Best Free Eq Plugin Mac

Are you trying to get better sound without having to buy more expensive hardware? Then you are definitely going to need some sort of an equalizer – and that’s why we decided to make a list of the best sound equalizers for Windows and Mac.

10.Mellomuse – EQ1A. EQ1A is a free EQ plugin with a minimal interface that has an analog-style equalizer. This is a very versatile EQ that supports both macOS and Windows. Featuring simple controls that has sweep-able low and high peak filters. HP: 10hz – 1khz. Low Shelf: 30hz – 500hz. . The best free VST synth plugins 2021: wavetable, FM, VA and more Whatever the reasons, the result is that the internet is awash with quality synths, effects and production tools that can be had for free (or, in a few cases, in exchange for an email address).

There are both free and paid options for both platforms along with simple and more feature-rich options in the mix. You are bound to found something that fits your experience and budget. So, with all that said, let us get right into it!

What is an equalizer?

In case you don’t know about them, software equalizers are programs that you can use to adjust your computer’s audio. You can put more (or less) bass, treble, and anything in-between.

This means that you can easily make your sound boomier, sharper, muddier, crispier, louder, wider, or in any way you want it. And this works very similarly with amps – except you do it with software instead of adjusting physical knobs.

Not to mention that this is only the beginning. Many equalizers are built to do tons of other things, like adding 3D audio processing, increasing volume, adding more effects, reverb, and tons of other stuff – depending on how deep you are willing to go.

You’ll find both free and paid equalization options out there with the paid counterparts often offering more features and a tidier UI. But, if you are new to this stuff, definitely consider starting with the basic free options first.

One last thing to keep in mind is that while software makes a huge difference in sound, so does hardware as well. Your headphones or speakers along with the PC on their own can only provide so much more with a software boost.

Also, don’t forget that pushing things too far in volume or bass can distort the audio, or, in some rare cases, even damage your speakers/headphones. You are assuming responsibility for anything that happens as we’re not going to take any for your actions.

If you are expecting to take things one step further, you are still going to have to pay for good audio gear. That said, regardless of what you are using, the best software equalizers are going to make a big difference no matter what.

So, without any further ado, let us get right into it!

Our top 3 Windows picks:

  1. Built-in Equalizer: Best way to get started since it requires little to no technical knowledge and it’s free.
  2. APO Equalizer with Peace: Our feature-rich pick. It’s more complicated to setup and use but offers the best results if you are willing to learn how to use it.
  3. Boom3D: A 3rd party equalizer that’s extremely easy to use with tons of presets and the only downside that it comes at a price.

Our top 3 Mac picks:

  1. iTunes Equalizer: The built-in equalizer of Mac that gets the job done. Just keep in mind that it only works on the iTunes player.
  2. Boom3D: Best overall equalizer – if you are willing to pay the price for it. It’s not just an equalizer but a 3D audio program as well.
  3. eqMac: A great free, open-source pick that gets the job done. Nothing more. Nothing less. Hard to go wrong with it.

Note: If you buy something from links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Our top 3 Windows picks

1. Built-in Windows Equalizer

Almost every Windows PC nowadays comes with some sort of built-in equalizer. More often than not, that’s Realtek’s equalizer and you can find it under the taskbar.

If you can’t find it, chances are that your computer is running the basic Windows audio driver that doesn’t include the equalizer. In such cases, you can try finding it online – but we hardly see a point in doing that when there are tons of other equalizers to download out there.

The whole point of using a built-in equalizer is to do the bare minimum with the most lightweight option while avoiding 3rd party software. So, if you can’t find a built-in equalizer, we’d recommend you move on to our other picks. But if you absolutely must get the ‘default’ one, the best place to get started is your motherboard’s/laptop’s support page.

You usually aren’t going to find a lot of advanced options in built-in equalizers – if any at all. So, this is really only for those who want the bare minimum and maybe a few equalizer presets to play with.

That said, don’t forget that this is not just a software equalizer. It usually also contains the audio drivers for your computer. So, even if you don’t like it, we wouldn’t recommend removing it. Just let it be and install another equalizer.

That aside, there’s also Groove Music that comes pre-installed with Windows 10. You can find a simple equalizer for it under its settings. But, it only works for music that you play through that specific program – which is a massive bummer for most people who also use Spotify, YouTube, or other streaming services.

