Blue Cat’s Destructor is a powerful distortion and amp sim modeling tool capable of simulating any kind of distortion: from harsh digital destruction to smooth compression or guitar amp simulation (works for clean tones too!), and most importantly, yours!

What’s new in 1.6?

• Improved Tone Maps navigation, with updated user interface (for amp simulation and 9 built-in effects).
• Added MIDI control support (MIDI CC messages) for Next and Previous Preset commands, with MIDI learn.
• Improved MIDI & automation control settings with lock, reset and “save as global setting” capabilities.
• Preset files can now be dropped onto the preset LCD area to be loaded.
• Level meters, spectrum analyzers and tuner stop processing when the user interface is closed, reducing CPU usage.
• Multiple DSP performance improvements.
• Reduced the number of threads used by the plug-ins.
• Improved global and preset settings window loading time on Windows.
• Reduced time to load Axiom, Destructor or any built-in plug-in.
• Full unicode support.
• Native Apple Silicon (M1 processor) support.
• Dropped 32-bit support on Mac.
• Now requires MacOS 10.9 and newer.
• Fixed VST3 (and sometimes VST) version freezing Ableton Live upon save on Windows.
• New “Guitar Pedal” mode: build your own effect pedals with Destructor.
• New drive range parameter to adjust the range of distortion available in a preset.
• Revisited all 707 factory presets and related tone maps, with adjusted drive range and improved tone.
• Added 19 new distortion and compression pedals presets.
• The opacity of the tone map window can now be adjusted.
• Arrow keys can now be used to navigate presets, in the main view or in the presets browser.
• Smoother presets switching.
• Improved smooth plug-in bypass (faster and smoother transition).
• Level meters, spectrum analyzers and tuner stop processing when the user interface is closed, reducing CPU usage.

Main Features

• Powerful distortion and amp modeling tool.
• Simulate any kind of distortion: analog or digital, guitar and bass amps, saturation, clipping, compression, bit crushing…
• Works for “clean” sounds too.
• Get started with several hundreds of fully editable presets, inspired by real gear.
• More than 1600 visual styles to customize the user experience.
• Control the dynamics with the input gate and compressor.
• Control the tone with the pre and post filters.
• Exclusive shape dynamics control: adapt the tone to the dynamics of the signal.
• Use the internal or external side chain to trigger the distortion.
• Protect your ears with the output brickwall limiter.
• Comprehensive visual feedback: real time spectrum analysis, dynamic distortion curve display with embedded signal histograms.
• Load reference curves for tone matching.
• No latency.

It is delivered with hundreds of presets and predefined models, either inspired by existing gear (guitar & bass amps or cabinets, compressors, pedals, tape machines…) or created by our destructive minds.

But the plug-in is not limited to these predefined models: all parameters of existing presets are fully editable, which gives you access to an unlimited number of distortion simulations – no need to purchase extra presets or amp models to build your custom tone.

Based on a perceptual model rather than on electronic designs or impulse responses, the signal chain is reduced to its bare minimum, simplifying the process of tweaking the tone and making it fit into the mix.

Thanks to its exclusive adaptive shaper, it is reactive to the playing of instrumentists, providing a very natural feeling, similar to analog gear.

To make the look and feel of the plug-in fit with your favorites tones, it is bundled with more than 1600 visual styles that can be selected separately for each module.

It is also possible to import reference curves measured with Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst Multi to quickly match existing tones.

Credits: this plug-in includes several factory presets created by Sink and Hans Van Even.