Download Neural DSP Parallax X for Mac

In the edit

Parallax X starts with the idea that a bass guitar is really three instruments in one, and it treats each range differently. The low band stays clean and punchy while the mid and high bands get their own tube-modelled distortion paths, each with independent drive and blend controls. A separate treble distortion stage adds fuzz and edge when you want the string noise to cut through. The cabinet emulation only applies to the mid and high ranges, so the sub-bass stays tight and uncoloured. All three bands mix back together at the output, which means you can dial in everything from a subtle studio thump to an aggressive, amp-like grind without ever reaching for a second plugin.

• Three-band parallel processing: low stays clean, mid and high get independent distortion and cabinet emulation
• Tube-modelled drive on the mid and high bands, each with its own blend knob
• Treble distortion stage for stronger fuzz and edge, separate from the main distortion paths
• Built-in metronome in standalone mode with time signature, accent and note-length settings
• Revamped interface with new factory presets and a redesigned Spectrum Analyzer
• Transpose and Live Tuner added for quick pitch shifting and tuning in standalone mode

Version 1.0.0 keeps the legacy Parallax installed alongside it, and old user presets are imported automatically during setup. It runs as VST2, VST3, AU, AAX and standalone on macOS 11 and later, Intel and Apple Silicon both covered.

How a live engineer uses Parallax X between soundcheck and show

Adam mixes monitors for a three-band touring outfit that plays rooms where the subs are never where you expect them. Between soundcheck and doors, he opens Parallax X in standalone mode on a MacBook tucked beside the monitor desk. The bassist's backline amp is a vintage tube head that sounds great on its own but disappears in the low-mid rumble of the room. Adam dials in a clean low band with the compressor engaged to keep the fundamental from wandering, then adds a touch of mid-band drive for note articulation and a whisper of the treble distortion just to let the pick attack speak over the floor toms. The built-in tuner lets him check the bassist's tuning without asking for a note between songs. By the time the house lights drop, the bass cuts through the wedge mix without eating the kick drum's space.

Splits your bass signal by frequency range instead of modeling a single amp

Most bass processing plugins take one of two approaches: they model a specific amp and cab, or they offer a single distortion pedal. Parallax X sits in a different category because it splits the signal by frequency range and treats each band as its own channel. Compared to the Neural DSP Darkglass suite, which is built around specific pedal circuits, Parallax X gives you more control over where the distortion sits in the frequency spectrum. The Darkglass stuff nails a particular aggressive tone, but it doesn't let you keep the low end clean while grinding up the mids.

Against a more general-purpose multiband distortion tool, Parallax X is narrower in scope but faster to dial in. A tool like FabFilter Saturn can do multiband saturation on any source, but you have to build the routing yourself and the interface isn't designed around bass frequencies. Parallax X assumes you already know you want the low band compressed and the mid band distorted, so the controls are right there without menus or routing matrices.

Compared to the original Parallax, the X version adds the Transpose and Live Tuner, which makes it more useful as a standalone practice and performance tool. The original Parallax was strictly a mix plugin; Parallax X can replace a tuner pedal and a pitch shifter in a minimal live rig.

Rebalances uneven pick attack from first note to final mix bounce

I start a session with a DI bass track that was recorded clean through a passive Fender. The player used a pick and the attack is uneven across strings, so the low E hits hard while the G string sounds thin. I insert Parallax X on the track and start with the low band. I set the compressor to even out those string-to-string level differences, then I solo the low band just to hear how much of the fundamental is coming through. Once it sounds consistent, I bring the mid band up with the drive at about 40 per cent and the blend at 70 per cent wet. The tube model adds a little grit that helps the notes speak without turning the part into distortion.

Next I open the treble distortion and set it to a light fuzz, blended at about 20 per cent. That gives the pick noise a bit of hair without making the whole track sound fuzzy. I switch the cabinet simulation on for the mid and high bands and cycle through the six microphones until I find one that takes the edge off the high end without losing clarity. The six-band graphic equalizer gets a small cut around 400 Hz to reduce boxiness and a shelf boost at 2 kHz to bring out the finger noise. I check the Spectrum Analyzer to see where the low end sits relative to the kick drum in the mix, then I adjust the low band compressor's release time so the bass pumps slightly with the kick. The whole process takes about four minutes once you know the signal flow.

Avoids the mistake of cranking every drive knob and losing the parallel sum

The most common mistake is treating it like a regular distortion plugin and cranking every drive knob at once. Parallax X is built on parallel processing, so the three bands sum together at the output. If you max out the mid drive, the treble fuzz and the low compressor simultaneously, the mix becomes a wall of noise that loses the note definition you came for. A better approach is to set one band at a time and bring the others in slowly, listening to how they interact.

Another mistake is ignoring the cabinet simulation. Some users turn it off thinking it will sound cleaner, but the cab sim is only applied to the mid and high bands. The low band stays direct regardless. If you disable the cabinet, the mid and high ranges can sound harsh and direct in a way that doesn't sit well in a mix. Leaving it on with a darker microphone selection often solves the problem.

Beginners also forget that the transpose and tuner are available in standalone mode. If you are practising with a track or writing bass lines, you can drop the tuning by a half step or a whole step without changing your strings. The metronome with time signature and accent settings makes it a complete practice station, but a lot of users open the standalone mode and only use the tuner, missing the rest.

One last thing: the legacy Parallax stays installed after you run the Parallax X installer. Some people panic and think something went wrong, but it is intentional. Both plugins can live on the same system, and old presets transfer automatically. If you search for neural dsp mac download or neural dsp torrent, you will find both versions, but the X version is the one with the new features. The original is still there if you prefer its layout, but the revamped interface in X is faster to navigate once you spend ten minutes with it.

New this release

• Transpose, Live Tuner and Metronome added to standalone mode
• New factory presets and a revamped interface
• Redesigned Spectrum Analyzer

Mac it needs

• macOS 11 or later
• 64-bit system
• Intel or Apple Silicon
• Interface language: English