X-Stream VST
X-stream
X-Stream is Steinberg’s most adventurous free instrument in years, built specifically for producers and sound designers who want to move beyond notes, grids and conventional synthesis.
Rather than generating sound from oscillators, X-Stream reshapes audio itself, unfolding samples into evolving spectral textures that feel more like environments than instruments.
From frozen drones to slowly shifting harmonic clouds, it is designed to reward patience, experimentation and curiosity.
This is not a bread-and-butter synth. X-Stream is about time, space and colour.
Drop in a short sound, a loop or even a full track and stretch it far beyond its original form, revealing layers and motion that simply do not exist at normal playback speeds.
System Requirements:
- 64 bit
- VST / AU
- Windows
- macOs
Spectral sound transformation
At its core, X-Stream is a spectral synthesizer built for extreme time stretching and pitch manipulation.
Audio is analysed and resynthesised across the frequency spectrum, allowing samples to be extended for minutes or even hours while retaining tonal coherence.
Unlike traditional granular tools, X-Stream feels smooth, fluid and organic, making it ideal for ambient, cinematic and experimental work.
The Blur parameter plays a key role in softening transients and smearing spectral detail, while Purity and Inharmonicity let you steer the sound from clean and harmonic to unstable and abstract. Stack adds layered depth, creating dense harmonic structures from even the simplest source material.
Designed for texture-first workflows
X-Stream is intentionally monophonic and focused. This keeps the experience about sculpting sound rather than playing chords or sequences.
Drag-and-drop loading makes it incredibly fast to experiment, encouraging a loop-based, exploratory workflow that suits film scoring, game audio, atmospheric electronic music and sound art.
Modulation is handled through LFOs, step modulation and a modulation matrix, giving you movement and evolution without overwhelming complexity.
Built-in delay and reverb complete the picture, allowing sounds to bloom into wide, immersive spaces without relying on external effects.
Key Features:
Free Monophonic Spectral Synthesizer for Ambient & Sound Design.
- Free monophonic spectral synthesizer
- Extreme time stretching with pitch preservation
- Pitch shifting independent of playback length
- Drag-and-drop sample loading
- Blur, Stack, Purity and Inharmonicity spectral controls
- Designed for drones, textures and ambient soundscapes
- Modulation via LFOs, step modulator and mod matrix
- Built-in EQ, delay and reverb
- Ideal for film, game audio, ambient and experimental music
FAQ
No. X-Stream is sample-based and spectral. It reshapes audio rather than generating sound from oscillators.
Ambient, cinematic scoring, sound design, experimental electronic music and game audio.
Yes. Any audio can be dragged directly into the instrument and transformed.
No. X-Stream requires the free HALion Sonic player or the full HALion version.
Yes. The instrument itself is free once you register a Steinberg ID and install HALion Sonic.
