Soundtoys Decapitator 5 – Analog Saturation and Distortion Plug-in
Soundtoys Decapitator 5 is the go-to analog saturation and distortion plug-in for producers, engineers, and sound designers who want warmth, edge, and grit in their tracks. Modeled after five classic pieces of analog hardware—including Neve, Ampex, Thermionic Culture, and EMI-style units—Decapitator gives you the power to dial in everything from subtle harmonic enhancement to aggressive, full-on distortion.
Now updated for Soundtoys 5.5, Decapitator 5 features native Apple Silicon support and a resizable user interface, making it fully optimized for modern production environments. Whether you’re heating up drums, adding bite to vocals, or thickening synths and guitars, Decapitator delivers bold, musical saturation that reacts like real hardware.
Key Features:
- Analog-modeled saturation and distortion inspired by five classic circuits
- Selectable tone models: A, E, N, T, and P for distinct sonic flavors
- Punish button for over-the-top distortion
- Tone and high-cut/low-cut filters for detailed control
- Mix control for parallel processing and subtle blending
- Integrated into the Soundtoys Effect Rack for advanced routing
- Resizable UI and VST3 support
- Native Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) compatibility
System Requirements:
- Formats: VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit only)
- macOS: 10.12 or later (Intel & Apple Silicon supported)
- Windows: 7 or later (64-bit)
- DAW: Compatible with all major 64-bit hosts
- iLok account required (dongle optional)
Perfect For:
- Producers adding warmth or edge to drums, vocals, and instruments
- Mix engineers needing analog-style tone shaping
- Sound designers seeking dynamic and musical distortion
- Anyone looking to emulate the sound of real analog gear in-the-box
Soundtoys Decapitator 5 is not just a distortion plug-in—it’s a character tool. From gentle tube saturation to brutal analog destruction, it delivers authentic hardware tone with the flexibility of digital workflow.