reFX - Nexus 5 v5.5.12 VST2, VST3, AAX, AU for Windows & Mac

• Open-Architecture Sound Design: Breaks free of rompler constraints—construct presets from scratch, build custom routing matrices, and compile personal expansion packs.
• Custom Sample Import Engine: Drag-and-drop individual audio files, multisamples, or complete SFZ sample libraries with automated slicing, zero-crossing loop detection, and crossfade matching.
• 8 Advanced Synthesis Engines: Combines Virtual Analog (VA), Multi-Sample Playback, Wavetable, Time Stretcher, Retro Sampler, Granular (Grain), Cloud, and Frequency Modulation (FM).
• Over 5,300 Presets Included: Ships with 1,100+ brand-new NEXUS 5 factory patches alongside the complete legacy catalog from NEXUS 1, 2, 3, and 4.
• Authentic NEXUS 2 Retro Skin: Instantly switch back to the iconic white-and-blue hardware-inspired interface of the classic 2000s era with full modern functionality under the hood.
• Comprehensive Studio FX Suite: Brand-new Bucket Brigade Delay, Particle Reverb, Vowel Filter, Rotary Speaker, Pusher Limiter, Vinylizer, and HexEQ (6-band precision parametric equalizer).
• 100% Backward Compatibility: Seamlessly loads legacy projects, sessions, expansions, and user favorites created across previous NEXUS generations.
• Engineered for Low CPU Overhead: Retains reFX's signature multi-threaded performance with near-instant preset loading and optimized RAM caching.

From Classic Rompler to Modern Supersynthesizer
For nearly two decades, reFX NEXUS has served as the backbone of modern pop, EDM, hip-hop, and club music. Known for its radio-ready sound banks and rapid preset auditioning, previous iterations functioned primarily as closed romplers where core synthesis engines were restricted to official expansions.

NEXUS 5 fundamentally re-engineers this paradigm by unlocking an entirely open architecture. Producers can now dive beneath the surface: designing oscillators from scratch, crafting custom wavetables, importing external multi-velocity instrument samples, and configuring intricate layer routing.

Nostalgia Meets Next-Gen Sound Design
While offering cutting-edge granular synthesis, FM matrixes, and multi-band processing, NEXUS 5 honors its heritage. The included Retro Skin recreates the look, feel, and atmosphere of the legendary NEXUS 2, allowing veteran producers to navigate a familiar workspace while leveraging modern DSP speed, scalable 4K graphics, and 16-voice unison clusters.

What's New in NEXUS 5:

• Open Engine Access: Full parameter editing across envelopes, modulation matrices, oscillators, and layer keyzones.
• User Sample Import: Built-in sample editor with auto-slicing, root-key detection, looping, and format export.
• Four New Synthesis Engines: Retro Sampler, Granular, Cloud, and 4-operator FM.
• Advanced Studio Effects: HexEQ 6-band parametric equalizer, Bucket Brigade Delay, Particle Reverb, and Vinylizer lo-fi simulation.
• NEXUS 2 Retro Skin: Fully functional classic interface skin switchable with a single click.

New Features in Maintenance Build v5.5.12:

• Reworked Unison Architecture: Supports up to 16 voices per layer, introducing the new "Alt" stereo spread mode, customizable "Shape" detune curve control, and automatic voice-count level compensation.
• Dedicated Clipper FX: High-speed peak-limiting clipper module for drum transients and aggressive lead saturation.
• Custom Appearance Editor: Personalize GUI accent colors, contrasts, and UI brightness levels.
• Ducker Keyzone Triggering: Trigger volume sidechain ducking directly from specific keyboard zones or MIDI input notes.
• Oscillator Overtone Modes: Two additional harmonic overtone algorithms added to the primary oscillator block.
• Host Sync Preset Preview & Arp Start: Preset browser audio previews can now automatically sync to the host DAW tempo; arpeggiator patterns can serve as base sequence starters.
• Active Modulation Visualization: Dynamic halo rings and tooltips now illuminate in the assigned layer's color when receiving active modulation.

