Getting a wide stereo sound in mixes or recordings is one of the most desired techniques in music production.
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And as there are actual ways you can accomplish this using recording techniques like Blumlein or mid-side techniques, we often find that we need to apply stereo widening to already recorded tracks within our DAW.
One of the best ways to do this is with a dedicated software plugin. Quite likely, your DAW may have something within the lines of a stereo widener, and there are many good quality paid versions out there.
But we decided to take a look at some of the best free stereo widener VST and AU plugins available for download in this guide. Let’s check ’em out!
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Free Stereo Width Plugins
Here we go over some of the most effective free stereo widening plug-instructor available, all of which can do a great job of making individual tracks bigger and wider.
With simplified control and undeniably great sound, these free plug-ins are excellent alternatives to costly and impractical hardware solutions and esoteric studio techniques.
The List
Plugin Roundup
iZotope’s Ozone Imager is the free standalone plug-in version of the imaging technology found in the company’s own Ozone mastering suite. Although it has a much simpler set of controls than its more fully-featured counterpart, Ozone Imager is nevertheless capable of narrowing or widening the stereo image of your audio to a remarkably precise degree.
Like most of the components of Ozone, Imager provides immediate visual feedback that enables intuitive setting of the parameters. The plug-in even has a vectorscope and a correlation meter that aid in precision sound-staging during mixing and mastering.
Voxengo’s Stereo Touch employs mid/side coding in transforming the most basic mono sources into rich stereophonic tracks. Best suited to mono sources that don’t have a lot of sharp transients, it is especially effective for widening acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizer pads, and vocals. With the spacious and expansive “surround” produced by this plug-in, you no longer have to devote time and channel space to double tracking.
Stereo Touch also works on multi-channel input signals, processing each one independently as separate mono signals. The stereo streams are then combined to produce a single stereo signal at the output.
Whether you are looking for a quick way to add stereo imaging or you want to widen a mono source, Stereo Touch will deliver like a champ.
A1Audio’s A1StereoControl does exactly what it says on the tin: give you precise control over stereo imaging. Even though it is equipped only with a single knob, you can expand or limit your tracks’ stereo width to a remarkable degree.
One of the best things about A1StereoControl is how easily it helps you sidestep a common issue when “stereoizing” bass sounds. The plug-in has a “Safe Bass” algorithm that centers all the low frequencies below a user definable threshold. This keeps bass and other low-end sounds right at the center of the stereo spread, where they won’t cause any phasing issues.
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Even without the dedicated mid/side controls found in other imaging plug-ins, A1StereoControl prevents your low end from causing any issues when collapsed to mono.
MeldaProduction’s MAutopan is more of a panning plug-in than a dedicated stereo imager, but it is quite a capable one at that. The plug-in employs a unique modulation system that consists of continuously adjustable oscillators. Each of these oscillators may combine predefined shapes, custom waveforms, and algorithmic post-processing.
The result is a tremendous degree of control by which you can define the stereo placement of your sounds.
MAutopan actually handles more than just mono and stereo sources. The plug-in is also capable of processing up to eight channels of surround audio, making it a useful tool for game and film audio production.
QuickQuak Audio’s UpStereo is a sort of classic in stereo imaging circles, with a set of simple controls that can make short work of stereoizing any mono source. It employs a fixed frequency EQ, a stereo widening unit, and a loud switch, all of which result in bigger, wider, and louder tracks.
Unlike most other stereo widening plug-ins, UpStereo comes with an option to push the sound into overdrive. Combined with the stereo widening capabilities of the unit, this makes it possible to produce individual sounds that stand out without the need for extensive processing.
Brainworx’s bx_solo is a free stereo imaging plug-in offered for free to everyone who signs up at Plugin Alliance. Employing the infinitely useful m/s processing technique, it gives you a surprising degree of control over the placement of sounds in the stereo spread.
A comprehensive range of solo features are included with the bx_solo, giving you the ability to hear the left, right, middle, and side channels while tweaking. This feature alone adds a lot of functionality to any DAW, very few of which allow for such flexibility.
Xfer Records’ Dimension Expander is a spatial expander modeled after the popular Boss/Roland Dimension D chorus effect. By splitting audio into four parts, flipping the phase of two streams and then delaying them, the plug-in produces rich, lush, and wide textures that retains punch and clarity.
Admittedly, the Dimension Expander is a bit of a one-trick pony. But the trick is a pretty damn impressive one.
And considering the relative rarity and cost of the Dimension D in the vintage market, this free plug-in will make a welcome addition to your suite of stereo imaging plug-ins.
