Xnullx has released five free audio plugins for macOS and Windows for heavy sound mangling and sound design.
We’re currently being inundated with new plugins from new developers. Coincidentally, they all use the same website designer, making everything look the same. Not a coincidence; AI makes it possible.
Anyone using AI for this is very likely also using it for plugins. Xnullx is a new developer company in the same boat, having released five new plugins all at once.
Xnullx Free Plugins
Yes, there are five new free plugins from the new developer Xnullx. A glance at their website and interfaces is enough, in my opinion, to get thinking about AI. Same generic website and interface that looks very interchangeable.
On the virtual table are five free plugins for macOS and Windows: Grainbrain, O2, Bunka, Foldspace, and Halide.
Grainbrain is a stereo multiband granular processor that splits your signal into independent frequency bands, and fragments each one into grains. Each band has its own 8-voice granular engine with its own parameters, LFO, spectrum view, and gate.
Then O2 (not the network provider) is a three-band saturation-and-width processor. Each band houses a different saturation type (diode, op-amp, etc.) with several variants per type, as well as other shaping parameters such as hiss, drift, and more.
Bunka is a beat-slicing instrument that lets you load your own samples and use automatic transient detection. With the built-in 12-slot pattern bank, you can re-sequence the slice. Among other things, it also offers MPC-style repitching, reverse playback, pitch-serve mode, and more.
Foldspace & Halide
Number four of the new Xnullx free plugins is Foldspace, a multi-FX that combines phase modulation and a 3-point wavefolding. It can take input audio directly, use an internal carrier oscillator, pitch-tracking, or MIDI notes. Interesting plugin to make chaos in your sounds.
Last but not least, we have Halide, an ambient processor for macOS and Windows. It’s based on a grain cloud that feeds a spectral smear engine. In easy terms: take audio and it flips it into blurry, smooth layers.
Halide also has a freeze function, feedback control, music pitch mode, motion, and a 16-second rolling buffer.
First Impression
I won’t be covering every AI-assisted plugin that comes out in the next few months. Sorry. However, I’m keeping an eye on the market and handpicking a few interesting ones that are maybe worth exploring.
These five are interesting sound design plugins that you can have fun with.
The Xnullx plugins are now available for free download. They run as VST3 and AU plugins on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Xnullx
Wow yeah unfinished unpolished AI crap.
The website drives my browser into heavy cpu load. Even switched on the fans on my MBP M1.
The only one I tried was Halide -it installed to the wrong directory. it can’t be resized so it is almost impossible to see on my screen. it is idiosyncratic with its controls. made some okay sounds
Thank God I already have great plugins and can ignore this junk