FabFilter releases FabFilter Saturn 2

FabFilter announces the immediate availability of FabFilter Saturn 2, a major update to the multiband distortion and saturation plug-in.

Saturn 2 sees a top-to-bottom redesign of the Saturn interface for even greater ease of use and visualization, as well as a host of new features and improvements, including 12 new distortion styles, a radically overhauled and expanded modulation system, enhanced envelopes, linear phase processing, and a pristine new 'Superb' High Quality mode.

New interface with modulation visualization

FabFilter says Saturn 2 looks better and flows faster than ever. The darker color scheme makes the plug-in easier to look at for extended sessions, and four interface size options plus full-screen mode enable adaptation to any workspace. Modulation is now comprehensively visualized at both source and target, too, with color-coded collars and tracks on knobs and sliders animating in response to modulation input, the source flow area giving an eye-catching overview of all mod signals, and indicators on controls and bands showing which parameters are being modulated at a glance.

More distortion types

Saturn 2 almost doubles the number of distortion styles on board from 16 to 28. 'Subtle' versions of the Tape, Tube and Saturation styles provide low-intensity warming, while four new British (Rock, Pop) and American (Tweed, Plexi) Amp styles model well-known guitar amplifiers, three Transformer styles (Subtle, Gentle, Warm) open up abrasive new possibilities, and the Foldback and Breakdown FX styles reshape and mutate sounds beyond recognition, the latter combining down-pitching with heavy distortion.

Big modulation changes

With virtually no limit placed on the combination of 16-step XLFOs, Envelope Generators, Envelope Followers, XY Controllers and MIDI sources that can be used in a preset, Saturn has always been serious about creative modulation, and Saturn 2 takes the whole system to the next level. Curve the Envelope Generator's Attack, Decay and Release stages for a smoother or more aggressive response, activate the Envelope Follower's new Transient detection mode to tightly track drums and percussion, and route discrete band inputs to both Envelope sources as triggering signals - pulverize hi-hats to the rhythm of the kick drum, for example. The XY Controller's new Slider mode, meanwhile, slims it down to vertical-only operation, and the XLFO benefits from legato MIDI triggering and targeting of the Frequency Offset and Balance parameters for modulation. And with custom naming of individual mod sources now possible, users can customize their Saturn 2 presets for effortless navigation.

Mastering grade saturation

The new 'Subtle' saturation types make Saturn 2 "the mastering engineer's secret weapon", bringing enlivening presence and fizz to final mixes. In order to meet the exacting demands of such mission-critical application, the band crossovers now offer a choice of 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 dB/octave roll-off slopes, the new 'Superb' High Quality mode switches the plug-in to 32x oversampling for almost total elimination of aliasing, and the Linear Phase option ensures maximum coherence for the crossovers and High Quality modes.

Price: $154 at www.fabfilter.com/shop. Log in to your FabFilter account to upgrade to Saturn 2 with a discount of 50% or more, depending on how many FabFilter plug-ins you already own.

To make self-quarantine just a little bit easier during the COVID-19 pandemic, FabFilter offers free 30-day evaluation extensions for all their plug-ins, including Saturn 2.