Fuse Audio Labs has just released VPRE-72, a free virtual tube preamp plug-in for macOS and Windows.
It emulates classic studio equipment released in the early 1950s, a glorious pre-amp that became the blueprint for the later V76 and the classic REDD.47 preamps used on numerous Beatles sessions.
I’m always excited when some vintage gear comes in plugin form, especially if this is free!
I’m used to starting my mixing sessions by inserting subtle saturation at the beginning of each channel’s chain of effects. This usually helps create more sonic glue, some warmth, and overall harmonic excitement and polish.
The VPRE-72 aerial tube pre catches the spirit of the original hardware with a faithful emulation of the input and output transformers, the dual EF804s pentode circuit with its peculiar feedback structure, as well as the heavy output choke which produces a subtle touch of air.
The plugin is very simple to use, so you can start using it straight away in your sessions without any sharp learning curve.
Use the Drive control found on the left to apply as much tube saturation as your audio source needs, or even push it a little further for some gentle and musical saturation.
The best part is that no matter how far you go with it, the gain is always compensated. That way you’re not fooled by the louder-is-better trap, but you can focus on the added sound colouration.
The Trim knob on the right has a range from -18 dB to +18 dB, so you’re able to perfectly gain match or attenuate your signals.
A cool addition to the VPRE-72 is the V76-style low and high-cut filters that let you shape the result to your needs.
Saturation and filters are two audio processes that should always come side by side since they perfectly complement each other.
If the filter knobs are fully turned left, they are Flat, so basically, the filter stage is bypassed.
The low-cut filter can reach 80 Hz, while the high-cut filter can arrive at 3 kHz.
There’s even a classy VU meter at the top, for the vintage aficionados.
The Power button is a global bypass, to easily switch on and off the overall circuit effect.
Talking of the design part, it has screws, textures, and some scratches for vintage look-feel.
VPRE-72 is available for both macOS and Windows in VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plug-in formats.
Download: VPRE-72 (FREE for registered users)
More:
14 Comments
Tracewidth
on“More pre-amps! Damn the torpedoes. If I don’t get a box of 16 dozen pre-amps overnighted from Malaysia immediately this record will fail. Don’t say a word to me about post-amplification or I’ll cut ye down where ye stand ”
-Rupret ‘CDSamplersmith” Himms, Music Producer Laureate of Oklahoma
Darryl Lim
on“Liked” this comment purely based on the mention of Malaysia, haha.
(Spoiler: I’m from Malaysia! :P)
alex
onSweet! Love Fuse Audio Labs.
Bob
onAnother nice freebie from FAL. Thanks!
Also, SoundGhost’s Space reverb is free for the weekend. No drm/activation/serial. Just how I like it.
https://soundghost.net/product/space/
alex
onNice! Thx!
Darryl Lim
onThanks there. :)
Tomislav Zlatic
onThank you!
Easy
onIt’s so subtle it’s difficult to even hear in the demo video listening with earbuds. In the reggae song I heard absolute no difference.
Lucas
onEven with earbuds you can still hear the upper-mids/lower-highs get thicker (like the horns for instance,), and there’s a noticeable touch of air around the vocals and the guitar work. (Incidentally, the earbuds that I had nearest me after reading your comment were my throwaway pair for hectic travel and/or podcasts; they’re a $0.64 no-name brand from Amazon, and have a cable that’s yet to relax from its boxing, and so when I’m wearing them, the cable warps out wildly like the inflexible hunk of cheap plastic that it is.This is all to say, they’re not Sennheiser earbuds. XD )
alex
onWell, it’s not subtle at all. That’s enough saturation for the whole mix. Anyways, the plugin itself can become rather aggressive (in a good way) depending on how hard you hit it.
bruno
oni am glad that i am not alone, with headphones and closed eyes i absolutely hear no difference in the reggae song example
CM
onI hear no difference on my studio monitors, too. At least I didn’t pay for this one…
Easy
onI tested this. Its very good. Not subtle at all if you decide it that way. Maybe they forgot the bypass on in the demo song :D
Raven
onBut fuse is also been very good no lie indeed. just you know.. its time for SUPER COLLABORATIONS as BPB shows with VHS. No imagine the big boy devs in the free scene COLLABORATE and use each others strengths to balance each other out! What we will get!!