It wouldn’t be analogue sound without a touch of chaos, and despite having plenty of that in each module, each also has a Flux parameter that works to gently randomise its settings, sending things even further haywire. The Space and Magnetic panels round things out: Space provides minor reverb with a Decay control and a basic EQ to ‘focus’ the sound, while Magnetic can imbue your signal with the sounds of tape – whether that’s VHS, Cassette or Reel-to-Reel studio tape. Next, the Distort and Digital panels offer different takes on signal saturation – tube and bit-crushing types respectively, with various types of analogue-style distortion for the former. Next comes the Wobble processor, which offers control over simulated wow and flutter, allowing you to set both independently and blend between them.
RC-20 starts with its Noise module, which offers 16 types ranging from Vinyl and Tape through electronic noises, cassettes and VHS, white noise, pink noise and more. With six nostalgic degradation processes to run your audio through, this VST/AU/AAX plugin from XLN Audio will send your sounds back in time like there no tomorrow – or if there is, it’s in 1981. Once you’ve looked over this selection of LoFi-specialist plugins, don’t forget to check out our LoFi Production Techniques Guide to find out how best to use them. Here we’ll take you through 11 of the best plugins to bring a sense of LoFi sound into your tracks – whether you’re heating up Breaks, crafting Broken Beats or looking to add more musical material to Vinyl-tinged Samples, we’ve got the tools that’ll help you do it – and some of them are free. Nostalgic genres like Synthwave or Hip-Hop are dependent on the vibe – heating things up and taking the listener to a time when snap, crackle and pop were a necessary part of the experience.