Mahogany

Mahogany is a plugin suite developed by Acustica Audio, inspired by the rich character of analog filter circuits—particularly those found in vintage 4-pole designs—and reimagined to meet the needs of modern music production. It delivers classic tone and saturation with digital precision, all within an intuitive and flexible interface. Mahogany is available in VST3, AAX, and AU plugin formats, and is compatible with most major DAWs on macOS and Windows systems.

Mahogany is built on a hybrid concept combining two distinct technologies into one powerful tool: the Hyper engine, a streamlined and efficient evolution of the Acqua platform known for high-fidelity sampling and real-time performance; and the modulation architecture of the Marea series, which introduces advanced tools for dynamic shaping, internal MIDI generation, and flexible modulation routing.

Three plug-ins, three personalities

Mahogany is supplied as three fully independent plug-ins:

• Mahogany ("3-D" version) looks like a small hardware module: knobs stand proud, shadowing helps the eye judge travel, and the panel carries that studio-rack glamour many users love.
• Mahogany Live ("3-D" version) shares the exact same visual design as the standard 3D version, but is optimized for low-latency, real-time performance. It looks and feels identical—just streamlined under the hood for speed.
• Mahogany Flat ("2-D" version) is the same engine drawn with flat colour bands and crisp fonts. Nothing pops out, so you can work fast on a laptop screen or a crowded mix session without visual clutter.

You load one or the other from your DAW's list; presets and MIDI maps are only compatible with the skin that created them, so pick the look that fits the job and stick with it for that project.

More Than a Filter

Mahogany isn't just another filter—it's a complete analogue-style tone section you can drop anywhere in your signal chain. Inspired by the filter-and-drive block at the heart of classic hardware synths, it combines high-fidelity analog modeling with powerful modulation features only software can offer.

At its core are three meticulously modeled low-pass filters and a drive stage that can be placed either before or after the filter, delivering anything from warm saturation to airy edge. But Mahogany goes beyond static tone shaping: it includes an ADSR envelope, a flexible LFO (with retrigger, free-run, or one-shot modes), and an envelope follower that responds to audio dynamics. Any or all of these can modulate the cutoff, creating rich, evolving textures.

Designed to sit right after any instrument or audio track, Mahogany responds to incoming MIDI—making its ADSR and key tracking feel like part of the source. For users who prefer a cable-free workflow, Mahogany can also generate its own virtual notes, synced to tempo, for rhythmic gating, sweeping, or ducking—no MIDI routing required. The result is a versatile, musical processor that brings motion, tone, and character to any sound.

Key Features

• Three plugin versions – Flat (2D), 3D, and low-latency 3D Live.
• Vintage-style 4-pole lowpass filter – Smooth, musical tone with analog character.
• Multidrive & Bias control – Add harmonic richness and shape input gain.
• Dynamic modulation tools – Envelope Follower, LFO, and ADSR with keyboard tracking and polarity control.
• Advanced routing – Pre/Post switch and Dry/Wet mix for flexible signal paths.
• Advanced MIDI and timing control – Learn external controllers, force tempo, create internal note pulses, enable key-tracking, with MIDI Learn, Global/Local modes, and full DAW sync and automation.
• Oversampling & low-latency modes – Balance quality and performance for studio or live use.
• Resizable GUI – Adapts to different screens and workflows.
• Factory Presets – Includes expertly crafted presets that offer quick starting points and creative inspiration for various projects.

Why This Architecture?

If you have ever stood over a vintage mono-synth, the left-to-right flow of Mahogany will feel uncannily familiar. On real hardware the oscillator runs through a drive or mixer stage, hits the main filter, then fans out to envelopes and LFOs before finally meeting a volume fader. The order is no accident: every control reveals itself at exactly the moment your ear is ready for that change. We borrowed that ergonomics—then loosened its screws so you can insert Mahogany anywhere in a modern DAW.

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