AudioThing Dub Filter: Is that King Tubby’s Big Knob or are you just happy to see me?
4,1 / 5,0 | 
The latest from the leftfield plugin company is AudioThing Dub Filter, an emulation of the Altec 9069B high-pass filter made famous by reggae legend King Tubby.
AudioThing Dub Filter
Few producers are as influential as King Tubby. The Jamaican reggae genius basically invented dub. His pioneering techniques with delay, reverb and on-the-fly mixing are still being used today.
One of Tubby’s methods that’s less influential – yet no less important – is how he used high-pass filters. Stepping through the frequency bands and often applied to reverb, it created an other-worldly effect. Now you can get that same high-pass in your DAW with AudioThing Dub Filter.
Eleven Frequency Steps
Based on the Altec 9069B (commonly referred to as King Tubby’s Big Knob), AudioThing Dub Filter is a passive 18dB/octave high-pass filter emulation with 11 frequency steps from 70Hz to 7.5kHz. The GUI puts the frequency selection knob front and centre and flanks it with an impedance control, which acts as a resonance knob.
AudioThing states that they’ve meticulously modelled the original filter but also augmented it with some new controls. This includes:
- Magnetism, which controls the non-linear model of the inductance being used in the circuit emulation. This affects the slope and intensity of the generated harmonic content.
- Character, which adjusts the non-linear character of the filter to change the harmonic content.
- Dynamics, which adjusts the smoothness of the frequency change made by the non-linear physical model of the inductance. “At extreme settings,” AudioThing suggests, “the model might sound like an envelope filter.”
- Artefacts, finally, controls the volume of clicks when you rotate the frequency knob.
AudioThing Dub Filter also features two modulation sources, an LFO and envelope follower, for additional tweakery.
Altec 9069B High Pass Filter
As I mentioned, AudioThing Dub Filter is based on the Altec 9069B High Pass Filter. King Tubby had one in his famous studio, Federal, in Waterhouse, Jamaica, as part of his MCI console. He used it along with tape echo and spring reverb in his ground-breaking productions.
Dub Station Replacement
AudioThing fans may recognize that the company has already released a King Tubby filter. The new Dub Filter replaces the Alborosie Dub Station, a King Tubby-inspired plugin package that featured the same Altec filter emulation (originally called the Filter Man) plus a delay and reverb.
The agreement for the Dub Station was terminated, AudioThing stated in a comment on their Facebook page, “but we still wanted to improve and distribute the filter, which is very unique.”
AudioThing Dub Filter Thoughts
AudioThing is one of my favourite software developers. They make interesting and left-field instruments and effects, best exemplified by their collaborations with YouTuber Hainbach. AudioThing Dub Filter looks to be another solid entry in their catalogue. As a longtime dub fan, I’m looking forward to trying it in my own productions.
AudioThing is also known to be affordable, and Dub Filter is no exception. It usually sells for $59 but is currently on sale for $29 for Mac, PC, and Linux (VST, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP) and as an AUv3 and standalone apps for iOS/iPad for $9.99 intro/$14.99 regular.
Owners of the Alborosie Dub Station can get the Dub Filter for free. Check your user area on the AudioThing site.
More Information
- AudioThing Dub Filter product page
- All about AudioThing
- All about effects
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