Destructor 2 by Blue Cat Audio distortion and amp sim plugin interface

Destructor 2: Distortion and Amp Sim Plugin by Blue Cat Audio

Blue Cat's Destructor 2 is a distortion and amp simulation plugin from Blue Cat Audio. It covers styles from analog and digital distortion to guitar amps, clean tones and bit crushing, and it runs on Windows and macOS in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Destructor 2 is a distortion plugin that combines amp modeling with a wide range of drive types. Blue Cat Audio lists analog and digital distortion, saturation, clipping, compression, bit crushing and clean tones among its options. Hundreds of editable presets, many based on real-world gear, give you a starting point, and every parameter can be adjusted. The plugin works on guitars, bass, drums, synths, vocals and full mixes, and it is presented as a tool for building your own signature tone.

Best for

Guitar amp simulation
Bass distortion
Drum saturation
Synth and vocal coloring
Lo-fi and fuzz effects
Side chain distortion

Developer: Blue Cat Audio
Category: Distortion
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Amp modeling and distortion tool for sound sculpting
Distortion types from analog and digital to clean tones
Hundreds of editable presets, many inspired by real gear
Input gate and compressor for dynamics control
Pre and post filters with peak and comb options
Exclusive shape dynamics control for signal-dependent tone
Tone maps for morphing presets in 2D
Internal or external side chain triggering
Load and blend custom cabinet or reverb impulse responses
Output brickwall limiter, spectrum analysis and reference curves

03In depth

Distortion types and tone shaping

Destructor 2 covers a broad spectrum of distortion, from guitar and bass amp simulations to saturation, clipping, bit crushing and compression. Pre and post filters let you shape the tone before and after the drive stage, and peak and comb filters were added in version 2.0 for more precise control.

The shape dynamics control adapts the tone to the dynamics of the signal, which Blue Cat describes as an exclusive feature. Tone maps let you explore and morph presets in two dimensions to find new sounds without working through every parameter.

Workflow, routing and visual feedback

An input gate and compressor manage dynamics, and an output brickwall limiter protects your monitoring chain. Internal or external side chain triggering lets the distortion follow a rhythm or another track.

You can load your own cabinet or reverb impulse responses and blend them with the built-in simulations. Real-time spectrum analysis and a distortion curve display with signal histograms show what the plugin is doing, and reference curves can be loaded for tone matching. Blue Cat states that the plugin adds no latency. An easy view with a simplified EQ section suits quick, rack or pedal-style editing.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Blue Cat Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	Distortion
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Destructor 2 support?

Destructor 2 is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats. It runs on Windows and macOS and is 64-bit.

What do I need to use Destructor 2?

Destructor 2 is a plugin, so it needs a compatible host application that supports one of its formats: VST3, VST2, AU or AAX. It is available for Windows and macOS.