Now THIS is a good one and legit! Just fill out the form and verify your email address.
Here’s the plugin:
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/trvintubcomplim/?pkey=t-racks-single-vintage-compressor-model-670
3 Likes
Yes, IK’s Fairchild emulation. That’s a good one and for free that’s a heck of a deal. Just keep in mind that like many software vendors now, you’ll need to install the IK Authorization Manager application to install and activate the product. You may even need an IK account to do that. So if you’re not already a customer of theirs, there is the normal amount of extra wrangling that comes with these things.
3 Likes
Actually, with IK it’s all of that and more. Theirs is a very convoluted ecosystem. That said, this is a really good quality plugin (and company) for FREE and totally worth it!
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Maybe I’m used to it, but it doesn’t seem bad to me. Authorization Manager requires an IK login account, so that’s why I pointed that out. Put in the SN and click, and if there’s a download it gives you a button/link to the website. Settings/options let you set your plugin folder IIRC.
When all these companies started coming out with their management apps, I was resistant to it, but by and large they have worked alright after I gave them a chance.
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But there is more. If you’re not a subscriber to Computer Music you need to do that as well. Quite a hassle. I paid the subscription but cant get it to work for some reason.
Hmmm. Mine went right through… I wonder if they changed something? I have bought a couple of issues of CM before just to get the plugin of the month and their bucket of free plugins and VIs. And yes, you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get the CM plugins too, but they are also worth it. There are a bunch of good ones in there!
What sort of problems are you having? The CM support people could probably help…
oh man. I have to download a 1.6GB installer in order to install this.
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Yes. …and you’ll have to uninstall/hide all the plugins you don’t own too.
On the other hand, the next time a free IK plugin comes along, you’ll already have it installed and will just need to run the “Authorization Manager” to register it… 
Oh yeah, all the T-Racks plugins are bundled. You can bypass the Custom Shop (extra) install though I think. But all the plugins go in the folder whether you own them or not. It’s been awhile and I forgot about that part. If you make sure they install to say Program Files\VST64\IK Multimedia you can then move them out after the install. You can delete the ones you don’t own or move them to some junk folder in case you do buy some other ones, then just move those back. Yes all of that is a PITA for one free plugin. All of this is of course to benefit them and sell you more plugins, or at least have their ‘business card’ on your hard drive. 
If you want to find a positive in there somewhere, if you don’t mind having Custom Shop on your computer, you can demo each of those plugins (individually) through Custom Shop for like 2 weeks. I think it’s a beep or a noise once per minute during demo, or maybe there’s no restriction at all (can’t remember). I know if you don’t authorize the demo through Custom Shop there’s a noise, but maybe if you do authorize the demo there’s no noise for 2 weeks.
1 Like
That’s a pretty good compressor.
I have to be honest, the download of the whole suite hasn’t really bothered me the times I’ve done it while switching to new machines. If it looks like it’s going to take more than a few minutes, I go and make a coffee or pick up a guitar. 
I like the 670 compressor a lot. It’s not one I reach for very often (Though the Black and White compressors are ALL OVER my productions and I love the buss compressor + precision comp too!) but if I’m nearly there, making the final tweaks, and something important like a vocal or solo doesn’t feel quite like it’s sitting right in the mix, or I feel like a bus needs to gell together more, the 670 is great. Time constant 2 or 3, 2 dB GR… job done. I never mess with the bias tweak pots.
2 Likes
I played around with them a few months ago, after we were talking about it on another thread (the Group Buy thing maybe). It’s supposed to tweak the compressor knee, but also affects some other things a little bit, like the attack response maybe. It’s one of those things I tried just to see what it does.
painful for me…this signing up 2 or 3 times…?
then I get the FREE Serial Code but nowhere does it offer a link to get this Free plugin.
So I keep getting directed to more magazine sites asking for personal info.
How many sites do I have to sign up for to get this Free Plugin??
So they now need IK Authorization downloaded to my pc and T-RACKS-5…and that costs $89.
So to get the Free PlugIn …I need to buy Tracks-5? for $89?
It seems this is only free if you are a T-Racks customer.
FROM PROMOTION:
An internet connection is required. You’ll need to install IK Multimedia’s Authorization Manager, plus T-RackS 5.
LAST EDIT: Heres the page to do the Registering and then you have to get the Manager Software running after downloading and it finally asked for the SERIAL NUMBER CODE.
Ive had smoother downloads…but hey its FREE and it downloaded some Free Tracks something too. Will try it out and report back.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/registration/
OK…after numerous downloads, I have somehow gotten IK TRACKS-5 loaded and there is the 670 VARIMU and other stuff and many more trying to sell me gear in this IK TRACKS 5 “system”.
