Arturia unveiled the sixth iteration of its FX Collection effects suite on Wednesday, introducing two new plugins – EFX Ambient and Pitch Shifter-910 – alongside a new entry-level tier aimed at broadening access to its professional audio tools.
The FX Collection 6 Pro edition boasts a total of 39 effects plugins, a significant increase from the 15 available in 2020 and carries a price tag of $499. A new “Intro” version, offering six essential effects – Efx Motions, Efx Fragments, Mix Drums, Tape Mello-Fi, Rev Plate-140, and Delay Tape-201 – is available for $99. The company highlighted the growing value proposition of the full suite as it expands its offerings.
Central to the update is the Pitch Shifter-910, a software recreation of the Eventide H910 Harmonizer, a landmark digital effects processor released in 1974. The original H910, according to Arturia, was notable for its distinctive, often glitchy character. The new plugin aims to preserve those quirks, delivering effects ranging from subtle pitch variations to more extreme transformations like chipmunk-style vocals. A modern mode is also included to reduce artifacts while retaining the core sound of the original.
The second new plugin, EFX Ambient, focuses on creating atmospheric soundscapes. It incorporates pitch-shifting, distortion, and spatial processing, offering six distinct modes – Reflect, Woven, Siren, Organist, Codec, and Sunken – each designed to generate unique ambient textures. The plugin features a simplified user interface with Tone and Space parameters controlled via an X/Y pad, alongside a more detailed “Advanced” view for deeper customization.
Neither the EFX Ambient nor the Pitch Shifter-910 plugins are included in the introductory version of the FX Collection 6. Arturia emphasized the Intro version provides a versatile foundation for sound design, covering delay, reverb, tape-like lo-fi effects, modulation, and granular processing.
The FX Collection has been steadily gaining recognition within the professional audio community, though it remains less widely known than Arturia’s V Collection of virtual synthesizers. The company’s continued expansion of the FX Collection suggests a growing commitment to the effects plugin market.
