Mastering

sixtyfive

sixtyfive is a free compressor VST plugin developed by de la Mancha. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

sixtyfive is a vintage-style, RMS Compressor, inspired by the dbx 165A, a classic 1970s compressor found in many studios, but it also adds a couple of new twists.

It’s a soft-knee RMS compressor with a vintage flavour. The RMS detection and soft-knee help to give a smooth and musical compression experience, the non-linear response imparts character and the gentle saturation brings colour and warmth. As well as all of the originals features, this version adds parallel compression, extended knob ranges and peak metering.

sixtyfive can deliver a range of compression from gentle smoothing of vocal performances to brutal slamming of your drum buss.

Features:

Vintage style RMS compressors with non-linear response, parallel compression and comprehensive metering.

Subtle colouring from a unique blend of harmonics, saturation and noise.

RMS detection offers natural response.

Soft Knee makes for a less obvious transition.

Wet/Dry control allows blending of dry uncompressed signal for phase-free NY style parallel compression.

Non-linear attack/release curves give unique character.

Auto attack/release with manual option.

Manual attack/release has ultra-low values.

Distortion reduction for very short release times.

Linked Stereo input detection, can be unlinked.

Internal or external sidechain routing.

Additional ‘Internal sidechain only’ version.

Optional hard limiting on final output.

Metering covers stereo input, output and gain reduction. All meters show actual and peak levels with adjustable peak hold time.

LED display to indicate above and below threshold, and in the knee.

Non-linear knobs for precise control at small values.

18 presets covering different configurations.

https://delamanchavst.wordpress.com

SimpleSqueeze

SimpleSqueeze is a free compressor VST plugin developed by BetabugsAudio. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

SimpleSqueeze is a one-knob-compressor. The knob simultaneously controls threshold and gain, so that the more you crank it, the more squashed your signal gets.

http://www.betabugsaudio.com/

Signal Noise SN05-G Brickwall Limiter

Signal Noise SN05-G Brickwall Limiter is a free limiter VST plugin developed by Sender Spike. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

SN05-G, as its full name implies, is a brickwall (sample peak) limiter, best suited for the very end of the signal chain, but can easily handle also individual tracks.

Features:

3 stages: limiter, soft clipper, hard clipper.

input gain 0-24 dB.

ceiling from 0 dBFS to -24 dBFS.

limiter attack time from 0.02 ms to 250 ms.

limiter release time from 10 ms to 1300 ms.

hard clipper release time from 1 ms to 500 ms (limiter on) or 0.1 ms to 50 ms (limiter off).

fixed hard clipper attack time.

optional soft clipping stage adjustable from 0% to 100% (0% = off).

optional HPF for limiter’s side-chain with cutoff frequency ranging from 15 Hz to 2 kHz.

limiter bypass (signal passes only through the clippers).

Dual GR meter (limit/clip).

https://senderspike.wordpress.com/

Signal Analyzer

Signal Analyzer is a free spectrum analyzer and oscilloscope VST plugin developed by rs-met. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

Signal Analyzer is a combined oscilloscope / spectrum-analyzer plugin for inspecting signals in real-time in the time- and frequency domain.

http://www.rs-met.com/

Side Chain Compressor

Side Chain Compressor is a free compressor VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by slim slow slider. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Features:

Side Chain Compressor offers stereo and mono modes.

For stereo:

Input ch1: Signal input L

Input ch2: Signal input R

Input ch3: Key input L

Input ch4: Key input R

For mono:

Input ch1: Signal input

Input ch2: Key input

Other controls: ratio, attack, hold, release, knee, gain and key volume.

http://www.geocities.jp/webmaster_of_sss/vst/

SeteChave

SeteChave is a free compressor VST, VST3, Audio Unit, AAX plugin developed by AudioFB. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Mono/Stereo “pumper” compressor, indicated for use in tracks that require beyond dynamic range control, also “punch”:

Input – Input signal gain control from -12db to + 12db.

Att – Attack ranging from 1.2ms to 500ms.

Rel – Release ranging from 20ms to 5s.

Threshold – with decibel range from 0db to -36db.

Ratio – Compression ratio, ranging from 1:1 to 20:1.

Knee – Curve gives compression, which varies between values 1 and 5 Output – Output signal gain control from -12db to + 12db.

{See video at top of page}

https://audiofb.com

s(M)exoscope

s(M)exoscope is a free oscilloscope VST, Audio Unit plugin developed by Smart Electronix. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

By Bram @ Smart Electronix.

s(M)exoscope is an oscilloscope VST plugin. You can use it to visually monitor audio wave forms.

