Cryptid Audio Nessie is a $29 intro Windows lo-fi plugin that builds vinyl and tape character in parallel so the clean core stays intact. VST3, 14-day trial.
Plugin comparison
Cryptid Audio Nessie vs RC-20 Retro Color
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
Effect / XLN Audio
RC-20 Retro Color
8.6Great
RC-20 Retro Color is an XLN Audio effect plugin that adds vintage-style texture and character to recordings, emulating warm analogue and lo-fi recording equipment.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Cryptid Audio Nessie | RC-20 Retro Color |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29 intro / $59 | — |
| Dubspot Score | — | 8.6 |
| Formats | VST3, standalone | VST, AU, AAX |
| Type | Parallel lo-fi / vinyl character | Creative effect / character processing plugin |
| Modules | Character, Tone, Aura, Motion, Vinyl, Space, Crush, Mix | — |
| Default color | Tape | — |
| Formats | VST3, standalone | — |
| OS | Windows 10/11, 64-bit | — |
| Mac / AU | Roadmap, no date | — |
| License | Keyfile, no iLok | — |
| Trial | 14 days, full-featured | — |
| Effect modules | — | Noise, Wobble & Flutter, Distortion/Saturation, Degrade (bitcrusher), Reverb (Space), Volume Drops |
| Plugin formats | — | VST, AU, AAX (64-bit) |
| Mac requirements | — | macOS 10.13 or later (64-bit) |
| Windows requirements | — | Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) |
| Magnitude control | — | Single slider to scale the intensity of all active effects at once |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.