Goliath V2 by Tone Empire channel strip plugin interface

Goliath V2: Analog-Style Saturation and Channel Strip by Tone Empire Free Download

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (338 ratings)

Goliath V2 is a channel strip plugin from Tone Empire that combines four analog-modelled saturation chains with a FET-style compressor, a 3-band EQ and a low cut filter. It is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS.

VST3AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Goliath V2 is Tone Empire's update to its top-selling Goliath plugin, rebuilt with a new sound engine and new features. Its signal chain runs from a low cut EQ, through one of four analog processing choices, into an envelope section and then a 3-band EQ. The developer says the saturation models were built from multiple samples of real gear at different levels, using its proprietary Multi Convolution and component modelling technique. Tone Empire describes the plugin as a versatile channel strip with several colors of sound processing.

Best for

Drum bus saturation
Vocal channel processing
Mix bus coloration
Tape-style warmth
Vinyl-style mastering color
Transient shaping

Developer: Tone Empire
Category: Channel Strips
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Four analog-modelled saturation chains: ALLOY, TUBE, TAPE and VINYL
DRIVE control adds saturation without changing output level
Env-EQ MIX sets the blend of saturation before envelope and EQ
1176-style FET compressor with variable threshold and preset timing
Preset attack and release times from fast to slow
Ratios from 2:1 up to an all-buttons-in setting
Three-band peak EQ centered at 65 Hz, 1.5 kHz and 15 kHz
First-order low cut filter adjustable from 20 Hz to 60 Hz
OUTPUT control from negative infinity to +10 dB

03In depth

Four Saturation Models and Drive Control

The analog processing selector offers four choices. ALLOY is based on a British 1081-style sound with transformers made of nickel, iron and steel. TUBE uses a modelled valve chain with an AIR circuit and adds second-order harmonics. TAPE is modelled on an ATR-700 tape recorder running at 15 ips and adds third-order harmonic saturation. VINYL uses a mastering chain feeding a Neumann vinyl cutting machine, with impulse responses sampled from a dubplate.

The DRIVE control pushes the selected chain harder, moving from a light touch to full saturation. Output levels stay consistent as you drive it, so you do not have to keep readjusting the output. The Env-EQ MIX control sets how much of the saturated signal is blended in ahead of the envelope and EQ sections, working as a dry/wet control for that stage.

Envelope Compressor and 3-Band EQ

The envelope section is an 1176-style FET compressor with a variable threshold. Attack, release and ratio are preset, with attack and release times running from fast to slow and ratios from 2:1 up to an all-buttons-in setting. The developer says these settings were chosen to suit a wide range of material, including drums, piano and vocals.

The EQ section includes a first-order low cut filter from 20 Hz to 60 Hz and three peak bands. The low band is centered at 65 Hz, the mid band at 1.5 kHz and the high band at 15 kHz. Each band boosts or cuts by up to 10 dB. The OUTPUT control runs from negative infinity to +10 dB, which is useful for a boost after heavy compression or for trimming levels.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Tone Empire
Type	Plugin
Category	Channel Strip
Formats	VST3, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Goliath V2?

Goliath V2 is a channel strip plugin from Tone Empire. It combines four saturation models, a FET-style envelope compressor, a 3-band EQ and a low cut filter in one signal chain.

What formats and operating systems does Goliath V2 support?

Goliath V2 is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats. It runs on Windows 10 or later and macOS 10.13 or later, and the plugin is 64-bit only.

What do I need to run Goliath V2?

You need a 64-bit host that supports VST3, AU or AAX, an Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen equivalent processor, 2 GB of RAM, 300 MB of disk space and a screen resolution of at least 1024×768. A trial version is available.