NS Audio THE BEATKRUSHER is an all-in-one distortion plugin specifically designed for hard dance music styles like Hardstyle, Hardcore, and Uptempo. It is available for both Windows and macOS in VST3 and AU formats. Key Features and Specifications
Multiband Distortion: Split your audio into three frequency bands (lows, mids, highs) for independent processing.
Dual LFOs: Each of the three bands includes two customizable LFOs for dynamic movement.
Built-in Effects: Includes specialized tools such as a "Phase Distortion" knob for adding crunch to kick tails and an "Input Gain" with a "Twice as Loud" function (+24dB). NS Audio THE BEATKRUSHER -WiN-MAC-
Hardcore Focus: Optimized for creating heavy kick drums, with distortion types including hard clipping and bit crushing.
Artist Endorsed: Used by professional producers performing at major festivals like Defqon and Masters of Hardcore. Purchase Information
Price: Currently on sale for €49,99 (originally €69,99) at the NS Audio Shop. NS Audio THE BEATKRUSHER is an all-in-one distortion
Ownership: One-time purchase with no subscription fees; includes future updates at no extra cost.
V2 Update: Existing V1 users can upgrade to the current V2 version for free.
Watch these walkthroughs to see how THE BEATKRUSHER handles hard dance kick design and distortion: Load BeatKrusher on your Drum Bus or individual Kick/Snare
One of the biggest complaints about standard bit-crushers is that they kill dynamics. NS Audio solved this with a unique "Mix Knob + Dry/Wet Dynamics" section. You can blend the crushed signal with the dry signal based on input level, meaning quiet sounds stay clean while loud sounds get crushed—a fantastic feature for drum bus processing.
Adjusts the final volume leaving the plugin.
At first glance, THE BEATKRUSHER doesn’t try to impress with skeuomorphic flash. NS Audio keeps the UI clean, dark, and functional – think surgical distortion rather than vintage vibe. But don’t let the utilitarian look fool you. This plugin is purpose-built for producers who want to destroy beats with precision, not randomness.
The name “Beatkrusher” implies aggressive lo-fi destruction, but after spending serious time with it, I’d describe it as a selective mangler – capable of everything from gentle digital grit to complete waveform obliteration, while retaining control over dynamics and stereo image.