SIGNALWORKAUDIO

AUDIO PLUGINS

Mixing
essentials.
Serious control.

Shape tone, add character, control dynamics, and clean up tracks. A versatile suite with precise processing, familiar controls, and multi-instance editing in EQ, Comp, and Limit.

Download the suiteSee the plugins

Free to use, support appreciated.

macOS · AU + VST3Windows · VST3
SW EQ
Shape tone with dynamic EQ and per-band audition.

Silent recording of SW EQ. A changing frequency spectrum moves beneath a fixed EQ curve with a low-frequency cut and several bands.

MULTI-INSTANCE EDITING

Edit several tracks from one window

Open Instances in SW EQ, Comp, or Limit to select and edit another instance of that same plugin. Keep working across tracks without hunting through the mixer.

Available inEQCompLimit

Silent recording of SW EQ switching from Vocal to Bass and then Piano in the Instances list. EQ bands are adjusted in the same editor as the selected instance changes.

A CLOSER LISTEN

Hear the difference

Listen to what your processing is doing. On EQ, hear one band's contribution. On Comp, De-Ess, and Limit, hear the difference between the original and processed signal.

Right-click and hold to audition.
SW EQ plugin interface by Signalwork Audio
One band. Just its contribution.

CARE IN THE AUDIO PATH

How the audio is processed

Good utility plugins need more than a useful feature list. At Signalwork Audio, development includes checks on what happens to the audio as it passes through the processor.

PRECISION

Double-precision EQ

SW EQ uses double-precision filter coefficients and state to keep rounding error low through the filters.

CONTROL

Quality without a setting

SW Color uses automatic internal upsampling to reduce unwanted digital artifacts, with no oversampling setting to manage. Playback and export use the same processing.

VALIDATION

Checks on the audio itself

Internal development tests include frequency response, gain curves, distortion, aliasing, and comparisons that check whether an optimization changes the sound.

A NOTE FROM THE DEVELOPER

Premium features, all in one place.

Even with plenty of paid plugins, I kept switching between tools that did the same job. Each had something I liked, but there was always a feature or two I missed. So I built my own plugins to bring those features together.

Signalwork Audio plugins are made to be quick, easy to use, and sound great. I'm sharing them with the community for free. Feedback and feature requests are always welcome.

SW EQ

Silent recording of SW EQ. A changing frequency spectrum moves beneath a fixed EQ curve with a low-frequency cut and several bands.

PARAMETRIC + DYNAMIC EQ

SW EQ

Shape the tone.
Hear every move.

Make broad tonal changes or work on a single resonance. Then listen to exactly what each band contributes, with true per-band delta audition.

  • Up to 24 bandsBell, shelves, filters, notch, band-pass, and tilt.
  • Dynamic EQ per bandLet a band respond when the signal needs it.
  • Multi-instance editingSelect and adjust other EQ instances from this window.
  • Auto-gainCompare tone with less loudness bias.

SW Comp

Silent recording of SW Comp. Input and output histories scroll across the display while the gain-reduction trace and meters respond during playback.

TRACK COMPRESSION

SW Comp

Compression with a little character

Set the movement and feel of a track with clear level history and gain-reduction feedback. Add saturation when you want some character.

  • Multi-instance editingMove between your Comp instances in the same editor.
  • Clean, Punch, SmoothThree starting points. Your controls stay live.
  • Optional colorBlend in saturation, or leave it fully off.
  • See the dynamicsFollow input, output, and gain reduction together.

SW Color

Silent capture of the actual SW Color editor processing a generated signal. The measured glow radiates around Drive as Preamp, Tube, and Tape are selected. No music is included.

PREAMP, TUBE + TAPE SATURATION

SW Color

A little warmth.
A different attitude.

Bring density, harmonic color, and movement to a track. Choose Preamp, Tube, or Tape, push the central Drive control, then shape how the sound holds together.

  • Three distinct stylesPreamp for density and edge, Tube for warmth and bloom, Tape for rounded weight.
  • Soften or preserveBring up body and soften peaks, or emphasize attacks. Dynamics has its own On/Off switch.
  • Automatic internal upsamplingLess unwanted digital artifacting, with no quality switch to second-guess.
  • Optional Auto GainMatch levels as you compare. Leave it off to keep the natural Drive-related rise.

SW De-Ess

Silent recording of SW De-Ess with Full Band detection and Split processing selected. The waveform and level meters respond during playback.