Pros:

  • You don’t have to install or setup anything
  • Probably the most lightweight option there is
  • Probably the easiest equalizer to use

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer a lot of features if any at all
  • Windows updates can mess with pre-installed equalizers in a couple of different ways

2. Equalizer APO with Peace: Free Feature-Rich Equalizer

If you are after an equalizer that’s both free and feature-rich, you can hardly go wrong with Equalizer APO. It’s no doubt much more complicated to use than a simple equalizer. But, installing the Peace UI plugin should make things much easier. Not to mention that you don’t really have to use the other features if you don’t want to anyway. It works just fine as a simple equalizer too.

The Peace UI gives you a 15-band equalizer to play with by default. And if you are only here for the presets, there 19 to choose from. But, in our experience, equalizer presets rarely play well with specific tastes and audio gear no matter how good they may be.

If you have multiple speakers or headphones, you can also make individual equalizer profiles for each one of them.

No need to worry about launching the equalizer all the time and for individual apps. You can set it up to launch with Windows and it works across all the system.

And if you need something more than an equalizer, there are plenty of effects to play with as well.

Mind you, APO can be used not just for output devices but also for input. This means that you can take advantage of it to boost a microphone and maybe make your voice sound warmer or anything like that.

If even all that is not enough, you could always stick to the ‘traditional’ APO without the Peace plugin and use other, 3rd party plugins along with its 31-band equalizer. But, for the rest of us, the Peace plugin is going to be plenty enough.

Extra Effects and Plugins

Apo is our feature-rich pick for a good reason. Several good reasons, actually. You don’t just get an equalizer, but also plenty of other built-in effects to play with.

You’ve got plenty of options to work with for free and how you are willing to use them is going to come down to personal preferences and creativity.

If you want more intense sound with a wider soundstage, one of the first things to try out is to give yourself a bass and treble boost with a small stereo shift. That usually works very well for acoustic tracks.

And if you are a more advanced user with more complex gear, you could try things such as downmixing, spatial balancing, audio targeting, the order where effects are applied, and more. Overall, Equalizer Apo can be both an extremely simple equalizer to use and a heavy toolkit – depending on how you want to drive the APO & Peace settings for equalisation.

In the rare occasion that the built-in tools and effects are not enough, you also have the option of looking online for 3rd party plugins that can add even more functionality.

Pros:

  • Free
  • Plenty of presets
  • Tons of effects to choose from
  • Support for 3rd party plugins

Cons:

  • Installation and setup is a bit more complex compared to most of our other picks
  • Has a relatively big learning curve if you wish to take full advantage of it

3. Boom3D: Best paid equalizer for both Windows & Mac

As software and music enthusiasts, we’ve tried plenty of premium equalizers before. And, frankly speaking, they don’t differ all that much in terms of quality compared to something like APO. So, we wouldn’t recommend them. Boom3D, on the other hand, offers not only an equalizer, but also 4 extra effects that make a huge difference along with 3D virtualization.

Before you ask for anything else, take a moment to appreciate its clean UI.

These are all the controls you’ll ever need right there. There are no extra panels or anything like that. Everything you are going to need is right in front of you and can be adjusted with a couple of clicks.

Let’s start with the equalizer. By default, you are going to get 10 bands to adjust. But, if you know what you are doing (Or if you are willing to learn), you can up that to 31 by selecting ‘advanced’ right next to the equalizer button.

Also, if you don’t feel like adjusting at all, you can select the ‘Windows’ preset and that will very lightly adjust the sound to make it louder and clearer without touching the frequency bands too much.

You can also select the ‘Game’ preset to get more detailed/sharper audio while gaming. The rest of the presets are more or less the same you find in other equalizers. But, it’s worth mentioning that they work much better than most of the competition in terms of audio adjustments.

Need more? Then definitely also check out its extra sound effects.

Boom3D Sound Effects

Keep in mind that everything you see from this point onwards is optional. You don’t have to bother with these tools if you don’t want to.

You can pick from 5 different tools – but only one of them can work at a time. We assume this is due to the fact that using two of them or more at the same time would most likely mess up the sound.

Here is all you need to know about them:

  • 3D surround: Adds a 3D effect to the audio. Most effective in games or movies where there are a lot of directional cues. It greatly enhances details and depth but it’s not recommended for music
  • Ambience: If you want more soundstage, this is the first option to check out. You can use it to make everything sound more spacious – great for pretty much everything including music and gaming
  • Fidelity: Basically a treble knob (But a very-well-tuned one)
  • Night Mode: Keeps volume at a specific volume so that you’ll avoid sudden changes in loudness when switching from song to song
  • Spatial: Just good-old reverb/echo

So, another great thing about Boom3D is that it manages to give you plenty of features while also keeping things fairly simple.

