Descent is a granular delay and reverb plugin by Audio Damage for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS. It captures incoming audio and breaks it into tiny grains — anywhere from one to fifty at once — then scatters them across time and pitch to create everything from subtle thickening and rhythmic delays to vast frozen soundscapes and shimmering pitch-shifted clouds. Six-axis randomization (pitch, pan, position, amplitude, duration, and grain count) and direction control (forward, reverse, or random) let textures evolve from subtle organic movement into complete chaos. Pitch shifts from -24 to +24 semitones with optional quantization to specific intervals. Available as VST3, AU, AAX, and CLAP for desktop, and AUv3 for iPhone and iPad. Priced at $29 USD ($2.99 on iOS) with no DRM, no subscription, and a perpetual license. Descent is the second entry in Audio Damage's Motion Effects family alongside Ascent and Traverse.
Fully functional demo. 20-minute session timer, save disabled.
Add subtle depth with a few long grains and minimal randomization. Create rhythmic delays with short, quantized grains at high feedback. Build infinite sustain pads by freezing audio with high grain count and overlap. Design glitchy textures with extreme randomization and reverse grains. Craft shimmer effects by quantizing pitch shifts to octaves and fifths. Transform vocals into ethereal textures with diffusion and wide panning.
Is Descent a delay or a reverb?
Descent is both. The same granular engine does both — it captures audio, breaks it into grains, and scatters them. At short grain durations with feedback, the result reads as a rhythmic delay. With longer grains, high overlap, and the diffusion control engaged, the grains pile up into a reverb-like wash. One engine, two destinations.
What makes Descent different from other granular effects?
Most granular plugins give you pitch shifting but not pitch quantization. Descent lets you lock all pitch transpositions to specific intervals — octaves, fifths, or any chromatic combination — so a randomized grain cloud stays harmonically related to your source. Combined with six-axis randomization across pitch, pan, position, amplitude, duration, and grain count, the result is movement that sounds musical instead of random.
Does Descent work on Linux?
Yes. Descent is available as CLAP, VST3, and LV2 for Ubuntu 20 and later. macOS, iOS, and Windows builds are also available. All Audio Damage plugins are released for Linux alongside macOS, iOS, and Windows.
What plugin formats does Descent support?
CLAP, VST3, and AAX on Windows 10 or newer. CLAP, VST3, AAX, and AudioUnit on Intel and Apple Silicon macOS 10.13 or newer. CLAP, VST3, and LV2 on Ubuntu 20 or later. AUv3 on iOS 12 or later. All desktop builds are 64-bit.
How is Descent different from Ascent and Traverse?
All three are part of Audio Damage's Motion Effects family. Ascent gives a sound space — a hall to sit in, with a shimmer layer that climbs out of it. Descent takes a sound apart — granular processing that scatters and reshapes the source. Traverse ages a sound — cassette tape character, delay, and the wear of physical media. Same family, three different relationships to the source signal.
Does Descent use copy protection, require a subscription, or need iLok?
No. Like all Audio Damage products, Descent uses no copy protection of any kind. You can install your purchase on every machine you own. It is a perpetual license, not a subscription, and there is no online activation requirement after install.
