VST Plug-ins

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Peter 10Nov11: Comments from Gale copied at his request from the Forum:
  • Gale: ToDo-2
    • I'm sure the long list of (mainly Windows) "functional" effects has broken links, effects that are no longer available and so on. Some user on Windows added most of the effects to that list at some point in history.
    • The "List of Plug-ins with known problems" is likely out of date too, and certainly does not need references to behaviour with the old VST-bridge. There may be a case for maintaining that list, rather than pointing users to Bugzilla reports, especially if there were issues that we could not fix.
  • Peter 10Nov15: Boy this page does need some loving.
    1. I killed all the dead links in the main list and in the problems list as a starter.
    2. I really think we should not be listing any for which we cannot provide a suitable link. Apart from any other consideration this would shorten the page nicely
    3. I suspect even those listed with links could be pruned a little (but my knowledge/experience is limited here).
    4. Rather I would suggest linking to Virtual Studio Technology in Wikipedia. That page has links to suppliers of VST effects and on those pages are downloads for various VSTs
    5. And if a user requires even more VST plug-ins/plugins they can always try Googling
    6. Any listed one should really carry a brief description of what the plug-in does
    7. Traditionally we would bullet-point the list - Connie doesn't like the "br" construct - but I'm not going to tackle this till we address 2 above.
  • Peter 15Nov15: Well I've given it a first bit of loving today:
    • Split the list into two, those plug-ins with links and those without
    • Reformatted the list of those with links to be an ordered list and reming the "br" linebrak construct tha Connie does not like.
    • Set a P2 recommending that we just lose the list of those plug-ins without a link (users could use Google and/or Wikipedia.
  • Gale 16Nov15: Thanks, Peter. I think the best thing to do is make this a wiki sortable table, with columns for the following:
    • Plug-in name
    • Publisher
    • OS/architecture
    • Last revised (or Version tested)
    • Maximum Audacity version (this would usually be blank but e.g. the PPC Mac plugins are maximum Audacity 2.1.1)
    • Comments.
See an example of a sortable table at FFmpeg_integration#Exporting using latest FFmpeg. I would be prepared to make the table if necessary. I guess most of the plugins listed here are free and we would rarely list commercial VST's unless there was no comparable free alternative. So commercial plugins would probably best be in their own section.
ToDo-2 Also, we should have a note div here about free VST realtime hosts which could be used to apply effects during recording, with Audacity recording the host's output. I know you may not want to do that but someone else can.
  • Peter 16Nov15: While this is an admirable suggestion Gale, I'm sorry but I don't really think I have the time needed to devote to this. There are c. 110 in this list and each one would need to be reasearched to populate the table you postulate - and I don't have any background at all in using VST effects. It's also something that we can't really do piecemeal, it really is something that has to be done all in one go.
  • Gale 16Nov15: This list is very hard to read. Grouping into a number of lists for each type of effect could work, but that would need more research. I only propose (for now) to put the information in the table that we already have. But the table would then be much easier to read and more information could easily be added by anyone. You can get list to table tools so the conversion should not be a long job, so I remain willing to do it sometime. After going as far as you are willing.
    • Peter 17Nov15: I agree that the current list is barely navigable, in contrast the Nyquist page has its effects grouped. So I do agree that a table is a good idea - in such a table I would like a field where we can put a brief description of what the plug-in does including a link to the related page from the plug-in supplier. It may be useful to have a filed for the last release dta/update so the user can judge the currency. Most of these fields would be empty to start off with and would only be filled over time with some diligent reseach (probably accompanied by testing - if we want to be sure about quality). I won't have much more time to spend on this until the new year as I'm off diving for a couple of weeks soon and then it will be Chritmas/New Year and I have several other things (including RC testing) to deal with between now and then. But yes I can copy those lists over to your draft table page shortly as I'm not planning to work on this page much more right now.

      ToDo-2 If you can put a draft of the table with a single entry in the next week or so then I should be able to review it before I go away on the 28th.

