De La Mancha basic 65 VST plugin now free

When we rounded-up nine of the best chiptune VST plugins last year, De La Mancha's basic 65 was among them. So, we're pleased to be able to report that it's now available for free.

Previously retailing for $24, this 3-oscillator synth is designed to recreate the sound of the Commodore 64 and its classic SID chip. However, it also offers a number of additional features that enable you to take your 8-bit sound further.

Specs are below. You can download basic 65 for free from the De La Mancha website, though the developer suggests that, if you like it, you make a donation to Cancer Research UK. It's supplied as a Windows-only VST plugin.

De La Mancha basic 65 specs

• Monophonic synth in VST format for Windows based hosts
• 3 oscillators with pulse, saw, triangle and noise waveforms
• Pulse width can be modulated by envelope or both LFOs
• Each oscillator can be sync'd to another and/or ring modulated by another
• Each oscillator has its own ADSR envelope and can be routed to filter individually
• Resonant filter with low pass, high pass, band pass and notch modes
• 2 tempo-sync Arpeggiators in series for complex arp sounds
• Arp tempo, range and note length can be adjusted
• Modulation envelope can control pulse width and pitch of individual oscillators as well as filter and dirt
• 2 tempo-sync LFOs with wide range of waveforms, including random
• Both LFOs can control pulse width and pitch of individual oscillators
• One LFO also controls filter and dirt, the other can modulate the depth and speed of the first LFO
• Envelopes are non-linear and can be retriggered from zero or smoothed on each new note
• Pitch drift models instability with variable depth and frequency
• Options for 4, 6, 8, 12 or 16 bit audio with randomising feature
• Developed with SE 1.1, so no problems with multiple instances
• 128 presets by sink covering arps, leads, bass, drums and lofi sounds