Arturia FX Collection 4: the 2023 update to Arturia's effects collection

Arturia's FX Collection updates are always interesting. The collection regularly gains unusual effects that encourage experiments, discoveries, and creative ideas.

The 2023 update adds four effects: rotary speaker emulation Rotary CLS-222, distortion processor Dist COLDFIRE, the Filter MS-20 filter from the Korg synthesizer of the same name, and Rev LX-24, modeling the Lexicon 224 hardware reverb. FX Collection 4 therefore contains exactly 30 distinct plug-ins, combining classic studio equipment emulation with modern processing and controls.

Existing effects also receive optimizations and improvements. Bus FORCE and Rev SPRING-636 now have oversampling options, allowing more CPU-efficient operation in large projects. FRAGMENTS gains modulation improvements and presets. All effects now support AAX on Mac M1 and VST3 compatibility with NKS controllers. Text-to-speech functionality has also improved.

Arturia uses True Analog Emulation® (TAE®) and Physical Modeling® (Phi®) to model hardware processes in detail, retaining small characteristics and variations. The company says it invested significant resources and several years of analysis and research in the collection.

Effects come in VST, AU, and AAX formats with full NKS support. At the time of this review, the complete 30-plug-in FX Collection 4 costs $499. Effects are sold separately too, but at $99 each the total is much higher. Full-featured demos allow testing in personal projects before purchase.

As usual, we will focus on the new additions.

Rotary CLS-222

Rotary CLS-222 recreates the rotating-speaker effect associated with the Dynacord CLS-222. The original rotating-speaker concept produced a distinctive combination of tremolo, vibrato, and moving stereo position. It quickly appealed to musicians, especially keyboard players and guitarists.

Arturia aims to model this complex process fully and bring the processed sound as close to the original as possible.

The light-colored interface has the original controls plus extra parameters for more flexible operation.

Two input saturation types are available. Op-Amp models the original operational-amplifier circuit and adds overdrive at high settings. Valve provides softer, more gradual tube saturation.

Rotary Effect adjusts the balance between the rotors, changing the low/high-frequency balance and sound character. Stereo Image controls panning width. Unlike the hardware's fixed settings, the plug-in allows continuous adjustment.

Basic rotor speed options are Fast, Slow, and stopped. More precise controls appear in Advanced view.

Advanced view provides independent continuous rotor speed adjustment and synchronization to project tempo with time divisions. A cut filter operates before the preamp and the rest of the processing.

Distance is an unusual section that changes the virtual speakers' movement paths. Three options are available: circular, like the original mechanism; a horizontal figure eight; and a double figure eight. Controls narrow or widen these paths for more complex movement.

A central animation clearly shows the rotating elements. It closely reflects their behavior and makes setting changes easy to follow.

We find Rotary CLS-222 interesting. It has its own character, different from many Leslie-style effects. You can hear this in the audio examples on the manufacturer's website or install the demo.

Dist COLDFIRE

Dist COLDFIRE is one of the collection's original Arturia designs rather than a hardware emulation. Two independent distortion modules can use different algorithms together and interact, creating unusual, changing sounds.

Each module offers 11 distortion types with individual settings and characters. Saturation algorithms are Rectifier, Tape Saturation, Transformer, Transistor, Germanium, Tube, and Force. Bit Inverter and Bit Crusher alter digital resolution, while Wavefolder and Waveshaper change the waveform.

Routing places the modules in series, parallel, Mid/Side, or separate frequency ranges. A crossfader changes their balance, smoothly or abruptly.

Additional controls sit on the Advanced tab.

This view opens extra effects and the modulation panel. A resonant filter before distortion emphasizes selected characteristics. A broader post-distortion filter removes unwanted low and high frequencies. Each module has separate filters. Two master effects process the combined output: a compressor/multiband compressor/limiter, plus Feedback. The dynamics processor also has a Pre mode for compression before distortion.