    • Gale 18Nov15: I added a "Last revised" column to the list of possible table columns, but if that gets outdated it becomes misleading. Perhaps "Version tested" would be better. I was intending the "Comments" column (or some such name) to include any info we have about what the plugin does. If the plugin is no longer developed we could say so in the comments.
Peter 16Nov15: I spent some time this morning working on grouping of the digitalfishphones plug-ins. I chose that set as this author's plug-in regulary occur on the forum posings (my memory tells me). Looking at the fish-fillets suite (Spitfish, Blockfish & Floorfish), I supsect these are typical of many of the plug-ins we list. The author writes "IMPORTANT! The mac version will most certainly not work on current Macs! They weren't compiled for Intel-based Macs at all (due to the age of the code base...). So the software might only be of use for older machines... Windows users: 32bits only here. Don't ask for x64. No way." and I note that last time he updated these at all was in 2005. So what we have is stuff that was good in its time no doubt, but that has been left to wither on the vine, left behind by more modern platform technology. And I suspect that many of the ones in our list on this page are in a similar condition. This worries me ...
  • Gale 16Nov15: PPC-only plugins are no longer supported in Audacity 2.1.2 onwards because 2.1.2 onwards does not support PPC Mac. But there are few Mac plugins here. Audacity can only see 32-bit VST's on Windows.

    ToDo-2 Add note of 64/32-bit bridge plugins that let Audacity use 64-bit VST's on Windows.

Info from Trebor, triaged by Gale, that can be incorporated into this page (add those plugins not already listed).


This page describes support for VST (Virtual Studio Technology) effect plug-ins in Audacity; VST instrument plug-ins that generate audio are not supported. A list of VST effects known to process correctly in Audacity on Windows is given here.
VST effects are supported by Audacity on OS X and GNU/Linux, but relatively few are available on Mac (due to Apple's competing Audio Units technology) and even fewer on Linux. If a specific VST effect is required on Linux, it may be necessary to employ workarounds such as running Audacity for Windows in a virtual machine.
 
Related article(s):

VST support in Audacity

Warning icon
  • On Windows and Mac OS X, Audacity is a 32-bit application so won't see 64-bit versions of VST plug-ins, even on 64-bit operating systems.
  • On GNU/Linux, 32-bit systems will have 32-bit versions of Audacity which won't see 64-bit VST plug-ins. 64-bit systems will have 64-bit versions of Audacity which will see 64-bit VST plug-ins but won't see 32-bit plug-ins.
  • VST instruments (VSTi) (such as synths) and real-time VST effects (that change the audio data while playing or recording) are not yet supported.
  • VST 3 plug-ins are not supported.

VST effects are displayed with full GUI interface (where provided by the plug-in), and without need of the VST Enabler. This has been made possible by use of an open source VST header.

For instructions on how to load new VST effects into Audacity please see this page in the Manual.


The overwhelming majority of VST effect plug-ins should display and process correctly. If an incompatible VST plug-in does cause a problem, click the Manage button in the effect's dialog then choose "Options...". In the dialog that appears, try reducing Buffer Size, disabling Latency Compensation or disabling graphical display. See VST Effect Options in the Manual for more information on these choices.
  • To report a plug-in that is problematic in current Audacity, please add it below, or write to our feedback address.

Where Audacity looks for VST plug-ins

The complete list of locations can be found in the Audacity Manual. The specified directories are searched recursively, which means that plug-ins that are inside their own folder in that directory should still be found by Audacity.

List of functional Plug-ins

Instructions for adding plug-ins to the list:
  1. Please insert new plug-ins that work in Audacity in the correct place so as to keep the list sorted in alphabetical order.
  2. Please give a download link to the plug-in if possible, enclosing the link inside single square brackets - for example:
    [http://www.linktoplugin.com]
  3. If plug-ins are not free, please note this.


  • The majority of plug-ins will be for Windows only unless OS 9 or OS X is stated.
  • Classic Mac OS plug-ins will only work under OS 9 and previous. Mac OS X plug-ins with a .component file marked as "PowerPC" will only work on PPC Macs (they might work on Intel Macs with slow performance under Rosetta but Rosetta cannot be used on OS X 10.7 or later).

