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Variety of Sound Releases Free ThrillseekerXTC Mk III For Windows

By 26 Comments2 Mins Read
New ThrillseekerXTC Mk III exciter is FREE at Variety of Sound

Variety of Sound released the ThrillseekerXTC Mk III exciter for Windows, and it’s available for FREE from the company’s website.

The ThrillseekerXTC is a contemporary exciter built around a parallel analog equalizer. 

The tagline for the plugin is “bringing mojo back,” and Variety of Sound states it’s all about “adding weight, vibe, and attitude back to the sound.” At the same time, the developer explains that the plugin takes “our hearing sensitivity into account, especially regarding the perception of audio transients, masking effects, and loudness.”

The ThrillseekerXTC has frequency boosting on three individual parallel bands, which offer pre-selected frequency ranges for the low, mid, and high-frequency spectra. The mid band also provides compression via its opto-electrical circuit.

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Variety of Sound has also included a dedicated output state that adds further idiosyncrasies, as typically found in transformer-coupled tube stages.

The ThrillseekerXTC delivers the character of an analogue signal path, as well as providing a rich low-end and expressive high-end.

The main update for the Mk III version is the addition of VST3 support. Previously, the plugin was only available for VST, but now it is available in both formats.

Variety of Sound has made several other improvements, such as decoupling the EQ from the Drive and Mojo controls. 

The Drive and Mojo parameters now instead control a dedicated downstream output amplifier stage.

The overall THD performance has also been improved, now providing effectively distortion-free compression in the mid-range and a silky high-end

The ThrillseekerXTC now features updated components, with two new audio transformer circuits and a new inductor-based (LC) filter network.

Additional changes are listed in the manual, which is included when you download the plugin. 

Variety of Sound has a range of freeware plugins available on their download page, which you can check out here.

Note that several other plugins with Thrillseeker in the name are also on the download page, so just double-check the version you’re downloading. 

Recent releases from the developer include the TesslaSE Mk II saturator and widener, ThrillseekerLA optical stereo compressor, BaxterEQ transparent mastering and mix bus shelving EQ, and the NastyDLA Mk III chorus echo with tape-delay simulation.

Download: ThrillseekerXTC Mk III (FREE)

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Stephen is a musician and journalist who hails from Melbourne, Australia. He learned everything he knows about production from Google and used that vast knowledge to create a series of records you definitely haven’t heard of.

26 Comments

      • C

         on

        The mkIII version primarily introduces VST3 support as well as a number of changes and improvements in the following areas:

        “Decoupling EQ from DRIVE/MOJO controls – the latter now controls a dedicated downstream output amplifier stage
        Improved overall THD performance featuring effectively distortion-free compression for the mid-range as well as a silky top-end
        Updated components, two new audio transformer circuits introduced, new inductor based (LC) filter network

        A complete list is provided in the included manual.”

        Reply

    • Michael A

       on

      No, there’s no need to bloat every headline with unnecessarily information just for Apple users.

      Imagine if every single piece of software and hardware had to have “FOR WINDOWS(!!!)” printed on its top, on its price tag, on its advertisements, on every door of the store that sells it, just because it doesn’t run or have drivers for Linux. As an exaggerated example. I’m not a Linux user, but they know how to educate themselves on matters without causing a commotion.

      Maybe in the distant future Photoshop will run on Linux and every hardware will have a driver for Linux. Personally, as a software developer I wouldn’t touch Apple with a ten foot pole. Spend a few months developing some lovely piece of software and then spend the rest of your life completely rewriting it over and over for Apple, buying new apple computers in a panic just so you can recompile it, test it, run through their ridiculous hoops. No.

      Reply

      • MRG

         on

        Maybe use a small emoji for OSes? I’m pretty sure there’s a window, x and penguin emojis somewhere in that ever-growing insane list of chocolate ice cream…

        Reply

  7. KL

     on

    Klanghelm has released a new plug in called Tens jr. Its a spring reverb. Base on previous experience with their products, it should be pretty good

    Reply

      • alex

         on

        It’s always been like that. I assume if Tony was selling his plugins for $100 or more they would be mentioned more. Tens jr. sounds great, BTW.

        Reply

      • Synthiemental

         on

        Everyone with at least some experience knows that Klanghelm is top-notch! Its just that we live in times of constant novelty, overhyped mediocracy and short attention spans.

        Since Klanghelm hasn’t released any new product in years, they haven’t been part of the conversation much lately. Good to see Klanghelm back!

        Toni is (my impression as a curious observer from the outside) a really conscientious guy ehen it comes to developing plugins, so he takes whatever time he needs to develop and fine tune his algorithms. I’m especially delighted to see him coming back with a spring reverb, since this is one of my favourity type of effects.

        And his pricing model of very affordable big versions, accompanied by fully functional smaller freeware versions of the same effect + non-obtrusive copy protection is one of the best in the audio plugin industry.

        For example: Tokyo Dawn Labs followed the same model that Klanghelm has pioneered. Others should follow, since clearly Klanghelm and Tokyo Dawn Labs are both held in highest regard by anyone who understands anything about audio mixing plugins.

        Reply

  9. John

     on

    Michael, thank you for your dissertation on the challenges of creating cross-platform software, but with all due respect I think you missed my point.

    The vast majority of plugin offerings highlighted on BPB are released in multiple formats including AU, because developers wisely recognize that a major segment of music creators (especially in the professional realm) use Macs. Therefore they know that to be taken seriously, they’ll need to create versions for this sizable audience.

    I suspect you’re not a plugin developer. It’s my understanding that most modern plugin libraries support multi-format builds for a single plugin codebase (VST, VST3, AU, AAX, etc.). So if you “spend the rest of your life rewriting it over and over for Apple”, you’re doing something very, very wrong.

    Finally, understand that I am not asking for EVERY article to include the supported platforms in the headline; only the infrequent cases where a plugin supports only Windows (or Mac, for that matter) to prevent wasting time reading about something you can’t use. This is a very reasonable request, and Tomislav has agreed to do this recently for his own posts.

    I hope that clears things up!

    Reply

    • Michael A

       on

      It is reasonable, I agree! Thank you. I think a operating system tag under the article headline would be a nice unobtrusive solution.

      You’re welcome for the dissertation :) I wish my master’s thesis had been as quick to write! I should go for a doctorate.

      I’m not a plugin developer yet, but I did make mobile games before, and the busywork imposed by Apple made publishing for iPhone an impossibility for me as a solo developer, with limited time and no extra thousands to buy the Apple computer required for said busywork.

      Judging by the amount of tormented wailing from developers over “signed”, “rosetta”, “M2”, “silicon”, “native”, “big sur” and other derangement, I suspect that supporting Apple in plugin development will require the same overhead of a minimum of 20% extra work, doubled hardware investment, etc. Only this time it would be recurring and unforeseeable, unlike in mobile games (or Windows plugins) where you finalise, publish, and go on peacefully developing the next product, only needing bug fixes if that. The saved time and effort can go towards making another plugin.

      As for Apple being used by professionals, I think that’s only partially true nowadays. I also believe Variety of Sound to be very highly regarded despite their lack of Apple support.

      I say this in no hostility. Blessed be Apple developers and having choice in operating systems!

      Reply

  10. Bast

     on

    I am very grateful for these plugins and efforts of VOS.
    Unfortunately they don’t work in my Bitwig environment.

    com.bitwig.flt.library.metadata.reader.exception.CouldNotReadMetadataException: could not read metadata:

    If someomne know how to get them working I wouold appreciate a hint.

    Reply
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