Tag: Objeq Delay

  • Review: AAS Objeq is a Unique Effect worthy of the iOS Musician

    Review: AAS Objeq is a Unique Effect worthy of the iOS Musician

    We love Objeq Delay on the desktop; it’s perfect for otherworldly beatmaking and sound design. Now AAS brings a version of the effect to the iOS platform. Enter AAS Objeq – providing the same unique physical modeled resonator effects as its big brother, but this time without the delay.

    AAS Objeq Features

    • Three Physical-Modeled Resonators (Plate, Beam, Drumhead)
    • Sonic Mangling of Beats recorded in a DAW or Live through the iPad/iPhone Mic
    • AU Compatible Plugin
    • Intuitive User Interface
    • Full Control of Pitch, Tone, Decay, Position, and Mix
    • Available at the iTunes App Store for $3.99

    AAS Objeq offers iOS musicians the ability to add some sonic flavor to their beats. It easily fits right into your DAW’s effect chain – provided it supports the AU plugin format. Objeq gives you pro-level results at a nice price typical of an iOS music app.

    An Easy Way to mangle your iOS Beats

    The promo verbiage for Objeq focuses on using it to effect live beat creation, by playing with your hands on a surface near the iPad or iPhone mic. This is a similar manner as an older iOS app, Impaktor. I prefer to use Objeq as an effect in Beatmaker 3. It also works with any DAW compatible with the AU plugin format.

    aas objeq screenshot
    AAS Objeq in action on the iPad. Screenshot by author.

    Objeq’s user interface is straightforward, especially if you are familiar with Objeq Delay, which we reviewed last year. Naturally, the iOS version sports simpler functionality, with an intuitive touchscreen friendly interface to match. Essentially you get to select the material for the resonator (Plate, Beam, or Drumhead), while controlling a variety of parameters for each, including pitch, tone, decay, position, and mix.

    If you ever get confused, a help screen provides a quick overview of the functionality of each parameter. Objeq is really simple to use, so it warrants experimentation to discover which settings work best for your beatmaking or sound design scenario. Taps and finger slides are pretty much all you need to use the app.

    Putting AAS Objeq to work in the iPad Studio

    As mentioned earlier, the desktop Objeq Delay effect works great for beat mangling, so this approach made sense for the iOS version of Objeq. I fired up Bram Bos’s Ruismaker as a drum machine using Rozeta Rhythm the Euclidean drum sequencer from Bram’s highly regarded, Rozeta Sequencer Suite plugin collection reviewed here. Indeed, the beatmaking went well.

    Copious coolness is achieved through the real-time tweaking of Objeq’s pitch parameter. This is the case with all three resonant materials. Dial-in the specific sound you need with the decay and position parameters. As noted earlier, experimentation definitely pays off.

    While some of the additional functionality of the full desktop version of Objeq Delay is missed, Objeq’s support for the AU plugin format lessens that impact. For example, simply add a different delay app to the effects chain for a similar effect as the original.

    The bottom line remains simple. If you want to take your iOS beatmaking to another level, AAS Objeq belongs on your music app shortlist. Its full range of physically modeled sonics definitely adds some life to iPad beats, sounds, and more. We give it our full recommendation.


  • The TabMuse Top Audio Plugins of 2017

    The TabMuse Top Audio Plugins of 2017

    After covering the best iOS synth apps of the year, our eyes now turn towards the top audio plugins we encountered in 2017. Expect a mix between effects plugins and their synth or sample-based counterparts. Feel free to check out our Top iOS Synth Apps article if so interested. Thanks!

    Hans Zimmer Percussion conquers all

    No sample library ever kicked my ass as much as Hans Zimmer Percussion. Straight out of the superlative technical forge of Spitfire Audio and the engineering acumen of Mr. Zimmer himself, HZP belongs in the collection of every serious electronic drummer. Expect a stunning collection of cinematic and world music percussion, sampled with a wide array of playing techniques and mic placements.

    hans_zimmer_percussion
    Hans Zimmer Percussion in action. Screenshot by author.

    In short, it may revolutionize how you approach electronic drumming. I’m working in a few uses of HZP on the upcoming Church of Hed album. The tympani samples especially inspire. Check out our full review of Hans Zimmer Percussion right here.

    PolyM brings a Top Notch Polymoog Simulation to your Desktop

    The Polymoog remains one of the classic synths in the Moog Music collection – arguably their most underrated product. It essentially operates like a mid-70s string synth as opposed to a polyphonic analog. PolyM provides all the wonderful uniqueness of the original in a low overhead plugin available in most popular formats.