List of Plug-ins with download links

Peter 15Nov15: I have reformatted this list making it an unordered list and removing the "br" linbreak construct that Connie does not approve of.
Peter 16Nov15: I'm not sure I want us to continue linking to the Brothersoft site (or its plug-ins) the very first ad I got served on that page was for a porn site - sure the adds cycled round with normal sensible ads but they were on a cycle and the porn ad kept returning. And It carries a misleading big green "Download" button !
  • Gale 18Nov15: The Classic plugins below are discontinued. The links were pointing to Brothersoft which is a dubious site and now point to VST4free which is much less bad. Also you can get the complete bundle from http://acoustica1.cachefly.net/other/Classic-Effects-Installer.exe. The installer puts the plugins in %PROGRAMFILES%\VST where (according to the Manual and VSTEffect.cpp) Audacity should not see them unless a registry key or VST_PATH environment variable points there. But Audacity does see them (on Win 10).
  • Classic plug-ins
    • Peter 16Nov15: Rather than linking direct to the downloads for these digitalfishphones plug-ins, might it not be better to link to the site's download page for them as it tells the user, in some detail, just what each one is for: THD, dominion and normalizer?

    Also I note that we don't list his endorphin plug-in, is there any reason for this omission?

    • Gale 17Nov15: Any other plugins are not listed because presumably no-one tested them. Yes, show a landing page with detail for the plugin if there is one. But if we have a table like I suggest we can link to the publisher and the plugin in a less confusing way.
    • Peter 17Nov15: Ok I added a link to endorphin - btw how many of the others in this long list (let alone the list of those without links) have actually been tested if ever let alone on current and alpha Audacity: ;-)
    • Gale 18Nov15: We can assume those listed (linked or unlinked) were tested somewhere back in the Audacity 1.2 days. We should add a div at the top that this is therefore an indicative list only and we welcome anyone updating the list or writing to [email protected] with updates.
    • DtBlkFx (FFT-based frequency and harmonics manipulation). Also supports OS X (Universal binary) but only Windows version tested.
    • Extra Boy Pro removal and isolation of audio components (commercial, paid for)
    • EZmix (commercial, time limited demo available). Also supports OS X but only Windows version tested.
    • Freeverb Plug-ins
    • GMulti Multi-band compressor
    • iZotope vinyl for Windows and OS X
    • JS plug-in pack - contains plug-ins listed below.
      • JS 6 equalizer V1.0.dll
      • JS Band Cut V1.0.dll
      • JS Compresseur V1.1.dll
      • JS Disto V1.0.dll
      • JS equalizer V1.0.dll
      • Humanizer v1.0.dll
      • JS Limiteur V1.0.dll
      • JS Magneto V1.1.dll
      • JS Mini-sample V1.0.dll
      • JS Noise Attenu V1.0 .dll
      • JS Noise Filtre V1.0.dll
      • JS Oscil resonne V2.0 .dll
      • JS Oscil resonne V3.0.dll
      • JS PanDelay .dll
      • JS Resonnateur V1.0.dll
      • JS Vibrato V1.0.dll
    • jVSTwRapper-based plug-ins (on Windows, Mac OSX PPC/Intel and Linux).
    jVSTwRapper is a way of writing Java plug-ins using VST-based technology, enclosed in a wrapper that makes them compatible for use in VST, Audio Units and LADSPA hosts. Thus jVSTwRapper plug-ins can be run on all three platforms.

    List of Plug-ins for which we have no download links

    Peter 15Nov15: ToDo-2 My vote would be for removing this list entirely. If users want more VST plug-ins than we list above in the list of thos ewith links then they can always Use Google or Wikipedia.
    • Gale: I expect many of these links can be added. For example see http://www.voxengo.com/group/free-vst-plugins/.
      • Peter 16Nov15: I'm sorry but there are 245 of these listed without links and I really have neither the time nor the inclination to research all of these - some of which may well be hosted on dubious sites of the type I don't care to explore. My suggestion is that we hive this off to a separate page linked to from here as this would have the benefit of shotening this very long page. This does not prevent motivataed folk in the future moving items on that page for which they find links to this page.
      • Gale 17Nov15: I agree there are a lot there. But I see no value in hiving them off. They were put here because they were known (at the time) to work. So they can legitimately go in the proposed table, but with no link.
        • Peter 17Nov15: Were they really "known to work", were they tested? That would have been - and remains - a labour of love. They look more as though they were just dumped here, certainly whoever placed them there didn't even take the trouble to add links for them - let alone a bit of descriptive text. I worry, as our listing seems to imply a sort of Audacity endorsement.
        • Gale 18Nov15: Not "just dumped". I strongly believe tested (in 1.2) but adding links would have been extra work.

