Poltergeist
A spectral effects processor that haunts, warps, and decays
A real-time phase vocoder that deconstructs audio into spectral frames and rebuilds it — pitch shifting, frequency warping, comb resonance, and a frequency-domain Ghost Delay with gated feedback.
Chrome Sphynx Audio is still in development. Purchasing is not open yet, so nothing here can be ordered and no payment will be taken. Follow along and check back soon.
One licence covers every computer you own. No dongle, no online activation, no account required.
What it does
Phase Vocoder Spectral Engine
A real-time STFT phase vocoder deconstructs audio into frequency-domain frames, transforms magnitude and phase directly, then resynthesizes. Two modes: High Resolution (1024-sample window) for maximum detail, Low Latency (512-sample) for tighter response.
Ghost Delay
The defining feature — a frame delay that stores and replays entire spectral frames rather than audio samples. Echoes repeat with full pitch fidelity, without the smearing of conventional delays.
Spectral Warp & Shift with Morph Crossfade
Spectral Shift applies a Bode-style linear frequency offset, dissolving harmonic relationships into metallic, inharmonic textures. Spectral Warp remaps the frequency axis nonlinearly, stretching lows against highs for formant-like and alien vocal transformations. Morph crossfades continuously between them.
Spectral Gate
Rhythmic gating across the Ghost Delay, from 20 ms tremolo flutter to two-second pulses, with an intensity ramp and tempo sync to your DAW.
Bode Frequency Shift on the Feedback Path
Each delay repetition is frequency-shifted again, so echoes drift progressively further from the source — accumulating spectral drift that spirals rather than repeats.
Spectral Wavefold & Comb Filter
A spectral-domain wavefold stage adds harmonic grit directly to the spectral data, feeding a resonant spectral comb filter for metallic, tuned resonance.
Specifications
| Effect type | STFT phase vocoder spectral processor |
| STFT modes | High Resolution (1024) / Low Latency (512) |
| Spectral stages | Pitch shift, wavefold, comb, shift/warp, frame delay, gate |
| Modulation | Parameter morphing crossfader, tempo sync, host automation |
| Presets | Factory banks plus unlimited user presets |
| Processing | 64-bit internal, SIMD-accelerated |
| Formats | VST3 (macOS, Windows, Linux) · AU (macOS) |
System requirements
- A DAW that supports VST3 plugins (or AU on macOS)
- macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later (Intel or Apple Silicon), Windows, or Linux
- Multi-core CPU recommended when visualization is enabled
Who it's for
Sound designers and producers working in spectral territory — granular and glitch textures, cinematic transitions, haunted ambience, and impossible vocal transformations.
What's included
- Poltergeist in VST3 (macOS, Windows, Linux) and AU (macOS) format
- Factory preset banks
- A perpetual licence — yours to keep, with no subscription
- Free updates within the current major version