    PolyM Screenshot
    The PolyM in virtual action. Screenshot by Author.

    XILS-Lab did a great job of programming the PolyM. Its quirky analog synth architecture works beautifully with a user interface essentially the same as the original. I spent a whole afternoon conjuring up psychedelic synth overdubs working on my new album.

    You know you want to read our full PolyM review. Get to it!

    Objeq Delay adds Otherworldly Effects to your DAW

    Cool effects plugins abound throughout the world of desktop audio production. As computers become more powerful so do these plugins that rely on a healthy amount of RAM and robust microprocessor horsepower. Objeq Delay won our hearts with its intriguing mix of a quality delay with physical modeling, offering some mind-blowing sonic manipulation.

    objeq delay
    Objeq Delay in action. Photo by author.

    It completely transformed a basic drumbeat into something out of a seedy bar on a remote outpost three galaxies over. Like the best effects, Objeq Delay warrants a copious amount of experimentation. As such, read our full review and then head over to your favorite online music retailer to pick up your own copy. You don’t even need to thank us!

    Well, that’s it for our soon-to-be annual look back at some of the best music technology products that inspired us in the previous year. As always, thanks for reading!


  • Review: Objeq Delay – a Plugin that inspires Creativity

    Review: Objeq Delay – a Plugin that inspires Creativity

    Musicians and producers searching for a unique plugin that rewards experimentation and creativity need look no further than Objeq Delay. Combining an LFO, an acoustic modeled filter, and a delay, this is an effect useful for mindwarped beats, intergalactic echoes, or really anything your imagination is able to conjure.

    Objeq Delay Features

    • Flexible LFO, Filter, and Delay, with Acoustic Modeling
    • Hundreds of Presets to Inspire your own Creations
    • Intuitive User Interface
    • Small Footprint – Install takes only 14MB
    • Supports Most Major Plugin Formats
    • Street Price around $100

    Developed by Applied Acoustics Systems (AAS), Objeq Delay needs to be in the toolbox of creative musicians all over the world. Let’s check it out!

    One Delay to rule them All

    After an easy install, Objeq Delay inspires creativity almost instantaneously. I created a simple 2/4 beat and ran it through one of the many presets and was shocked at the musicality of this new loop. It evolved in a myriad of interesting and inspiring ways. Tweaking ensued.

    objeq delay
    Objeq Delay in action. Photo by author.

    The included presets are organized in banks by function – echoes, rhythm manglers, drones, etc. The navigation bar at the top of the plugin window allows for saving new and edited presets as well as the creation of user banks. Some time spent vetting these presets offers a nice overview of Objeq Delay’s capabilities.

    Thankfully, the plugin’s intuitive and straightforward interface makes tweaking of the presets a simple process.

    Objeq Delay’s Intuitive Interface

    In a similar manner as Eventide Fission, Objeq Delay features a user interface that fosters the creative process. We already talked about the navigation bar, and the rest of the plugin is laid out in a clear manner. From left to right, there are LFO, Filter, Object, Delay, and Mixer modules.

    The LFO module lets you modulate various parameters throughout the rest of Objeq Delay. You are able to sync its rate to an external clock source and/or tweak it manually. Waveform type (along with its phase and pulse width), modulation destination (with amount and offset) are the other LFO parameters. Be sure to try out the random waveform!

    Objeq Delay provides both high and low pass filters that let you control the number of poles. The cutoff frequency for each filter is also controllable. The Filter module works closely with the Object module to effect the overall sonic output.

    The Object module obviously lies at the heart of Objeq Delay. You are able to switch between four different physical objects – beam, plate, string, and drumhead – with each greatly influencing the resultant sound. Use the frequency parameter to control the first partial or resonant frequency of each object type.

    The formant and material parameters warrant experimentation as well as an analysis of Objeq Delay’s copious amount of presets. The effect of each parameter changes based on the object type. Explore! Experiment!

    Featuring two channels (left and right) each with two delay lines (labeled First and Echoes), the Delay module is also a blast to play with. Both lines are syncable and there is a Ping Pong switch for added stereophonic fun. The feedback, high cut, and low cut parameters work as they should.

    You are even able to summon wild-sounding effects without using the delay, but remember that ancient Chinese wisdom – delay is the antidote for anger. A pretty self-explanatory Mixer module and a convenient level meter round out Objeq Delay’s interface.

    Objeq Delay is the most fun I’ve had using an effect – hardware or software – in years. Strymon could put this functionality in a piece of hardware, release it as a limited edition, and it would be fetching four-figures on Reverb.com. If you are a creative musician, you need this effect! Boom!