VOCAL SIBILANCE CONTROL

SW De-Ess

Tame the esses.
Keep the brightness.

Voice mode is designed to tell a sharp “s” or “sh” from a bright vowel, so you can deal with sibilance without reacting to every bright sound.

  • Voice detectionLooks at more than high-frequency level.
  • Split or WideReduce the sibilant band or the whole signal.
  • Audition as you adjustHear what the detector is catching.

SW Gate

Silent recording of SW Gate. A transfer curve shows the expansion settings while the level history and input and output meters respond during playback.

GATING + EXPANSION

SW Gate

Less spill.
More of the take.

Reduce quiet noise and spill between the phrases or hits you want to keep. Choose a firm gate or gentler expansion, then set how it opens and closes.

  • Gate or expandSet the amount of separation the track needs.
  • Choose the triggerUse this track or an external sidechain to trigger the gate.
  • Shape the timingDial in attack, hold, release, and lookahead.

SW Limit

Silent recording of SW Limit in Transparent mode. Input, output, and gain-reduction meters move as the signal reaches the limiter.

PER-TRACK PEAK CONTROL

SW Limit

A ceiling for stray peaks

Take care of stray peaks before a track reaches your bus processing. A straightforward peak catcher for individual tracks.

  • A firm sample ceilingSet the output ceiling and control the peaks.
  • Multi-instance editingSelect and adjust other Limit instances in one editor.
  • Adaptive releaseRecovery adjusts to the signal.
  • Linked controlsMove threshold and output together when useful.

YOUR NEXT SESSION

Download the suite

The mixing essentials, together in one suite.
Download them and try them in your own session.

Free to use, support appreciated.

Suite 1.0.8

Download for macOS

Universal (Apple silicon + Intel)
macOS 11 or later
AU + VST3

84.9 MB · .pkg installer

Signed installer.
Notarized by Apple.

macOS installation

Requires macOS 11 or later.

  1. Quit your DAW, then open the downloaded installer.
  2. Use Customize to choose your plugins and formats. Installation requires your Mac administrator password.
  3. Reopen your DAW and look for SW EQ, SW Comp, SW Color, SW De-Ess, SW Gate, and SW Limit in its plugin list.

Suite 1.0.9

Download for Windows

Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
VST3 only

22.1 MB · .zip, no installer

Copy the six .vst3 folders,
then rescan your DAW.

Windows installation
  1. Quit your DAW and extract the downloaded ZIP.
  2. Copy the six .vst3 folders into C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 Each plugin is a folder. Copy the whole folder, including everything inside. Windows will ask for administrator permission; that is expected.
  3. Restart your DAW or rescan its plugins. In Reaper: Options > Preferences > Plug-ins > VST > Re-scan.
User guide PDF · 4.9 MB
Changelog

Suite 1.0.9 (Windows)

Windows plugins no longer need the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.8
SW Comp
1.1.7
SW De-Ess
1.1.7
SW Gate
1.0.0
SW Limit
1.0.7
SW Color
1.0.0

Release notes

  • The Microsoft Visual C++ runtime is now built into each plugin. On 1.0.8 and earlier a PC without it loaded none of the plugins, and most DAWs gave no reason why they were missing.
  • If you already installed that Microsoft runtime, you can leave it alone. Other software may be using it.
  • No change to sound, controls or saved settings. The plugins are otherwise identical to 1.0.8.
  • macOS is unchanged at 1.0.8.
File verification

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

5aa9260ecfded9eef48df15bc4da024975768bafca18443e90b55afed2977764

Suite 1.0.8

SW Color joins the suite: Preamp, Tube and Tape saturation with a separate Dynamics control.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.8
SW Comp
1.1.7
SW De-Ess
1.1.7
SW Gate
1.0.0
SW Limit
1.0.7
SW Color
1.0.0

Release notes

  • Color includes Drive, Character, Dynamics, Tone, Mix and Output, plus low and high cuts. Soften peaks or preserve attack with Dynamics.
  • Automatic internal upsampling keeps playback and export at the same quality, with no oversampling setting to manage.
  • Optional Drive Compensation and Auto Gain both start off. A reactive glow, freely resizable editor and hover help keep the controls within reach.
  • All six plugins are included for Mac and Windows. The other five plugins are unchanged from Suite 1.0.7.
  • Windows required the Microsoft Visual C++ v14 x64 runtime. Suite 1.0.9 removes that requirement. The updated PDF guide covers all six plugins.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

d7f031cf3db864a2bcd37e5b89005cc700bed0dc1680fe1f4ea4eb8ba342a191

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

f8dfac291d921374118dbb8bd2c96b00b32f27f085a208c173241a44cae62ec9

Suite 1.0.7

All five plugins now work on mono tracks.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.8
SW Comp
1.1.7
SW De-Ess
1.1.7
SW Gate
1.0.0
SW Limit
1.0.7

