Kilohearts Shaper, ZL Equalizer, Plasma: Free Plugins of the Week
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Kilohearts Shaper, ZL Equalizer, Plasma: Free Plugins of the Week · Source: Kilohearts, ZL Audio
Kilohearts Shaper is an awesome freeform distortion and waveshaping plugin that you can download for FREE! This week’s collection of the best free plugins also features Plasma – another distortion – and ZL Equalizer, an excellent dynamic EQ.
Kilohearts Shaper: Draw your own Waveshaping Curve
Like all plugins of the Kilohearts ecosystem, Shaper looks rather unassuming at first glance. But don’t underestimate this little freeform waveshaper, it really packs a punch! Shaper allows you to freely draw in the waveshaping curve, providing an endless source of tasty distortion effects.
You can click the popup button to open a bigger editor for more precise curve editing. After selecting the mode and designing your curve, simply turn up the drive knob to boost the input signal and adjust the mix to your liking. Furthermore, Shaper also includes a DC filter that fixes any DC offset the distortion might have caused. Moreover, Kilohearts says that Shaper minimizes the aliasing effects commonly associated with waveshapers.
Kilohearts Shaper is available for macOS and Windows in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX formats.
ZL Audio ZL Equalizer: Open-Source Dynamic EQ
Here’s an awesome open-source dynamic EQ for macOS, Windows, and Linux! ZL Equalizer offers up to 16 frequency bands. For each band, you can choose from eight filter types, five stereo modes, and seven variable slopes. The plugin also has a beautiful real-time analyzer that gives you a clear picture of the frequency spectrum.
Furthermore, each band also offers a dynamics section with threshold, attack, release, and sidechain controls. This makes the EQ react to the dynamics of the input signal – perfect for cleaning up muddy mixes and carving out space in your mix.
ZL Equalizer is currently available for macOS, Windows, and Linux in VST3 and AU formats.
Dimethoxy Plasma: Free Asymmetric Distortion Plugin
Dimethoxy Plasma is an open-source distortion plugin that gives you a choice of ten asymmetrical distortion modes. While the developer says that it’s particularly suitable for aggressive styles like Gabber, Hardstyle, and Hardcore, there’s nothing stopping you from using it for various distortion tasks in any style.
In addition to the distortion modules, Plasma offers a trio of filters for sound shaping. The Girthparameter adds more high-frequency content in case your signal lacks that top-end sizzle. There’s also a nice oscilloscope graph that shows you what’s happening to your audio.
Dimethoxy Plasma is a VST3 plugin for macOS and Windows.
Looking for more free plugins like Kilohearts Shaper, ZL Equalizer, and Plasma? Check out our huge archive!
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