The perfect distortion tool for your TB-303 or any other bassline synth, with 11 distortion types from Classic Acid to Transistor Fuzz in the Pro version.
For everyone who loves the classic acid distortion sound of the early acid house and acid techno records, this distortion plugin is exactly the right tool. Acid Distortion is now available as a Pro version with significantly more under the hood.
New in Version 1.2
Version 1.2 is the biggest update since launch: two new engines, a sidechain for the Accent Engine, your own presets and ten new factory presets from acid techno to gabber.
- Sidechain accent: The new SOURCE menu in the DYNAMICS tab lets the Accent Engine listen to a sidechain input. Put the kick on the sidechain and it plays the accents of your acid line. Gaps in the bassline stay silent, even while the kick keeps running.
- Triode and Transistor Fuzz: two new engines, bringing the total to eleven. The Triode chokes on loud notes and recovers within a fraction of a second, the Transistor Fuzz sputters and gates as it decays.
- BITE: lifts the mids around 1.5 kHz ahead of the distortion, by up to 9 dB and harder the louder the signal is. The acid line gets bite and cuts through the mix.
- Engine controls: BLEND on the Acid Fuzz, RATE and BITS on the Bitcrusher, BIAS on the Wavefolder.
- TONE: tilts the sound after the distortion around 800 Hz, from -6 to +6 dB. The feedback loop does not hear TONE, so the output gets brighter, not the squeal.
- Your own presets: SAVE and DEL right next to the preset selector. Every preset is a file you can back up, copy and share.
- Ten new factory presets for techno, Goa, psytrance, EBM, drum and bass, trap, breaks, gabber, lo-fi and synthwave, twenty in total now.
- CLAP on macOS, Windows and Linux, alongside VST3, AU and Standalone.
- Recalculated engines: Every engine except Hard Clip has been recalculated. Classic Acid and Valve Drive leave quiet notes clean, Tape saturates harder the more level it gets, and the Diode Clipper sounds warm instead of scratchy. A 30 Hz highpass after every transfer curve removes the pumping below 25 Hz, and the gain compensation now measures loudness over 50 ms. Projects from 1.1 open with all their settings, but no longer sound exactly as before.
What Pro adds over the free version
The free version delivers a single, classic distortion algorithm with one-knob control. The Pro version fundamentally expands the concept:
Instead of one algorithm you get 11 switchable distortion types: Classic Acid, Acid Fuzz, Tape Saturator, Diode Clipper, Wavefolder, Rectifier, Bitcrusher, Valve Drive, Hard Clip, Triode and Transistor Fuzz. Each type has its own character, from warm tape saturation and the octave folding of the Acid Fuzz to a sharp brick-wall clip, experimental wavefolding and digital bitcrushing. Three engines have their own controls: BLEND mixes the fundamental with the octave on the Acid Fuzz, RATE and BITS set the grain of the Bitcrusher, and BIAS adds even harmonics to the Wavefolder.
In the DRIVE tab, DRIVE pushes the input signal by ±24 dB straight into saturation, and together with the automatic gain compensation that means more grit at the same volume. Since 1.2, BITE sits right below it and pushes the mids into the distortion. True-Drive oversampling (ADAA, 2×, 4×, 8× or Auto based on the sample rate) smooths out the recursive intermodulation on hot 303 lines: linear phase and latency compensated, and the reported latency stays the same when you switch.
A clear tabbed interface (DRIVE / FILTER / DYNAMICS) gives direct access to every parameter, with factory preset selection inside the plugin as well as through your DAW's host preset menu.
The visual highlight: the acid smiley morphs in real time with the dry/wet parameter. 14 frames at 60 FPS, from a friendly smile at 0% to a distorted grimace at 100%, directly controllable via mouse drag.
The Pro version features true stereo processing with two independent DSP instances, one per channel, stores all settings in a DAW compatible XML format and also runs as a standalone application.
More Under the Hood: Extended Signal Chain
What sets the Pro version apart from other distortion plugins sits deeper in the signal chain. In front of the actual distortion there is a pre-highpass filter (20 to 1000 Hz) with an adjustable slope from 12 to 48 dB per octave and resonance up to Q 10. Sub bass is filtered out before it reaches the distortion and can turn it to mush.
