Mangler

Name: Mangler
Price: 27 USD
Author: Unison

by Unison · Distortion · Hybrid distortion

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Mangler is a hybrid distortion from Unison with four knobs: Mangle (distortion and compression), Destroy (analog distortion), Bite (bitcrushing) and Expand (stereo width).

It is on sale for $27 (regular $67) as a plugin for Mac and Windows.

Best for: Bass, Drums, Keys & Synths, Guitars. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: destructive, creative, bass, drums, heavy, wide, bitcrush, 808s, minimal controls, electric guitar, perpetual licence, synths, aggressive, digital-sounding, gritty, mixing, simple, single-band.

What it does

Mangler is a four-knob distortion from Unison built for fast, heavy results. Each knob adds a different kind of damage, and you blend them by ear rather than dig through menus.

Mangle: Unison's hybrid of distortion and compression, the plugin's signature effect.
Destroy: an aggressive analog-style distortion for heavier drive.
Bite: bitcrushing to add edge and digital grit.
Expand: stereo widening to spread the processed sound.
Sources: aimed at bass, 808s, drums, melodies and guitars, though Unison says it works on any sound.
Simple layout: the four knobs are the whole interface; the page lists no separate mix, gain, preset or oversampling controls.

It is a one-time payment on sale, with lifetime access and free updates. There is no demo; Unison offers a 60-day money-back guarantee instead.

Source: Unison product page

When to use it

Mangler is the pick when you want heavy distortion on a sound in seconds and do not want to choose between dozens of types. Compared with Saturn 2 and Trash, it has no multiband splitting, no list of distortion styles and far less fine control, but it is quicker to dial in and much cheaper. Unlike Rift, it has no feedback or filter section, so it is less suited to experimental sound design. Compared with Devil-Loc Deluxe, it adds bitcrushing and stereo widening on top of the crunch.

Best for: fast, heavy distortion on 808s, bass, drums and synth leads.
Genres: hip-hop, trap and electronic.
Look elsewhere if: you want many distortion types, multiband control or subtle saturation; Saturn 2 or Rift go much further.

Where to buy

Unison: $27 (regular $67)

Tutorials and reviews

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