Congburn Stacks is a Fun Groovebox plugin powered by a 4 -track granular looper and a polystem for MacOS, Windows and iOS.
A year ago, Congburn released the groovebox batteries from exciting granular looper as a VST / AU and iOS plugin. In recent months, some minor maintenance updates have improved and have added new things.
Today, the developer has published Stacks 1.3 with a new folding oscillator that uses two algorithms for shaping conventional synthetic synthesis techniques of the 1970s. This is an excellent new type of oscillator that works perfectly with the internal door of stack.
At the same time, Congburn Stacks 1.3 also widens the integrated wave oscillator with 18 banks of new waves. This gives you smooth access and interpolated to 1,152 new wavelems containing robotic speech, vitreous bell tones and microwave pads from the 90s.
The developer promises that the engine now has more margin and will have significant performance improvements. The use of memory is also down 60%, allowing you to use more battery instances simultaneously.
A nice update for the Groovebox battery box that is free for existing users.
Update from September 14, 2024
Excellent news from Congburn: The Granulalar Looping Groovebox Stacks is now available for iOS for $ 19.99 on the Apple AppStore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXK0AQGYJNU
Article of July 14, 2024
Developer’s features John Howes, alias Congburn, are one of the most complete multiplatform software boxes on the market. With advanced synthesis, sampling capacities and sequencing, it offers great creative freedom to the user.
John Howes stays in Grooveboxing with Stacks, his third version.
Congburn batteries
Stacks is also a groove box filled with features, but it explores other sound areas. This is mainly due to different engines and concepts.
While the blows focused on the MIDI sequencing, Stacks relied on the audio loop on four tracks. You can save three distinct sound sources there: the internal polystem,, external audioOr reorganization the exit from the application.
Sound engine and signal path
The synthesis is built around a four-voted polyphonic synthesizer with a two-dimensional undulation morphing, four FM modes, a sub-osticker and an option in unison.
A neat option is the possibility of buying polystem, external signal and re -enchanting via the same signal chain, so that you can shape all signals with the same tools. It starts with a bit-crusher, followed by a versatile filter section with three modes.
It includes a double sleight of hand, a variable width bandwidth and a gateway gang filter bank. It is n (o) ice to see that there is also love for filter banks. You don’t see them in software either.
A complete modulation engine is also on board. The main one is more inspired by the west coast. Stacks archives more organic sounds using an emulation of a low-low-low door in addition to its clean VCA variant.
Then, he hosts six chaos / LFOS generators, a mod sequencer, locks of parameters by step and an AD envelope. All this manages a powerful 24 × 115 modulation matrix. This should be enough mod.
To refine your sounds, he hosts saturation, chorus, stereo and ping-pong delays with a frequency gear lever in the feedback path and two types of reverberation (algorithmic and convolution). Right midi entry or integrated polyhythmic sequencer with ratchet and chord options allow you to play the synth as you wish.
Granular sections
Be careful, it will become a little more exciting. Sound sources can then be recorded on four independent looper slopes. Each looper is also a fully controllable granular processor with various parameters: size, search, scanner, spray, pitch, etc. In addition, it is synchronized with the clock of your DAW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZZZZN2BXM
First impression
The batteries seem very fun. I like that the signal path is very adaptable; Therefore, you can shape the synths and sample to the same extent. The user interface is full of features, so you will need a little time to understand everything. Once you have entered the groove, I’m sure there is a lot of possible here.
And the additional granular module in the looper section also makes a groove box with a different key. More experimental than classic boxes.
Congburn Stacks is now available for an £ 35 launch price instead of £ 49 first access. It works as a VST3 plugin and on MacOS (Apple Silicon + Intel native) and Windows. The iOS version with the support of the AUV3 plugin is now available for £ 19.99.
More information here: Congburn
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