Dist COLDFIRE

Dual distortion reactor

Dist COLDFIRE is a dual-engine distortion effect that goes from rich tube saturation to unrestrained sonic destruction in a few clicks. Combine analog & digital algorithms with deep modulation and customization, and unlock near-infinite distortion possibilities for your sound.

To create is
to destroy

Twist the simplest groove into a gnarled web of crushed resonance; bring your instruments, vocals, and loops to life with stacked analog drive; zap a synth drone into glitchy bit-crushed mayhem that dances to your beat.

Dist COLDFIRE lets you harness not one, but two powerful distortion engines, exploring their unique and explosive synergy, and creating entirely new sounds with any input signal. This is sonic alchemy on an unprecedented level, yours to master and manipulate - what will you create?

Totally custom distortion

This is no ordinary on/off, dry/wet, analog/digital distortion. Pair up any of the 11 distortion types, from emulated tube heat to icy digital bit crush, customize your routing, sprinkle in some modulation, and forge sonic carnage that’s totally your own.

More than crunch

Create resonant metallic melodies, introduce artificial harmonic reflections, trigger wildly destructive feedback loops; go beyond conventional distortion with 6 custom modulation slots, 16-step sequencing, comb filtering, and much more.

For any sound

Enrich, saturate, pulverize, or transform any sound beyond recognition. Whether you’re looking for warm vocal enhancement, monstrous kick drum impacts, speaker-rattling bass fuzz, or denser-than-black-hole wavefolding, Dist COLDFIRE packs every punch you need.

Intuitive but powerful

Simple enough to create exciting dual distortion effects in just a few easy clicks, but flexible enough to become totally immersed in destructive sound design, Dist COLDFIRE strikes the balance between quickfire plugin and deep processing powerhouse.

Preset
library

For when you need to quickly turn up the analog heat or shatter your sound with sub-zero digital crush, Dist COLDFIRE comes loaded with more than 150 specialized presets. From mix enhancers to wild modulated chaos, you'll find your distortion flavor in seconds.

Artificier

Give your simple percussive loops & drum machine stems an android voice with edgy bit-crushing, erratic filter modulation, and erratic bursts of glitchy feedback.

Drums Sidechain Big C

A drum loop becomes an ominous bassy drone, with a pumping sidechain response and aggressive snarling quality that swells with each hit.

Random Bit Sounding

Big Stepper

Simple and familiar synth sounds become punchy, powerful, and perfect for those euphoric dancefloor moments. Create huge basses, leads, and pads that'll have you hooked.

Drum Bus Transformer & Tape

Emulating the sound of classic studio hardware, breathe new life into your drum bus with the Transformer and Tape modes, saturating your transients and accentuating the high end with band split processing.

Gentle Lo Fi

Using classic tape-style saturation, give your drums that coveted lo-fi vibe, making even the cleanest stem sound like an unearthed reel from the archives.

The sound
of alteration

Distortion is a universal thing, a cause and effect, a means and an end. The folding of an analog waveform; the dense fizziness of a classic ‘70s guitar stompbox; the bite of a sound that’s passed its threshold.

In the sphere of contemporary music, it can mean the pumping analog imperfections of artists like Caribou and Floating Points; the hybrid industrial soundscapes of acts like Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy; the seismic guitar sounds of everyone from Eric Gales to Bring Me The Horizon; the gritty, intimate production of today’s songwriting pioneers like Billie Eilish and Phoebe Bridgers.

Distortion says ‘don’t settle for a sound’. Engage Dist COLDFIRE and alter, experiment, twist, smash, and savor both the means and the end.

The distortion
catalyst

From worn out magnetic tape to clipped-signal circuitry to dramatic folds in analog waveforms, distortion can exist in many forms.

Dist COLDIRE fuses 11 of these forms into a single explosive plugin, from red-hot analog to ice-cold digital, each with distinctive controls. Get experimental and discover wild compound reactions yet unheard.

Analog

Tape

Dial in some grainy tape-style saturation and degradation, particularly effective on the low-end, perfect for that organic lo-fi sound.

Tube

The soft-clipping warmth and depth of the vacuum valve sound, rich in harmonics and highly responsive to your input.

Transistor

The biting response of classic echo box preamps, known for its presence and edgy character, great on guitars.

Transformer

A simulation of the nuanced distortion created by magnetic hysteresis, with two options: nickel, for subtle processing, and iron, for more low-mid emphasis

Germanium

The screaming tone made famous by Germanium diode amps, distortion pedals, and fuzz boxes, bright and red-hot.

Force

Based on classic studio outboard gear, with 4 modes of operation ranging from analog saturation to roaring overdrive, great for your mix bus.

Digital

Rectifier

Imitating the unique harmonic overtones and zapped character achieved by reshaping a waveform’s negative phase.