    2WarpDelay_v1.dll
    4poleLPF.dll
    Neosweep.dll
    Acidfanatic overdrive.dll
    Acidfanatic stereo2mono.dll
    Acidfanatic ultradrive.dll
    AnalogDelay.dll
    AnechoicRoomSimulator.dll
    ariesverb_0_2.dll
    B_Decoder.dll
    bandspin.dll
    BassChorusV23.dll
    BassPhaserV10.dll
    Big Tick Dual Delay.dll
    Big Tick Hexaline.dll
    BPan_e.dll
    BPan_e_gui.dll
    BPan_m.dll
    BPan_m_gui.dll
    c3multibandcomp_1_2.dll
    c3multibandcomp_1_2sse.dll
    CamelPhatFree.dll
    CatDelay.dll
    CatDelay_1_3.dll
    CCTDelayLE.dll
    Chimecho.dll
    CompactDistortion.dll
    Compressor2.dll
    Compressor.dll
    CoyoteWah.dll
    CrazyIvan.dll
    D_Limiter.dll
    dB Compressor.dll
    dbFree.dll
    DCOffsetKiller.dll
    Delayer.dll
    Delta Filter.dll
    Delta Force.dll
    Delta Phase.dll
    Delta Ping.dll
    Delta Space.dll
    dfx Buffer Override mono.dll
    dfx Buffer Override stereo.dll
    dfx Monomaker.dll
    dfx Scrubby.dll
    dfx Skidder.dll
    DFX Transverb.dll
    Distortionator Mk2.dll
    Dr_ExpanderDemo.dll
    echographz.dll
    effex.dll
    E-Phonic LOFI.dll
    E-Phonic XPressor.dll
    F_M_Comp.dll
    F_M_EQShelf.dll
    F_M_Tube.dll
    F_S_Comp.dll
    F_S_EQFilter.dll
    F_S_EQShelf.dll
    F_S_LineT.dll
    F_S_Phase.dll
    F_S_Tube.dll
    FEILEI Surround Echo.dll
    FEILEI Surround Encode.dll
    FEILEI Surround Pan.dll
    Filterizer.dll
    FilterONE.dll
    firegain.dll
    Flaser.dll
    Flipper.dll
    FloFi.dll
    florus.dll
    FlybabyBETA.dll
    Fruity 7band EQ.dll
    Fruity balance.dll
    Fruity bass boost.dll
    Fruity blood overdrive.dll
    Fruity filter.dll
    Fruity delay.dll
    Frohmage_vst2win.dll
    Fuzz-Stone.dll
    Gain.dll
    GClip.dll
    GComp.dll
    GeneComp3.dll
    GeneComp3_mono.dll
    GeneComp.dll
    GeneComp_mono.dll
    GGate.dll
    GHi.dll
    Glacier.dll
    dBlue Glitch - requires Audacity 1.3.9 or later; random probability feature does not work in Audacity 2.0.2
    GLow.dll
    GranComp3.dll
    GranComp3_mono.dll
    GranComp.dll
    GranComp_mono.dll
    GRevDly.dll
    GVerb.dll
    Hard Limiter.dll
    IndyGoDelay.dll
    IndyGoGater.dll
    IndyGoTremolo.dll
    Invada EQ-Tube-Mono.dll
    Invada EQ-Tube-Stereo.dll
    Invada Tube-Mono.dll
    Invada Tube-Stereo.dll
    karlette.dll
    KarmaFX Deelay.dll
    KarmaFX Filter.dll
    KewlCompressor.dll
    KONTRAST.DLL
    KristalEQ.dll
    Kristalizer.dll
    KristalReverb.dll
    KTAudioHealer.dll
    KwikKomp2b1.dll
    KwikKomp3VST.dll
    Levels.dll
    LoFiPlus.dll
