Arturia has launched a new version of its flagship effects suite, the FX Collection, which includes two new plug-ins, EFX Ambient and Pitch Shifter-910. FX Collection 6 also marks the introduction of an intro version with a selection of six effects that cover the basics for $99. It’s lighter than the 39 effects in the full FX Collection Pro, but also costs $499.
The Pitch Shifter-910 is based on the iconic Eventide H910 Harmonizer from 1974, an early digital pitch shifter and delay with a very unique character. Artoria does an admirable job of preserving its bright quirks. Pitch Shifter-910 is a transparent effect that lets you create natural-sounding harmonies with yourself. Instead, it revels in its weirdness, delivering chipmunk sounds at high range. There’s also a more advanced mode that cleans up some artifacts while preserving what makes the 910 so special. Although if you ask me, it also takes some fun and unpredictability.
EFX Ambient is the second new addition to Arturia’s lineup, and it’s a strange one. While it does what it says on the tin, it doesn’t always do it in predictable ways. Sure, there’s a lot of big ethereal reverbs and sparkles, but there’s also echoes, garbled processing, and reverse delays. It has six distinct modes with unique characteristics, which it feeds through a massively deceptive reverb. And there’s an X/Y control in the middle to add movement to your sound.
None of the brand new effects made the cut in the intro version. FX Collection 6 Intro includes Efx Motions, Efx Fragments, Mix Drums, Tape Mello-Fi, Rev Plate-140, and Delay Tape-201. It offers great versatility covering delay, reverb, tape-like lo-fi, modulation, and even granular processing. Basically, what you miss are some saturation and mixing effects like buss and compression, as well as more special flavors of delay and reverb like the Lexicon 224-based Rev LX-24 from 1978.
$499 for the full FX Collection 6 Pro might seem steep, but as the company expands the lineup from 15 effects in 2020 to 39 in 2026, it becomes a more attractive price proposition. And, although it’s not as highly regarded as Artoria’s V collection of soft compositions, it’s building a reputation for high-quality effects.