Bit Crusher

Edgy harmonics and glassy digital noise achieved by reducing the sample and bitrate of a sound, making anything sound harsh and robotic.

Bit Inverter

Introduce crisp digital distortion and unexpected artifacts by modulating a signal’s bit content in real-time.

Wavefolder

By distorting the shape of your signal’s waveform, this mode delivers unique overtones and harmonic alterations beyond recognition with 7 shapes.

Waveshaper

An incredibly flexible mode with 11 subtypes of operation, from shattered-signal fuzz to surprisingly resonant asymmetrical drive.

A closer,
look

Dist COLDFIRE is simple to use when you need it to be, geared up to unleash complex & thrilling sonic results.

Explore its accessible interface and flexible features, and savor whatever degree of destruction you’re looking for. On the other hand, if you’re looking to take your destructive sound design deeper, its advanced panel offers heaps of extra functionality and room for experimentation.

Artistscorner

PressClippings

  • Engadget

    On Dist COLDFIRE

    “Arturia's Dist Coldfire might be the only distortion plugin you need.”

  • Sonic State

    On Dist COLDFIRE

    “Dist Coldfire is absolutely fantastic. The 2 engines and the modulation makes it incredible.”

Included in
FX collection

Effects you'll actually use

This effect is part of FX Collection, a suite of essential audio effect plugins empowering musicians, producers, and artists to get creative with their production. From iconic recording gear modeled with breathtaking accuracy, to cutting-edge contemporary effects, the collection includes the most sought-after studio tools, rare guitar pedals, modern mix enhancers, and beyond. Elevate your production and add color to your mix like never before.

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The features
you need

  • DAW ready

    However you use these plugins; for the amazing tone of their reverb, for the gritty preamps, or for their incredible sound design abilities, you'll be safe in the knowledge that they are fully compatible with your setup. These plugins work with all major DAWs, and on both Windows and MacOS.

  • ASC

    Arturia Software Center lets you download, organize, and update all of your Arturia software titles in one place, as well as manage all of your licenses across multiple devices. Keep it simple.

  • Resizable GUI

    Whether you want the full visual immersion of our classic effects emulations, or to save precious screen real estate, the interfaces for all of your Arturia plugins can be resized to a scale that suits you.

  • Real-time control

    Every parameter in every FX Collection plugin can be mapped to your favorite MIDI controller for instant, hands-on control of your mix. Sweep a filter, crank a preamp, or warp your modulation on the fly.

  • In-App Tutorials

    Every plugin in FX Collection comes with built-in tutorials, guiding you step-by-step through the crucial parameters, adjustments, and mixing hacks to get the most out of your sound. The tutorial panel also explains the controls you’re using in real-time - so you’ll never miss a tweak.

  • Preset browser

    FX Collection’s streamlined preset browser lets you filter, organize, and save your favorite presets for instant recall. Search by instrument type, genre, production technique, and much more - so you can quickly find the tweak you need and save valuable creative time!

TAE® Powered

The exclusive analog modeling technology that makes our emulations indistinguishable from the originals.

By accurately mimicking the characteristics of analog oscillators, filters, and soft clipping, we can provide astonishing component-accurate detail and authentic analog charm in equal measure.

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Gallery

Main Features

Two distortion engines

11 distortion algorithms to choose from, each with specific controls:

  • Tape
  • Tube
  • Transistor
  • Transformer
  • Rectifier
  • Germanium
  • Force
  • Bit Crusher
  • Bit Inverter
  • Wavefolder
  • Waveshaper

Hidden Advanced control panel for in-depth sound design

5 routing options: Serial, Parallel, Stereo, Mid/Side, Band Split

Routing balance slider to blend Distortions A & B, with real-time visualizer

Pre or Post 3-mode Dynamics module: Compressor, Multiband, Limiter

Feedback module

6-mode Pre Filter per distortion engine, including Comb Filtering

2-band Post Filter per distortion engine

6 assignable modulation slots, each with 4 modes: LFO, Function, Follower, 16-Step Sequencer

Over 150 presets built-in

A/B comparison

Oversampling

Platforms specifications

Windows

  • Win 10+ (64bit)
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost)
  • 1GB free hard disk space
  • OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU
  • ARM processors not supported on Windows

Required configuration

  • VST, AAX, Audio Unit, NKS (64-bit DAWs only).

Apple

  • Mac OS 10.13+
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost) or M1 CPU
  • 1GB free hard disk space
  • OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

Work with ASC

  • An elegant and simple solution to help you install, activate, and update your Arturia software.

* All manufacturer and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Arturia. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose features and sound were studied during the development. All names of equipment, inventors, and manufacturers have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only, and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement by any equipment inventor or manufacturer.

NKS ready