In this week’s Free Plug-in, we’re showcasing Ratshack 2 from Audio Damage, a plugin version of a very budget-friendly and widely-used analogue ‘reverb’ from the early 80s, the Realistic Electronic Reverb 32-1110.
What is Ratshack?
Firstly, it’s important to note that this is a legacy product that has been discontinued and made available for free. I tested it on my Apple M1 Mac Max , and it works fine. There’s a newer version, Ratshack Reverb 3, available for just $19, which supports Apple Silicon and AAX.
Secondly, it’s not actually a reverb; it’s a delay. The distinction wasn’t widely understood by the target audience for this unit back in the day. I was one of them! As an enthusiastic 13-year-old in my first rock band, I borrowed this exact unit from a friend’s dad. We managed to break it almost immediately and had to buy him a new one!
I can attest to the accuracy of the sounds this plugin version produces. It’s a terrible delay and an even worse reverb, which wasn’t ideal in the early 80s. However, in these days of freely available, excellent digital reverb, this analogue munge-box is rather brilliant.
The delays are short, but the regeneration from the repeat fader is long. A very trashy distortion is available from the microphone fader, and depth doesn’t control modulation as the name might suggest; it’s the wet/dry balance. Note that at the top end of this control, it only goes to approximately 50/50 wet/dry, so this plugin isn’t suitable for use on a send-return loop.
How do I get this plug-in?
Use the button below to download the appropriate installer. That’s it!
Ratshack is available for Windows and Mac in the following formats: VST, AU, and Standalone. There is no AAX version, and no iLok is required.
