Topos by Forever 89: The Only Saturation and Amp Simulation Tool You’ll Ever Need?
Control Saturation and Loudspeaker Behaviour - a Plugin for Sound Architects
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Topos by Forever 89: The Ultimate Saturation and Amp Simulation Tool? · Source: Forever 89
The new Topos plugin is the next offering from software company Forever 89, founded by Svante Stadler and Rikard Jönsson, two former developers at Ableton and Teenage Engineering. Their first plugin, Visco, was met with great enthusiasm. If you’ve reached an impasse with classic saturation plugins and one-dimensional cabinet simulations, this new effect plugin offers a tool that completely rethinks sound design. That’s because this tool combines analogue warmth with spatial depth in a way that goes far beyond conventional emulation. That’s what we call exciting!
Forever 89 Topos: Sound Design with Visual Control and a Realistic Sense of Space
Forever 89’s Topos offers an unusually flexible approach to sound design that goes beyond saturation to include the spatial presence and depth of an audio signal. It combines classic emulations of preamps, tape machines, tube amps and distortions with a physical modelling system for speaker design that goes far beyond conventional cabinet simulations.
At the heart of the plugin are two visual map views that seamlessly (!) combine amp and speaker models, allowing you to create fluid tones and characters without having to switch between fixed presets. Wow! The plugin’s GUI looks damn good and inviting.
How Speaker Design Affects Sound
Topos’ saturation section is based on a carefully curated set of classic sound sources, the intensity and characteristics of which can be fine-tuned using parameters such as Emphasis, Rectify and Smoothing. In addition, an Amp Designer offers further modifications that can subtly or drastically alter the sound.
The Speaker Map adds a visual dimension to this functionality, combining speaker models in terms of projection, size, damping and reflection behaviour. For those who want to explore loudspeaker simulation further, Speaker Designer offers advanced settings that incorporate physical aspects such as leakage, venting, damping and dispersion to create an acoustic depth rarely found in conventional tools.
Systematic Sound Design: Topos Combines Saturation and Depth
Another key element is the ability to shape the sound of both the input and output sections. Input filtering allows specific frequency ranges to be cut with individually adjustable slope steepness, so that the sound base can be specifically defined before the saturation process. At the output, the Flux and Dynamics controls provide tools for post-processing transients and level curves, in many cases eliminating the need for additional plugins such as compressors or limiters. Despite this flexibility, the system is CPU-friendly and latency-free, making it suitable for live situations or real-time processing. Very nice!
Topos is a creative tool for sound designers and producers who want to shape their sound not only in terms of timbre, but also in terms of spatiality and projection, as well as for mixing tasks. Intuitive operation via map views, coupled with extensive modulation and modelling capabilities, make it a serious alternative to conventional saturation or cabinet tools. The sonic range is remarkably wide and invites experimentation – regardless of genre or musical context.
Pricing and Specifications
Forever 89 Topos is now available here at Thomann* for an introductory price of $71.00 / £67.00 / 79.00€ (instead of € 99 Euros). Topos Play, a free version, is also available for those looking for a quick and modern approach to sound design and who can do without the more complex features.
The plugin runs on Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher (including Apple Silicon support) as VST3 and AU in 64 bit. The plugin comes with a set of presets.
Read More About Forever 89 Topos
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