Almost all parameters can be controlled from the modulation section. Sources include simple LFOs and complex user-drawn shapes. The built-in sequencer, input signal, or DAW sidechain can also control modulation. Assignments follow recent Arturia synthesizers: activate assignment for a source, select one of the highlighted controls, then set the modulation range.

More than 150 presets help users start experimenting immediately. Processing quality is good, with a bright, open sound. Extensive modulation creates movement and variation. Examples are available on the manufacturer's website, along with a full demo version.

Filter MS-20

Filter MS-20 models the filter in the legendary Korg MS-20 monophonic semi-modular synthesizer.

Filter MS-20 goes beyond a filter, adding full stereo operation, distortion, and modulation of many parameters. Two main processing sections, Filter and Distortion, can change order.

Filter MS-20 models the later MS-20 filter design. Unlike the synthesizer, it has Master Cutoff to change the low-pass and high-pass filters together. Independent cutoff controls remain. This provides extra flexibility, especially for automation and modulation. Stereo changes cutoff differently for left and right channels. Assigning an envelope to it can create a distinctive panning-like effect.

Distortion also comes from the Korg MS-20 and, according to Arturia, recreates its dark, heavy character. Two cut filters remove unwanted frequencies to shape the sound. These particular controls cannot be modulated.

The other knobs can be modulated. Sources include an envelope follower, step sequencer, and function generator with simple LFO shapes or more complex user-drawn repeating patterns. Input audio or a DAW sidechain can also provide control. Modulation can turn a sustained sound into a rhythmic sequence, add aggression, or develop an existing part. Filter MS-20 examples are available on the manufacturer's website, or try the demo yourself.

Rev LX-24

Rev LX-24 is based on the legendary Lexicon 224 digital reverb, widely used in major recording studios. It appears on many hits from the 80s. Its flexible controls and clean, detailed sound helped establish the approach of later digital reverbs.

Arturia aims to recreate all eight original Lexicon algorithms in Rev LX-24.

The interface follows the hardware remote, with characteristic buttons and faders for the main parameters. Buttons change decay behavior and converter modes. Mode Enhancement continuously modulates delay algorithms for a more natural reverb tail. Decay Optimization also improves the natural decay. It slightly increases clarity and makes the decay less uniform.

Three buttons select converter modes with different characters, mainly at high frequencies. Vintage 12 and Vintage 24 model the original circuitry, with 12-bit and 24-bit conversion and an 8 kHz high-frequency filter as stated in the source. Modern is cleaner, omitting the filter and double-conversion emulation while retaining the input transformer model.

Faders adjust the selected reverb algorithm. Decay sets reverb time. Bass Offset sets low-frequency reverb time within the range chosen by Crossover. Crossover adjusts from 100 Hz to 10.9 kHz. Damping controls the high-frequency content. Pre-Delay sets the delay between the incoming signal and the start of reverberation. Distance adjusts the apparent distance between source and reverberation. Dry/Wet allows use directly on a track or channel rather than a send bus.

More controls are available in Advanced view.

A large visualizer shows the processed spectrum and reverb intensity. Main-view parameters are repeated directly over the spectrum. This helps users adjust the sound from graphical feedback rather than fader numbers alone.

Additional effects sit below. Drive adds input harmonics and High Pass filters the signal before reverb. Ducker, Tremolo, and Gate dynamically reduce reverb level. Several modulation waveforms or a DAW sidechain provide control. Output options include Brightness shelving EQ, Stereo Width, and Reverb Level for use outside a send bus.

Although Rev LX-24 models older hardware, it remains useful in modern projects. Its distinctive character fits comfortably in a mix. Processing examples are available on the manufacturer's website, along with a full demo version.

Conclusions

This update adds four excellent effects, expanding the collection's processing and creative range. Rev LX-24 and Dist COLDFIRE are especially useful and interesting. Rotary CLS-222 and Filter MS-20 are equally well made but suit more specific tasks. Overall, the update is attractive. It is also good to see existing effects receiving improvements and presets. Current prices and licensed Arturia software in Russia are available from the official representative MPC Distribution.

Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/soft/arturia-fx-collection-4.shtml.