ToneBoosters releases 23 legacy VST plugins with 64-bit support for FREE download.
ToneBoosters has bundled 23 Legacy plugins for macOS and Windows into a single file, making the download and install a bit more straightforward. The plugins don’t require registration either.
The included TrackEssentials and BusTools (v3) plugins have been around for over a decade and are no longer being sold. The transition from paid products to freeware is, of course, great news for us.
At a glance, ToneBoosters plugins can be a little deceptive. They typically employ a simple, no-fuss interface, which is great. But they also throw in some unexpected features at times, which is even better.
For example, TonBoosters Equalizer is a pretty straightforward EQ. But, it offers some pretty cool features like various Channel Modes (All, Mid, Sides, Left, Right). It provides multiple Filter Types and Spectrum Analyzer Modes, including L+R Sum, L/R Pan, and S/M Width.
That kind of more than meets the eye quality is quite common across the board for ToneBoosters plugins.
Some other interesting additions to this free collection are Ferox, Module, and Voice Pitcher.
Ferox is a simple tape simulation designed to add a bit of the good old days to your track.
Module is a multi-fx plugin, offering various feedback and modulation effects, including panning, delay, filters, and sound-field rotation.
Voice Pitcher lets you alter the pitch of vocals, both dialogue and singing voices.
These three are good examples of ToneBoosters plugins that are both easy to use and extremely practical.
Despite these v3 plugins being commercially discontinued, we can likely expect continued bug fixes.
It seems to be a popular opinion that ToneBoosters make some of the best cheap/free plugins available. The fact that many people still trust them daily despite age and competition speaks highly of these plugins.
Here’s the entire list of freebies.
- Barricade
- Broadcast
- BusCompressor
- Compressor
- DeEsser
- Dither
- EBUCompact
- EBULoudness
- Equalizer
- Evoke
- EZQ
- Ferox
- Fix4
- Fix
- Gate
- Isone
- MidSideTransformer
- Module
- ReelBus
- Reverb
- Sibalance
- TimeMachine
- Voice Pitcher
Download the entire collection for free in VST and AU formats (32/64-bit) for macOS and Windows. Apple M1 supported.
Editor’s Note: BPB’s inbox was literally on fire this weekend, with dozens of messages from our readers letting us know about the ToneBoosters freebie. As always, thank you so much for your support, you are amazing! Unfortunately, I was sick for a few days (all cleared up now!), which is why this epic freebie is posted a bit late on BPB. – Tomislav Zlatic
Download: ToneBoosters (scroll to the bottom of the page to find the free legacy plugins)
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27 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onA huge THANK YOU to BPB readers Adam, FrozenjaZz, Wing Yee, Ralf H., yzcoruhT, Sergey, and others for the info about the ToneBoosters freebie!
Adam
onHey Tomislav – glad you’re fine:)
FrozenjaZz
onI love Isone which, now being free, is a super cool way to get a “room” feeling when using headphones.
Ralf H
onThese are very good plugins. If you, for example, use Reaper, the two bundle make an excellent set of stock plugins which can take you anywhere you want. Add the now free Audio Damage stuff, and you are all set for sound design and experimentation, too.
Highly recommended!
MRG
onManuals in the support page, “Where can I find older (v3) plugins?” section.
Indeed, a(nother) nice collection for smaller DAWs without extensive internal effects or if you don’t want to rely on internal fx too much.
Brenny C
onThis is MAJOR! 🥳🥳🥳
Brenny C
onp.s. Glad you’re feeling better, Tomislav!
samuel
ondoes it make sense to get into legacy software? i tend to stay away from legacy software, because i’m thinking the best case is i get so used to something that i know i will have to stop using eventually, or will just cause me problems when the next big update comes along (like when mac people had to make the switch to 64bit only)
wonder how you guys approach this, or if this is a thought at all for you
Michal Ochedowski
onOnce I realized there are no VST3 versions included, I did not install this generous bundle. It’s a type of marketing and obviously very effective. At some point users may want to upgrade and probably will stick with ToneBoosters. I used their stuff in the past and really liked it. It was a long time ago though. Now I don’t want to go the legacy road with no prospect of support.
mx
onlooking on that topic in a philosophical way that is the case with software in general, you never know when support will be dropped..
