Jon V Audio has updated the pricing of Fircomp 2, a digital compressor plugin previously priced at £23, to a pay-what-you-want model, with no minimum.
You can now download this outstanding compressor plugin for free or choose to support the developer with a donation.
Fircomp 2 is one of the cleanest, most transparent digital compressors available, rivaling even high-end commercial offerings like FabFilter Pro-C2. In fact, if you’ve been looking for a free/affordable alternative to FabFilter’s flagship compressor, Fircomp 2 might be the perfect choice.
I’ve been using it since late 2023, and it’s one of the best compressors I’ve encountered—paid or free. It offers ultra-clean compression and instant response without introducing aliasing or unwanted harmonics.
It also sounds very musical and fits almost every kind of audio source I tried it on. From vocals to drums and synths, I just love how it sounds.
Another cool feature is its ability to act as a limiter with zero latency and excellent transparency. Unlike many peak limiters that hard-clip or smear transients, Fircomp 2 handles them surgically without a hint of distortion (thanks to BPB reader Lein for pointing out that the plugin doesn’t detect inter-sample peaks as I initially wrote).
The CPU footprint is also super light, even with the GUI active (around 0.6% CPU usage per instance on my MacBook Air), and the interface is fully resizable and razor-sharp on high-res displays.
The visual metering is excellent, providing everything from input/output levels and gain reduction to peak and LUFS short-term metering.
Since its initial release, Fircomp 2 has been updated with two new compression modes—VCA Mode and Coupled Peak Mode—which make it even more versatile for different mixing scenarios. So even if you’re looking for colorful dynamics shaping, Fircomp 2 can handle it.
There’s one thing I don’t like about it, though. The learning curve might be steep for new users, and it took me a week to become comfortable with it.
There are a ton of parameters, and the interface doesn’t offer tooltips or pop-ups to guide you through the settings. That said, once you get used to it, it’s a compressor you’ll reach for again and again.
The fact that this used to cost €27 and is now completely free is astonishing. Not that you can choose the price, Fircomp 2 is a must-have in any mixing toolkit, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro.
Fircomp 2 is available in VST3 format for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can download it directly from the developer’s Gumroad page and enter any donation amount to support continued development.
Download: Fircomp 2 (pay what you want)
More:
- Big Fish Audio releases FREE Momentum v2.0 Loop Slicer Plugin
- Jon V Audio Releases FREE FirComp VST3/AU Plugin
Last Updated on May 12, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
