nickfever
Bass Enhancer VST plugins
This article will help you find a bass enhancer VST, as well as better understand how they work. Likewise, if you are looking for an alternative to the already popular Maxxbass, you will find options as well.
Bass Enhancer VST plugins for the most part make use of harmonics to achieve their goal. Some use upper harmonics, and others use subharmonics.
The popular Bass Enhancer VST, "Maxxbass."
Maxxbass is made by Waves. The concept behind how it works is really clever and makes use of psychoacoustics. In short, it makes use of upper harmonics to psychologically alter the listeners perception of bass. It makes it sound as if there is more low end on smaller speakers such as headphones.
http://www.waves.com/plugins/maxxbass
Waves also has Renaissance Bass, which "delivers richer, deeper lows that sound great on any system. Using Waves patented MaxxBass® psycho-acoustic technology."
http://www.waves.com/plugins/renaissance-bass
Bass Enhancer VST Alternatives to MaxxBass
Below are a few Bass Enhancer VSTs as alternatives to Maxxbass
LF Max Punch by Voxengo - Bass Enhancer VST
"LF Max Punch provides a low-frequency effect specially designed for serious contemporary music producers." Voxengo's web site states that LF Max Punch is a Sub-harmonic synthesizer which indicates to me that it adds low end rather psychoacoustically in a different manner than the method mentioned above. It is a bass saturator and harmonic enhancer. It works by splitting the upper and lower frequencies of the signal and applying effects to the lower frequency band only. The site provides audio examples.
http://www.voxengo.com/product/lfmaxpunch/
Lowender by Refuse - Bass Enhancer VST
Refuse's Lowender seems to be similar bass enhancer VST as Voxengo's LF Max Punch. I like that they apply a gate, "The generated subharmonics pass through a gate tailored for low frequencies, which is useful for cleaning up unwanted bass rumble (e.g. from between kick drum hits in a drum loop)." They have a great faq which answers, "Does the Lowender do the same thing as Waves' RBass or MaxxBass plug-ins?" Even though they are both bass enhancer VSTs, they actually do opposite things. They go on to state, "To clarify one small point about Lowender, it is actually capable of generating some higher frequencies, through use of the Drive control." The explanation is great, and I recommend reading.
https://www.refusesoftware.com/lowender.html
Bass Booster VST - Bass Enhancer VST
Another, psychoacoustic bass enhancer VST that seems to be targeted towards the same niche as Voxengo's LF Max Punch. It works by creating the low, subharmonic frequency. And, at 15Euros 20USD, it wont break the bank!
http://syncersoft.com/bassbooster.htm
Free:
Bass Landscapes VST - Enhancer
"Bass Landscapes VST is a bass boost plugin that creates new harmonics." It's free. It works using psychoacoustics. It has a knob for sub harmonics, and one for mid harmonics. BUT... it's a win 32bit VST only.
http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1147
I'm unaware of a Bass Enhancer VST that works the same way as, "Maxxbass," by creating upper harmonics. I've heard they patented the technology, but that's just hearsay, as I don't know for sure.
Bass Enhancer VST plugin summary:
For the paid 64bit Bass Enhancer VSTs we have:
- Maxxbass/Renaissance Bass - enhance bass through upper harmonics to psychologically alter the listeners perception of bass.
- LF Max Punch - enhance bass through subharmonics, targeting contemporary music.
- Lowennder - also uses subharmonics, and appliess a gating feature.
- Bass Booster VST - also uses subharmonics, and is budget-friendly.
If you're interested, I suggest you check out this tool I made for specific note frequencies.