Tips & Tutorials

How to use D16’s Devastor 2

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Devastor 2 is D16 Group’s simple but versatile multi-band distortion unit.

From adding bite to an acid synth to subtly enhancing the warmth of a vocal, Devastor 2 is there to satisfy your distortion needs. This feature guide will overview some of the essential components of Devastor 2 that you’ll want to be aware of to get the most out of the powerful plugin. In particular, we’ll look at four key components: the dynamics flattener module, diode-clipper section, multi-mode filter sections, and the master section.

1. The dynamics flattener

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The dynamics flattener, located at the top left of the GUI, is essentially a one-knob compressor. Auto-normalizing the amplitude, this knob equalizes the input’s volume levels.

2. The diode clipper section

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The diode clipper section is the central unit of Devastor 2, responsible for making the distortion happen. Emulating an analogue diode clipper circuit, the plugin produces distortion by clipping the top and bottom of the input’s waveform. Let’s take a look at each parameter in more detail:

  • The preamp amplifies the signal going into the clipper.
  • The threshold sets the dB level above which distortion is applied.
  • The clipping curve can be changed to one of six available curves by clicking on the graphic display.
  • The shape parameter changes the plugin’s characteristics based on the selected clipping curve.

3. The multi-mode filter section

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Devastor 2 features three independently configurable filters connected in parallel. Each filter has four controllable parameters:

  • Filter type allows you to select between low pass, band pass, high pass, and band reject filters.
  • The cutoff determines the cutoff frequency for the low pass and high pass filters, and the center of the band for the band pass and band reject filters.
  • Reso / band width determines the resonance for the low pass and high pass filters, and the band width for the band pass and band reject filters.
  • Volume controls the loudness of the filter’s output signal.

Pro Tip: The Signal Routing GUI (see below) can be used to reconfigure the circuit connections between the filters and clipper.

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4. The master section

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The master section contains the parameters that are related to the distortion unit’s final output. There are three components in this section:

  • The limiter prevents the output signal from clipping.
  • The FX knob controls the ratio between the distorted and dry sounds, allowing for easy parallel processing.
  • Output volume controls the loudness of the signal.

We hope you found this tour of Devastor 2’s features useful! If you have a question, leave it in the comments below.

March 15, 2018

Harrison Shimazu

Harrison Shimazu is a composer, content strategist, and writer who’s passionate about democratizing music creation and education. He leads the Splice blog and produces vocaloid music as Namaboku.