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The only downside is that unlike APO, which is free, Boom3D asks for 30 euros for both Windows and Mac. That said, it’s currently on a discount for 8-9 euros, but, we don’t know for how long it’ll stay at that price.

Pros:

  • Full of features
  • 3D surround is a welcome addition (Whether it’s actually useful or not is up to debate for each and every one of you)
  • Unlike most of the other equalizers, sound effects and presets actually make sound better
  • Great UI
  • Easy to use despite offering so many options

Cons:

  • Paid only (Comes with a free trial, though)

Our top 3 Mac picks

1. iTunes Equalizer

If you only need a simple equalizer that gets the job done, there’s no point looking for 3rd party equalizers online. Just use the built-in iTunes one. After all, every Mac comes with it and it works just fine for basic adjustments.

You can open it from iTunes by selecting:

  • Window
  • Equalizer

And then make sure it’s turned on.

As you can see, it’s extremely straightforward and easy to use without any bells and whistles. All you get is a 10-band equalizer along with a few presets and the option to add your own.

That’s really all there is to it. If you want a simple equalizer that gets the job done, look no further. But if you are thirsty for more, definitely check our other picks down below!

Pros:

  • Doesn’t take any space or resources since it’s pre-installed
  • Extremely easy to use
  • Very plain UI
  • Free

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer any additional features

2. Boom3D: Best overall

This is the very same equalizer that we checked out on Windows. If you are willing to pay for something that offers a lot of features while still being very easy to use, you just can’t go wrong with this one.

Do you need a 31-band equalizer? Reverb? 3D audio? Boom3D has it all.

And the good thing is that despite all it offers, you can still make it sound extremely good with little to no effort. Really all you have to do is just tweak some knobs and that’s more or less all there is to it.

In case you are not familiar with it, 3D audio is software-based technology that can make your headphones sound wider, more detailed, and more direction-focused as well. And while it works for speakers as well, it’s usually much better on headphones for gaming and/or watching movies.

Leaving all that aside, you can also use Boom3D audio on mobile devices as well. The only downside is that it asks for a payment of anywhere from $12 up to $35 or so depending on the discount.

What is the best eq plugin

Extra Controls

As we mentioned above, Boom3D is more than an equalizer. In it, you’ll also find plenty of other controls that can be very useful.

If you feel like there is something missing from your equalizer settings, like you could use just a bit more treble or bass but you just can’t get it right, you’ll definitely want to rely on some of these extra options. They are particularly tuned for these kinds of things.

These are called:

  • 3D surround: Adds a 3D effect to the audio. Most effective in games or movies where there are a lot of directional cues. It greatly enhances details and depth but it’s not recommended for music
  • Ambience: If you want more soundstage, this is the first option to check out. You can use it to make everything sound more spacious – great for pretty much everything including music and gaming
  • Fidelity: Basically a treble knob (But a very-well-tuned one)
  • Night Mode: Keeps volume at a specific volume so that you’ll avoid sudden changes in loudness when switching from song to song
  • Spatial: Just good-old reverb/echo
  • Pitch: Can increase or decrease the overall pitch of whatever sounds are coming out of your computer. Nothing that’s particularly useful for music

If you want to truly understand how these affect sound, you’ll have to try them out yourself. And there is a free trial, so, why not?

For a quick example, if you feel like your music is just not quite sharp enough, give the ‘Fidelity’ option a try.

Last, but not least, there’s also the option of selecting the kind of audio gear that you are using. But, personally, we barely feel like it makes any difference.

Pros:

  • Tons of features
  • Available on multiple platforms
  • Easy to use despite all the features
  • 3D audio is a welcome addition

Cons:

  • Paid only (With a 2-week free trial)

3. eqMac: Most simple 3rd party equalizer

If you want something that’s free, easy to use, and with a few more options than iTunes, eqMac is one of the first equalizers you should check out.

Just like with iTunes’ offering, you only get some basic stuff here along with a couple of extra options. There is a 10-band equalizer, various presets to choose from, an audio booster, and an audio balance knob as well.

The good thing is that if even a 10-band equalizer is too much for you, then you also have the option of using the basic option that offers just 3 controls.

It literally can’t get any easier than that. But, of course, the downside to simplicity is that you don’t get any of the fancy features that Boom3D comes with.

Then again, we are looking at a free, open-source equalizer that’s more than enough for a casual user. So, it’s really hard to go wrong with it.