    LPGEQ2.dll
    LPGEQ2_1.dll
    LPGEQ.dll
    LPGEQ_mono.dll
    Mab.dll
    MadShifta.dll
    mdspFlanger.dll
    Megatrancer.dll
    MjRotoDelay.dll
    MnComp_v1r.dll
    MonstaChorus.dll
    Morphing Delay 2.1 Demo.dll
    msBalance.dll
    msComp.dll
    msDecode.dll
    msDelay.dll
    msEncode.dll
    msSwap.dll
    msvcr71.dll
    ndcPanner.dll
    ndcTrem.dll
    ndcTrem_plus.dll
    noisegate.dll
    Null-BandSpin.dll
    P1-Tapedelay.dll
    PalancarWare Brick.dll
    PalancarWare DeDC.dll
    PalancarWare Empire.dll
    PalancarWare Ozone.dll
    PalancarWare Refero.dll
    PalancarWare Scalar.dll
    ppdisto.dll
    preamp.dll
    pvaccu.dll
    pvexag.dll
    pvtransp.dll
    pwmdrive.dll
    pzx.dll
    q_delOizer30.dll
    Qamp.dll
    respass.dll
    RetroDelay.dll
    Reverb.dll
    Reversinator.dll RMD.dll
    Saturator.dll - analog tape saturation emulator for added "warmth"
    sc4.dll
    sc 04 sec Stereo Delay.dll
    sc Multi Delay.dll
    sc Multi Tap Delay.dll
    sc Stereo Panner.dll
    sc Tremelo.dll
    SDynamics.dll
    SFilter.dll
    SH-1 Chorus.dll
    SH-1 Filter.dll
    SH-1 Graphic EQ.dll
    SH-1 LFO Multi.dll
    SH-1 PhaseSifter.dll
    SH-1 Reverb.dll
    ShivaShifta.dll
    SideChCompMn.dll
    SideChCompSt.dll
    SideKick2.dll
    Silverspike Reverb-it Demo.dll
    SimpleQ.dll
    SimpleTremolo.dll
    SLFO.dll
    Solidverb.dll
    SonicChorus.dll
    SpectriX.dll
    SPICE1_01.dll
    Square-o-matic.dll
    Stardust.dll
    Starplugs-RuntimePanner.dll
    StComp_v1r.dll
    stepper.dll
    Stereoizer.dll
    StereoFaker.dll
    StereoStretcher.dll
    StereoTools.dll
    StudioVerb.dll
    SupaPhaser.dll
    surrounder.dll
    TapeDelay.dll
    Telephone.dll - simple, very realistic telephone audio simulator.
    TK-3BandDisto.dll
    TK-4Filters.dll
    TK-BPMDelay.dll
    TK-BPMDelayS.dll
    TK-FeedFlanger.dll
    TK-FilterDisto.dll
    TK-FlangDestructor.dll
    TK-LPFilterMod.dll
    TK-StereoFlanger.dll
    TranceFormer.dll
    tridirt.dll
    T-SLEDGE.dll
    TubeBaby.dll
    unmatched.dll
    VariDelay.dll
    VFlange.dll
    VFlanger.dll
    VIBRATOR1_00.dll
    Vibro.dll
    Volcano.dll
    VoxengoEssEQ.dll
    VoxengoLampthruster (a VST amp simulator)
    VoxengoOldSkoolVerb.dll
    VoxengoPowershaper.dll
    VoxengoSampleDelay.dll
    VoxengoStereoTouch.dll
    VoxengoTempoDelay.dll
    VoxengoTubeAmp1.dll
    VoxengoTubeAmp.dll
    VPingPong.dll
    WARP.DLL
    Whix.dll
    Z-BandSpin.dll
    Z-FilterDub.dll
    Z-Florus.dll
    Z-Ringer.dll
    Z-SpShift.dll
    Z-SpVoc.dll