The Acid Focus input narrows the bandwidth from above using a lowpass filter. This concentrates the distortion into a focused frequency range and creates that typical tight, aggressive acid character.
An Envelope Follower tracks the input level in real time and dynamically modulates the Pre-Highpass frequency. With a positive value the filter opens on the attack, with a negative value it closes. This gives the distortion a lively, breathing quality that reacts to your playing.
Since 1.2, TONE sits at the bottom of the FILTER tab: a tilt around 800 Hz after the distortion, from -6 to +6 dB. Use it to make the line brighter or darker without the feedback getting shriller.
The Crossover Mix splits the signal into bass and highs. The sub-bass is routed cleanly around the distortion circuit while only the mids and highs go through the processing. The result is massive distortion up top without sacrificing punch and clarity in the low end.
Inspired by the internal feedback routing of the KA-303 Synthesizer, the plugin features an AC-coupled Feedback Loop. The feedback signal runs through a highpass at 150 Hz so bass frequencies are never fed back into the circuit. The signal stays stable and controlled even at high feedback levels. Soft-clipping prevents runaway resonance.
The Accent Engine makes the KA-303 highpass playable: a transient in the input signal triggers a jump in drive and cutoff, briefly raises the Q and makes the filter punch in rhythm. Fully audio triggered, no MIDI routing. With the three controls ACCENT (depth), SENSE (sensitivity) and SNAP (decay), the insert turns into a playable acid voice. Since 1.2 it can listen to a sidechain input via SOURCE, and then the kick plays the accents of the bassline.
An automatic Gain Compensation circuit balances out the volume increase caused by distortion. The output level stays consistent no matter how far you push the Drive.
20 factory presets plus your own
Twenty starting points are available right inside the plugin and also show up in your DAW's preset menu. Save your own sounds as presets with SAVE, each one a file you can back up and share.
- Init: neutral starting point for your own sounds
- Chicago Acid Bass: classic 303 drive, solid deep bass
- Screaming Lead: wailing through Valve Drive, musically controlled
- Acid Reso: high resonance, classic acid vibe
- Vocal Grit: gentle saturation for vocals and lead lines
- Techno Brutalizer: aggressive drum-bus distortion
- Hoover Stab: fat stab sounds with bandwidth
- Dub Sub: sub-focused with crossover trick
- Bitcrush Mangler: Lo-Fi destruction with controlled character
- Diode Warmth: analog diode saturation, warm and musical
- Acid Techno Stomp: acid line for techno, Diode Clipper behind a steep, resonant highpass, short hard accents and BITE
- Goa Squelch: the squelching line of Goa and psytrance, Tape Saturator with high Q and long accents
- Psy Rolling Bass: rolling psytrance bass, every note gets a short accent
- EBM Body Bass: sequencer bass for EBM and industrial, Valve Drive with BITE, growling in the mids
- DnB Growl Bass: Wavefolder for detuned saw basses, the sub runs cleanly past the distortion
- Trap Sub Grit: makes sub basses audible on small speakers, most of what sits below 80 Hz stays clean
- Breakbeat Crunch: Hard Clip blended in at half, the breaks get bite and the groove stays intact
- Gabber Kick: the overdriven bass drum of gabber and hardcore
- Lo-Fi Dust: dusty Bitcrusher colour for drums and keys, the kick keeps its bass
- Synthwave Drive: warm tape saturation with BITE for leads and chords
What is the plugin designed for?
Acid Distortion Pro is a specialised distortion plugin for electronic music production. It works for acid basslines that need more pressure and character, for synth leads with tube warmth and bite, for drums with grit and analogue saturation, and for experimental sound design with wavefolder and bitcrusher, wherever acid vibes are needed.
Formats & Systems
Formats: VST3, AU, CLAP, Standalone
Systems:
- macOS (Universal Binary, Intel and Apple Silicon)
- Windows 10/11
- Linux (x86_64)
Audio: 32-bit float, up to 8x True-Drive oversampling (linear phase).
License Information
This product includes a professional license system with the following features:
- Online activation with hardware fingerprinting
- Up to 3 device activations included
- Automatic license delivery via email
- Customer portal for license management
After purchase, you will receive your license serial number via email within minutes.