"Lofi" isn't a single effect. It's a stack of small imperfections that, together, make a recording feel warm, casual, and slightly broken. Get the mix wrong and you end up with mud. Get it right and the track sounds like it was already on a cassette.
The four moves that matter
- Low-pass filter: gently roll off the top end. 5–8 kHz is plenty.
- Tape wow: tiny pitch wobble (sub-2 ms delay modulated by a 1–2 Hz LFO) gives that worn-tape feel.
- Bit-crush: 10–12 bits sounds vintage; below 8 bits sounds destroyed.
- Pink noise: a touch of background hiss. 2–5% blend keeps it tasteful.
Pick a preset, then tweak
The Lofi Converter ships with four presets (Chill, Tape, Vinyl, Studio). Most tracks land in Chill or Studio. Tape is great on lead vocals and electric pianos. Vinyl is best for a sample-style hip-hop palette.
When not to do it
If your low-end is already heavy or your mix is already mid-forward, lo-fi processing tips it into mud. Roll off less, lean on the bit-crush instead, and check on speakers — not just headphones.