Strange Audio DSP released maniFold Σ, an interesting micro looper and delay unit that can create anything from rhythmical textures to ethereal washed-out sonic landscapes.
It employs eight independent playheads with a 5-second audio buffer with randomized position, length, panning, and an optional octave function.
You can also lock the buffer to create a looping and/or generative soundscape that can be further manipulated with the other controls.
Check this demo to get an idea:
maniFold Σ also boasts a network of 32 delay lines with all-pass filters. The possibilities for sonic manipulation are huge, to say the least.
The “baseDelay” knob sets the delay while “delaySpread” scales the delay with the 32 lines using a multiplier to create spatial and temporal variations.
How this works in practice is above my pay grade, but finding different sweet spots between these controls is both intuitive and fun, yielding a ton of cool results on different materials like field recordings, mandolin, and modulated noise.
To add to the complexity, “delayFdbck” applies gain within the delay network and changes the way the whole system behaves. It’s not merely a classic feedback control in that regard.
But why not take things even further? Try cranking up the “Recirculation” parameter to add ethereal washes of sound as the signal is fed back into the delay unit. Perfect for creating organic pads.
You also get a dampening control to quell high frequencies as well as mod rate and mod amount knobs to add modulation and movement to the sound.
There are two kinds of mix controls in maniFold Σ. The first one is a global dry/wet, while the other one, labelled “mLoopmix,” is for the microlooper unit.
At 0, only the microlooper is used as the input source, and at 1, only the original signal passes through.
Manipulating this control in real-time, together with circulation and feedback, is addictive.
Throw it on anything you have and hit record in your DAW. Just be mindful of what you’re going to do with all the cool new pads, loops, and textures you come up with.
If you’re in the market for more of this kind of tool, be sure to check out the Philodendron ring buffer by LNDF that we’ve covered here at BPB.
All in all, maniFold Σ might just be my favorite plugin release this year.
If you’re into drone, ambient, or experimental sounds to spice up your projects, this is an absolute no-brainer! Instant fun right out of the box with an intuitive (and resizable) UI.
The plugin is still in alpha mode, but I didn’t encounter any problems in Reaper. It works with both macOS and Windows, and comes in AU and VST3 formats.
Download: maniFold Σ (FREE / Name-your-price)
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Last Updated on May 20, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
