Producers use time manipulation plugins for one thing: sick effects. Half-time drops, glitchy cuts, rhythmic gates, all the stuff that makes a beat hit harder. In this article, we compare two of the most popular tools for that: Cableguys Halftime and Image-Line Gross Beat.
We look at how they slow down, chop, and reshape audio, and how easy they are to use. We also check the sound quality, creative options, CPU usage, and how well they work in different DAWs. By the end, you’ll know which plugin fits your workflow best and which one gives you the cleanest, craziest time-bending effects for your music.
Time-manipulation plugins sit in the creative zone, not the technical zone. The best tools give you instant results with minimal setup, then offer deeper control when you need it. A clean interface with clear visual feedback keeps you in the flow. Preset systems help you start fast, but the ability to customize and save your own settings matters for building a signature sound. For live performance or quick production sessions, one-click activation and smooth automation support separate useful plugins from frustrating ones.
Time-stretching and pitch-shifting always add small errors to the sound, called artefacts. A good plugin and a bad plugin are easy to tell apart here. You really hear the difference in three places: how well it keeps transients sharp (like drum hits), how clean the high end stays (little or no harsh aliasing), and whether the low end stays tight instead of getting muddy.
Modern plugins use smart DSP to reduce these problems as much as possible. In practice, simple algorithms often sound cleaner on drums and other percussive sounds, while more complex modes work better on long notes, pads and vocals. CPU use is also important, because these effects are often running on several tracks at the same time in a project.
DSP stands for Digital Signal Processing. That sounds complicated, but it’s really just the way a computer or plugin changes sound using math. “Digital” means it happens inside your computer, as numbers. “Signal” is the audio itself, like your vocals, drums or synths. “Processing” is what the plugin does to that audio, for example adding reverb, delay, distortion, EQ, compression or changing the pitch and timing.
A good half-speed plugin does one thing extremely well. A multi-purpose time and volume manipulation tool opens more creative possibilities but requires more learning. The question is whether you need surgical control over time envelopes, volume gating, and MIDI-triggered preset changes, or whether you just want to slow things down and move on. Both approaches are valid.The right choice depends on your workflow and the genres you produce.
Some plugins work across all DAWs as VST, AU, or AAX. Others are locked to a specific host. If you use FL Studio, you have access to both options. If you use Ableton, Logic, Cubase, or any other DAW, only cross-platform plugins will work. This is not a small detail. Buying a plugin that does not run in your DAW wastes money and time.
Halftime is a well known half-speed effect plugin from Cableguys. It slows down audio by 2x, 1.5x, or 4x. The interface centers on a large power button for instant activation, fade controls for smooth transitions up to 16 bars, and three speed modes that cover classic half-time, perfect fifth harmonies, and extreme quad-time slowdowns. A band split lets you slow down only the bass, mids,or highs, and a dry/wet mix blends the original and slowed audio. The plugin works on loops, virtual instruments, and live audioinput with zero setup required.
Cableguys is a German audio software company known for creative effect plugins and modulation tools. The company’s most popular product is ShaperBox 3, a multi-effect plugin. Other products include FilterShaper XL for rhythmic filtering, Curve 2 for custom EQ curves, and Snapback for transient shaping. Cableguys plugins are used by all type of producers but works most with EDM, trap, hip-hop, and pop. Most producers prefer Cableguys Halftime above Gross beat since it focusses on a clean DSP, low CPU usage, and workflow friendly interfaces.
Halftime is built for one main job: slowing down your audio and making it sound good. The plugin uses a smart time-stretching system that keeps your transients (like drum hits) clear and avoids harsh digital noise in the high end. You get three speed modes. The 2x mode is the classic half-time sound you hear in trap drops and EDM breakdowns. The 1.5x mode makes perfect fifth harmonies and triplet-style rhythms, which is great for stacking melodies and adding swing. The 4x mode slows everything down a lot and is mainly useful for crazy slow-motion effects, sound design and ambient intros.
The power button and fade controls handle the practical side of using the effect in a track. Punching the power button activates the slowdown instantly, perfect for live performance or quick automation. Setting a fade-in time lets the effect sink in gradually across 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 bars, creating smooth transitions instead of abrupt changes. The fade-out works the same way, returning to normal speed without clicks or jumps.
Halftime lets you slow down only part of the sound instead of everything at once. You can choose which part of the frequency range you want to affect. If you only slow down the low end, you get deep, moving bass while the rest of the mix stays normal. If you slow down just the highs, the top end turns into strange, almost reversed textures. When you slow the midrange, drums, percussion and vocal chops become thicker and heavier. With the Band Solo button you can listen only to the part that is being slowed down, so you can easily set the right split points before you blend it back in with the original sound.
We use Halftime for trap half-time drops, EDM build-ups, and quick bass generation from melodic loops. Our default is 2x mode with a 1-bar fade-in, loop length set to match the section (usually 1 or 2 bars), and the smooth control on Percussive for drums orSustain for synths. We avoid the 4x mode in most commercial work because it sounds too extreme, but we keep it for experimental ambient and sound design sessions. The band split gets heavy use when we want to slow down only the bass or only the top end without touching the rest of the mix. At €10, Halftime is the fastest and cheapest way to get professional half-speed effects in any DAW.
