Midilatino releases free Elixir Lite multi-effect plugin

Midilatino has released Elixir Lite, a freeware version of its Elixir Plus multi-effect plugin for Windows and macOS.

The paid version is currently available for $27 as part of Midilatino’s 5th-anniversary bundle, but Elixir Lite gives you a taste for free.

Six effects that sound great on paper

Elixir Lite packs six built-in effects: Shaper, Chorus, Saturation, Reverb, Delay, and Dimension. Most of them are controlled by a single (macro) knob, while reverb and delay have additional knobs for filter and size.

The plugin also features a pitch modulation LFO and master high-pass and low-pass filters. And just above the LFO, the “Magic” button randomizes all parameters to conjure new settings on the fly.

Randomization is a useful trick that might spark creativity when you’re stuck—I use it regularly in other sound design tools that offer it. One plugin that excels at this is the Magic Dice reverb by Baby Audio.

99 problems, and the preset browser is one

A preset manager with 100 built-in presets is included, which is generally nice for quickly previewing the effects.

However, browsing through the presets in Elixir Lite is a bit clunky. You have to manually select each preset and then click the browser button again to close the preset list and access the GUI. I found a workaround using the arrow keys on my keyboard, but it’s not ideal.

I also couldn’t figure out how to save a preset. The Save Preset button is there, but clicking it doesn’t do anything.

GUI issues

The GUI looks nice at first glance, but it’s not the most intuitive. The controls lack labels, and the icons aren’t descriptive enough to figure out what each one does.

Thankfully, a tooltip display at the bottom explains each parameter’s functionality when you hover over it, but that’s not peak user-friendliness, either. You constantly have to look up and down as you move your mouse and try to figure out what parameter you’re hovering.

Sound quality issues

After putting Elixir Lite through its paces, I found it underwhelming in the audio department, too. The built-in effects don’t add to the sound; instead, the output loses definition and sounds mushy. It’s a shame because the included effects really look fun on paper, and I love using multi-effect plugins.

One quirk that bugged me is how the plugin can’t sound fully transparent. Even with all parameters zeroed out, you can hear Elixir Lite changing the sound. I suspect the filter section at the top is the culprit, as it seems to constantly filter out some high and low frequencies.

I don’t want to sound too negative, though. It seems that developers attempted to create something truly useful with Elixir, but the software will need several updates to reach its potential.

Download Elixir Lite

If you want to try Elixir Lite for yourself, be prepared to jump through a few hoops. The download procedure, while free, requires you to enter your email address, name, and physical address to access the download link. Subscribing to news from the developer is optional, at least.

Elixir Lite is now available on the Midilatino website. Those interested in a more fully-featured version might want to check out Elixir Plus, which is currently on sale as part of Midilatino’s anniversary bundle. But given my experience with Elixir Lite, I’d recommend trying the free version before committing to a purchase.

Download: Elixir Lite (FREE)

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