Drift is the latest addition to SoundGhost’s growing collection of plug-ins, and promises to provide an authentic tape emulation with minimal fuss. It features a clean and simple GUI, and offers effects ranging from subtle colouration to much more obvious lo-fi textures.
A Saturate control determines the amount of harmonic content added to the input signal, whilst Wow and Flutter parameters allow users to adjust the amount of pitch variation introduced by the processor. When using more extreme Saturate settings, a pair of In and Out controls make it possible to maintain a sensible gain level throughout the plug-in.
There are also a few options for introducing some more tape-inspired artefacts, with a Fail control offering drops in volume and intermittent glitches, and a Noise parameter introducing the type of tape deck noise exhibited by cheaper machines. It is also possible to replicate the sound of a tape machine stopping or starting by clicking on the tape icon in the GUI.
Drift is also equipped with eight different EQ profiles that have been created by analysing different machines and media. By default, no EQ is applied, but turning the dial allows users to step through options such as a pair of cassettes, two VHS tapes, a reel-to-reel deck, two dictaphones and a boombox. A Width control makes it possible to gradually reduce the width of stereo sources down to mono, and a Mix control offers built-in parallel processing.
Compatibility
Drift is supported on PCs running Windows 8 and above, and Macs running macOS 10.12 or higher. VST3 and AU plug-in versions are available. There is no AAX version, so Pro Tools is not supported.
Pricing & Availability
Drift is available now, and is currently (5 September 2023) being offered for an introductory price of £29, reduced from its full cost of £39. Prices include VAT.
