Ohmforce has discontinued eight of its popular audio plugins and offers them for free as legacy software.
We recently reviewed some classic free plugins, including OTT, CamelCrusher, and TDR Nova. It’s always interesting to remember legendary freebies such as these.
However, it’s even better when legendary commercial plugins become freeware. That is the case with Ohmforce’s lineup of audio effects and virtual instruments that you can now download from the developer’s website for free.
What is Ohmforce
Ohmforce was an audio software development team based in France.
If you’re relatively new to music production, the name Ohmforce probably doesn’t ring a bell. But this French development team was one of the hottest plugin makers in the early 2000s.
Their plugins, like Ohmicide and Symptohm, were some of the most original software-based music-making tools of their time. Ohmforce crafted unique interface designs and consistently implemented some truly innovative features that pushed the boundaries of what VST plugins could do.
After several years of inactivity, Ohmforce has now discontinued some of its legacy plugins and offered them for free.
Free Ohmforce plugins
Let’s look closer at some of Ohmforce’s plugins that are now free to download and use.
Ohmicide
Ohmicide is a feature-packed and highly versatile multi-band distortion plugin that was considered one of the best distortion plugins on the market. Even in comparison to newer distortion tools, it is still able to deliver exceptional results.
It features four frequency bands with adjustable distortion, dynamics, noise gate, and several other sound-shaping tools. However, one of Ohmicide’s coolest features is the built-in feedback generator.
Remember that all of these can be applied individually to each of the four bands, letting you reshape the audio source from the ground up.
I bought Ohmicide on sale a while back, and it has become one of my go-to distortion tools. Out of all the Ohmforce plugins, it’s my personal favorite. I strongly suggest that everyone should download it since it’s now available for free.
Symptohm:Melohman
Symptohm:Melohman is a virtual synthesizer that focuses on expressiveness and musicality.
Its synthesis engine relies on two sample-based oscillators, with an additional sub-oscillator and a noise generator. You can process these with a variety of internal and external modulators, including a ring modulator, LFOs, ADSRs, and more.
Symptohm’s standout feature is the ability to turn any waveform or sample into a morphing oscillator. For example, you can load one of the hundreds of included presets and then feed your favorite samples into the oscillator to quickly develop new sounds and variations.
Quad Frohmage
The free version of Quad Frohmage (simply called Frohmage) was one of the more popular freeware filter plugins back in the day.
Its big brother called Quad Frohmage features four independent filter units. Each filter module has 30 (!) filter modes with adjustable resonance, slope, and distortion.
My favorite feature is the ability to rearrange the filters into various configurations. I often use it for multi-band shaping and distortion on drum loops and cinematic sounds.
Another standout feature is the modulation section. You can modulate the filters with multiple LFOs, ADSR envelopes, and an envelope follower.
The interface is a bit outdated, but the control layout is intuitive, and I still enjoy using Quad Frohmage as part of my sound design toolkit.
Those are just some of my favorite Ohmforce plugins. You can now also download Hematohm (frequency shifter), Ohmygod (comb filter), Mobilohm (phaser), Predatohm (another multi-band distortion), and OhmBoyz (delay) for free.
How to get Ohmforce plugins for free
Ohmforce now offers eight of its discontinued plugins for free. The plugins are listed on the developer’s official website. Simply click the GET button next to the plugin to download it for free.
You must register on Ohmforce’s website to download their plugins for free. The registration process requires your name and email address.
Ohmforce plugins are available for Windows and macOS. Apple silicon is not supported.
More info: Ohmforce
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28 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onTHANK YOU to BPB readers Brenny C, Shebil, Yfrsn, Királyfi, and Neil for the info!
Animus
onLegendary!
MRG
onOhmygod! -_-
arnaud
on+1000
Richard Cooper
onThey can have my email. True OGs. Hope they are doing well.
Mariusz
onThese plugins were and are an absolute hit. I was always interested in ohmboyz, quadfilter or ohmicide because I read very good opinions about them.
I’ll download the others and try them too.
This delay might be the absolute top in my arsenal…
problem
onstrange, i downloaded the vst 64bit plugin but its only installing some weird apk files?
problem solved: choose extra install folder
onnevermind, i should have installed it into a extra folder, dll files are now in the program folder, lol.
Wing Yee
onPlease note that the Mobilohm Key is …4 (O not Zero) 8… it won’t install otherwise.
Hell'ektrix
onAwesome !
These plugins are sick !
nice
onJust so you know, all legacy plugins together would cost 300 dollar.
arnaud
onwhat a cool news !
Kapno
onFrohmage is to this day still my go-to plugin to add some serious snap to the snare through distortion. Unbelievable what it can do. Will definitely check these plugins out!
Poofox
onWOWZERS!!!!
Yorgui Hartmann
onsymptohm, quadfrohmage and ohmicide any time.
but beware, the gui is really small nowadays.
if they ever decide to make an actual version, im yours :D
Numanoid
onThis is why I am using several screen, including one from 15 years ago with 1024×768 resolution
In FL Studio I detach the plugin and drag it to the “old” screen, then the GUI becomes big enough to work with.
Yorgui Hartmann
ondamn, i never thought about that. :D nice
MRG
onI guess you can reduce the resolution of a 2nd monitor too, if you don’t have an old one around. Might be a bit blurry tho.
Numanoid
onPossibly, yes, but I haven’t tried that.
Trying to zoom in on the screen at 150% or more is not something I like though, because I find the GUIs then becomes blurry.
M
onNothing works with Pro Tools 2023.6 on Ventura 13.5. What a waste of time, and support is unreachable. You get what you pay for.
Johannes Mazur
onYou get what you pay for?
Not with Pro Tools.
(Forgive me, that was too tempting :-D)
Johannes Mazur
onAnyway, they wrote:
“Free on your Ohmforce account. Also free of support”
So…what kind of support did you expect?
Neil
onOhmicide is great but gutted there won’t be a VST 3 version
Robin
onThanks so much for this tip! Just the last few weeks I’d been looking for a delay that could sound like the old Ohmboyz one. I remember I used to loved it, but I figured it probably wasn’t as great as in my memory and settled for what I had. Now that I finally have the real thing it really is as amazing as I remember. What a great plugin! Man, this really makes my day. Can’t believe it’s free now.
Tomislav Zlatic
onAlways a pleasure! :)
Tim
onI’m trying to install Ohmicide. It’s asking for a user name and key. I haven’t received an email??
MRG
onThe username and serial that goes with it are on the plugin’s page.
ohmsweet.ohmforce.com/pages/legacy-ohmicide
Tarik
onAnyone got Ohmicide to work on Logic 9?