Release notes

  • Cmd+click (Ctrl+click on Windows) resets a control to its default. Double-click a number to type an exact value.
  • SW Gate is now version 1.0.0.
  • If a plugin doesn't appear after updating, rescan plugins in your DAW.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

585f4c285dc094f9c0d997789940cd02ac7a1ae4258cc51aee521fb0e5a5bb31

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

ce99873d9eb6167be1edda3c3b8b6a08424c348a65b1c619a9f074b5d7abd832

Suite 1.0.6

Adds a Muted colors setting for a softer look.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.7
SW Comp
1.1.6
SW De-Ess
1.1.6
SW Gate
0.3.6
SW Limit
1.0.6

Release notes

  • Find it at the bottom of each plugin's theme menu. Mac and Windows. No changes to sound.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

5fa94ed6882581b200f08369d6076b5547db3064b4000d55e2c8fef157ea8928

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

9967cb70749704ee75089c4635db04f74b13921456130c50be112f2f6b9c8c3c

Suite 1.0.5 (Mac)

Fixes the Mac installer.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.6
SW Comp
1.1.5
SW De-Ess
1.1.5
SW Gate
0.3.5
SW Limit
1.0.5

Release notes

  • Plugins were installed with permissions that stopped your DAW from reading them, and the build only ran on macOS 26. Both fixed. Now requires macOS 11 or later.
  • Windows is unchanged at 1.0.4.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

cac1d6bba2309fc8245d95c354d5b0df43e1f71f05a4568b5944bd3df4439da0

Suite 1.0.4

Small interface improvements across the suite.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.5
SW Comp
1.1.4
SW De-Ess
1.1.4
SW Gate
0.3.4
SW Limit
1.0.4

Release notes

  • No changes to audio processing or saved sessions.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

56348e71eefeb923447bb498a2ab8b1480d565e4f55d6351c77d72cf2f8cac08

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

1def5269cdecd605c92967ab39538ac66a4d39015332994265702f16c1414701

Suite 1.0.3

Click the Signalwork logo in any plugin to see its version and open the downloads page.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.4
SW Comp
1.1.3
SW De-Ess
1.1.3
SW Gate
0.3.3
SW Limit
1.0.3

Release notes

  • September 7: the suite is now available for 64-bit Windows in VST3 format, with the same plugins and features.
  • Popup menus now follow the plugin's theme.
  • Audio processing and parameters are unchanged. Existing sessions load as before.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

2950adad9dc1aeedddccc5563670fa126131e4dcae8af59e86ec2d36ffd76ff4

Windows ZIP SHA-256:

d8e2e009f4f6e9ca88f9161cf4a37a52004b3106e2fc0a7816c5d61d458eeb8e

Suite 1.0.2

Updated the publisher name to Signalwork Audio.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.2
SW Comp
1.1.1
SW De-Ess
1.1.1
SW Gate
0.3.1
SW Limit
1.0.1

Release notes

  • Some installer screens still show version 1.0.1 and old notarization wording. The included plugins are current, and the installer is signed and notarized by Apple.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

966fd53834826e84b186d3d8678d94d7a7958b16072cca3c047a3e16519f5dea

Suite 1.0.1

AU and VST3 plugins for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Choose which plugins and formats to install.

Included versions

SW EQ
2.9.1
SW Comp
1.1.0
SW De-Ess
1.1.0
SW Gate
0.3.0
SW Limit
1.0.0

Release notes

  • The installer is signed, notarized by Apple, and stapled.
  • The installer closing screen has an outdated sentence saying notarization is pending. This release is already notarized.
File verification

macOS installer SHA-256:

c49a78771a4a70d1612714f128c4ce1762ba8df9f6259d10a24ef7667b2d44d8
Need a hand? Contact support

INDEPENDENTLY MADE

Support Signalwork Audio

If these tools earn a place in your sessions, a donation helps fund updates and future plugins.

The whole suite is free to use, whether you donate or not.

Support Signalwork Audio

Need a hand with a plugin?

signalworkaudio@gmail.com

Include your DAW, operating system version, plugin name and version, and what happened.