Patina — Vinyl Simulation Plugin by Minta Foundry

Name: Patina
Price: 49.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Minta Foundry

Patina is a vinyl audio plugin that recreates the full analog experience — from the crackle and warmth of a well-loved record to the subtle imperfections of the stylus, the groove, and the machine that plays it all back.

Vinyl Surface and Aging Effects

Crackle

Selects the character of the vinyl surface noise — drawn from real recordings of vinyl degradation, each a different combination of groove wear, pressing quality, and vinyl compound. From the faint shimmer of a pristine first pressing to the gritty roar of a forgotten thrift store find.

Vinyl Age

The wear of time on vinyl — years of fingers, dust, and playback. Accumulated play adds subtle high-frequency softening, increased surface noise, and gentle compression. At lower settings, you get that warm analog sweetness of a well-kept collection. Crank it and you're pulling a forgotten record out of a milk crate at a flea market.

Vinyl Warp

A warped record — the slow pitch wobble from a disc that didn't stay flat. As the warp passes under the stylus once per revolution, pitch and amplitude gently rise and fall. The effect deepens as Groove Position moves inward. Combine with Vinyl Drift for layered, complex pitch movement — two different wobbles beating against each other.

Mechanical and Stylus Effects

Inner Groove Distortion

The distortion that builds in the tighter inner grooves of a record. As groove velocity drops and tracking error increases, the stylus struggles — intermodulation distortion rises and high frequencies soften. At subtle settings, it adds a gentle lo-fi warmth to the top end. Pairs naturally with Groove Position moved inward.

Worn Stylus

A stylus ground down from hundreds of hours of play. A worn diamond tip makes imprecise, asymmetric contact with the groove walls — dulling highs, adding grit, and increasing noise. At low settings, a pleasant softening. At high settings, aggressive, characterful distortion that chews into transients.

Stylus Pinch

The "pinch effect" — a geometric artifact where the stylus contact point shifts against the groove wall during complex passages, creating characteristic frequency-doubling distortion. Most audible on bass-heavy material where groove excursions are widest. Adds a throaty, crunchy texture to low-mids that's unmistakably vinyl.

Stylus Resonance

The mechanical resonance peak of the cartridge — the point where the stylus and cantilever assembly ring. Every cartridge has one: a characteristic high-frequency lift that adds brightness, presence, and "sparkle" to the playback. A little brings life to dull recordings. Too much and sibilance gets harsh on already-bright material.

Tonal Character and Coloration

RIAA Character

The tonal coloration of vinyl's analog signal chain — pre-emphasis, saturation in the groove, and imperfect de-emphasis on playback. Low settings add warmth and soften digital edges. Push it and saturation thickens — harmonics build, highs darken, bass gets that full, cushioned vinyl quality. Try RIAA Mismatch to shift warm vs bright.

Ghost Echo

Adjacent groove bleed — during pressing, loud passages imprint faint traces into neighboring grooves. Print recreates this as a diffused, filtered shadow offset by one platter revolution. Bleed dissolves repeats through filtering and diffusion — transients smear, spectrum narrows, echo fades to atmospheric wash. Both sit just below conscious awareness.

Full Effect List

Crackle — Vinyl surface noise textures with shaping controls for volume, width, filtering, and physical impact
Vinyl Age — Accumulated wear modeled as high-frequency softening, increased noise floor, and gentle compression
Vinyl Warp — Slow pitch wobble from a warped disc that deepens as it approaches the inner grooves
Vinyl Drift — Smooth once-per-revolution pitch drift caused by an off-center spindle hole
Inner Groove Distortion — Intermodulation distortion and HF loss from reduced groove velocity near the label
Stylus Resonance — The cartridge's resonant peak — a high-frequency lift that adds brightness and presence
Worn Stylus — Dulled highs, grit, and noise from a diamond tip worn by hundreds of hours of play
Stylus Pinch — Frequency-doubling distortion from the stylus shifting against groove walls under heavy bass
RIAA Character — Tonal coloration from vinyl's analog signal chain — warmth, saturation, and cushioned bass
RIAA Mismatch — Shifts playback EQ correction between warm and lush or bright and mid-forward
Vinyl Compression — Mechanical groove compression — bass energy modulates treble, creating pumping and HF ducking
Ghost Echo — Adjacent groove bleed — loud passages imprint faint ghostly traces into neighboring grooves
Turntable Rumble — Low-frequency vibration from motor and bearings — a sub-bass presence felt more than heard
Stereo Field — Width control from tight mono-compatible narrowing to spacious stereo enhancement
Mastering House — Four mastering chain characters — each with its own lathes, tape machines, and sonic fingerprint