Sigmund is far from just another delay: it consists of four discrete delay units, each with its own, independent set of parameters offering an incredible degree of sound-shaping freedom. There's an ancient saying, often attributed to Aristotle: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Sigmund by D16 Group is a High-quality, flexible delay plug-in featuring 4 discreet delay units, each with its own independent set of parameters.
Greg Scarth puts the latest version of D16’s versatile delay plugin to the test.
In a strange way, delay effects have been one of the victims of the digital audio revolution. There was a time when the average studio might only have one or two delay units available, and they were a valued part of the creative process. Now every DAW has a decent – if often characterless – delay built in, most of us have started taking delay effects for granted. How many of us even manually adjust a delay time any more? Instead, the delay has become a boring utility plugin to a lot of producers. Load up a tempo-synced setting, maybe adjust a filter and that’s about it.
It’s a shame, because delays can be so much more than just an echo. They form the basis of modulation effects such as choruses and flangers; they can add rhythmic interest to a simple synth part or drum track; the best have a sonic character all of their own – think of a Roland Space Echo or an 80s bucket brigade unit, contributing a distinctive colouration to the signal while adding ambience and groove.
Sigmund, from Polish software developers D16, is a great example of what can be achieved when the delay unit is treated as a creative tool in its own right rather than just another digital-era utility. Now updated to version 1.1, Sigmund is part of the company’s impressive range of effect plugins, which also includes the popular Toraverb reverb and perennial Attack favourite Decimort.
Sigmund comprises four independent stereo delay lines, which can be combined using nine different routing options and then blended together using the in-built mixer. Each channel can operate in stereo or mid/side mode, and features a multi-mode filter and overdrive circuit. Sigmund can do clean and clear echoes, of course, but it excels when you employ the resonant filters, add a little overdrive or begin to modulate parameters. The sonic range of Sigmund was already impressive in version 1.0, so what’s new in version 1.1? There’s now Pro Tools AAX support, there’s a tap tempo option for setting delay time, a new feedback hold button and a default parameter automation map, but the biggest changes are in the modulator section, where the two LFOs from version 1.0 can now also be switched to envelope or peak mode.
the best delays have a sonic character all of their own – think of a Roland Space Echo or an 80s bucket brigade unit
Envelope mode allows you to use a simple ADSHR envelope to modulate each delay line’s parameters, while peak mode is an envelope follower which traces the incoming signal level and generates a modulation signal to follow it. The LFO section is also expanded with the introduction of a phase control and an invert button. All three modulation sources can be retriggered either by MIDI or by transients of the incoming signal. Overall, the modulation system is now incredibly versatile. The two modulation sources are still shared between all four delay lines, but for the sake of simplicity it’s probably a wise choice; separate LFOs, envelopes and peak followers for all four would be much more complicated and the setup as it stands is flexible enough for most applications.
To reflect the new options, version 1.1 introduces 116 new presets, crafted with the same attention to detail as the original preset library by Sebastian Bachliñski. The filtered sounds and distortion-based presets are particularly strong. I also like the way the v1.1 presets are filed in a new folder in the library, so it’s easy to see at glance which ones are new.
One of the only major criticisms of version 1.0 was its hunger for processing power. D16 have addressed the issue here with the introduction of Low, Normal, High and Ultra settings for both real-time and offline modes, allowing you to work with a lower CPU load and then switch up to the best quality for final mixdowns. There’s also a new maximum buffer length setting hidden in the options, allowing you to put a limit on memory usage.
Despite the addition of new features, the user interface is still clear and intuitive. Most of D16’s plugins present the vast majority of parameters simultaneously in the main plugin window, with only a few of the more advanced options hidden in other panes and pop-up menus. Sigmund finds a fair compromise, keeping the modulation, routing, mix and limiter options visible at all times but requiring you to toggle between panes to view the individual settings of each of the four delay lines and three different options for the modulation sources. That means you’re presented with quite a wide array of options on loading the effect, but not overwhelmed by information.
It’s hard to find any significant flaws to Sigmund. At €69 it’s very fairly priced and the feature set is even more thorough than the original, with the addition of new modulator options in particular offering a major improvement on the feature set. The improvements in CPU usage are also very welcome. Sigmund perfectly demonstrates why it pays to treat delay effects with the respect they deserve – this is no boring utility plugin, but a highly creative sound-sculpting option in its own right.
D16 Sigmund
The Verdict
The Final Word
One of the best delay plugins around gets even better with the introduction of v1.1.
D16 Groups new delay, Sigmund, has everything going for it: great capabilities, superb documentation, and innovative presets? What’s not to like? We couldn’t find a single thing.
by David Baer, Nov. 2013
Delays have been go-to effects in the world of recording for well over half a century. Until approximately ten years ago, delays were pretty basic. You got delay, optionally with feedback, and maybe filtering of the fed-back signal, either naturally via the medium (e.g., tape) or electronically. With computer-based music production becoming prominent, things started to change. A little over a decade ago we started to see the emergence of what I’ll call here the “super delay”.
Super delays delivered basic delay effects processing but sported new and unusual bells and whistles that could include multiple lines with flexible signal paths, distortion, modulation (envelopes, UFOs, step sequencers, etc.) and anything else the developer/designer could dream up.
To the best of my knowledge, the first effect in this class was the More Feedback Machine (MFM) from u-he which debuted about eleven years ago. Fab Filter entered the fray with Timeless in 2006. Four years later, Rob Papen offered his take on the concept, and a year ago FXpansion came out with Bloom. I’ve probably left one or more of the alternates out, but you get the idea. This has become a crowded field.
