Yum Audio

Even though this is a stripped down version of a premium plugin, the included dB meter makes this one of the best free soft clipper plugins. I love Venn Audio's Free Clip 2, but unlike this one, it doesn't give you a simple readout of how much you're e.g. clipping the mix bus.

Easy to use, you cannot go wrong with this clipper. I would have given five stars if oversampling features were added to this free clipper.

Cool tool for enhancing the stereo field of your individual tracks or masters. The 2 ways to enhance stereo space combined into a single plugin. I had separate tools already to either control the Haas effect or adjusting the space during the more common M/S method, but didn't got (or knew) about a single tool which combines both. Great.

Also I like that you even have 2 ways to "post-control" the effect, by blending in the intensity (top parameter) and adjusting the volume balance between the left and right channel (bottom parameter). Excellent.

Now why I give only 3 stars for such a helpful tool?

1. The explanation and understanding of how parameters work and relate to each other in Haas-Mode seems illogical or isn't well explained. Now, first let's break down, how the Haas Effect works.
   
   In a shrinked down version: If an original sound and a slightly delayed reflection (from 2 ms up to 35ms) reach the listener's ears, the listener perceives both coming from the same direction as the first incoming wave (Law of the first wave front) and now what Helmut Haas found out, both combined signals alter the perceived sound.
   
   In Spread Light, You have a single "Tilt" parameter to control 2 things, the delay time to one side and the presence to the other, (like found in other Haas-typically Plugins).
   
   Now what is unique here is that they say the "Width" control seems to be the amount of the Haas-Effect (In my understanding basically a Dry/Wet mix for the delay, so far so good).
   
   But now they also state that even if you have the "Tilt" parameter set to 0 (no delay to one side = no Haas-Effect) and you turn the "Width" control over 100 (the default value), the signal will get more spatial width.
   
   How is that possible? Does that mean M/S width is also added in "Haas-Mode" when I turn the "Width" knob?
   
   If so, it might could bring an outstanding audial experience, but however isn't a clean Haas-Effect. (Something what I really want to have in some cases).
   
   Now of course I could be wrong in my understanding, but even this confusion should show that the manual could give a little more in-depth views about what is going on under the hood here.
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2. The "Tilt" parameter only provides a mystical range of -1.0 to 1.0 (What do these values actually stand for?).
   
   It does not offer a way to adjust (or even visualize) the exact time of the delayed signal in ms. That is a huge disadvantage in comparison to other Haas-plugins and can lead to problems in future projects, where I need that accuracy for phase correction if phase cancelations occur.
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3. The parameters are so extremely light displayed on the dark background, they are barely readable. Even the capability to resize the interface doesn't make it better.
   
   Adding to this, that Yum Audio itself is considering 'Spread Light' a tool for mastering, it probably can give problems to a whole bunch of costumers. That definitely needs an improvement.
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4. The products from this company are overpriced, and so is 'Spread Light'. 49$ list price is heavy.
   
   And keep in mind, that this is actually a "Light" version of another plugin they offer.
   
   It would have been amazing if this plugin isn't only free for a limited time as rather free for all times. This also could bring the company way more future costumers. A trick many other developer do constantly, because it works.
   
   Unfortunately, they didn't seen this potential yet, and the plugins itself offer very good quality. But simply not worth the price tag.
   
   
   
   Last but not least: A bug report :P
   "Tilt" parameter: Instead of the value [0.01] it shows [0.]. As opposed to that, at the negative side, the value [-0.01] is displayed correctly. This can lead to problems because some users might think [0.] = [0.00], which it isn't. It is [0.01].