Decimort 2 & Metric Halo Character: Two Simple Plugins That Add Real Tone and Timbre to Your Mix

I’ve got to give a proper mention to this plugin.

What I like is how it models classic gear – not exact circuit-for-circuit recreations, but close enough in character to be musically inspiring and genuinely useful in modern production.

Over the years it’s become one of those tools I keep returning to – partly for the colour, partly for the way it lets me shape and place sounds in the mix. It just works. Take the Casio FZ-1 mode, for example. I never owned the original, but hearing Decimort 2’s take on it sit so well in a modern mix is impressive. If the emulation is even close to the real thing, that sampler must have been something special.

There are loads of models to pick from – MPC 60, 909, Commodore 64, Emulator, SP-1200 – but the FZ-1 is the one I keep coming back to, with the Emax close behind. Each one brings its own tone and timbre, and finding the right flavour can sometimes be the thing that makes a part finally fit.

If you’re chasing character or looking to add a bit of personality to your sounds, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Another little tone and timbre gem worth mentioning is Metric Halo’s Character. It’s a simple plugin, but it does something really nice – it emulates the transformers, tubes, and transistors found in classic preamps over the years.

You can dial through the different circuits and each one has its own feel. Some add a bit of weight, some add bite, some just give that subtle “finished” tone you only notice when you turn it off.

It’s one of those plugins that doesn’t shout for attention, but the sound is genuinely lovely – especially when you’re trying to give a part a bit of life without over processing it.

What both plugins do well is simple:

they don’t overwhelm a mix – they just give those finishing touches that help sounds blend, contrast, or pop when you need them to.