Polyverse Music has announced the release of Wider, a freeware stereo widening tool in VST, AU, and AAX plugin formats for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac.
Wider borrows its features from the stereo widening section found its big brother Manipulator ($149), a multi-effect plugin which was recently reviewed on BPB. The software’s standout characteristic is its ability to widen the processed audio signal without messing up the phase. Most stereo widening tools available today will make the output signal sound dull and hollow when summed back to mono but that is not the case with Polyverse Music’s latest plugin release.
See also: STC-3 Is A FREE Stereo Expander VST Plugin By RAZ AudioThe trick lies within Wider’s unique stereo widening algorithm which relies on a combination of all-pass and comb filtering to keep the signal in phase. Even when the plugin is pushed to its widest setting, the processed audio signal should remain free of phasing issues, at least on paper. As for the workflow, Wider comes with a simple user interface consisting of a single slider control. The slider allows for stereo widening of up to 200% although I’m guessing that less extreme settings should be used in most cases.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test Wider before publishing this article because I still haven’t received the download link. I signed up using two different email addresses but still no luck. Hopefully, this is just a temporary issue, or perhaps in some way related to my particular email accounts. If you download the plugin successfully, please let me know in the comments section below.
So, do keep in mind a valid email address is required in order to receive your free copy of Wider. However, subscribing to Polyverse Music’s weekly newsletter is completely optional. The download should be delivered to your inbox after signing up on the product page linked below, although it’s more than four hours late in my case. The effect is compatible with all VST, AU, and AAX plugin hosts on PC and Mac.
Wider is available for free download via Polyverse Music (unknown download size, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU/AAX plugin formats for Windows & MacOS).
9 Comments
AJ Young
onJust downloaded. I got my email instantly, so I’m not sure what went wrong on your end.
I’m testing 64-bit VST on Windows 10 in both Reaper 5.8 and FL Studio 20.
6.6 MB Download size, .zip file with an .exe installer and a Manual.
It seems to work quite well! I’ve been testing it with various synth sounds coming from Charlatan. As expected with using filtering for stereo widening, some frequencies are emphasized more than others in each channel, so depending on what notes you play either L/R channel may end up louder than the other. Because of this though, it works exceptionally well on chords. And it does indeed collapse to Mono correctly, as far as I can tell.
mkultrapolis
on18 hours, nothing
bogus
onme the same. tried it 2 times, and still didnt received the email !
heavymetalmixer
onI could download it with my “secondary browser”, as the first one has plugin to block trackers, and even disabled it makes the site not give me the download option.
I have the windows version, haven’t tested it yet.
Christiaan Schutte
onNice stereo widener, as with all wideners, use with care, and with a gentle hand.
Dave
onGot my right away. Link was waiting for me in my inbox.
Adam
onLink is inside invoice.
deedoo
onneed to tri it
Steven Green
onNah, thank you… I will go with this: http://www.airwindows.com/wider-vst/
Same name, by the way. And: In Space, nobody can hear your screen! :)