AudioThing Dub Filter is a new highpass filter plugin (mac, iOS, and windows) modeled on King Tubb’s iconic Big Knob.
There are many different music styles. Many were influenced by specific instruments or effects: techno by Roland bassline synths and drum machines, synth wave partly by the Juno Chorus, or Jamaican dub music by a highpass filter.
AudioThing has emulated this particular filter in collaboration with the music producer Alborosie in the Dub Station plugin back in 2021. This agreement, however, has now expired, and the plugin is being discontinued. Dub Filter is the successor and it’s a free upgrade for existing Dub Station users.
AudioThing Dub Filter
Dub Filter is not a classic filter plugin. It’s not based on a multimode core but uses highpass filtering. More precisely, it is modeled after King Tubby’s iconic Big Knob and its Altec 9069B highpass filter core.
As a reminder, Big Knob is a passive highpass filter with eleven frequency steps from 70Hz to 7.5KHz. The plugin has various controls, including cutoff frequency (OFF—7.5k), impedance (resonance), and a section, allowing you to tweak its character in detail.
It consists of four controls: magnetism, character, dynamics, and artifacts. AudioThing says:
- Magnetism: Controls the non-linear model of the inductance being used in the circuit emulation, affecting the slope and intensity of the generated harmonic content
- Character: Controls the non-linear behavior of the filter, controlling the amount of harmonic content generated
- Dynamics: Controls how smooth is the frequency change made by the non-linear physical model of the inductance; with extreme settings, the model might sound like an envelope filter
Further, AudioThing added two modulation sources to Dub Filter: a multi-wave LFO and an envelope follower—great additions to create rhythmic pulsations and organic filter movements.
Dub Filter also has dedicated input, mix, and output controls. Also onboard is a preset system with a built-in patch randomizer for instant new results.
First Impression
A plugin discontinuation is always unpleasant. However, it is positive that the plugin will have a second life in a different form, and you don’t have to pay extra to get the new version.
AudioThing Dub Filter is available now for an introductory price of 29€ instead of 59€. It runs as a 64-bit VST, VST3, AU, AAX and CLAP plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel), Linux and Windows.
Dub Filter is free for previous owners of our discontinued product, Dub Station. You can get an additional discount if you own Outer Space and/or Springs.
The iOS version with AUv3 support is available now for $9,99 instead of $14,99 on the Apple AppStore.
More information here: AudioThing
Available at my partner
It supports Linux, like most of their plugins, which is not mentioned in this article.
Also Ubuntu 24.04 being released this month and will have built in real-time kernel support for the desktop, specifically with audio and multimedia in mind. It will also have pipewire as the default audio manager. which has matured greatly and is mostly standard for all major distro’s now. These features will make the out of box experience for gaming and multimedia much much better. The year of linux desktop has arrived – just kidding.