Guides

5 Clippers taking your music to new heights

Posted on by Kasper Randler

5 Clipper Plugins Recommended by KMR Studios

Using a clipper in your mix or mastering can be crucial for achieving maximum loudness in your track without destroying dynamics. A good clipper allows you to shape transients, minimize distortion, and optimize loudness for streaming platforms. In this guide, we go through some of the best clipper plugins – both free and paid – and the situations where they are most useful. If you’re unsure how to choose a clipper, we’ll help you out in this article, simple as that! If you need further help, and maybe you’re curious about the music services we offer at KMR, feel free to click the Music Studio button below!

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KClip Zero – Powerful Free Clipper for Mastering

If you’re looking for a free clipper with high sound quality, KClip Zero from Kazrog is an excellent choice. It uses the same core algorithm as the commercial KClip 3, meaning you get professional clipping without paying.

  • Perfect for: Mastering and mixing where you want clean loudness increase without distortion.
  • Variable clipping: Adjust between hard and soft clipping to suit different sound sources.
  • Oversampling: Up to 16x oversampling eliminates aliasing and maintains sound quality.
  • Gain linking: Keep a consistent volume level between input and output for easy comparison of processing.
  • Platform support: Available for both Windows and macOS in VST, AU, and AAX formats.
KClip Zero

 

Kazrog KClip 3 – Versatile Clipper for Precision and Character

For those who want maximum control over clipping and sound coloring, KClip 3 is one of the most flexible options. It is ideal for mastering but also works great on individual tracks and buses.

  • Perfect for: Mastering, drums, and distortion effects thanks to its flexible clipping options.
  • Eight clipping modes: Choose from different colorings such as Tape, Tube, Germanium, and Silicon to match your sound.
  • Multiband and mid/side processing: Customize clipping across different frequency bands and control mid and side separately.
  • High-quality oversampling: Up to 32x oversampling minimizes artifacts and preserves sound quality.
  • Loudness metering: Built-in LUFS metering tool helps you optimize your mix for streaming platforms.
KClip 3

StandardCLIP – Transparent Clipper with Extremely High Oversampling

If you’re looking for an extremely transparent clipper for mastering, StandardCLIP is a strong contender. It is designed to preserve the clarity of sound while increasing loudness.

  • Perfect for: Mastering and transparent loudness increase without introducing audible distortion.
  • High oversampling: Supports up to 256x oversampling, providing an almost artifact-free signal.
  • Real-time waveform display: Shows how the signal is affected in real time for precise control.
  • Mid/Side processing: Ability to process the center and sides of the stereo image separately.
  • Frequency limiting: Allows you to apply clipping only to specific frequencies, offering more precise control over the processing.
StandardCLIP

Arturia Bus PEAK – Effective Limiter and Clipper for Mix and Mastering

Arturia Bus PEAK is an advanced limiter and clipper that helps maximize loudness and control peaks in your mixes and masters without losing sound definition. With a user-friendly design and powerful features, it’s an excellent tool for both mix buses and master buses.

  • Perfect for: Mixing and mastering where you want to achieve maximum volume while retaining details and dynamics.
  • Pro limiter: Effective peak control that prevents distortion and keeps transient peaks in check.
  • Clipper function: Soft clipping that allows you to shape the sound and achieve a fuller mix without unwanted artifacts.
  • Advanced metering: Built-in peak and loudness meters to ensure your sound meets industry standards and is optimized for various platforms.
  • Presets: 39 carefully designed presets to quickly find the right sound for different genres and needs.
  • Intuitive interface: A user-friendly interface that makes it easy to adjust settings in real time.

Free Clip 2 – Powerful Free Clipper for Mix and Mastering

If you’re looking for a completely free option with great flexibility, Free Clip 2 from Venn Audio is one of the best free solutions. It works great on both individual tracks and for mastering.

  • Perfect for: Transparent or colored clipping on both individual tracks and master buses.
  • Various clipping algorithms: Choose from hard, soft, or hybrid clipping to tailor the sound character.
  • Waveform display: Zoom in and see exactly how the signal is affected in real time.
  • Free and lightweight: Requires minimal CPU and is compatible with both Windows and macOS (VST & AU).

Finally – Which Clipper is Right for You?

Choosing the right clipper depends on your specific needs:

  • For free mastering solutions, KClip Zero and Free Clip 2 are excellent choices.
  • If you want maximum transparency in mastering, StandardCLIP is the best.
  • For coloring and creative clipping, Kazrog KClip 3 is the most versatile option.
  • BusForce is a fantastic all-in-one solution for mixing, where you need compression, saturation, and EQ in addition to clipping.

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, the right clipper will help you achieve a louder, clearer, and more balanced mix. Try them out and find the one that suits your production best! Feel free to reach out to us at KMR Studios through our contact form below if you need help with music production, mixing, and mastering!

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