Top Pick
The Ozone Imager is pretty much the one to beat in this roundup. Offering all the flexibility, control, and great sound that iZotope has become known for, it can handle most every stereo widening need you can think of and then some.
That being said, the Voxengo Stereo Touch, the A1StereoControl, and MAutopan all deserve special mention as well. Going well beyond the capabilities offered by most stereo imaging plug-ins, and or all of these three will find a welcome place in any mix engineer’s arsenal.
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Oct 23 2019
4 / 5
Sab to bata diya logo ne ab m ky batau. zabardast hai vst.
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Oct 12 2019
5 / 5
Tốt nhất
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Aug 20 2019
? / 5
IT'S A COOL STUFF. I LIKE IT.
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Jul 31 2019
4 / 5
It's super awesome
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May 28 2019
5 / 5
Just gives a great feeling to the sound. I like to try many variations of COMPs.
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Apr 18 2019
? / 5
You can't never have enough OTTs in your mix to make it sound legit. I even prefer this to Soundgoodizer.
El Ratix del FL Studio Nov 20 2019
El soudgoodizer es mejor por que puedo hacer mastering con gitar al 100 un knob
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Apr 02 2019
? / 5
Can anyone tell me of which compressor is this a re-creation?
Carlos Jun 06 2019
It's an recreation of a preset called 'OTT' in ableton multiband compressor
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Oct 15 2018
5 / 5
This one can give real shine to your frequencies, a must have
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Aug 26 2018
? / 5
On Mac I dont get any 'run as admin'-option. Nothing ends up in the plugin folders automatically. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Anyone got a clue?
Anonymous Aug 27 2018
Nevermind. I just had to restart the computer. Great plugin.
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Jun 25 2018
5 / 5
Awesome!!! Run as admin!!
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Mar 13 2018
? / 5
Not OP, but not running as administrator is a stupid mistake I was totally making. Pretty annoying that Windows gave me no prompt - just said the program got installed fine even though absolutely nothing was done. Thank you!
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Jan 15 2018
? / 5
I have download it but when i open it in Fl Studio. It doesn't load, There is an error... I have tried it for 3 more times and it still doesn't work. Who can help me?
cyber_T Feb 28 2018
Maybe the plugin isn´t really installed in a correct way. So try this -> Download this VST again -> 'Rightclick': Install as administrator(absolutly important!)-> Than install it in a folder of your choice in a correct plugin- format (32bit or 64bit / win or mac and so on)-> And at least try to load it in your DAW. Hope that helps..
dj spectre Apr 08 2018
Thanks you were right you are a genius, greetings
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Sept 24 2017
? / 5
Why am I getting strange sounds coming from the OTT plugin when no music is playing?
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Sept 01 2017
? / 5
love at first sight ,thanks Xfer
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Aug 14 2017
? / 5
The installation says its complete but the dll is not in the folder :/ what should I do?
Bill Miles Sept 20 2017
Could try to install again,'Windows' but make sure that you point the to the right folder (Program files 86/Steinberg/vst plugins) for 32bit and (Program Files/Steinberg/VST plugins) for 64 bit
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Aug 10 2017
5 / 5
Run as admin and it works perfectly!
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Jun 26 2017
1 / 5
Adds a huge amount of noise at depth 100%
Dox Jun 27 2017
OTT works best at low amounts of depth. Use it properly, it will make anything be more louder and present.
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Mar 09 2017
? / 5
The installation doesn't work. The setup tells me it's complete, but in the folder, there's absolutely no file. Disappointed.
mache Mar 10 2017
I've got the same problem
Breyemo Apr 15 2017
Right click and run as admin :)
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Oct 11 2016
? / 5
Un millon de gracias!!
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Jun 08 2016
5 / 5
The best character compressor I've come across. Can be so dirty!
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May 08 2016
? / 5
Amazing tool, thank you.
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Aug 23 2015
5 / 5
I've been looking for a plugin like this! Ableton has a compressor like this but I like to use this better.Really Good!!
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Jun 21 2015
5 / 5
WOW. I put it on the masterbuss, I didnt know what I heard. Amazing sound, nice full and sound leveld. And that for freeware! Xfer Thanks!
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Apr 06 2014
? / 5
Perfect for mixing .. very flex
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Free Vst Audio Plugins Download
Apr 04 2014
5 / 5
I would give 6 stars ******! That's what I'm looking for. Really great for finalizing a whole mix without tweaking, instant success. But less is more. 5%- 15% on depth are allmost enough and sounds great. Works better than all my mastering- compressor- plugins (free and commercial): No pumping effects. Thanx to the developer.
