Drift
Add movement and instability to a sound that feels too steady.
UZAT
Free Character & Degradation Effect
Drift, wear, crush, dust and space for turning clean sounds into something less perfect and more alive.
Windows VST3 · macOS VST3 & AU
What is UZAT
UZAT is a free audio effect that adds movement, texture and wear to clean sounds. It combines five modules, Drift, Wear, Crush, Dust and Space, with a single Character control that takes the sound from subtle aging to more obvious degradation.
Give a steady synth a little movement, roughen up a clean drum loop, or add some age to a sample.
UZAT puts five kinds of degradation in one effect, so you can build a texture with as much wear and movement as the track needs.
Character shapes how worn, unstable or damaged the processing feels. Start low for a little movement and turn it up for a stronger effect. Use Mix separately to blend the result back with the original sound.
- Version
- 1.0.0
- Windows
- VST3 · 64-bit
- macOS 12.0+
- VST3 & AU · Apple Silicon and Intel
Video demo
Watch a quick video demonstration with various sound sources.
Explore the interface
Select a numbered point to see what that part of UZAT Free does.
Presets
Browse 32 factory presets, including Init, or use Save to keep your own settings.
Bypass
Switch between the processed and original signal. Bypass is click-free and can be automated in your host.
Character
Turn up Character to make the processing feel more worn, unstable or damaged.
Wear
Give the sound an aged, worn tonal character.
Drift
Introduce instability and movement to a steady sound.
Dust
Add irregular texture and dusty imperfections.
Crush
Give the signal a rougher digital character.
Space
Add depth and dimension to the processed sound.
Module controls
Select a module to reveal its controls here and adjust its contribution to the sound.
Input
Set the level going into the processing chain.
Mix
Blend the original signal with the processed sound.
Output
Adjust the final level leaving the plugin.
Five ways to make it imperfect
Input → Drift → Wear → Crush → Dust → Space → Mix → Output
Wear
Give clean recordings an aged, worn tonal character.
Crush
Add digital roughness to synths, drums or loops.
Dust
Bring in irregular texture and a little grit.
Space
Give the worn signal a sense of depth.
All Plugin Features
- Five character-processing modules
- Drift for movement and instability
- Wear for aged tonal character
- Crush for digital degradation
- Dust for irregular texture
- Space for depth and dimension
- Global Character macro
- Global dry/wet Mix
- Input and Output controls
- Click-free, automatable Bypass
- 32 factory presets, including Init
- User preset saving
- 64-bit VST3 for Windows
- VST3 and AU for macOS 12.0+
- Universal macOS build
UZAT vs UZAT Pro
| Feature | UZAT | UZAT Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Processing modules | 5 | 10 |
| Factory presets | 32 incl. Init | 77 + Init |
| Drift, Wear, Crush, Dust & Space | ✓ | ✓ |
| Character, Mix, Input & Output | ✓ | ✓ |
| Global Bypass and user presets | ✓ | ✓ |
| Warp, Dropout, Smear, Bleed & Vinyl | ✕ | ✓ |
| Drag-and-drop module order | ✕ | ✓ |
| Per-module Character linking | ✕ | ✓ |
| PUSH pre-chain drive | ✕ | ✓ |
| A/B comparison and Copy | ✕ | ✓ |
| Controlled Randomize | ✕ | ✓ |
| Get the plugin | Free Download |
Compatibility and FAQ
Which hosts and formats are supported?
UZAT works in compatible 64-bit VST3 hosts on Windows and compatible VST3 or Audio Unit hosts on macOS 12.0 or later. The macOS installer includes Universal Binary builds for Apple Silicon and Intel.
How do I install UZAT?
Run the Windows installer or the signed and notarized macOS package. After installation, restart your DAW or rescan its plug-ins, then add UZAT as an audio effect.
Can I use UZAT in commercial projects?
Yes. You can use UZAT in personal and commercial audio productions under the included license. See LICENSE.txt for the full terms.
Where are my user presets stored?
User presets use the .uzatpreset extension. On Windows, look in %APPDATA%\audiolatry\UZAT\Presets\User. On macOS, open ~/Library/Application Support/audiolatry/UZAT/Presets/User.