Buchert Audio has released The Double Wide, a free one-knob stereo width plugin for macOS.
The Double Wide is a simple utility for narrowing or widening a stereo signal. It’s almost too easy, but also super useful. You turn the knob left to make the source narrower or turn it right to make it wider.
That’s the whole workflow, and I always like seeing this kind of extremely focused free tool.
I did a quick test, and The Double Wide’s stereo widening sounds nice. It is simple, easy to use, and does what it says without asking much from the user.
The only real downside for me is that it is macOS-only at the moment, so Windows users are left out. I don’t see a Windows version listed on the product page or in the press information.
Buchert Audio is a Copenhagen-based developer founded by Morten Buchert. The company currently has five plugins, with The Double Wide being the free utility in the lineup.
The Double Wide uses true mid-side encoding and decoding rather than a simple pan trick. Buchert Audio says it is built on the same M/S engine as their premium Warmth Engine, but stripped down to a single control for quick stereo adjustments.
The plugin also includes automatic bass mono-izing (my favorite part!). In practice, that means the low end stays centered even when you push the width higher, which is useful if you want to open up pads, synths, or ambient layers without making the bass feel unstable.
On the other hand, narrowing can help with mono compatibility checks, tightening a loose stereo image, or bringing bass-heavy material closer to the center. This is definitely handy on individual tracks, buses, and quick mix checks where you don’t want to open a more complex stereo processor.
The width control has 50 ms parameter smoothing, so automation should remain free of clicks, pops, and zipper noise. The plugin is also zero-latency and lightweight, using basic M/S processing without oversampling, FFT, or convolution.
The Double Wide is free forever, with no trial period, license manager, subscription, telemetry, or activation required. You do need to enter an email address to download it, but authorization is not required after installation.
The Double Wide is available in AU and VST3 formats for macOS 10.13 or higher. It is a Universal Binary plugin, so it runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
I just wish the developer will add Windows support in the future.
Download: Buchert Audio The Double Wide (FREE)
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Last Updated on June 15, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