Core Improvements & Bug Fixes in v5.5.12:

• Improved wavetable import dialog with audio pre-trimming and single-cycle loop selection.
• Redesigned Trancegate interface and improved layer transposition controls.
• Fixed sample editor keyboard input and SFZ file import parsing.
• Resolved audio glitches when closing projects hosting multiple heavy NEXUS instances.
• Addressed arpeggiator grid snapping on triplet and dotted musical subdivisions.
• Fixed minimum window size constraints in FL Studio on macOS systems.

Oscillator & Engine Architecture:

• 1. Virtual Analog (VA): High-resolution analog-modeled waveforms (Saw, Square/Pulse, Triangle, Sine) with continuous shape morphing, PWM, and drift modeling.
• 2. Multi-Sampler: Multi-velocity sample playback engine supporting disk streaming, layer crossfading, and loop crossfade smoothing.
• 3. Wavetable Engine: 2D and 3D wavetable playback with real-time frame interpolation, spectral folding, and phase modulation.
• 4. Time Stretcher: High-fidelity granular pitch-shifting and tempo-stretching engine allowing loops to sync to any BPM without formant alteration.
• 5. Retro Sampler: Modeled after vintage 8-bit and 12-bit hardware samplers with variable downsampling and gritty input converters.
• 6. Granular (Grain): Deconstructs audio files into microscopic grains with controllable density, jitter, spray, and envelope shapes.
• 7. Cloud Generator: Multi-oscillator cloud engine generating dense, wide stereo textures and lush harmonic drones.
• 8. FM Synthesis: 4-operator frequency modulation engine delivering metallic bells, punchy FM basslines, and aggressive modern growls.

Onboard Signal Chain:

• HexEQ: 6-band mastering-grade parametric EQ with real-time spectrum analyzer display.
• Bucket Brigade Delay (BBD): Dark, warm analog bucket-brigade delay with vintage clock noise and tape flutter.
• Particle Reverb: Evolving algorithmic space simulator generating shimmering diffusion clouds and granular reverb tails.
• Vowel & Formant Filter: Vocal formant processor with morphable vowels (A, E, I, O, U) and talkbox modeling.
• Rotary Speaker: Emulation of classic rotating Leslie speaker horns with variable rotor speeds and microphone placement.
• Pusher Limiter & Clipper: Modern multi-band transient pusher and hard/soft clipper for transparent master-level loudness.
• Vinylizer: Adds mechanical turntable surface rumble, vintage dust, crackle, and pitch warp artifacts.

Plugin Profile:

• Supported Formats: VST2, VST3, AAX Native, Audio Unit (AU)
• Audio Engine: 64-bit internal floating-point DSP
• Polyphony: Up to 128 voices per instance (configurable voice stealing)
• Sample Rate Support: 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz
• Apple Silicon Support: Native ARM64 (M1, M2, M3, M4) and universal binary support

Compatible Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs):

• Image-Line FL Studio (20, 21, 2024+)
• Ableton Live (10, 11, 12)
• Apple Logic Pro X
• Steinberg Cubase / Nuendo
• PreSonus Studio One
• Cockos REAPER
• Bitwig Studio
• Avid Pro Tools (AAX 64-bit)

Installation Modes:

• Clean Install: Recommended for first-time installations. Deploys the v5.5.12 plugin binaries and prompts for your target NEXUS Content Library directory.
• Update Only: Select this option if you already have NEXUS 5 installed and simply wish to patch the core plugin binaries to v5.5.12 while preserving existing soundbanks.

Library Destination Setup (Windows):

1. Run the installer setup executable as Administrator.
2. If choosing Clean Install, specify the exact drive and folder where your NEXUS Content folder is stored (e.g., D:\reFX\NEXUS Content\).
3. Select your target VST3 (C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\reFX\) and AAX paths.
4. Launch your DAW, run a plugin rescan, and open NEXUS 5.

Library Setup for macOS:

• Default factory library path:
  /Library/Audio/Presets/reFX/NEXUS library/
• If storing your sample content on an external SSD drive:
  1. Move the NEXUS library folder to your external drive.
  2. Create a standard macOS symbolic link pointing from /Library/Audio/Presets/reFX/NEXUS library to your external folder.
  3. Alternatively, manually edit the directory string inside:
     /Users/Shared/reFX/nexus/settings.json