DELTA distortion plugin by NEST Acoustics interface

DELTA: Sidechain Distortion Plugin by NEST Acoustics

Rated 4.5/5 on Plugin Boutique (28 ratings)

DELTA is a distortion plugin from NEST Acoustics that saturates audio through a secondary sidechain input, so you hear only the effect on the main signal. It offers 10 distortion models and ENV dynamics shaping.

VST3AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

DELTA is an effects plugin from NEST Acoustics in the distortion category. Its main idea is sidechain-driven saturation: a secondary "ghost" input drives the distortion of your main signal, letting one track color another. Beyond that core approach, the plugin provides 10 distortion models, ENV-based dynamics shaping and dual-band processing for working on lows, mids and highs separately. It is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS.

Best for

Sidechain saturation
Mix glue between tracks
Drum bus coloring
Bass distortion with ducking
Experimental sound design
Vintage distortion tones

Developer: NEST Acoustics
Category: Distortion
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Distortion driven by a secondary sidechain "ghost" input
10 distortion models, from vintage emulations to creative designs
ENV dynamics shaping for sidechain ducking or gating
Dual-band processing with separate saturation for lows, mids and highs
Transparent track blending or experimental sound design
Zero-latency operation with the limiter bypassed
Lightweight performance on Intel, AMD and Apple Silicon CPUs

03In depth

Sidechain Saturation and Ducking Controls

DELTA routes a sidechain signal into a ghost input that drives distortion on your main track. Because you hear only the impact on the main signal, you can use it to fuse a mix, letting tracks influence each other without traditional bus processing.

The ENV dynamics section shapes the output by following the sidechain signal. Depending on the setting, this produces downward ducking or more nuanced gating, which can help tighten the relationship between elements such as drums and bass.

Dual-Band Saturation and Distortion Models

Dual-band processing lets you apply different saturation to different parts of the spectrum. NEST Acoustics describes the option of letting highs stay open while the mids are disrupted, or ducking subs cleanly under the distortion.

The 10 distortion models range from vintage emulations to modern creative designs. The developer also points to harmonic intermodulation as a route to experimental sound design.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	NEST Acoustics
Type	Plugin
Category	Distortion
Formats	VST3, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats and operating systems does DELTA support?

DELTA is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats. It runs on Windows 10 or later (64-bit) and macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later, with Intel and Apple Silicon Macs supported.

How does the sidechain input work in DELTA?

A secondary "ghost" sidechain input drives the distortion applied to your main signal. You hear only the impact on the main signal, which allows tracks to color each other.