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Rob Papen eXplorer-11 Arrives With RAW-Kick 2 and FilterField
Quick Summary
Rob Papen shipped eXplorer-11 on 7 May 2026, adding two brand-new plugins to its 36-instrument bundle: RAW-Kick 2, a three-layer kick drum synthesizer with granular sample processing, and FilterField, an XY morphing filter effect with 32 analogue-modelled filter types. Both are also available standalone. eXplorer-11 is priced at $499/€499, with upgrades from eXplorer-10 at $79/€79.
Kick design is one of those areas where DnB producers keep cycling through the same tools for years. RAW-Kick 2 is a direct attempt to change that. Built as a three-layer synthesizer, each layer can run a dedicated kick synth model or a sample-based source with WAV and AIFF import. There is also a granular mode inside the sample layer, letting you reshape grain length and size in real time — something most dedicated kick plugins don't offer at all.
Dig into the synthesis model and the depth stacks up fast: harmonic waveform drawing, 48 filter modes, dual FX chains with 25 distortion types, multi-stage pitch and volume envelopes, and a Ribbon Controller with tempo-synced spring-back movement. The redesigned MAIN page keeps the most-used parameters front and centre so you can blend layers and swap presets without opening sub-menus mid-session. Rob Papen explicitly names DnB as a target genre alongside EDM, Hip Hop, and House.
► Two new plugins at a glanceRAW-Kick 2 — Three-Layer Engine
Each layer runs a kick synth model or sample source independently. Granular mode on sample layers opens up non-standard transient shapes that work well for neurofunk and rolling DnB kicks.
RAW-Kick 2 — Distortion and Filtering
48 filter modes, 25 distortion types across dual FX chains, and pre/post EQ stages give you full control over the body, transient, and tail without leaving the plugin.
FilterField — XY Vector Mode
Four filter modules with 32 analogue-modelled types — including combs, phasers, ring mod, and feedback filters — can be morphed between using the XY pad, with tempo-synced XY recording for evolving filter automation on loops and synths.
FilterField — Modulation Depth
An audio follower on each filter module enables sidechain-style dynamics, while an 8-slot modulation matrix and three LFOs cover anything from subtle movement to aggressive filter sweeps on reese basses and pads.
FilterField sits in a different lane. It is a motion-focused multi-filter effect built around the XY control system already familiar from other Rob Papen plugins. Parallel and serial routing for the four filter blocks, a 21-type distortion section that can run pre or post filter, a Gator for rhythmic gating, and a stereo tape delay round out the signal chain. On a DnB mixdown, the audio follower and tempo-synced XY recording make it particularly useful for adding movement to static pads, bass layers, and transition effects without committing to destructive automation.
Both plugins are included in the eXplorer-11 bundle and sold separately: RAW-Kick 2 at $69/€69 (intro $59 until 31 May) and FilterField at $49/€49 (intro $39 until 31 May). Customers who bought or upgraded to eXplorer-10, or purchased RAW-Kick after 1 February 2026, receive the upgrade to eXplorer-11 and RAW-Kick 2 for free. All formats — VST, VST3, AU, AAX — are supported on macOS (Apple Silicon native) and Windows, with NKS support on most titles.
For drum & bass producers: RAW-Kick 2's granular layer mode is worth testing specifically on neurofunk and half-step productions where standard sine-based kick models run out of character. FilterField's audio follower per filter module is a low-overhead way to get sidechain-style filter movement on bass and pad layers without adding another routing chain.
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