Features:

Available as a Standard insert effect or as a special Modular version optimized especially for modular VST hosts like Plogue Bidule or AudioMulch.

Display controls – Time (number of pixels per sample) & Amp (amplitude of the waveform in the display).

Retrigger modes – Free, Internal, Rising & Falling – with Retrigger Threshold. External mode also available in the modular version.

Options – Sync Redraw, Freeze, DC-Kill & Channel.

The s(M)exoscope also contains a tool that can be used to analyze the waveform currently in the display. Based on where you place a marker, the tool analyzes the x and y dimensions of the waveform to calculate the following:

Selection amplitude (linear).

Selection amplitude (decibels).

Selection length (in samples).

Selection length (in seconds).

Selection length (in milliseconds).

Selection frequency (assuming that the selection is one cycle in length).

http://www.smartelectronix.com/

Rough Rider

Rough Rider is a free compressor VST, VST3, Audio Unit, AAX plugin developed by Audio Damage. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

Rough Rider is a modern compressor with a bit of “vintage”-style bite and a uniquely warm sound. Perfect for adding compression effects to your drum buss, it also sounds great with synth bass, clean guitar, and backing vocals. Definitely not an all-purpose compressor, Rough Rider is at its best when used to add pump to rhythmic tracks. Of course, you can use it however you’d like. The Compressor Police aren’t gonna come to your house and give you a citation. Slap it on a track and crank some knobs.

The front panel layout is done the same as many hardware compressors, so it will be immediately obvious how to use it. A brief overview of the controls:

Ratio: The ratio knob is logarithmic in operation. Completely anti-clockwise is 1:1, and completely clockwise is 1:1000. The 12 o’clock position is 1:10, so everything to the left of center is single digits, and everything to the right is “atom bomb squish,” essentially.

Attack and Release: Audio Damage left off the actual time values, so you’re gonna have to use your ears, like the he-men did it in times of myth.

Meter: That honking big dial in the middle of the UI is the gain reduction meter. It basically shows how much compression is occurring.

Sensitivity: usually called “threshold” now, but Audio Damage think “sensitivity” always made more sense. Turn to the right, you get more compression, essentially. Turn it all the way to the right, and you’ve got a distortion box, the sound of which is tuned by Ratio, Attack, and Release.

Makeup: 30 dB of gain to compensate for the attenuation caused by the compressor.

Active: From the front panel, this is simply an off/on switch, but if you automate it, strange things happen…

MIDI Learn: Like all Audio Damage products, the VST version has MIDI Learn. Download any manual from the current product line for an explanation of how this works as it is common among all Audio Damage VST products.

http://www.audiodamage.com/

ReFine

ReFine is a free enhancer and exciter VST, VST3, Audio Unit plugin developed by lkjb. Compatible OS(s): Windows 64b, macOS.

ReFine is a plugin that allows to add a final polishing to your tracks, busses and masters. It extracts psycho-acoustic parameters from the source and thus allows to add warmth, space and punch to your mixes. This is done level dependent and rather subtle; you probably won’t be able to create heavy distortion effects with this plugin.

Version 1.1.0 won’t be compatible with earlier versions but 1.1.0 can be installed alongside previous versions if one of the plugin is renamed. Since the amount of controls isn’t too high migrating shouldn’t be a problem.

The plugin is now open source.

The manual is available here.

Changelog:

1.2.0: JUCE update.

1.1.0: moved plugin to JUCE, added AU format, added x2 toggle.

1.0.6: fixed crash in mono instances.

1.0.5: fixed CPU issue in Cubase during silence.

1.0.3: added support for older VST hosts on Windows, OS X 10.6 support.

1.0.2: fixed denormalisation bug.

1.0.1: fixed high CPU bug (appeared when silence was put in after a signal).

https://lkjbdsp.wordpress.com/

ReaXcomp

ReaXcomp is a free compressor VST plugin developed by Cockos. Compatible OS(s): Windows.

ReaXcomp features:

Unlimited band compressor.

Great metering per band.

Fantastic sounding filters.

Solo current band mode.

Tons of controls per band (ratio, threshold, knee, attack, release, makeup, program dependent release, feedback detector, RMS size)

Adjusting bands in graph is easy (modifiers to change ratio, gain, etc).

ReaXcomp is part of the free ReaPlugs VST FX Suite.

General features of ReaPlugs:

Support for Windows 98/ME/2K/XP/Vista, WINE.

Fast, usable UIs with good metering.

Low CPU and RAM use.

Highly configurable.

No copy protection.

No installation required.

Freely usable.

http://www.cockos.com/