Developer 23 DSP has released X/Y-FAT as an open beta for macOS and Windows.
I first encountered 23 DSP in February of this year, when the Italian developer released four plugins in open beta.
The featured plugins are PureComp, Respiro, De, and AAReverb. Check them out, if you haven’t already.
A little later, in June of this year, 23 DSP released 23Tape, a free analogue tape emulation plugin for macOS and Windows.
After a busy first half of 2025, the new developer has released X/Y-FAT, a free (pay-what-you-want) stereo fattener.
As with the previous 23 DSP plugins, X/Y-FAT aims to help producers stay in their creative zone by avoiding a convoluted workflow. It does so by focusing on just a handful of necessary controls and a simple interface.
The plugin is a no-fuss tool that helps you add weight and warmth to your sound. You can use X/Y-FAT to thicken single elements of your track or add glue to your mix.
X/Y-FAT applies linked saturation, compression, and tonal shaping across the full stereo image. The Fattness and Colour sliders control the intensity and harmonic tone of the compression.
If you want complete control of mid/side processing, you can try X/Y-FAT Pro (starting at $5).
23 DSP designed X/Y-FAT to remain musical while boosting your signal and adding warmth with soft clipping.
Auto-Gain and Limiter options allow you to maintain loudness and avoid clipping.
23 DSP has added a short 808 demo to showcase the impact of X/Y-FAT, but the effect isn’t limited to percussion; it’s ideal for any instrument/sound that’s lacking depth, and, of course, thickening vocals.
As a keyboardist, I’d typically use a plugin like this for pads and poly synth sounds when I want to add weight without altering the sound’s defining character.
Remember, X/Y-FAT is in open beta, so don’t be surprised to encounter the odd problem, and feel free to share your experience with the developer.
Although macOS compatible, Apple Gatekeeper restrictions prevent the plugin from being fully compatible with all macOS versions. If you’re on macOS, check out the Terminal instructions at the bottom of the product page.
Download: XY-FAT (FREE / Name-your-price)
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Last Updated on July 31, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
