Neural DSP has released Darkglass Ultimate, a revamped plugin that builds on Darkglass Ultra to deliver a complete, studio-ready bass rig – and it's a free update for existing Darkglass Ultra users.
The Darkglass sound has been a reference point for modern bass tone for well over a decade. Neural DSP first brought it into the digital domain in 2018 with Darkglass Ultra, capturing the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra preamps in plugin form. Darkglass Ultimate is the next step – less an update, more an expansion of what that plugin can do.
Catch up on all the latest news here.
Those two preamp circuits are still the centrepiece. The B7K Ultra delivers a tight, aggressive drive with controlled low end and clear articulation, while the Vintage Ultra leans warmer and more rounded, drawing on classic tube amplification character. Together they cover a wide tonal range, and both remain as immediately usable in a mix as the hardware they’re modelled on.
What’s new is everything surrounding them. Darkglass Ultimate wraps both preamps in a full signal chain, including:
- Pre-effects: compressor, auto-wah, octaver and fuzz
- Post-effects: chorus and delay
- Darkglass cabinet simulations: DG210C 2×10 and DG810ES 8×10 with flexible microphone positioning
- A 9-band graphic EQ built specifically for bass
- Integrated tools: transpose, tuner, metronome and a selection of production-ready presets
François Barrillon, Lead Product Manager for Plugins at Neural DSP, framed the release this way: “With Darkglass Ultimate, we’re expanding the Darkglass sound into something more comprehensive. For many players, that sound has been a reliable starting point – something they shape around and build on. This release brings more of that process into the same place, so you can experiment, refine, and carry a sound further without stepping outside of it – while preserving the clarity, power, and character that define Darkglass.”
CEO and Co-Founder Douglas Castro added: “We’ve taken the core Darkglass tones and expanded them into a more complete setup, bringing more of the signal chain within a single environment and making the process of shaping and developing a sound more fluid – so players can spend less time managing their tone and more time creating with it.”
Darkglass Ultimate is now available here, with a 14-day free trial on offer. Existing Darkglass Ultra users receive it as a free update.
