Blue Lab Audio Releases Free Gain12 VST/AU Plugin

French developer Blue Lab Audio has released Gain12, a freeware gain control plugin in 32-bit and 64-bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX plugin formats for PC and Mac.

The plugin, aptly named Gain12, is a simple one-knob affair that allows you to boost or attenuate the channel gain, or trim, by up to 12dB. While it does not have a ton of added features like the more versatile gain solution from Blue Cat Audio, its simple presentation, light footprint, and ease of use makes it a convenient little tool to have around. Due to its high accuracy (up to a tenth of a dB), and the fact that it can be fully automated, Gain12 might be just the plugin you need for proper gain staging in your DAW of choice.

On the negative side, the user interface is incredibly tiny (only around 250 pixels wide) and non-resizable. Paired with a slightly too dark color scheme, it is a bit of a pain to use, especially with higher-res screens. Another minor drawback is that the plugin comes with an installer, which probably isn’t necessary for such a simple and lightweight piece of software. The installer does allow placing all of the files in a single custom folder, which is a plus.

Blue Lab Audio is also running a sale on the rest of their plugins, available through the KVR web store. The sale features discounts of up to 50%, including offers on the developer’s transient shaper and binaural spatialization plugins. The plugins can be bought for as low as $2 during the sale which ends on September 30th.

If you are keen on supporting indie plugin developers, especially those who provide the community with freeware tools, head on over to Blue Lab Audio’s site. Grab yourself a copy of Gain12 free, and while you’re there, have a listen to the other plugins on offer (video demos are featured on the site), and maybe grab a few.

Gain12 is available for free download via Blue Lab Audio (739 KB download size, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX plugin formats for Windows & Mac OS).