Minimal Audio’s “next-gen” Rift Filter Lite looks like a cracking free VST plugin

It might be free to download - for the moment, anyway - but Minimal Audio’s Rift Filter Lite plugin looks like it’s bursting with creative potential.

This offers 24 custom filters that can be controlled in a variety of ways. In fact, the developer claims that Rift Filter Lite is “next-gen”, and “the most flexible filter on the market”.

The filters are divided into four categories: Basic includes the standard types such as low-pass, high-pass and several others; Morph includes filters that, yep, morph between different types; Peaking has filters that use peaks and notches to create formant and phaser-like effects; and Harmonic gets technical with filters based on harmonic structures and mathematical series.

Naturally, there’s a cutoff knob, but there’s flexibility hare, too. In MIDI mode, the filter frequency tracks incoming MIDI notes (so you can ‘play’ the plugin with your controller), while Hz and Tune modes make it respond to standard Hz and specific note values respectively.

There’s also a Resonance control, plus a Morph knob that can be used to morph between the internal filter settings. The effect created will be different depending on which filter is selected.

If it’s width you’re looking for, meanwhile, try the Spread control. This adjusts the relative cutoff of the left and right channels to create stereo effects.

Throw in a clean and classy looking interface and you’ve got what seems like a no-brainer download, but don’t delay, as the price will rise to $49 in due course. Based on the title of the plugin, we’re guessing that there could be a ‘full’ version on the way, too.

Rift Filter Lite is available now from the Minimal Audio website. It runs on PC and Mac in VST/AU formats