KAYA
by Kush Audio · Distortion · Tube tape-preamp distortion (Sly-Fi Digital)
Not rated yet
KAYA is a Sly-Fi Digital distortion, sold by Kush Audio, inspired by a custom Ampex tube tape deck preamp built by S. Husky Hoskulds.
Asymmetric Treble, Abuse and Blend controls give a dark, swampy distortion that stays warm, for $79.
Best for: Drums, Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Keys & Synths. Genres: Rock & Indie, Lo-Fi, Hip-Hop & Trap.
Keywords: tape, bass, dark, tube, warm, dirty, drums, heavy, electric guitar, hardware emulation, bright, crisp, gritty, harsh, inspired by, lo-fi, built-in mix knob, mixing, musical, parallel processing, perpetual licence, sidechain input, single-band, subscription, subtle, thin, vocals.
What it does
KAYA, from Kush Audio's Sly-Fi Digital line, is based on "Pa", a custom Ampex tube tape deck whose preamp was wired straight to the tape head, made by S. Husky Hoskulds. The result is swampy distortion with a heavy bottom end that Kush says is "always warm even when it's gone nuclear."
- Abuse: sets how hard the signal hits the distortion.
- Treble: an asymmetric tone control that swings the character from murky and dark to crisp and bright.
- Breakup and Movement: subtler controls that add intensity; Everything Recording describes Movement as a low-frequency, sidechain-style compression effect.
- Blend and output: a wet/dry Effect Blend for parallel use, plus output gain.
- High-pass filter: a slider to keep the lowest frequencies out of the effect.
- Character: low-mid inflation and dirty bass without fizzy highs, so it rarely turns harsh.
A perpetual license is available, a free 10-day demo is offered, and it is also included in Kush's subscription to all its plugins.
Source: Kush Audio product page
When to use it
KAYA is a one-colour distortion: dark, warm and heavy in the low mids, and it does not turn harsh when pushed. Compared with Saturn 2 it has a tiny fraction of the range, with no multiband or modulation, but it gets to its sound faster. It is darker and more bass-heavy than Decapitator, and less of a smash-and-crush tool than Devil-Loc Deluxe. For enlarging a bass line or warming a dry recording, it can do in one knob what would take EQ plus saturation elsewhere.
- Best for: dark grit on drums, bass and guitars, warming up thin recordings and making the low end feel bigger.
- Genres: rock, lo-fi, hip-hop and dark or cinematic styles.
- Look elsewhere if: you want bright distortion or many types in one plugin; Saturn 2 covers far more.
- Tip: Sound On Sound found it inflates the low mids without the usual sub-bass problems, so try it on bass before reaching for an EQ boost.
What producers say
Reviewers love its sound but agree it is a single flavour that not everyone will want.
- Sound On Sound (Sam Inglis, 2016) called it "a one-trick pony, but what a trick it is", praising the low-end weight and top end that is "never fizzy or spitty"; he criticised the lack of documentation on what the controls do.
- Computer Music (via MusicRadar, 2015) liked its dirty low-end distortion and instant gratification, but called it "a Marmite effect" you will either love or hate.
- Everything Recording (2015) called it "the most fun I've ever had with a plugin" and praised its musical, bloomy saturation.
Where to buy
- Kush Audio: $79
Tutorials and reviews
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