Ive rescanned REAPER about 20 times though and the FREE plug isn’t coming in as a VST or anything else on my REAPER list which is where I prefer my plugins.
This TRACKS seems to operate more like my Line6 PODFARM or GEARBOX.
Anyone know how I can simply get the Free VAriMU 670 into the REAPER FX list?
add: got it working as a standalone system- the 670 and Tracks EQ seems nice as a “mastering system” . I loaded in Stereo Recording Wave, and “polish it” and set limits…etc…
I would prefer a Reaper VST plugin and do it all in that…and I couldn’t figure that out.
It was pretty strange. I didn’t have to pay anything, but I did have to sign up for the magazine and it kept sending me to other places to “signup”.
Anyway I went to the original links in Post 1… and then it took me to the registration of the Magazine, but then the Magazine will get you the SERIAL NUMBER CODE in your email…but to get the Plugin requires IK Multimedia (not the magazine)….then you need another account with IK Multimedia, so then I got inside them.
In IK Multimedia:
First need to download the Authorization Manager which requires downloading and then Extracting and running…which then allows going to IK MM site and getting to the screen I posted to enter the SERIAL CODE…then you can download the 670 FREE compressor/mastering plugin…again! to make the 670 FREE Plugin work, I had to first have the T-RACKS -5 downloaded from IK Multimedia.too…
…so once that downloaded, then I extracted the TRACKS5 and then finally I could go to my Windows Drop down list and IK was there with the TrACKS -5 icon.
When I clicked on it, the “Mastering System popped up” and then it default with the EQ, but to the lower right , the long list of plugins (to buy)….if you scroll through that is the 670 and it can be clicked on “no charge”.
I didn’t realize the T-rackS-5 system is near exact like PodFarm works.
I could never get my Line6 FX into my REAPER VST/FX list either…
If you were lost like me, the main thing is the T-Racks operates like a totally independent software, independent from the DAW. I’d like to know how to merge it into my REAPER.
just to clarify (or confuse more) while its fresh…
In hindsight I’d:
- register with the magazine
- get the Serial Code sent to you.
then stop…drink coffe or have a shot of whiskey
-
get a registration in IK Multimedia
-
download and extract and run the Authorization Manager for IK Multimedia.
-
I also had to get TRACKS 5 5.3.1 …this is like the platform to run the PLugins.= 670 VariMu.
-
Find the page where you enter the SERIAL CODE…Ive already forgot…I posted the link above.
If you have windows the downlads are tucked into your list of programs in the left lower corner of Windows.
sorry my brains already going numb…geezhell it was hours of downloading and extracting and luck.
Oh man Scott, I’m sorry to hear about all your trouble! The point was only to pass along a freebie on a good plugin. 
I hear you on the frustrations though. I think I’ve been through all of those at some point, because I “bought in” to the T-Racks stuff (ironically after T-Racks was a prize for a contest here a couple of years ago) and I have also bought a couple of issues of the Computer Music digital magazine and jumped through all of those hoops to get the plugins. So it was literally just click and get the plugin for me. The T-Tracks way of doing things is stupidly complicated though…
Anyway, I hope you like it. 
I was expecting a freebie nightmare, so I decided against even attempting downloading it. I’ve had some tortuous adventures trying to get some freebie plugins. I won’t even make an attempt anymore if I hear any talk of the plugin being difficult to activate. I’s usually not worth the frustration and time.
what I test drove it on was dropping/importing a finished stereo tune ive been playing with.
then that was my novice, entry use of the 670 and I liked the default EQ that was free also.
lol…as for downloading and literacy in todays world, it takes effort…I have kids (young adults now), so I know and have witnessed how they fly through this stuff download , digital app, register world quickly with ease…so its me and not blaming the T-Racks…I struggled with the Line 6 PodFarm too, but again its a separate “system”. If someone is expecting a fast VST download and it shows up in the Reaper FX list, I didn’t see that.
How do you use TRacks?
Im curious…how does it work inside your DAW?
All I did was pop in a finished stereo mix and ran it through as a Mastering System…which it did really well in bumping up the volume and the 670 added a very pleasant sound to the recording , is my initial experience.
I use Studio One and the plugins show up as VSTs just like you’d expect. I use EQs and compressors from them a LOT. My go-to on bass is the 1176. I have never used the “stand alone” mastering thing. I’m sure it could be useful, but Studio One has a built in Project page where you have access to all of your VSTs for the same thing and it’s a more seamless workflow.
It should be showing up as a VST inside your DAW. Maybe a REaper user can enlighten us for some particular quirks related to that. Did you install both the VST and the VST3?
Is there a “blacklist” in Reaper? Maybe you need to rescan to get the plugins to show up? Actually, that’s one of the irritating things about the IK plugins model of doing things, it installs ALL of them whether you want to or not…