Decimort 2 Free Download
Need to add that warm, gritty character of old samplers and converters without the harsh, ear-piercing digital artifacts? Looking for a bit crusher that does more than just reduce bit depth and sample rate? Decimort 2 handles vintage digital conversion with a focus on musicality and control, and it’s available as a free download for those wanting to experiment with high-quality lo-fi textures.
It models the specific tone of vintage AD/DA converters, letting you process anything from bass lines to drum loops with a degraded, harmonic-rich sound. The developer calls it "the highest quality low-quality effect you can buy," which sums up the goal: intentional degradation without unwanted side-effects.
Key Takeaway
Decimort 2 is a bit-crushing and resampling effect focused on recreating the musical character of old digital hardware. You get control over bit reduction, sample rate, jitter, and filtering to add vintage vibe to sounds, all while avoiding internal aliasing and harsh shrillness. It’s CPU friendly and works as VST, VST3, Audio Unit, or AAX in your DAW.
Core Technology: Modeling Vintage Conversion
At its heart, Decimort 2 isn't just a simple bit reducer. Its main job is emulating the sound of specific vintage AD/DA converters through a combination of its bit crushing process and a re-sampler module. The critical technical claim is zero internal aliasing, meaning the degradation you hear is from the modeled processes, not from digital artifacts generated within the plugin itself. This helps avoid the "ear-piercing shrillness" common in simpler bit crushers.
Feature Breakdown
Bit Crushing & Advanced Quantizer
The core bit crushing process reduces the bit depth of your audio. The advanced quantizer gives you precise control over this reduction, shaping how the digital distortion is applied.
Re-sampler Module
This controls the sample rate reduction. Lowering the sample rate independently from bit depth is key for creating that classic, grainy digital sound.
Jitter and Dithering
The jitter function enables harmonic distortions by introducing timing inconsistencies in the digital signal. You also get controllable dithering, which adds noise to mask quantization errors when reducing bit depth, offering another layer of tonal coloration.
Analog-ish Filters
These filters, which include resonance control, let you shape the frequency content before or after the degradation happens. They’re called "analog-ish" and include images and approximative filters to mimic the non-linear behavior of old hardware filters.
Sampler Profiles/Presets
Instead of just generic settings, Decimort 2 includes specific sampler profiles or presets. These are emulations of the conversion characteristics of well-known vintage sampling hardware.
GUI and Processing
The graphical interface offers size options for flexibility. A key technical point is that it processes in mono. For true stereo processing, you need to use two instances of the plugin on separate left and right channels within your DAW.
Technical Specifications
Decimort 2 comes in VST, VST3, Audio Unit, and AAX formats. It processes audio in mono. To process a stereo track, you must insert two instances on separate left and right channels.
Who Is This For?
This fits a few specific scenarios. It’s for producers processing bass lines or drum loops who want to add weight and vintage digital converter tone without losing the low-end or introducing harshness. It’s also useful for sound designers creating distorted, NIN-esque lead lines where controlled bit reduction and resampling are key. Basically, it’s for anyone working with audio who wants a bit of vintage vibe through modeled hardware degradation.
Limitations
The main limitation involves stereo processing. Independent stereo channel processing within a single instance has been dropped. To process a stereo signal, you must set up two mono instances on separate channels in your DAW, which uses more CPU and requires extra setup. This was a design choice made to add other features.
Final Verdict
Grab the Decimort 2 free download if you’re after a musical bit crusher that focuses on vintage AD/DA converter character rather than just harsh digital destruction. It’s particularly good for adding harmonic distortion and lo-fi texture to bass, drums, and leads while avoiding aliasing and shrillness. The catch is the mono processing, which means stereo use requires a two-instance setup. If your workflow involves slotting a single stereo effect on a bus, that’s an extra step. But if you want high-quality low-quality sounds, this d16 group plugin delivers.