Pros:

  • Free
  • Clean UI
  • Couldn’t be easier to use

Cons:

  • No extra features (But the website mentions that an ‘expert’ mode is coming soon)

Tips for using an equalizer

Using an equalizer isn’t much different than adjusting the bass, mid, and treble knobs on a stereo system. The only difference is that instead of 3 knobs that adjust 3 main frequencies or a combination of frequencies with one knob, you get to play with 5, 10, 15, or 31 sliders depending on your equalizer and option of bands.

Equalizers are easy to learn but hard to master. Mario multiverse download 2019. Think of it this way. On a 10-band equalizer, from left to right:

  • First 3 sliders: Responsible for bass and warmth
  • Middle 4 sliders: Mid frequencies. Use for depth
  • Last 3: High/treble. Use that for sharpness and detail

It’s the same thing no matter how many bands you use – except you get more frequencies to play with and, thus, more options while editing.

If you are looking for the best equalizer settings online, don’t. First, audio largely comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer warm sound with boomy base while others love flat or sharp sound.

Secondly, your results will greatly differ depending on what headphones or speakers you use and even on your hardware amp. So, you could try asking in forums what settings are other using for your specific audio setup. But, again, it all comes down to personal preference. So, at the end of the day, just experiment with your options and find whatever personally suits you best.

Equalizer FAQs

Q: What equalizer is best for bass?
A: First things first, bass is largely a matter of hardware. No matter how good your software is, if your headphones can’t kick or if you don’t have a decent subwoofer, you aren’t going to increase your bass by 300% or anything like that. That said, we found that APO provides the strongest thump on Windows while Boom3D was the most effective on Mac.

Q: Is there a sound equalizer for Windows 10?
A: Windows 10 doesn’t have its own equalizer. However, most computers use their own version of Realtek drivers that usually also contain an equalizer. Your mileage may vary from computer to computer and whether the latest version of Windows is compatible with that equalizer or not. That aside, Groove, Windows’ default music player, also has its own equalizer. But it only works for the music player itself and not for games or other streaming services such as Spotify or YouTube.

Q: Is there an audio equalizer in Spotify?
A: Unfortunately, Spotify still doesn’t have its own equalizer on computers – even though there is one on the mobile app. Still, you can just use one of our aforementioned equalizers instead. We’ve personally tried them during the review process and they work just fine with both Spotify and other music streaming services.

Q: Should you use an Equalizer?
A: 9 times of 10, the answer is going to be yes. Even if you don’t know anything about equalizers, installing the simplest one that you can find or using a built-in option and then putting a bit more bass or treble in is going to make an enormous difference. So, give it a try.

Q: How can I improve my bass?
A: If we are talking about speakers, the first thing you should do is make sure that the subwoofer is turned up to your liking. And if your speakers don’t have a subwoofer, definitely consider investing in ones that do as it makes an enormous difference for bass lovers. As far as equalizers are concerned, simply adding more base is not enough. You also need to balance things out. For example, if your sound becomes muddy and the bass overwhelms everything else, try increasing the higher frequencies a little bit to even things out.

Q: Why is Spotify so quiet?
A: If you are trying to boost your audio levels in Spotify with an equalizer and it still sounds quiet, you may need an external amp. And that’s especially true for those of you who are using audiophile headphones with very high levels of resistance.

Q: How do you turn down the bass?
A: The left sliders of an equalizers are the ones that are responsible for bass. Lower these and things should calm down a little.

Final thoughts

These are our top picks for now. All of them have their own pros and cons, so, choose whatever personally fits you best. Again, from our test the APO provides the strongest thump on Windows while Boom3D was the most effective on Mac.

Mixing vocals is one of the most important jobs in music production. To do it well you’ll need a handful of quality plugins.

But if you’re on a tight budget you’re probably looking for the best free vocal plugins that won’t break the bank.

Luckily there are plenty of vocal mixing plugins you can download at no cost from generous developers.

Vocal processing is a delicate task that requires a few different plugin types for a polished sound.

In this article I’ll walk through each one, explain why it’s important and recommend the best options to download for free.

Here is the essential guide to free plugins for vocals.


1. Vocal tuning plugins

Vocal pitch correction has become an important part of modern vocal production. Before you even start mixing you might need to use this plugin type to refine your vocals and get the right sound.

Whether you’re after subtle performance enhancement or dramatic T-Pain effects, it’s worth having a good vocal tuner in your plugin folder.