    List of Plug-ins with known problems

    Warning icon Instructions for adding VST effect plug-ins to the list:
    1. Please do not add VST instrument plug-ins to the list, because Audacity won't work with any of those.
    2. List effect plug-ins that do not work properly in Audacity, giving a short note of the problem, such as "Audacity won't launch", "plug-in does not appear in Effect Menu", "not all controls available", "audio not processed".
    3. Please give a download link to the plug-in if possible, enclosing the link inside single square brackets - for example:
      [http://www.linktoplugin.com]
    4. Please also give your operating system such as Windows 10 or Mac OS X 10.9.4, the date of your report, and the version of Audacity used.
    5. Feel free to use current Audacity to retest any plug-ins that did not work with legacy VST Enabler or legacy 1.x versions of Audacity. If plug-ins now work, please move them up into the "working" list.
      • Audacity 2.0.6 onwards supports buffer delay compensation. Most plug-ins previously listed below that suffered from inserted silence due to Audacity's lack of compensation are no longer listed.
    In addition to the below list, the following plug-ins do not have functioning sliders in Audacity 2.1.0 or later and so will only apply at default settings. See Bug 1083.
    • JS plug-ins
    • MDA VST's
    • stereoizer.dll
    Plug-in OS Date Audacity version Symptoms
    Auto-Tune Windows Dec.2012 Audacity 2.0.1 Tuning by MIDI input is not supported.
    BlueCat OS X Sep.2014 Audacity 2.0.5, 2.0.6 In 2.0.5, the plug-in interface does not work, so you can only use default settings. The interface works in 2.0.6, but in both versions, saving a preset will lock out the main Audacity window, requiring to close Audacity from the Dock.
    CM Vocoder Windows/OS X Sep.08 Audacity 1.3.8+ Does not appear
    Effect Chainer DX and VST wrapper Windows Jan.08 All can't host any plug-ins
    FFX-4 DX and VST Wrapper Windows Jan.08 All can't host any plug-ins
    Freeverb2 Windows 7 Oct.11 Audacity 1.3.13 Only tabular interface, no preset support
    GRM Tools OS X May 2014 Audacity 2.0.6-alpha Interface cannot be used (so the effects can only be used at default settings) or interface disappears completely when loading preset. The interface is likely to be available in 2.0.6 release, but attempting to save a preset in any Audacity version could lock out the main Audacity window.
    GRM Tools Windows Sep.08 Audacity 1.3.8+ unspecified
    GSnap Windows Jan.2014 Audacity 2.0.6 Tuning by MIDI input is not supported.
    keFIR Windows Apr.08 VST-Bridge 1.1 has no effect on audio
    kn0ck0ut Windows Sep.2014 Audacity 2.0.6-alpha Despite Audacity 2.0.6 or later supporting buffer delay compensation, the start of the processed audio has silence inserted and a corresponding length is removed from the end of the processed audio. This also occurs in Goldwave and Wavosaur so is probably a bug in Kn0ck0ut, but the VST version is no longer being developed, only an LV2 version.
    Sonic Maximizer Windows Sep.2007 VST-Bridge 1.1 not in Effect menu
    SoundSoap2 (discontinued) (see also SoundSoap3) Windows, OS X 2007 (various) All Audacity won't launch
    Spectro Windows Nov.2014 2.0.7-alpha No spectrum visible in plug-in window
    String Studio Windows 2007 (various) VST-Bridge 1.1 Audacity won't launch
    T RackS 3 OS X Dec.2009 All Audacity won't launch
    VisualVOX VST Windows Jan.2008 VST-Bridge 1.1 No interface, just silences audio
    Waves V5 Windows Dec.2012 Audacity 2.0.2 Hangs Audacity on launch
    Waves V8 OS X Feb.2013 Audacity 2.0.3 Only tabular interface. Two entries (m) and (s) for each effect. GarageBand does not have either problem.(1)
    (1) Audio Unit versions of Waves may cause Audacity 2.0.4 or earlier to freeze or crash on launch. In 2.0.5 or later, Waves Audio Units may cause a freeze or crash when the effect is chosen from the Effect Menu.
    Retrieved from "http://wiki.audacityteam.org/w/index.php?title=VST_Plug-ins&oldid=33243"