Rob Papen DelGrain is a new granular delay plugin for macOS and Windows with morphing capabilities using the Disrupt Sphere.
Granular synthesis accompanies us throughout 2025. We already have plenty of new hardware and software products for this special synthesis form. And the year is not yet over, so more granular fun will await us. Here comes the next one.
Rob Papen has just updated its eXplorer-10 bundle with another plugin, the DelGrain, an intriguing granular delay.
Rob Papen DelGrain
DelGrain is a new granular delay plugin and a new member of Rob Papen’s lineup of effects plugins. According to Rob, DelGrain has a lot in common with the DelSane delay.
At its core is an engine that plays back audio in a granular, or grainy way. Instead of simply delaying the audio, the engine breaks the audio signals into tiny fragments and then delays them. However, this granular moment is customizable in DelGrain.
You can choose where the granulator effects the audio signal. This can be ahead of the delay, inside the delay, after the delay, or even parallel to the delay, or in other ways. This provides a great deal of flexibility and a broader scope for granular delay effects.
Of course, everything in DelGrain is adjustable down to the last detail. You can tweak the grain size and length, as well as use a semi-tune feature (12 semi-units up or down).
Rhythmic in-time effects are also possible thanks to the tempo-sync option for both parameters. This extends the range of applications to sounds like drums and percussion loops.
Then, you can shape the signal further with a built-in multimode filter, featuring a high-pass/low-pass combo, a band-pass filter, and a vocal/vowel filter. With the dedicated mode window, you can place it after the delay/granular at different spots.
Additionally, you can use a distortion module to mangle the audio before it enters the granular delay.
Like DelSane, Rob Papen also implemented his original Disrupt Sphere into the new DelGrain plugin. By sliding the sphere manually or automatically from left to right or vice versa, you can morph multiple parameters in different creative ways.
First Impression
A lovely granular delay with some creative extras. Positioning the granulator in specific places or using the sphere for morphing looks fun.
Rob Papen DelGrain is available now at an introductory price of $24,50 USD/24,50 €, down from $ 35/35 €. It’s a free download for existing eXplorer 10 bundle users.
It runs as a VST3, AU, and AAX plugin for macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Rob Papen
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DelGrain sounds like a creative twist on granular processing, especially with the flexible placement of the granulator in or around the delay path. The Disrupt Sphere morphing also feels like a fun way to bring movement and unpredictability. Really curious how it compares to DelSane in real-world use.