Here are some free options to consider:

Auburn Sounds Graillon

Auburn Sounds Graillon is a live vocal changer that can transform vocal timbre and create robotic hard tuning sounds.

The free tier gives you access to a stripped down version of the paid plugin with pitch shifting and pitch correction.

Melda MAutoPitch

Mastering Eq Plugin Free

Melda MAutoPitch is another automated pitch correction option with a simple interface. This one is capable of some more subtle effects as well as classic hard tuning.

Voloco

Voloco is probably the simplest vocal tuning plugin out there. Choose the key, scale and tuning type and adjust the intensity with the correction amount.

Hot tip: Vocal pitch correction is one of the few plugin types without a full-featured free alternative. If you can stretch your budget slightly, Auto-Tune Access is the cheapest version of Auto-Tune ever.

2. Vocal EQ plugins

Once you start working on balancing the vocal in your mix you’ll need a good equalizer plugin.

This is the plugin type you’ll use to clean up issues and sculpt the frequency balance so your vocal sounds more pleasing in the mix.

But pro vocal chains often include more than one EQ. That’s why I’ve listed a few options that each play different roles in a mix:

TDR Nova

TDR Nova is a sophisticated digital-style EQ for surgical sculpting and problem solving.

This type of EQ might appear first in your vocal effects chain if there are any frequency issues that need to be resolved before other mixing tasks.

If you need to clean up excessive low end, reduce resonances or soften clicks and artifacts, TDR Nova is a perfect choice.

Ignite Amps PTeq-X

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Ignite Amps PTeq-x is an analog style EQ based on the analog Pultec EQP-1A hardware.

Best Free Eq Plugin Mac Download

This legendary vintage equalizer is many engineer’s first choice for vocal sculpting. Its gentle and musical curves are perfect for adding character, sparkle, or midrange cut.


Hot tip: Vocal EQ plugins are often used in different positions in the signal chain. Character EQ like the PT-EQx should go after any dynamics processing you choose to do—more on that in the next section!

Analog Obsession Britchannel

Another classic processor many pro engineers use on vocals is the legendary EQ found in Neve mixing consoles.

Analog Obsession Britchannel brings a 1073-style channel to your DAW, complete with preamp gain modelling for extra sweet character.

3. Vocal compressor plugins

Compression is the next essential task in vocal mixing.

It means controlling the dynamics of the vocal so it sits nicely in the mix even during quiet passages.

It’s a big subject in music production so head over to our in-depth guide if you don’t have a handle on it yet.

Gran turismo 6 key generator. Every compressor plugin has a unique character. Trying to list them all would take too long.

But to get you started, here are some favorites for vocal duties you can download for free:

Hot tip: Vocal compression is often done in stages in a process called serial compression. This means using one compressor after another to act on different parts of the signal or introduce different qualities. The compressors listed here can work on their own or together in series.

Analog Obsession FETish

You can never go wrong with the classic sound of an 1176 FET compressor. One of the most popular dynamics processors of all time, the 1176 is fast, punchy and perfect for controlling the aggressive transients in an active vocal performance.

You can never go wrong with the classic sound of an 1176 FET compressor.

Analog Obsession FETish is another great plugin take on this sound that’s available for free.

Analog Obsession LA-LA

If there’s one compressor style that’s most known for vocals, it’s the optical LA-2A compressor.

This is the buttery smooth vintage compressor powered by photocell and tube gain stages. It’s known for its gradual attack time and gentle release that beautifully compliment a great vocal.

Once again, Analog Obsession offers a compelling take on the LA-2A that you can download for free. But with so many excellent plugins in their bundle, consider supporting them if you download them all!

Hot tip:Subscribe to the LANDR Newsletter to get all the best free plugins updates in your inbox.

4. Vocal saturation plugins

Sometimes a vocal needs something a little extra to sit properly in a mix. In those cases, saturation is another tool in your vocal mixing toolbox to consider.


This plugin type adds gentle harmonic distortion that can wake up midrange frequencies and make a sound pop in the mix.

Hot tip: Saturation is a strong effect that many producers blend in gently on a bus. Try this if you need another layer of control over your vocal saturation

Sometimes a vocal needs something a little extra to sit properly in a mix. In those cases, saturation is another tool in your vocal mixing toolbox to consider.

Here are some great free saturation plugins to consider:

Klanghelm IVGI

Klanghelm is a respected plugin manufacturer that offers stripped-down versions of their flagship plugins for free.

IVGI is a single mode from their SDRR multi-saturator.

