Free Clip 1

When I first tried the plugin, I was very disappointed. Changing the different modes, adjusting the threshold to very low values didn't made me excited. The sound change was only subtle or not in a taste I like for distortion or saturation. Couldn't understand the hype about it.

Playing a bit more with the knobs, I figured out that the most important parameter of the plugin is, very suprisingly, the input gain control (in conjunction with the output gain control to adjust the volume to unity gain).

Driving the signal into the plugin quite extremely and by adjusting the output volume provides a more rich and thick sound without to even come close to clip the signal in the conventional way. Great!

Checking my analyzer by listening to an asumed way louder signal, it was very shocking that the peak volume even was less than before (Quintic mode has been used). Another more in-depth check gave the answer: Peak was reduced by around 3db, but average LUFS was increased by almost 1.7 dB. So it seems that FreeClip is not only a distortion plugin, it can be used to control dynamics as well.

Very useful for that purpose and now I know that I will use this plugin more often than I thought.

There are still 3 nitpicks why I reduce one star:

1. No Bypass-button. (Why, oh why? It could have been so easy to implement) If you use this tool for mixing or mastering, you need that feature for A/B comparison very, very often.
2. No manual, no tips, no explanation. I would have liked if the developers could have given more insights or tips about the use of the plugin (especially the different clip modes). And this is not only meant for this plugin. Venn Audio seems to not quite like the nearer documentation of their plugins. Other manufacturers provide very much (even additional) information. Shame.

Another thing I would like to see in the plugin would be a Dry/Wet knob.

I would wish that the developer could improve these things.