Eventide’s CrushStation is a plug-in version of a popular algorithm from Eventide’s H9 stomp box. CrushStation is a stereo distortion sys- tem for Macs, PCs, or iPad/iPhones. It comes with 35 excellent and well thought out presets that do more than just “rough up” the sound.
I’m using CrushStation in my Pro Tools music mixing as an AAX plug-in to add mostly color and “dirty” compression. But there are other processors here: how about a good three-band equalizer, a simplified noise gate, or an octave mixer that is glitch-free with both upper and lower octaves ready to go.
I especially like the built-in programmable Ribbon controller. It adds a live performance feel easily. The Ribbon is automatable and you can program several parameters to morph between or change back and forth simultaneously to fit the music. I had loads of fun with this very creative tool programming the Ribbon on an ordinary-sounding bass guitar track. I started with a preset called Hair On Your Chest and then got sufficiently wacky.
I also found the HotSwitch useful to go between two sets of control parameters within the same preset. I use this for two levels of crush on a single guitar track. I ended up using and modifying a preset called “VHS Tape” for a funky clavinet track and put preset “Punkrock Lobster” on the drum overhead tracks. Nothing this fun sounding has come out of my studio monitors for a long while.
Eventide CrushStation is part of the H9 Plug-in Series that includes UltraTap, MangleVerb, Blackhole and Spring. CrushStation sells for $99 MSRP. Crazy fun CrushStation!
