Xilentch has been busy over the previous few months, and after releasing XMLimiter V2 and XMTape&Clip, the developer has added one other plugin to the XM sequence: XMTubePre.
XMTubePre follows the identical design philosophy as earlier releases; the intention is to recreate the sensation of high-priced {hardware} in a free, easy plugin.
On this case, Xilentch took inspiration from the 12AX7 vacuum tube. The 12AX7 vacuum tube helped producers like Fender, Vox, and Marshall outline the sound of rock and roll with their tube amplifiers.
It additionally helped form the character of some era-defining studio gear, just like the Teletronix LA-2A and the Pultec EQP-1A.
Over seven many years later, the 12AX7 vacuum tube remains to be in demand, and Xilentch drew on its versatility to make XMTubePre appropriate for each mixing and mastering.
XMTubePre is a one-knob plugin that provides harmonic saturation, tone shaping, and thickens the sound with basic tube character.
The developer designed the impact to be refined at underneath 50%, and extra emphatic past 50%, giving the choice to make use of XMTubePre as a extra inventive device.
Earlier Xilentch releases got here with a number of points, like XMLimiter’s gin discount meter not working, and XMTubePre isn’t with out its flaws.
The plugin is extraordinarily delicate to enter achieve, and with a big improve in precise loudness, probably including one other plugin to compensate detracts from the supposed simplicity. The developer suggests sending an enter achieve peaking at a most of -18 dBFS.
Whereas a component of warning is required, the plugin is usable, and, extra importantly, there are a whole lot of positives to give attention to.
For a begin, Xilentch is doing one thing proper with these XM plugins as a result of they sound excellent whenever you discover the candy spot. Whereas there could also be a number of bumps alongside the best way, Xilentch is on a superb path, and that’s price celebrating.
Staying on a superb path means listening to customers, and as such, Xilentch has promised so as to add a devoted Enter/Output management to XMTubePre to remove some present points (the replace could possibly be imminent).
XMTubePre is obtainable in AU, VST3, and AAX codecs for macOS and Home windows. Downloads nonetheless come immediately from Google Drive; I’m unsure if or when which may change.
Mac customers will encounter the frequent signature challenge that happens with unknown builders, and might set up the plugin by inserting the chosen format immediately within the corresponding folder.
Xilentch intends to make use of future donations by way of Patreon, and so on., to buy the suitable licences to create a smoother general course of.
Obtain: XMTubePre (FREE)
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Final Up to date on December 4, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