When you purchase Halftime through Plugin Boutique, you pay the exact same price as on the official Cableguys website. There’s no markup and no difference in the license you receive. On top of that, Halftime via Plugin Boutique also comes with a free trial, so you can test the plugin first and make sure it fits your workflow before buying. Plugin Boutique also includes a free VST plugin or sample pack with every purchase.
So you get Halftime for the normal price, with a legitimate license, plus an extra plugin at no additional cost. For producers who want to get the most value out of their purchase, this option is simply more beneficial than buying directly from the Cableguys site. Same price. Same product. Extra value.
Gross Beat is a time and volume manipulation effect from Image-Line. It stores audio in a 2-bar rolling buffer and applies 36 user definable time and volume envelopes to create gating, glitching, scratching, stuttering, and side-chain-style pumping effects. The interface shows two main sections: time manipulation on the left and volume manipulation on the right. Each section contains 36preset slots that can be linked to a keyboard, pad controller, or automation source for real-time performance. Preset slots can beset to momentary (effect active while key is held), return to base (slot 1), or hold mode. Synchronization options range from immediate to 4 beats (1 bar), giving you control over when the effect kicks in.
Image-Line is a Belgian software company best known for FL Studio, one of the most popular digital audio workstations in the world. The company develops a wide range of plugins for FL Studio, including Edison (audio editor), NewTone (pitch correction), Harmor (additive/subtractive synthesizer), and Sytrus (FM synthesizer). Gross Beat was designed specifically for FL Studio’s workflow and integrates tightly with the DAW’s automation and MIDI systems. Image-Line’s plugins are used across hip-hop, trap, EDM, pop, and electronic music production.
Gross Beat’s design starts with a 2-bar audio buffer and a spline-based envelope editor. The buffer stores incoming audio in real time, and the envelopes control how that audio is played back. Time envelopes determine playback speed and direction, creating effects like half-speed, double-speed, reverse, scratching, and stuttering. Volume envelopes control gating, ducking, and rhythmic amplitude modulation. Both envelope types can run independently or together, and you can draw custom curves with precise control over attack, sustain, and release shapes.
The 36 preset slots give you instant access to different time and volume patterns. Switching between slots during playback creates dynamic, evolving effects. MIDI control lets you trigger slots from a keyboard or pad controller, turning Gross Beat into a live performance instrument. Preset modes determine how the plugin behaves when you switch slots. Momentary mode activates the effect only while you hold the key, useful for quick stutters and glitches. Hold mode keeps the effect active until you switch to another slot. Return to base mode jumps back to slot 1 (usually the dry signal) when you release the key.
Synchronization settings control when the effect starts after you trigger a preset. Immediate mode applies the effect instantly, creating abrupt changes. 1-beat, 2-beat, and 4-beat modes wait for the next beat or bar before engaging, keeping the effect locked to the grid. This is critical for live performance and automation, where timing matters as much as the effect itself.
Gross Beat also excels at side-chain pumping without needing an external audio source. The volume envelopes can create ducking patterns that mimic the rhythmic pumping heard in house, techno, and EDM. You do not need to route a kick drum to the plugin or set up a side-chain compressor. Just load a ducking preset and adjust the envelope shape to taste.
The plugin’s scratching capabilities come from the time envelope editor. Drawing a curve that moves forward and backward through the buffer creates DJ-style vinyl scratching effects. You can automate the scratch speed, direction, and rhythm, turning Gross Beat into a scratch instrument without needing turntables or a scratch plugin.
We use Gross Beat for gating, glitch effects, and side-chain pumping in FL Studio sessions. Our default workflow involves loading a preset that gets close to the effect we want, then editing the time or volume envelope to fit the track. We avoid using Gross Beat for simple half-time effects because Halftime is faster and cheaper for that specific task. Gross Beat shines when we need complex, evolving time manipulation or when we want to perform effects live with a MIDI controller. The FL Studio limitation is a real problem. If you do not use FL Studio, you cannot buy this plugin. At $99, Gross Beat is expensive compared to Halftime, but the creative control and performance features justify the price for FL Studio users who need more than basic slowdowns.
Final Thoughts
Halftime and Gross Beat solve different problems. Halftime is a focused, affordable tool that does one thing extremely well: slow down audio with high-quality time-stretching and minimal setup. If you need quick half-time effects for trap, EDM, or hip-hop, Halftime is the better choice. It is faster, cheaper, and cross-platform. If you use FL Studio and want a multi-purpose time-manipulation tool for gating, glitching, scratching, and live performance, Gross Beat is worth the investment.
For most producers, Halftime offers better value. The €10 price point makes it accessible to everyone, and the simplicity means you spend less time learning and more time creating. Gross Beat is a power tool for advanced FL Studio users who need surgical control and performance capabilities. Both plugins are excellent at what they do. The right choice depends on your DAW, your budget, and whether you need a scalpel or a Swiss Army knife.
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