so i would not worry too much about that future-support-problem and instead decide if a plugin or other tool is useful at the moment or not.
if you find something in this package that you get used to so much and it doesnt work anymore one day, at least you know what tool you are looking for then to replace your old go-to. and maybe there will pop up an even better tool then which fills the gap.
probably for most people their set of tools is always evolving and doesnt stay the same for too long, at least thats the case for me.
and i also find that with a change of tools you find new ways to do things and get to know new perspectives sometimes.
and apart from the point that a quick workflow is necessary for professional, paid work for other people, i think experimenting and just fiddling around is always good investment of time.
actually my personal way of building my toolbox at the moment is trying a lot out, but then after giving every new plugin a chance also deleting it again if it doesnt convince me, in order to keep the pluginlist in my daws as small as possible.
Neytcev
onThe same way here, and even more, i found time to time older
audio tools, which wondered and impressed me with their abilities,
but then after i didn’t find a good sounding alternative in the moderns.
Glory to God, we are luckies nowadays with too many different and
qualified plugins and software instruments to help our fine work.
Enjoy your life and your/our interests! Bless you!
dumpsterlid
onAt least using Reaper the only real problem I have ever had with legacy software is that the interfaces can be tiny on modern high resolution screens.
In this case though… toneboosters is TRYING to get you into their updated software by offering their previous versions for free. I am not sure there are new versions for every one of their plugins in this bundle but there certainly are for any of the essentials like barricade or reelbus.
I tend to use a wide variety of legacy/free software to compliment a smaller number of paid plugins, I don’t really have any legacy/free plugins that do something that is absolutely critical that I couldn’t do in another one of my plugins so if a plugin stopped working I wouldn’t be that upset.
MRG
onAll software will get to ‘legacy’ status at some point. And it’s worse for OSX than Windows. Those plugins are 64bit already. Some people are keeping older DAWs and plugins around, sometimes on a dedicated machine. I was using daily an Atari ST emulator on DOS (PaCifiST) for five years before going full Windows. I’m pretty sure you’ll find some people still using older MIDI librarians from that era, today. Old habits die hard.
Ralf H
onI will use Win 10 as long as possible and try to keep my working environment very stable. I suppose the TV stuff can be used for the next five years or so. I think we don’t get more safety or a longer planning horizon in the world in that we live.
pacman
onToneBoosters are amazing.
Go and buy it (not a sponsored comment).
Jason
onTomislav– I found your website a few months ago doing a google search for plugins. I had no idea just how amazing your site was initially, but I kept getting directed to it. I’ve come to realize that this site is a major necessity in the world. This fills a massive void in the field of music. I was considering doing a similar site but was intimidated by the daunting task. Thank you eternally for your hard work and commitment to the music community.
Adam
onIf you don’t already know most of that pack was previously released by Jeroen Breebaart but that previous one was 32bit only and just for windows.
rek
onA lot of developers seem to rather let their plugins disappear into oblivion even long after they’re obsolete, rather than give them away for free. So good on Toneboosters and Audio Damage for providing examples to the contrary.
Numanoid
onComputer Music issue 306 is out today, of particular interest to BPB as this is their big “Freeware” issue
The issue ships with a CM version of WA Production Multibender FX
Tomislav Zlatic
onCool, I’ll check it out! Thanks for the info, Numanoid!
Ron Music
onRest in Peace Mixcraft Value 😂
Joke, Mixcraft is just as good without these plug-ins I got for free ages ago!
Numanoid
onClark Audio release “Textures”: Overlay your sounds with dust, vinyl crackle, mechanical noise, tape noise, nature environments etc”. Free, reg price is $39
clarkaudio.com/textures-free/
Beat Freak
onAm I the only one who cannot open the website? Something like this site cannot be reached?
Bthelick
onAnyone got isone? it doesn’t appear to be in the installer anymore
Ariana
onIt is now, I think so… there’s a download manager but I’m not sure if it is safe to install.
Marwan
onDoes anyone have an idea on how to activate these plugins, Im still getting prompted even though they are free, thanks!
Ariana
onIs the software installer safe?
Although Microsoft Defender is not always right with probable malware or malicious software (just because it’s not registered or tested by them), I have to ask =)