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VZTec Releases FREE Malibu Reverb-Tremolo Pedal Plugin

By 8 Comments3 Mins Read
VZTec debuts free Malibu plugin beta, which replicates Malibu reverb-tremolo pedal

VZTec just debuted the beta release of the free Malibu plugin, a digital replication of the Singletone Malibu reverb and tremolo pedal. 

The plugin is for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. VZTec states that it “allows you not only to incorporate the characteristic audio of the Malibu into your productions but also to remotely test the pedal from your home or studio.”

Argentine boffins VZTec developed the plugin in collaboration with their countrymen at Singletone Amplification.

The Malibu plugin has two modes of operation, with the Original mode designed to fully replicate all the functionality and sound of the original guitar pedal, I guess without the ability to throw it at your bassist when he plays out of time.

The Extended mode offers, you guessed it, extended functionality thanks to the digital design, such as presets, stereo input and output, zero noise floor, zero harmonic distortion and more.

Both the Malibu plugin and the pedal have a suitably breezy pink interface that lays out the key controls in a simple format. 

There’s no shortage of formats for the release, as the Malibu plugin is available in AU, VST 2, VST 3, LV2 and CLAP. 

Looking for audio samples of the plugin on YouTube only nets you surfboard reviews, although Singletone Amplification produced several audio demos for YouTube that show the original guitar pedal in action.

YouTube video

Singletone Amplification recorded a range of covers with the pedal, and the hardware unit certainly sounds excellent, providing a vibey trem mood on John Lennon’s “Hold On” then switching gears to provide a rocking replication of the iconic trem intro of Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” 

There are also several other sounds and moods displayed in the collection of covers. 

VZTec provided the option of downloading their installer or doing a manual installation for each of the three compatible operating systems. 

You gotta give props to the developer for making the download a hassle-free, single-click process straight from the product page. 

The release is also quick to download, at 5 Mb for the Windows installer and 11 Mb for the manual Windows install files.

VZtec’s other offerings are largely based around guitar hardware, such as their Overdrive and Fuzz pedals, as well as a MIDI controller pedal and two footswitches. 

​Download: Malibu (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.

8 Comments

  1. Bob

     on

    Thanks. This looks great.

    A word of warning, if you’re using Ardour (tested on linux, can’t say about other platforms) don’t use the LV2. There seems to have been a bug in early versions of JUCE 7 that lead to nasty feedback with LV2 plugins in Ardour. This plugin exhibits the same issue. Use the VST/VST3 instead.

    Reply

      • Bob

         on

        It’s truly free (on linux at least, Mac and Windows have paid binaries if you don’t want to build from source). There’s no account login or activation necessary. That’s a big one for me. I want to avoid any of that nonsense on my linux music system.

        Reply
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