It adds a satisfying layer of harmonic distortion that can bring a dull vocal forward in the mix


Best Free Eq Plugin MacPlugin

Softube Saturation Knob

Sometimes a plugin doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful in a mix.

That’s the case with the single parameter Softube Saturation Knob. Simply crank it up to add smooth saturation and punch.

5. Vocal de-esser plugins

De-essers are a plugin type with a very specific job in vocal mixing. They reduce the distracting effect of the ‘S’ syllable in a singer’s performance.

Certain vocalists and singing styles can create a sharp sibilance sound in combination with certain microphones.

De-esser plugins are how you reduce it. In essence, a de-esser is a compressor that only acts on a narrow range of the frequency spectrum where the sibilance occurs.

De-essers should be placed after any gain reduction or frequency boosting processors that add to the negative effects of sibilance.

Techivation T-De-Esser

Techivation is T-De-Esser is a straightforward free de-esser plugin that gets the job done.

Simply select a frequency range, set sharpness and intensity and dial in the amount of effect you need to smooth out your vocals.

Hot tip: Most DAWs come bundled with a perfectly good de-esser for cleaning up vocals. Try your native plugin bundle before rushing to download a free de-esser.

6. Vocal widener plugins

Once you’ve gotten your vocals to sit in your mix, you’ll want to start working with creative effects to make them stand out.

These vocal effects are typically used in parallel on an aux return channel for a subtle blend.

One of the most satisfying send effects on vocals is chorusing, detuning or doubling.

These plugins thicken the vocal sound and make them seem wider in the stereo field.

Here some nice free options:

Acon Digital Multiply

Acon Digital Multiply is a great free chorus plugin that’s perfect for adding swirling stereo modulation to a vocal track.

Add up to 6 voices of chorus and shape the sound with the onboard EQ to get the ideal vocal modulation. Insaniquarium level 2 3.

Izotope Vocal Doubler

Vocal doubling has a long history in music production. It’s a natural way of thickening the vocal sound by recording additional takes on top of a lead vocal.

The modulation comes from the natural imperfections in the singer’s overdubs, but you can get a similar effect with plugins like Izotope Vocal Doubler.

Plus, it’s faster than singing your parts again!

7. Vocal delay plugins

Next up are your ambience effects. These are the processors that give your vocals a sense of space and dimension in the mix.

Delay is a type of spatial effect you’ll hear in most vocal mixes. It’s the echoing repeats that fade into the background behind the main vocal.

Plugin


Hot tip: Even if you can’t distinctly hear the effect of a vocal delay plugin in the mix, subtle repeats contribute nicely to the ambience and often make the vocal blend better into the texture.

ValhallaDSP FreqEcho

ValhallaDSP FreqEcho is a simple but powerful delay plugin that can do more than you might think from it’s simple UI.

The frequency control lets you take it from pristine digital repeats to lo-fi filtered madness at the touch of a dial.

TAL Dub-II

TAL Dub-2 is a retro-style delay that models the stylish dirty delays from old-school dub reggae.

With powerful controls for saturation and modulation, you can build any analog-style delay you can imagine.

8. Vocal reverb plugins

Finally, reverb is essential in any vocal mix. This is the effect that simulates the reflections from rigid surfaces that situate a sound in its physical environment.


The quality of the reverberation gives your brain clues about where the sound takes place.

For example, a long diffuse reverb might evoke a large concert hall while a short, ringy decay could be a tiled bathroom.

That’s why producers take pains to choose the perfect vocal reverb plugin for the mix.

Here are a few plugins to help you do it for free:

Dragonfly Reverbs

The Dragonfly bundle of free reverb plugins covers all the important styles of reverb for your mix.

From rooms and early reflections to sumptuous plates and halls, the Dragonfly suite has a smooth, sophisticated sound that’s quite impressive for a free plugin.

OrilRiver

OrilRiver is another favorite when it comes to free reverb effects.

The latest version is updated to work on Mac and PC and delivers great sound with minimal CPU load.

TAL Reverb-2

TAL Reverb-2 is a classic reverb with a dreamy, enveloping sound.

If you need a larger than life reverb with lush diffusion, this is a great free option.

Freedom of choice

There are plenty of different approaches when it comes to mixing vocals. But most of them require plugins from a handful of these categories.

Whether you’re looking to build an entire vocal chain or just try something new, there’s a plugin on this list to help you get the sound you need.

Now that you’ve downloaded a few great free plugins, get back to your DAW and keep mixing.

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