Best Free Amp Vst
This article lists free guitar amp VST plugins. For more music software, return to Free VST Plugins.
Whether you’re a guitar player or not, it can be useful to have a good guitar amp emulator or two in your plugins folder. Must like a good saturator, guitar amps can color a sound, adding anything from subtle warmth to full-on distortion. If you’re a guitar player without access to a sound-proof studio, these kinds of VSTs are essential for bringing DI’ed signals to life. However, they can work well on synthesizers, drum machines, samples—pretty much anything that needs an injection of saturation.
This list focuses on guitar amplifier sims. While some may contain cabs (speakers or cabinets), many are just the head. Many offer multiple amp types and are capable of providing several different kinds of tones. If you’re new to the world of guitar amps, it can be useful to experiment and see what works best for your type of music.
AmpliTube 4 Free by IK Multimedia
AmpliTube 4 Free is, as you would expect, a free version of software giant IK Multimedia’s comprehensive guitar sim package, AmpliTube 4. The free version on offer here includes nine stompboxes, four amps, five cabs, three mics, two rack effects, and a chromatic tuner, which should be more than enough to get you started. If you wish to expand your kit, unlock additional amp models via in-app purchases.
Knuckle Head is a guitar amp VST head capable of tones that range from sweet, glistening cleans to SRV and Yardbirds style smokin’ hot crunch right through to punishing high gain destruction. Knuckle head is the brute force amp of the collection. In this Zane from Simple Green Tech looks at 14 of the best free guitar amp simulator software plugins available in early 2020. These free guitar amp vst plugins range from simple one amp designs to incredible multi-amp simulators. Mac/PC VST/AU Free. This one comes free with Computer Music magazine, and provides crunchy, tube-style distortion, plus a three-band EQ with low, mid and high bands, and a clear, easy-to-use interface. Useful for gentle colouring or more obvious distortion, depending how hard you push the Gain control. There is a challenge with curating this list of best free VST synths, because, so far, many of the VST synths we have named can really be considered the “best” free synthesizers you can download. And discoDSP’s OB-Xd is constantly referred to as the “best” as well. And listening to its sounds, utilizing it’s interface, and working. The best FREE AMP SIM for METAL Last week I released my very first custom Impulse Response Pack, you guys really loved it and I was really thrilled with the tones I got. However, Viewer “shadowseal22” brought up a very good point: “Would have been interested to see these with some sims, since that’s how most people use these.“. The 12 best virtual guitar amplifier plugins: top amp modelling software for guitarists and producers By Electronic Musician ( emusician ) 01 January 2020 Discover a dozen of the best amp and cab sims for a computer-based setup.
Download:AmpliTube Custom Shop
Blue Cat’s Free Amp by Blue Cat
Blue Cat’s Free Amp is a guitar amp emulator based on Blue Cat’s premium Destructor and Axiom plugins. With three different models (Classic Clean, Classic Drive, and Modern Drive) and matching cabinet emulation for each virtual amp type, there’s plenty to work with here. The tone ranges from clean to crunchy, with a useful sweet spot that favors a clean sound, something of a rarity for guitar amp VSTs.
Download:Blue Cat’s Free Amp
Boogex by Voxengo
At its heart, Boogex is a guitar amp simulator, able to impart tone ranging from distorted to clean and jazzy. It can load speaker cabinet impulse responses (some are included) and can also be used as a plain stereo convolution processor when its amp stage is turned off. It also has a reverb module taken from the company’s excellent OldSkoolVerb reverb.
Download:Boogex
Amped Roots Free by ML Sound Lab
Amped Roots Free is the free edition of ML Sound Lab’s software bundle, which was made with the help of guitarist Ryan “Fluff” Bruce. Amped Roots Free includes an amp designed for a metal with a built-in cabinet simulator and two effects pedals.
Download:Amped Roots Free
Amplifikation Lite by Kuassa
Based on one of the amps featured in Kuassa’s Amplifikation One guitar processing software, Amplifikation Lite has three channels (clean, rhythm, and lead) and a built-in cabinet impulse response loader. The cabinet loader is useful for when you want more than just an amp head.
Download:Amplifikation Lite
Cypress TT-15 by Black Rooster Audio
German effects company Black Rooster Audio offers Cypress TT-15, a component-based circuit simulation of the Orange TT15 Tiny Terror amp head. Orange amps are famous for their tone, and this emulation has a similar sound and identical control layout. It also has a 2×12 cabinet simulation that can be bypassed should you wish to use an alternate cab impulse response.
Download:Cypress TT-15
NRR-1 by Ignite Amps
Back in 1999, Ignite Amps built the NRR-1 tube preamplifier for Fleshgod Apocalypse guitarist Cristiano Trionfera. The software version is a digital emulation of that same preamp that features Ignite Amps’ third-generation triode modeling engine and three channels: clean, rhythm, and lead. It’s particularly suited to metal and other heavy genres.
Download:NRR-1
Crunck V2 by Nembrini Audio
Nembrini Audio’s relatively new Crunck V2 plugin is a high-quality guitar amp sim designed for rock and pop genres. With its easy-to-understand layout, it’s particularly suited to beginners. It also includes an IR-based cabinet simulator with 30 built-in cabinet impulse responses.
Download:Crunck V2
Ace by Shattered Glass Audio
Ace by Shattered Glass Audio is an emulation of a Fender tube guitar amp. With its clean tones, it’s great for indie rock, pop, and other genres that don’t require a high-gain guitar sound like metal. This amp, which is light on CPU, also features a built-in cabinet simulation and two different circuit models.