Although there might be only moderate architectural similarity between the various offerings, there is plenty to choose from if you’re in the market for a delay that can do more than the basic delays packaged with any DAW (or most synths for that matter). Granted, humble, basic delays might supply all the capability you need 90% of the time or more, but super delays can bring something different and exciting to many a mix that you wouldn’t be able to achieve with even the most creative use of sends and/or effects chains.
D16 Group Sigmund
And now we have yet another entrant in this category. With all the options already in the marketplace, should we even care? Well, when the vendor is the D16 Group, the informed answer will be “absolutely!” The D16 Group has a well-earned reputation for high-quality audio software and any new product they release is definitely worth a serious evaluation. So that’s precisely what we’ll do here.
The Big Picture
First, let’s get the fundamentals out of the way. The Delay, named Sigmund (why that name … I have no idea) is available for use on PC or Mac, both 32 and 64-bit, VST or AU compatible (VST-2 only, not VST-3). It’s available from the vendor and various music software on-line stores. List price (more about pricing later) is $89 USD.
Sigmund is a four-line delay in which individual lines can be routed to the output mixer, another line or both. There are nine different routing topologies shown in the following graphics:
We see that we can configure a Sigmund preset to use the lines in parallel, in series, or in some combo-mode where some lines get input from the source, some input from another line, some lines route output to the mixer, some route to another line and some route to both. I can’t spot any permutation that’s been left out.
The GUI, seen in the image at the top of this page, is clean and easy to program. The upper left portion is tabbed, only one of the four lines being visible at one time. The remainder is global. Two LFOs sit beneath that area. These are effect-wide, not per-line LFOs. To the right we have the mixer, used also to select which line is displayed on the left. Finally far right we have meters, output controls and access to the preset browser.
The Delay Line
The delay line is, of course, the heart of the action (the GUI for which is shown below in a larger image), and you can readily see how much one has with which to work.
We can process the signal in stereo, mid-side mode or combined into mono line input. We have overdrive distortion that can be inserted before or after the main filter. And we have a feedback loop, which also offers a filter. A diagram of the signal flow is seen below.
D16 Sigmund Manual
There are two delay stages, a so-called pre-delay and a feedback loop delay, with individually settable times. Delay times can be absolute or tempo-synced, naturally. The synced mode panel is shown to the right.
The filters share the same controls. They offer LP, HP and BP varieties. The designers chose to include filter resonance only in the pre-delay filter. This is probably a wise choice given that resonance inside a loop could be a dangerous proposition. Filter cutoff can be modulated by one of the LFOs.
The overdrive section provides some great sounding distortion, which will come as no surprise to owners of several of the D16 Group’s Silverline effects. Rounding out the line controls are the to-be-expected feedback level control and a control labeled “Spread”. This allows for a phase shift between the channels.
Global Controls
Two nicely capable LFOs are on board. Both sync-mode and absolute-mode are pictured to the right. I can’t think of anything you’d need to modulate on a delay that is missing.
The mixer is completely straightforward. One (probably minor) shortcoming is that the level and pan controls affect both the line’s output to the mixer and output to another line. Line on/off and mute buttons do what you’d expect. Clicking these with the Ctrl key depressed turns their function into copy/paste (one of the few non-intuitive aspects of the GUI).
The effect offers a limiter. Again, this is probably a wise provision in any device with feedback loops that can inadvertently be programmed to go nuclear.
Lastly there’s the browser (pictured below). It could hardly be more straightforward.
What Else?
Before going any further I must mention the documentation. Once again the D16 Group delivers excellently in this area.
But the real star of the show is the collection of presets that are packaged with Sigmund. There are a generous number of them, to say the least. They are grouped into two major categories: general purpose and tempo-based. In the former, we have subcategories chorus, delay, distortion, filter, flanger and phaser. Tempo-based presets are further divided into percussion-oriented presets and instrument-oriented ones.
The presets are vastly inventive, and I found some possibilities here I didn’t realize existed. One particularly pleasant surprise in this area is use of Sigmund as a substitute for synth arp playback. Try the Cytrus preset in particular. Yes, you have to play notes now and then rather than just holding them down as you would for arp playback, but the sound is refreshingly unique while keeping an arp-ish quality to it.
There are fine presets to draw from in all categories. Another thing you might find yourself doing is reaching for Sigmund when you were initially simply looking to add some distortion to a track. The distortion presets were also among my favorites. But there is such overall diversity in the preset collection, it’s hard to image that there won’t be something for everybody here.
D16 Sigmund
Is Sigmund for You?
There’s little missing from Sigmund. This is one hella flexible effect, no doubt about it. Apart from the aforementioned lack of separate level controls for line and output mixer, the only thing I’d like to see added would be an undo button. But those absences are minor in light of everything that is there.
D16 Sigmund Download
Depending on the type of music you produce, you might be little served by having a super delay in your arsenal. But if you could benefit from one, I’d suggest you put Sigmund on your short list for evaluation. Even at its list price of $89 USD, it’s a fair value. But D16 sales are not uncommon. I saw it recently listed for approximately $55 at one independent seller’s site (http://www.jrrshop.com/sale-specials). If it were any less than that, we could just declare it a no-brainer and be done with it. But for anywhere in the neighborhood of $60, you may decide it’s a great value.
D16 Sigmund Free
More information here:
http://www.d16.pl/sigmund
D16 Sigmund Review
