The best free multiband compressor lets you work from 2 to 10 bands simultaneously and helps to make your mix sounds no less than the absolute best. All without having to dip into your pocket. So in this article, we’ll show a few of the best options available online.
Top 5 Best Free Multiband Compressor Plugins
- Xfer Records OTT
- Analog Obsession Dynasaur
- Cut Through Recordings Convergence
- Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Nova
- Cockos ReaXComp
Xfer Records OTT
Pros
- Clean-sounding
- Straightforward GUI
- Minimalistic
Cons
- Not particularly intuitive
Xfer Records OTT is a freeware multiband compressor with upward and downward capabilities. It offers you 3 separate fixed frequency bands and fairly simple and minimalistic controls. It is believed to be one of the best freeware compressors available on the market.
Best features and specs
OTT is a remake of quite a famous aggressive multiband upwards/downwards compressor that quite a lot of electro and dubstep producers use. It’s characterized by I/O gain controls, visual display of input, and gain reduction over all spectrum of bands. On top of that, it has depth and time controls.
User impressions
Users say that OTT is insanely useful, nice-sounding, and easily tweakable. Users emphasize that they had to spend some time to get to know the controls, but after that, everything became really intuitive.
What we think
Although the frequency bands are fixed, OTT offers great versatility when it comes to multiband capabilities. That being said, it is rather hard to grasp how to operate it at first if you are not familiar with this particular type of compression.
Bottomline
Xfer Records OTT is a great choice for someone who is looking for a simple yet powerful multiband compressor with a great reputation. Although it is mainly used for various electronic productions, its usability greatly extends beyond said genres.
Analog Obsession Dynasaur
Pros
- Dynamic
- Versatile
- Powerful
Cons
- None that we know of
Analog Obsession Dynasaur is a dynamic EQ with four separate frequency bands and an RMS/PEAK switch for each band. You can use it as a de-esser, a peak limiter, or even a static EQ if you desire so.
Best features and specs
Dynasaur is a dynamic EQ with an extra option of a multi-band compressor of excellent quality. It lets you add up to 5 bands, and all bands have RMS or PEAK mode that ensures you get the best result possible. On top of being an EQ, this plugin has all the necessary knobs to tweak while adjusting the amount of compression.
User impressions
Users like Dynasaur because it gives no less than excellent results when placed on the master bus. It provides you with crisp and clean sound with a lot of detail.
What we think
Although Dynasaur provides you with a pretty transparent and clean sound, it still gives you a somewhat analog feel, as all of the Analog Obsession plugins do. It is a rather distinguishable feature but not in any way a distracting one.
Bottomline
Analog Obsession Dynasaur is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very capable and easy-to-use multiband dynamic EQ with a clean sound and a vintage feel.
Cut Through Recordings Convergence
Pros
- Sleek
- Versatile
- Powerful
Cons
- Rather limiter compared to the paid version
Cut Through Recordings Convergence offers you up to 4 frequency bands of compression with very thorough and advanced tweaking. It handles extreme dynamics like a champ and has a very modern and clean sound.
Best features and specs
Convergence offers you a powerful and versatile compressor that can handle up to 10 bands simultaneously. This plugin has a sleek and futuristic-looking GUI with a lot of graphs that illustrate the process. What’s more, is that it’s almost intuitive to add or remove additional bands. On top of all that, this compressor has all the necessary functions that ensure that the process of compression will be as smooth as possible.
User impressions
Users say that the Convergence is definitely worth their attention because it’s really easy to operate, and this plugin guarantees tremendous precision even if you keep 10 bands of compression active at the same time.
What we think
The free version of the Cut Through Recordings Convergence is pretty capable on its own, but the more you use it, the more you consider buying a full version. We leave it to you to decide if it’s a good sign.
Bottomline
The Cut Through Recordings Convergence is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very modern and transparent multiband compressor with surgical capabilities and a futuristic design.
Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Nova
Pros
- Dynamic
- User-friendly
- Sleek
Cons
- Only 4 bands for a freeware version
Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Nova is a mighty 4-band dynamic EQ with surgical yet simple and intuitive controls. Unlike many of its rivals, TDR Nova offers you great and thorough visualization, which, from time to time, comes in very handy.
Best features and specs
TDR Nova has quite an attractive outline of parametric EQ, and it has 3 modes of compression included. This plugin features an intuitive and sleek design combined with lots of useful functions that include parametric and dynamic EQ, multi-band, wideband, and frequency selective compression.
User impressions
Users like TDR Nova because this plugin is versatile, on the clear side of things, the compression sounds quite natural despite it being a free plugin. It does absolutely all that you want it to do and is definitely a go tool for many music producers. Despite all that, some users wish it would be less CPU hungry.
What we think
We ourselves use TDR Nova quite a lot and have nothing but compliments. And although the paid version offers you more bands, there is no practical reason to buy one due to how efficient the freeware version is.
Bottomline
Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Nova is a great choice for someone who is looking for an extremely capable and intuitive multiband compressor with extremely subtle and transparent sound.
Cockos ReaXComp
Pros
- Versatile
- Easy to use
- Easy to tweak
Cons
- Not very intuitive controls
Cockos ReaXComp is a native plugin to Cockos Reaper, a refreshing and very capable DAW. It is a multiband compressor with a very crisp sound and adjustable frequency bands. It offers almost unprecedented versatility and very thorough and flexible controls.
Best features and specs
ReaXComp is a versatile and quite capable multiband compressor that has a lot of useful features. Among which are tons of controls per band, great metering, unlimited bands, and solo current band mode. On top of that, you get fantastic-sounding filters and easily adjustable bands.
User impressions
Users agree that Cockos ReaXComp is definitely on the clean side of things, works like a clock, and it doesn’t require a lot of CPU. Also, there are a lot of functions that are necessary for implementing it in work on the mastering stage.
What we think
ReaXComp is a plugin that we use quite a lot since Reaper has been our DAW of choice for a very long time. To be fair, this is a plugin that might take you quite some time to figure out how to use, but once you do, it will be hard to find a better alternative.
Bottomline
Cockos ReaXComp is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very capable and extremely versatile multiband compressor suitable for absolutely every task imaginable.
FAQ
Is multiband compression necessary?
It’s a good idea to use multiband compression because you get more transparent and natural sound as a result. Also, you get more control over managing and shaping the dynamics of specific bands of all frequency spectrum.
Does multiband compression cause phase issues?
It’s true that multiband compressors cause some issues with the phase as they use pass filters when splitting the bands.
Should you use a multiband compressor for mastering?
Yes, it’s a good idea if you seek to have more control over the things that happen in the frequency range.
Is multiband compression for mixing or mastering?
More often than not, multi-band compression is used on the mastering stage to resolve the issues that you have in separate tracks.
When should I use a multiband compressor on vocals?
Whenever you have the urge to get rid of frequencies that cause problems, it can be nasal sounds, some occasional muddiness, harshness, or if the vocal sounds edgy.