Download:Ace
L12X Solid State Amplifier by Audiority
Audiority’s free L12X Solid State Amplifier is based on the Marshall Lead 12 head of the late ‘80s, which is renowned for its ability to get very loud. This emulation has two channels (clean and boost), a contour knob for a more scooped tone, and an additional boost overdrive stage.
Download:L12X Solid State Amplifier
bx_rockrack V3 Player by Plugin Alliance
bx_rockrack V3 Player is the freeware virtual guitar amp plugin by Brainworx. It features a limited collection of amp models and presets from the full version of the software. There are 26 presets in total, based on eight different guitar amplifier models.
The plugin sounds very good. However, the options for customizing the included presets are very limited. That said, bx_rockrack V3 Player can be useful if you’re only looking for a great sounding virtual amp to jam on.
Download:bx_rockrack V3 Player
Guitar Rig 5 Player by Native Instruments
Like AmpliTube 4, Native Instruments’ freely downloadable Guitar Rig 5 plugin is a fully-featured all-in-one guitar solution, with amps, cabs, effects, and more. It’s great for everything from subtle warmth to full-on effects madness, and it sounds lovely on synths. Guitar Rig 5 Player is a free, cut-down version of Guitar Rig 5 Pro and includes a British-style tube amp plus a matched cabinet, as well as 13 effects and sound modifiers. Note that Guitar Rig 5 Player comes as part of Komplete Start, a bundle of free instruments and effects.
Download:Komplete Start (includes Guitar Rig 5 Player)
For more freeware plugins and instruments, return to our Free VST Plugins page.
Lots of people are obsessed with the ‘warmth’ of analog studio gear. Sure—it sounds fuller, more human, more present.
But these days, modeling technology has become really good at simulating the effects of analog circuitry. Our computers and DAW apps are powerful enough to handle these VST workhorses.
So forget about spending tons of money on analog gear.
Here’s 7 VSTs (for both PC and Mac) that will give you that sweet analog warmth.
- SGA1566 Tube Preamp
- TDR Slick EQ
- Ace Amp
- Molot Compressor
- Voxengo Tube Amp
- MJUC jr. Compressor
- Softube Saturation Knob
What’s all the analog fuss about?
Ok, so what does analog circuitry do to your sound? What’s everyone so obsessed about?
What people like about analog sound are the quirks and imperfections.
So when people talk about ‘warm analog sound’ they’re referring to:
- Subtle distortion and drive
- Harmonic distortion
- Tape Saturation
- Vacuum tubes
- Preamps
What these processes do to your sound is often hardly noticeable. That’s what the magic’s about—you won’t hear them, but they’ll make a huge difference in how your track sounds and feels.
Best Free Amp Vst
The cumulative effect of analog processes is what people are gushing about.
1. SGA1566 Tube Preamp
Shattered Glass Audio’s SGA 1566 gives you a single channel vintage tube preamp. The whole circuit is simulated in real time to get you that authentic analog sound.
Use the SGA 1566 as a saturation compressor to boost the warmth of your track. Or add a bit of grit with the tube overdrive.
The newest version is also lighter on your CPU––so no computer freak outs!!
Download the SGA 1566 for free here.
2. TDR Slick EQ
“This little guy sounds amazing” –Dave Pensado
The TDR Slick EQ is a sleek easy-to-use three-band EQ that gives you amazing sound—like all Tokyo Dawn Records plugins.
Warm up your sound by choosing a non-linear option under Output Stage. That’ll add subtle harmonic distortion and texture.
Download the TDR SlickEQ for free here.
3. Ace Amp
Ace Amp—another Shattered Glass Audio creation—is based on classic 1950s style tube amps.
Control the input, volume, feedback, output. Choose between three resampling options.
This amp plugin has simple controls and doesn’t eat up your CPU.
Hot Tip: Try it on vocals for a cool aesthetic effect.
Download the Ace for free here.
4. Molot Compressor
Vladg’s Molot is a compressor with character. Even the vintage Soviet look is on point.
Molot will give your sound interesting color. I recommend reading the manual to learn how to tune it properly—it’s worth the read.
Download Molot for free here.
5. Voxengo Tube Amp
/free-vst-warm-strings.html. Voxengo’s Tube Amp gives you warm overdrive, fuzzy distortion and everything in between.
It imitates tube overdrive in the style of single-tube mic preamps.
Hot Tip: Use the low-pass filter to imitate the texture of lower-quality tubes.
Download Voxengo’s Tube Amp for free here.
6. MJUC jr. Compressor
Klanghelm’s MJUC jr. compressor is simple and elegant.
Use it for smooth compression or a heavier pumping effect. MJUC jr. is based on vintage compressors of the 1960s––it even looks like one.
Flip the ‘Time Constants’ switch to choose between slow, fast and auto. This changes the attack and release time. It affects other parts of the circuitry too, giving you interesting analog-style saturation.
Download the MJUC jr. for free here.
7. Softube Saturation Knob
Best Free Guitar Amp Vst Reddit
This Saturation Knob is one the best free analog emulation plugins out there. Even Dave Pensado gives it two thumbs up!
Use it anywhere to add some character and distortion. Drag it on your vocal track to add shimmer.
The great thing about this one is how simple it is: literally one knob and a switch. Best vst 2014 free. Change the switch setting to choose between the kind of distortion you’ll get.
Download the Softube Saturation Knob for free here.
Fake It Till Ya Make It
These effects are the missing ingredient in your digital sound.
The key with analog emulation is to avoid overdoing it. Bring in the effect until you hear it, then dial it back a notch. It’ll still make a huge difference. Your sound will be fuller and warmer.
Use these plugins and people will be asking for your studio secrets in no time.
Make sure to grab the whole LANDR-approved free VST plugin collection: