds, that make it superior to good hardware. The quality far outstrips any existing filter plugin on the market. Need proof? If you turn up the resonance of a filter plugin or VST synth and do a filter sweep in the low-mid to low and sub frequency range...Compare the result to Siren and you will immediately know what I mean. Siren maintains the musical quality, adds no mud and is honest with the transients. The punch is retained and if you want, you can increase punch to levels of absurdity, without destroying the original signal.

Where to start on Siren when writing a review? phew.

3 filter slopes, all of which work and sound different. Extreme convincing resonance distortion within the 24 dB/oct filter slope. 2 bandpass filters with dual functions each. They can be used as BR, Bell, Notch and Peak.

It is worth mentioning that the notch filters can be used for mastering too. The HPF and LPF can also be used for mastering, especially when used with 18 dB/oct slopes. You can also go into negative values using the RES of the LPF, which I think no other plugin (or Hardware?) does that. And I can't think of any EQ I know with which you can notch out unwanted frequencies while working as clean plus staying musical.

The 18 dB/oct filter has its very own unique charm.

The built-in DRIVE is able to add a special character. Many other circuits in other plugins like to remove the punch and the transients from the audio signal, resulting in glassy-thin and scratchy high frequencies. Sirens DRIVE preserves the brilliance of the high frequencies a good amount and keeps low end punch alive and kicking. I haven't heard anything like this from a plugin before.

Siren has 2 envelope followers on board which can be adjusted precisely to make them super-groovy and sensitive. You can also control them via sidechain. There is an option to switch to an emulation of the famous Mu-Tron pedal via menu to elicit previously unheard ITB chucka-quack funky style tunes.

If Drive isn't enough, Siren simply shoots into orbit with Overdrive. This circuitry is brutal, and with its many other features, Siren is the perfect pre-sculpting stage for guitarists. But you can also perfectly shape typical distorted industrial bands voices like from Skinny Puppy, Ministry etc. Or, for example, a mercilessly distorted TB303 bassline is just a pleasure and sounds fully analogue. You'll find a delay trim-pot, usable on wet or dry signal information. In tandem with the MIX-knob you squeeze out phasing, flanging and slapback delays additionally on top. Siren has phase rotation on wet and dry signal, a stepped filter mode (Big Knob King Tubby style) and and and...think of the options you have combining all this and using the automation/modulation sections of your DAW :).

One nice thing is to say. Siren improves any signal floating through its circuitry, even without processing your audio. Just like good hardware does. If you strive to exhaust all possibilities, you will be able to explore the most compelling and vibrant filter plugin that money can currently buy. You will discover completely new application possibilities almost every time. That's how it's been for weeks at least.

Siren belongs into every tool box of:
- pro-musicians
- hobbyists which are audiophiles
- sound-designers
- mix and mastering engineers.

First I must start by saying that Pulsar Modular plug ins are by FAR if not the best plug in software I've ever heard.

From Lunar Landar, to The P42.

Climax, and The P565 Siren Filter is just on a whole other level.

I highly recommend anyone who hasn't tried these plug ins to definitely give it a go,

I guarantee you can not go wrong.

If your looking for high quality, to dam near hardware emulation sound, this is it.

they give a 40 days trial as well witch is super generous,

Just give it try and here it for yourself.

I was skeptical about this plugin. I downloaded the demo and I have to admit, I'm blown away! I compared it to all my other saturation plugins, but none achieve that nice saturation like P42. It manages to color the sound and give it so much energy without losing detail or sounding thin. You simply have to demo it and I think you'll be convinced as well! A must have plugin that I'm hoping to buy soon after the demo period is over.

I did not think I would ever see myself spending what this cost on any plugin - honestly. I'll start with that. But after seeing a lot of positive comments on a forum I frequent, I decided to download the demo.

My experience with this plugin was immediate and unequivocal. In my opinion - and this is so far, who know what the future holds - this is the best EQ/saturation product on the market today. The sound is dynamic and "alive" in a way I honestly have not heard ITB (though I think Acustica comes close - I love Acustica).

I have, own, and use saturation from Tone Projects, Goodhertz, Softube, Kush and many of the major players in the field, and there are some great ones. This one - I feel - is alone in its class at this point. Not that it is a simple saturator, it isn't. It's a tone shaper, and I would argue, has such a wonderful and varied spectrum of possibility that it is a tone swiss-army knife while also imparting some saturation and brings sound alive in a way few ITB offerings even come close to.

So, yes, it's a whole lot of money for any one digital tool. I had a hard time with that. I would suggest downloading the trial and work this bad boy out. Push it, do dual mono if you can. Then try to not buy it.

As soon as I inserted the plugin, I was pretty impressed.

At my studio we work a lot with subtle saturation for tracking, doing so I get to use a diverse array of preamps, from vintage tube preamps, 60s/70s transformer-based, European, American up to more modern gear.

As I was impressed upon listening to the P42, I checked to see if it wasn't the init setting that was louder than my unprocessed material, which is a trick too often seen and heard. But no, peak levels were similar, but I could hear a beefing up of the low end, more density in the sound from the saturation compression and harmonic colouration. Also, transients didn't get butchered but so slightly sweetened.

Whatever track or source material you're working on, boosting the saturation slider emphasises the aforementioned effect on the sound and it takes quite some action before the sound breaks up. When it does it sounds sweet.

I must say that while I give it 5 stars for the sound, which matters most, I would have given less for the GUI which at first sight gave me a « made with Synthedit » déjà vu of when I started out with free plugins, associated sometimes with less reliable ones.

However, in the week that I've been demoing it, sometimes with many instances it has been rock solid, not a glitch.

While priced a bit strong, it works on a broad spectrum of material and with the available controls can be setup for finesse or scorching hot sound.

Definitely worth trying.

So far whatever I run through P42 feels more alive. It thickens things in a pleasing way and is fun to use. I'm also able to get more clarity without harshness.

The CPU usage is very low, and I like the improvements the dev has already made to it. I'm not crazy about the GUI, but given the sound and the low CPU usage I can roll with it.

Great tool !! Love the saturation that can be subtle or agressive but never harsh. The Air switch and the Hi-Shelf/Low-Shelf are also very useful and musical. Can be useful for individual tracks or busses (even mastering session).

Congrats Pulsar Modular .