Blowdio

Blowdio is the latest effect plugin by Integraudio, which lets you add different colors and flavors of tape saturation to your sound. Broadly, it consists of four sections: Studio, Cinematic, Vintage, and Lofi, each offering a distinct flavor that may suit your sonics. 

The plugin's upper panel consists of four tabs or sections, as mentioned above.

The Studio Section tab is designed to emulate the characteristics of a modern studio environment. It offers a clean and transparent sound, ideal for adding subtle warmth and coloration without sacrificing clarity. The Lofi section of Blowdio is tailored for those seeking a gritty, vintage sound reminiscent of old-school tape recordings. 

In each tab, you get the following six switches:

• Lowpass: This switch allows you to apply a low-pass filter to the signal, cutting off higher frequencies to achieve a smoother sound.
• Wow: The Wow switch introduces a subtle modulation effect, mimicking the wow and flutter typically associated with analog tape machines.
• Digitalize: When activated, the Digitalize switch imparts a digital edge to the sound, emulating the characteristics of digital recording equipment.
• Softclip: Softclip introduces gentle saturation and compression, helping to tame transient peaks and add subtle harmonic distortion.
• Hot In: This switch simulates driving the input stage of the plugin, resulting in a hotter signal and increased saturation.
• Darken: Darken adds a touch of warmth and darkness to the sound, ideal for softening overly bright or harsh recordings.

Finally, Blowdio has a great preset browser that lets you save and recall your presets with ease. Additionally, the factory presets in the plugin are of great range and can give you a decent starting point. 

Lower panel consists of the following knobs for further processing:

• Dust: Adds simulated noise and imperfections reminiscent of aged tape recordings, enhancing vintage character.
• Flutter: Introduces subtle pitch modulation, replicating the natural fluctuations found in analog tape playback.
• Drive: Controls the input gain, adjusting the level of saturation and harmonic distortion applied to the signal.
• Tapehead: Alters the virtual playback head position, influencing the frequency response and saturation characteristics.
• Output: Adjusts the overall output level of the plugin, ensuring optimal signal balance and preventing clipping.

Overall, the plugin is quite easy to use and has a streamlined workflow. The mix knob and bypass button add an extra layer of easiness. The parameter controls are simple and you can get used to them in no time. 

Also, you can find lots of useful presets to get started with:

What does Blowdio do for you?

Blowdio is great for adding that analog tape warmth to your sounds and makes everything deeper, mellower, and smoother. The team at Integraduio also noticed that it adds lower to mid-frequency harmonics and reduces harsher and higher-mid frequencies. So, if you're looking for a saturator that will brighten up your sounds, this one is not it. 

The Studio algorithm is the most transparent of all the algorithms. It sounds quite like a cut of hot chocolate and the brightest among the four. The Cinematic algorithm, on the other hand, makes your sound fuller, deeper, and wider. You must try this, especially on percussions, synths, and guitars, and see how dense and beefy they sound after applying Blowdio. 

On drums, the Studio algorithm is arguably better as it preserves the natural tone of the sound. In contrast, the Cinematic algorithm adds too much color, which works great for warming up your synths, guitars, bass, or even vocals. 

The Vintage algorithm is also subtle like Studio, adding a nice and controlled vintage color to your sounds. Lofi is an extreme effect though and is great for adding that distorted and old-school vintage tape effect. 

If you want a distorted guitar or bass tone, simply apply the hot-in, soft clip, and digitize switches. If you want that relaxing Jazz or Blues guitar tone, apply its smooth low-pass filter, add a flutter, and use the studio or the cinematic tab. You can also make your drum thump more blast the speakers with its soft clip switch, and go from subtle saturation to insane distortion effects.

Head here for a full review - Blowdio Review

System Requirements

Mac

• macOS 10 or higher 
• 64-bit only
• VST3 & AU

Windows

• Windows 10 or higher 
• 64-bit only
• VST3