8.6Great
RC-20 Retro Color v2 adds an Echo module, Varispeed and moveable modules to XLN Audio's vintage texture effect. $99 intro price at Plugin Boutique.
Plugin comparison
RC-20 Retro Color vs FabFilter Saturn 2
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 / FabFilter
FabFilter Saturn 2
8.7Great
FabFilter Saturn 2 is a multiband distortion and saturation plug-in with 28 distortion styles and extensive modulation options.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, FabFilter Saturn 2 comes out ahead (8.7). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | RC-20 Retro Color | FabFilter Saturn 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 intro to 12 Jan 2027 (list $129) | — |
| Dubspot Score | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX | VST, VST3, Audio Units (AU), CLAP, AAX Native, AudioSuite |
| Type | Creative effect / character processing plugin | — |
| Effect modules | Noise, Wobble, Distort, Digital, Space, Loss, plus the new Echo module | — |
| Plugin formats | VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit) | — |
| Mac requirements | macOS 10.13 or later (64-bit) | — |
| Windows requirements | Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) | — |
| Upgrade from v1 | $19 at Plugin Boutique until 12 Jan 2027 (list $39) | — |
| Trial | 10 days, full version | — |
| Magnitude control | Single slider to scale the intensity of all active effects at once | — |
| Distortion styles | — | 28 different models |
| Multiband processing | — | Up to 6 bands with optional linear phase processing |
| Crossover slopes | — | 6, 12, 24, and 48 dB/oct |
| Modulation sources | — | 16-step XLFOs, XY controllers, envelope generators, envelope followers, and MIDI sources |
| Modulation matrix | — | 50 slots |
| Platforms | — | Windows (64-bit and 32-bit) and macOS (64-bit only) |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.