Surreal Machines released Crack, a freeware transient shaper effect in VST, VST3, and AU plugin formats for PC and Mac.
Crack is a freeware transient shaper plugin developed by Surreal Machines. The same developer also released a more advanced transient shaper plugin called Impact (€49).
The plugin has four controls: Attack, Release, Gain, and a Dry/Wet knob. The gain section offers four different modes: Thru, Clip, Limiter, and Maximizer.
Surreal Machines also included a preset manager, A/B testing functionality, and the ability to resize the UI by up to 200% of its original size.
Thanks to its simple control layout, Crack is exceptionally straightforward and easy to use. I like it when a plugin gets the job done without any fancy features or UI gimmicks.
Each control knob features a real-time meter, which displays the amount of gain boost or reduction applied to the signal. This makes it easier to fine-tune the amount of transient shaping in non-ideal listening environments.
Following the recently announced Vital synthesizer, I think that Crack will be one of the best free VST plugins released this year. The world of free music production software lacked a good transient shaper, and this one delivers.
That said, I wish Surreal Machines went for a different name with this one. It feels awkward to mention “cracks” in the contest of plugins and software in general.
Impact is the more advanced transient shaper plugin by Surreal Machines.
If you’re looking for a more advanced transient shaper plugin, the newly released Impact could be a good fit. It costs €49 and adds numerous features, including multi-band saturation and transient shaping, pre/post equalization, and more.
To download your free copy of Crack, visit the Transient Machines product page, scroll down and click the “Download Crack Free” button. A valid user account is required to complete the checkout process. After signing up and completing the free checkout, the download link and the serial number will be delivered to your inbox.
Crack is available in VST, VST3, and AU plugin formats for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. Both 32-bit and 64-bit plugin hosts are supported.
More info: Surreal Machines Crack (7.93 MB download size, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/VST3/AU plugin format for Windows & macOS)
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45 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onA big THANK YOU to our reader C. Hardless for the info about this freebie.
Brenny C
onBoth Crack and Impact are excellent! And since Crack is being offered for free, I don’t see the name as being an issue. Now, if it’d been a commercial plugin…
Tomislav Zlatic
onI know, it’s freeware and all, so it’s OK. I just found it awkward to type the words “plugin” and “crack” together. :)
arkmabat
onI see it like the crack of a snare. Crackle sounds worse! Haha.
Pedro
onplugin does not appear in reaper.
Steve
onIt doesn’t appear in Live 9 / 10 either…
Tomislav Zlatic
onTested in Studio One and VST Host on Windows, all good.
Masked tiger
oni will probably save up to get impact buttt till that time crack will be kool
Origin Makers
onSonic Anamoly transpire…
Masked tiger
onyeah ik i have that too
Tomislav Zlatic
onGreat one!
MRG
onTransient by Sleepy-Time DSP is kinda cool too, with easy and full modes.
Brenny C
onS.M.’s Crack (and Impact) is so much better than Transient by Sleepy-Time.
Origin Makers
onTransient Sleepy time DSP has external side chain…
FreeTracks
onNope
FreeTracks
onCrack is no way closer to Sleepy time DSP transient… It has detection filters and we have timing controls for attack and sustain… External sidechain support… Transient used 0.2% of my CPU in Reaper… Crack used 0.5%…
Brenny C
onI much prefer Crack to Sleepytime for a multitude of reasons (that I can certainly get into if necessary), you don’t. You do you and I’ll do me. :) Woah, that’s a novel idea!
Brenny C
onYep
Dansi
onTranspire is for me the best free transient designer. I will try slso this.
Ferenc Mosolyhozó Molnár
onAloha! my Reaper also doesn’t like this plugin. It was a massive waste of time. But thank you for the other great infos and free plugins these weeks. 👍
I have Reaper x64 and Windows 10
tylab
on“The world of free music production software lacked a good transient shaper, and this one delivers.”
Very true, I struggle to find a good free transient vst to recommend to people. I will definitely be trying this one out.
“That said, I wish Surreal Machines went for a different name with this one. It feels awkward to mention “cracks” in the contest of plugins and software in general.”
I mean given that Surreal Machines don’t punish their customers for what thieves will do regardless, I don’t think this is an issue. Now if this were a company that used iLok or required the hardare iLok dongle then yes this would be very amusing.
Igor
onhow is it compared to transient/transient+ by audio assault?
Tomislav Zlatic
onI agree. It just feels awkward to type the words “crack” and “plugin” together. I guess it’s a personal thing because I write about software 24/7.
PP
onThe name is probably an idea of SEO :)
lol
onIt doesn’t work in fl studio
Rox Roll
onNice,almost perfect to replace Transient processor,which only included in fl studio full bundle and my one of my favourite.
MRG
onThere was a time where crack dea… vendors didn’t need you to complete a form with your name and address and gave you serial numbers. I miss those days.
Brenny C
on*rolls eyes* Teehee
Tomislav Zlatic
onLol!
Masked tiger
onlol
Michal O.
onOk I read the discussion above and didn’t care much about it. That was until I had to download “CrackInstaller_win_1_0_0.zip”. This is a really bad name.
Brenny C
onThe name isn’t too bad IMO. Besides, the plugin itself is fantastic.
Roman
onThis is hilarious. I don’t really care about another wideband transient shaper, I’m about multiband those days, but I have to download this one just because of that!
Tomislav Zlatic
onHaha, yeah, that too! :) But it’s all good, really, and it’s a fantastic plugin.
Michal O.
onThe Audio Assault version has one major flaw – it doesn’t have any latency. For transient shaper to work properly, there has to be at least a couple of samples “thinking time” given. Whenever I tried using Transient+, first kick or first snare in a bar sounded different each time I pressed play or tried to record audio. For example iZotope Neutron Elements 3 has excellent transient shaper which adds 3 ms of latency.
Brenny C
onWhat does any of that have to do with Surreal Machines’ Crack?
Roman
onMichal misclicked the reply button, Igor above was asking about a comparison to Transient by Audio Assault.
hunter biden
onI’ve had my share of transients but this one is definitely going on my laptop.
shang0
onFree Crack?! …what is this world turning to?
PP
onIf just the name of this plugin was the only crazy thing goin on. The world would be so much better.
Redn
onThanks for another one.
Redn
onCan Anyone with focusrite hardware assist with the Reason Lite offer by novation.
Thank you in advance for your effort.
Origin Makers
onBetter not to install it brother… It needs you to login everythime use the plugin.. The synths are pretty good… But wait till Nov 24th Vital is coming… One synth for all kinds of sounds… And there are plenty of quality free effects plugin..
Jamie M.
onyet, yet, yet free waves plugin!
https://www.waves.com/lpn/black-friday-2020/free-plugin-signup
Pacmusik
onwhich is better, transpire from sonic anomaly or crack?