Free VST Compressor Plugin | XTMax by Kiive Audio - Episode 95

In this episode, we explore a free VST plugin called XTMax by Kiive Audio. XTMax is a vintage analog compressor that is simply amazing. It adds warmth and character to any sound, and it's easy to use. We took a set of drums and ran them through XTMax, and in no time they sounded huge. If you're looking for a compressor that can add warmth and punch to your tracks, XTMax is definitely worth checking out.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
What's going on? It's your boy Dwarne Burino from Not Just Music Podcast and I'm back with another one.

(00:07):
Alright, this time it's gonna be a little different. Of course I'm doing things different but this is not really a podcast. This is more of a review.
I know a lot of people love free plugins but there are some free plugins that are very different to look at. They're hard to look at. They're strange to look at.

(00:37):
Some of them may sound even what we call strange or out of sync or out of phase or I mean there's a lot of things that go with a lot of free plugins.
But there are some that are very trustworthy. I found one that is very very very very trustworthy. If you're a vintage style plugin user, this is definitely for you.

(01:04):
It's not even saying just a plugin but vintage hardware because it gives you that vintage hardware feeling. A lot of times that we use these different...
This one in particular is a compressor. A lot of compressors come pretty pretty good in the free world. It's really hard to mess up compression in some manners but some do draw a lot of problems.

(01:38):
Even the ones that I paid for have caused problems. I ain't going to say really problems but a lot of us have different ears. A lot of us have different emotions when it comes to processing music of course.
Those plugins really really come at a cost. You really want them to do what you want. But I'm starting to get on my free world. Just to experiment with different type of plugins that bring that dynamic feeling.

(02:13):
And won't completely crush it and take away the feeling of what the music is supposed to sound like in it's raw form. I have this one track I'm working on currently.
I'm not going to let you hear the whole entire track but in this instance the drums. I put the drums together and it's like it was...in some cases I want to feel what the drums will sound like when I'm starting to mix.

(02:44):
When it gets to the process of mixing sessions. I want to see what it's going to sound like beforehand in a sense. So the other day I'm just kind of just chilling along.
Doing the usual scrolling on social media and a free plugin comes up. I'm all about free plugins. In instance this plugin was very very very...I've never heard of it before.

(03:24):
I was like okay everything is...that glitter is a gold. But let's just take a look at it. Take a shot. So I opened it up. Went to the link. And I checked it out and said okay.
So I saved it. And I said when I get to the computer I'll pull it up. Pull it in and take a look at it. Of course you know I just said that I'm in the middle of a session and I wanted to get a dynamic feel early.

(03:55):
So that plugin is called XT Maxx. It is by Kaave. I think I'm pronouncing that correct. Kaave Audio. I'll have a link in the description to check this plugin out.
You might want to hear it while it's still free because I feel like that could change in the near future. So again let's check it out.

(04:22):
What I'm going to do is I put it into this session that I already have. I've been working on it. And I said I wanted to feel what the processing would sound like in the early part of the session.
Before I started mixing it. I just wanted to feel it. Again remember I'm going to cut this on and off as it's going along. I want you to hear the big difference that it made in a very very short time.

(04:56):
I mean I was really blown away by what it did. As I said it has this vintage feel and look to it. Less is more to me. I love less is more. Thank you Keev Kaave. Who are you? Thank you.
You were very very good with making things short hand. You didn't go too far out the box with it. You kept it very simple. Very easy to understand. And it's easy on the eyes.

(05:29):
Let's check this out. I want you to hear the drums before and again as it's playing along I'm going to start cutting it on and off. So you can hear the subtle difference that I've used it for so far to make this drum set sound 10 times better.

(05:50):
Let's check it out.
I'm going to cut it on.

(06:31):
Off.
On.

(07:07):
Off.
These are the details that I look for in a mix. Like literally before I even start touching any minute detail of anything I like to feel like where I'm going with it in a dynamic world. You know I just like to feel what it's going to do so I can.

(07:38):
There are certain elements that I love to work around. Drums of course are one of the main elements. They're one of the main elements. Of course they are. For me. And that's the one that I choose to work from.
And this plugin is a go. I give this I give this two thumbs up no doubt. Again you might want to check it out while it's free. Link is in the description again. And I am Dwan Barrino from Not Just Music Podcast. Peace.