Cymatics QUAKE 1.0.0 — macOS

Open Cymatics Quake and the first thing you notice is the Width control sitting right next to Shape. That layout tells you what this plugin is about: keeping the tools for a bass part in one place so you are not jumping between three different plugins to get a sound moving.

In a typical session, Quake earns its spot in a few concrete places:

• On a dedicated 808 track, where Shape handles the envelope and tone in one pass.
• As a sound design tool on a bass bus, using Width to spread the stereo field without muddying the low end.
• On a sub layer beneath a mid-range bass, with Filter cutting the unwanted frequencies that clash with the kick.
• In the writing stage, when you need a quick bass part from the preset library covering Trap, House, R&B, EDM, and Drill.
• On a parallel bus with Heat or Metal dialed in, adding character without committing to a distorted main channel.
• As a starting point for unique bass, with Noise and Push giving you texture and drive before you reach for other effects.

Let me walk through a typical workflow for building a bass part from scratch in Quake. Start by loading the plugin on a new instrument track. Pick a preset from the library that roughly matches the genre you are working in — Trap if you want sub-heavy movement, or EDM if you need a more aggressive mid-bass. The presets are fully customizable, so this is just a starting point.

Once the preset loads, listen to the low end first. Use the Filter control to remove any rumble below 30 Hz that does not translate well to club systems or headphones. Then adjust the Shape control to tighten the envelope. For a punchy 808, a shorter shape keeps the attack quick and the decay controlled. For a longer, washier sub bass, open the shape up and let the note breathe.

Next, bring the Width control into play. A wider stereo image sounds big in a solo listen, but watch how it interacts with the kick drum. If the bass spreads too wide, the low end can lose its center. Dial Width back until the sub stays mono and the stereo information lives in the upper harmonics. This is where the plugin earns its keep — you do not need a separate stereo imaging plugin for this step.

Now add character. If the bass sounds clean but lifeless, turn up the Noise control slightly. You are adding analog texture, not white noise. A small amount makes the bass feel less sterile. Then try Heat or Metal for saturation. Heat works well for a warm, tube-like drive. Metal is harsher and cuts through a dense mix. Push acts like a final gain stage for distortion. The three controls overlap, so start with one and bring it up until the bass sits where you want it.

Listen back in context with the rest of the arrangement. If the bass fights with the kick, adjust the Filter again or go back to Shape and shorten the decay. That is the whole point of keeping everything in one window — you make these tweaks without opening separate plugins and losing your flow.

Pick one distortion control, not all at once

People new to Quake sometimes turn up every distortion control at once. The bass quickly becomes a mess of noise and clipping. Instead, pick one — Heat, Metal, or Push — and dial it until the bass sounds right, then leave the others at zero. You get a cleaner result and you can hear what each control actually does.

Another frequent issue is a bass that sounds thin on smaller speakers. Check the Width control first. If it is wide, the low end might collapse in mono playback. Set Width lower and compensate with a small amount of Shape to add presence in the upper mids. The Noise control also helps here — a touch of texture fills out the sound on laptop speakers without adding actual volume.

Some users find the preset library overwhelming at first with presets for 13+ genres. Do not try to audition every one. Pick a genre you recognize, load a preset, then use Shape and Filter to morph it toward what you need. The presets are starting points, not finished sounds.

Runs on macOS 10.14 and later, Intel and Apple Silicon

Quake version 1.0.0 runs on macOS 10.14 and later. It supports both ARM and x86 architectures, so it works on Intel Macs and Apple Silicon models. Installation follows the standard procedure for a plugin: copy the file to your usual plugin folder, then scan in your DAW. The plugin interface is in English. It expects a capable host — any modern DAW that loads VST3, AU, or AAX plugins should handle it. No special driver or additional software is required.

Quake is a bass engine, not a synth replacement

Some producers ask whether Quake replaces a synth like Serum or Massive. It does not. Quake is a bass engine designed for bass and 808 sounds specifically. You can still use a full synth for other parts, but for low-end work Quake keeps the relevant controls in one place so you work faster.

Another common question is whether the presets cover specific sub-genres like Slap House or Lo-Fi Trap. The preset library spans Trap, House, R&B, EDM, Drill, and others — check the developer page for the full list. If your genre is not named, you can still load a nearby preset and customize it using Shape, Filter, and the distortion controls.

People also ask if Quake works on a send track or only as an instrument. It is designed as an instrument plugin, so you load it on a track and play notes via MIDI. You can route it to a bus for parallel processing, but the plugin itself generates sound from note input, not from incoming audio.

Finally, a few users wonder if they need a sample pack alongside Quake. The plugin generates bass sounds from its engine, so you do not need external samples for bass parts. If you prefer the sound of recorded 808 hits from a sample pack, that is a different workflow. Quake is for designing your own sounds from the ground up.

It is not a magic box, but it is a practical one.

• macOS 10.14 or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon Mac
• Interface language: English